Reinventing Contemporary Interior Design
Reinventing Contemporary Interior Design
Contributed by Beni Restea
More so than ever, interior design is an integral part of a homeowner’s everyday life. In a world that changes faster and faster, having a space that you can make your own can make you feel safe and at home. Something as seemingly insignificant as a lamp or a painting can turn an unfamiliar space into a haven of warmth and familiarity.
With modern interior design, we’ve seen a shift away from ornate, highly embellished decor in favor of a more minimalistic, understated look. Instead of the elaborate, almost ostentatious pattern, flourishes and motifs, interior design has taken on a decidedly less-is-more approach that dispenses with excess and opts for a look that is markedly lacking in undue pretensions.
Be this as it may, modern interior design is no longer modern in a contemporary sense. This style has shown up in different trends across the country for decades, and it’s time for some revitalization. If you’re looking to give your apartment or home an interior design facelift, here are some ideas on how you can do just that. Let’s get started!
Go Green
One of the most prominent new trends in modern interior design is a focus on environmentally conscious choices for furniture, fixtures and decor. Instead of mass manufactured consumer products, people are increasingly opting for decor and furniture that is unique and eco-friendly. Reusable materials, reduced waste and recyclable products are the way of the future!
This extends to a lot of different areas of interior design. Instead of opting for an Ikea dinner table and chairs, find a local craftsman and purchase a handcrafted table set. Instead of a mass produced print, buy a painting from an independent artist. There are plenty of independent artists and craftsmen working in cities across the United States; instead of contributing to a multinational corporation, why not help support someone that is giving back to the community?
If you want to take things further, try replacing some of your furnishings and decorations with recycled or repurposed items. Bamboo, for example, is an incredibly versatile material that can be used to create aesthetically pleasing and functionally viable furniture and decor, without damaging the environment. Incorporate some repurposed items into your home’s look, and you’ll already be making a change for the better!
Use Smart-Home Technology
Another great way to modernize your home is to make use of smart home technology. There are a range of ingenious inventions that utilize this technology to enhance the convenience of your home and make your life a bit easier. From smart fridges that allow you to check the contents of your fridge while you’re at the grocery store to smart thermostats that help you save on heating bills, there is a world of possibilities at your disposal!
Smart home technology can also be used to enhance the security of your home or apartment. With sensors and cameras installed throughout your living space, you can have a notification sent to your phone should anyone ring your doorbell while you’re away or even worse, try to break into your home. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry!
Choose The Right Colors
One excellent idea for utilizing modern interior design in your home decor is to repaint a wall, room or the entirety of your home’s interior. Choosing the right colors for this can be a challenging but rewarding experience, and making it a reality by painting it yourself will fill you with pride and satisfaction.
When choosing colors for a repaint, it’s important to pick the right color and shade for the right space. By choosing the right color you can make a room feel larger or smaller, depending on what you’re going for. You can make a space feel open and airy by choosing lighter colors that disperse the light evenly.
You can also improve the look of your home by choosing decor and furnishings of colors that complement one another as well as the room in which they are placed. If your walls are a deep, verdant green, choose furniture with dark, rich wood tones like mahogany, walnut and oak. For large rooms with light colored walls, opt instead for furniture of the same color, but a slightly darker shade. Just have fun with it and choose what suits you best!
Utilize Open Wall Space
If you have lots of wall space in your home or apartment, consider finding ways to fill that space in a tasteful and minimalistic way. One way to fill this wall space and keep with the theme of modern interior design is to find large paintings or prints of photos and put them up on your wall, creating an artistically free space.
If you play an instrument like guitar or bass, consider hanging some of them up to serve as decoration! The benefits of this are manyfold. Instruments make great conversation pieces, and look fantastic when put up on a wall. Then, of course, it’s super convenient to have them immediately accessible whenever you feel the urge to play!
For those of you in need of extra space to organize after a move, you can also use this wall space to store your things! By installing a few shelves and/or cupboards, you can make great use of this space to organize your belongings, while also serving as an attractive touch to any room in your home.
Use Plants as a Part of Your Decor
For our final tip, we’d like to tell you about how much of a difference a few plants can make in your home or apartment. Although it may not seem like much, a potted plant or two can bring the look of a room together like few other things can. Whether you choose the responsibility of living plants or the convenience of fake ones, plants are a welcome addition in any living space!
If you’re a busy person that doesn’t have time to spend caring for indoor greenery, you might want to opt for fake plants. Over the years, these plants have become more and more convincing; in the present day, they’re all but indistinguishable from real ones! On the other hand, caring for living plants can be a cathartic ritual that relieves stress and builds confidence.
Either way, some plants are sure to improve your home’s look!
Conclusion
Modern interior design has been around for a while, and it's safe to say that some of the trends that have come along are here to stay. If you’re trying to reinvent the look of your apartment or home, we hope that you’ll be able to put some of these ideas to good use. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your redecorating!