Modern Interior Design for a House
If the words "modern design" conjure up images of sleek black-and-white surfaces and little more, think again. Modern interior design can be minimalist, but it can also be filled with art, forward-thinking furnishings, high-tech gadgets, glossy finishes and eye-catching architectural elements. One of the key aspects in modern interior design is that everything need not match or even coordinate. Instead, choose what you love and what inspires you, and a unique design aesthetic will evolve. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Many interior design styles have a modern edge. The mid-century modern look, with its clean lines and sharp angles, is a perennial favorite. The Wabi-Sabi look is about simplified modernism, featuring unadorned surfaces and natural materials that allow light to travel through the room. The bohemian modern look is more cluttered and artsy, while the eco-design movement has brought innovative architecture and alternative materials and finishes to the forefront.
Features
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Architectural elements define a modern home interior. A wall of windows, sliding doors that open to an inner courtyard, skylights or solar tubes allow natural light to take center stage in a modern home. Open floor plans and multipurpose spaces such as live/work lofts or libraries on landings redefine a home's form as well as function.
Negative spaces such as an alcove, the underside of a stairwell or spots of ceiling between the rafters take on greater impact, framed with exposed beams or pipes. Angular lines, geometric shapes and creative integration between indoor and outdoor spaces add a designer touch.
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Function
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Modern interior home design makes the useful beautiful. A simple mid-century modern chair by Charles Eames attracts attention with its angular frame and clean lines. Low, modular furnishings allow a large oil painting or a cutting-edge wall mural to take center stage. Natural materials and finishes such as stone, wood, paper, cotton, ceramic tile and plants have a refreshing look when paired with glossy marble, chrome, stainless steel and lacquer.
Considerations
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Make a modern home interior your own by showcasing favorite artwork, family heirlooms and photographs. Stack small format artwork vertically on a narrow wall, using black lacquer frames. A strip of miniature gallery-style spotlights can emphasize a larger format painting. Packaged wall murals or a hand-painted mural add a bohemian look. Designs range from nature scenes to abstract art.
Palette
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The modern palette might be crisp and cool, featuring new neutrals such as blue-based gray or a soft earth tone. Four white walls have their place in a contemporary minimalist interior, especially if accented with black and spots of red, orange or lime green. However, the mid-century modern look gets warmed up with a mellow yellow or an eggshell shade. The Wabi-Sabi look favors distressed finishes, so a thin antique whitewash over a darker color can add dimension. In bohemian modernism, more is more, so try vintage wallpaper, wall-length textiles, cascading sheers in a variety of colors and patterns or large paintings propped against walls.
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