Whether it is your first time furnishing your home or upgrading your interior design, you will face the understandable dilemma of choosing modern or contemporary furniture.
Aren't they the same, though?
Many use contemporary and modern furniture designs interchangeably, but these styles differ. Contemporary design involves the current trend, which means a combination of elements that are popular these days. On the other hand, modern interior design is part of a specific era with particular features and prominent characteristics.
Continue reading this guide to learn more about modern interior design and furniture pieces in this category.
What is the Role of Modern Furniture When it Comes to Interior Design?
Modern interior design began in the nineteenth century and evolved throughout the twentieth century as a result of the influence of modern art on interior design. This style evolution celebrates simple and unadorned furniture and decorations, prioritising function over form. This means all modern furniture pieces and decorations reflect their respective purposes to keep things at a minimum. This also means fewer accent details but more multifunctional furniture.
In short, having its Scandinavian and German design roots, the modern interior style focuses on neat and fuss-free furnishings, pairing down the intricate ornamentation of the traditional theme.
What are the Characteristics of Modern Furniture?
Although modern interior design has been around for years, the style and furniture options are still adored by many homeowners and designers because of their neat features and notable functions. The modern style is indeed perfect for those who prefer simple and uncluttered spaces. Here are some elements of modern furniture design that you can adapt.
Minimalist Design
Modern furniture pieces are recognised for their remarkable simplicity in function and style. They feature minimalist designs with fewer details and simpler forms, separating them from contemporary styles that welcome varied design elements. Modern homes focus on minimal furnishings and uncluttered spaces, giving way to more functions.
To identify modern furniture, look for clean lines and straight, defined edges. By reducing unnecessary details, modern furniture pieces transcend trends and stay sophisticated over time.
Neutral Colour Palette
Another prominent feature of modern interior design is its colour palette. Modern furniture's neutral colour combinations distinguish it from other furniture selections with bolder and more detailed colours.
Modern furniture pieces, even major pieces like sofas and bed frames, come in a neutral colour palette. Distinctive hues such as beige, white, dark brown, black, grey, or powder blue dominate the style. Vibrant hues are used to accentuate the space without overpowering its simplistic look.
One significant difference between modern and contemporary styles is their colour choices. While modern interior design features a neutral palette, contemporary style freely uses bold colours for its focal points and accents.
Form Meets Function
Who says no to additional functions? Even the best interior design company runs the extra mile to successfully infuse more functions into a limited space. When designing a modern home, focus on the minimum number of multifunctional furniture pieces. This means eliminating what's unnecessary and concentrating on what can make a room more functional. This includes furniture pieces with additional storage functions, like a modern storage bed and an L-shaped sofa with an ottoman chaise. While promoting multipurpose features, these pieces not only provide more than one function but also add to the visual interest a simplistic modern home has.
Blending In
When designing a home, it's essential to determine whether you want a furniture piece to stand out or blend in. In modern design, furniture layouts are more focused on blending each piece together than having one eclectic piece that significantly stands out. With modern furniture's well-curated form and composition, standing out will happen seamlessly without overshadowing other pieces in your home.
Natural Materials
Modern furniture pieces are generally made from natural materials like wood and leather. They also feature metal leg structures and plastic materials to provide a lightweight look to the space. Many modern stackable chairs are made from plastic for easy storage and maintenance.
Prominent Size Options
Modern design welcomes bigger furniture pieces like large sectionals that add significant charm to the space. Larger furniture pieces help keep the number of furniture options to a minimum. But this doesn’t mean you should keep all furniture pieces in large sizes. It’s important to prioritise major furniture units that you want to stand out and create balance with smaller accents that are also highly functional.
Styling Major Modern Furniture Pieces By Room
Modern Bedroom Furniture
Modern bedroom furniture pieces focus on simplicity and optimum comfort with clean lines and well-curated furniture and bedroom decorations. Modern bedrooms present neutral colour palettes, open spaces, and lots of storage to keep the area uncluttered. Wardrobe cabinets and storage beds are champions of this category. While modern design is strict about keeping things subtle, accent colours are welcome to give your space a touch of personality.
Modern Living Room Furniture
Your living room is one of your home's busiest and most noticeable spaces, so it's important to curate the right furniture pieces that will boost its beauty while injecting functionality.
Consider an open-plan layout for an airy feel. Invest in a sectional sofa to give your living space distinction. For a more unified look, consider using similar materials for your living room and dining space. If you're working with a small space, start with a neutral base to make your living room appear larger. Add colour with cushions, throws, and rugs to complement your minimal base. Don't forget about your textures to create variety.
Modern Dining Room and Kitchen Furniture
Many modern HDB and BTO flats feature open-concept kitchens, giving more variety in terms of space management and design. Like the other rooms in your home, keeping an uncluttered kitchen and dining room space is crucial. The key to creating an efficient modern kitchen is the utilisation of storage cabinets. Modern kitchen cabinets avoid excessive detailing and angular designs.
Modern dining tables feature contrasting textures and lots of high-quality materials like marble and sintered stone paired with steel legs. Wooden dining tables bring natural charm to the dining space, giving an outdoor meets an indoor look. Dining chairs and benches also vary in materials and configurations.
Ready to design a modern room? Check out Megafurniture's online catalogue of high-quality modern furniture in Singapore, all at affordable prices! Shop in the convenience of your home.