Contemporary Style Decorating Tips
Contemporary is a broad word to use to describe a style, especially the style for a whole house. If you’re looking for a style to keep to when decorating and furnishing your home, contemporary is definitely an option - once you know what it entails, and what to look for. We’ve compiled some contemporary style decorating tips to help you get the right look.
You might already fit into this style, or you might need to make some changes if this style is something you can see working well in your house and in your life. As with all the different you can choose from, contemporary may not work for you - but read on to see exactly what contemporary style really includes, and whether or not this style will suit your home.
- A big starting point is less is more. Contemporary crosses over with a minimalist viewpoint a lot of the time. Simplicity is a key feature, so if you ever find yourself overthinking a particular space or where to place an object - maybe step back and ask yourself if your object or your ideas would complicate the space.
- Look for smooth profiles in your furnishings and decorations - fancy, ornate, and intricate shapes don’t feature very much in contemporary styled homes.
- The same goes for colour palettes - solid colours, or only subtle patterns if you want something other than solid. Monochromatic colours like creams, whites, taupes, beiges, greys, and blacks are most commonly seen this style. This doesn’t mean can’t have colour, though, so a feature wall or a feature furnishing or decoration can be in a bold colour to create some drama and interest in the room.
Accessories should be kept to a minimum, as clutter does not feature in contemporary styling. Every piece you place in a room or space must have a purpose, whether it be a book on the coffee table or decorations on a bookshelf - if it doesn’t serve a purpose, replace it or just leave the space open. - Line and form are important aspects to emphasise along with geometric shapes that create planes and angles in your space. Lighting can bring in these shapes if you find a statement piece, and artwork to match or feature. You can achieve this with angular and geometric furniture as well.
- Open space and natural light are big players in a contemporary styled home. High ceilings with big, unadorned windows and lots of space without much filling it will give you contemporary style without much effort - if you have the house structure to suit. It may sound like the place will be bare - but anchoring the big space with large scale furnishings and artworks ensures that the space won’t feel too sparse.
- Contemporary style favours hard floors, with very few rugs or carpeting. Concrete, hardwood, and tile floors feature heavily over softer flooring choices. Other surfaces usually have a high-gloss effect - for example chrome, steel, lacquer, glass, plastic, and tiles for counters, splashbacks, and other furniture and surfaces around your home.
