Home Style Ideas

Modern room design can make even an older home feel fresh.  This style is popular in the city and the country.  It has a less is more approach which means that it’s an affordable way to decorate.  It also focuses on man made materials which also helps with the budget.  Modern room design can be retro or contemporary depending on the direction you take in the space.  The crisp, clean feel of modern decorating makes it perfect for any room in the house.  The wide appeal also means that it will work well in a kitchen or a bathroom because the style will last for years to come.

Modern teak furniture is a way to bring a natural element into the room. Look for furniture pieces with clean lines and medium to dark wood tones.  You might not even want to put handles or drawer pulls on teak cabinetry so that you don’t obstruct the beauty of the piece.  You can carry the teak elements throughout the room by applying teak paneling to one focal wall.  The focal wall can also act as a headboard in a bedroom.  You can mix the teak wood with black laminate or glass pieces.  In modern design you’ll also need to integrate modern technology.  Show off your TV instead of hiding it away like in traditional decorating.  You can build an entire bookcase around a flat screen so it becomes the focal point of a room.  The sleek TV can serve as a piece of artwork that is also useful.  You can add a console table under a flat screen to keep the look sleek if you don’t want to draw too much attention to your electronics.

Modern home decor focuses on light and lines.  Look for furniture with straight lines and solid fabrics.  The minimalist approach is what makes the statement in the room.  Modern design focuses on stark colors such as black and white.  For a cozier feel you can add in sage green and gray.  Keep the window treatments to a minimum so your view becomes the focal point of the room.  If you need window treatments look for roman shades or white wood blinds instead of fussy curtains.  The lighting fixture is an opportunity to bring in a sculptural element.  This may mean placing a large drum shade over your dining room table or buying a lamp that has a paper shade that goes from floor to ceiling.  Paper shades can be twisted to look like elaborate forms of origami and are inexpensive.

Modern bedroom decorating creates a Zen like almost meditative feel.  White is also used in the bedroom and fabrics are kept to a minimum.  You can keep the flooring, walls, and ceiling bright white to allow maximum light in the space.  The bedding can be as simple as using a crisp flat sheet with a plain white coverlet folded neatly at the foot of the bed.  If white seems too stark for a bedroom go for neutral colors.  You can combine sage walls, taupe flooring, and dark chocolate furniture and butter curtains.  This palette is soft so the focus will still be on a light and airy room instead of glaring color.  Remove any extra furniture pieces in your room such as dressers that can be placed in the closet or hidden behind a shoji screen.  The bed should be kept close to the floor although you may just want to use floating shelves instead of nightstands.  You can build the shelves into a low headboard so it matches the height of the bed.

Modern room accessories are what make the statement in your room.  This is where you can bring in color.  Modern decorating has pops of bold color such as orange.  Since modern decorating is a retro style, go to the source to save money.  Find unusual vases or lamps at thrift stores.  You can keep the room looking natural with woven baskets.  You can also make modern furniture feel a little more traditional by adding throw pillows.  Accessories should be functional and sleek.  You can use magnetic strips to hang your kitchen utensils on to serve as sculpture.  Rugs should be geometric or solid in color.  Look for bar stools that will add a modern element to a kitchen island or breakfast table.  These pieces often come in bright colors such as red and focus on interesting shapes instead of comfort.  Metal finishes can either be oil rubbed bronze because chocolate brown is popular in modern decor or go for more classic stainless or brushed steel.  If you don’t have a lot of lighting in your space you’ll need to add it. You can use sconces, lamps, chandeliers, recessed lighting, under cabinet lights and artwork lighting if your room lacks natural sun.  Fabrics should be solid or have a discernible print on them such as polka dots or squares.  You can occasionally get away with a damask pattern as long as the color is bright or has high contrast.  This will add a more elegant and softer touch to a traditional room.

Modern home decorating makes everyday items beautiful.  You can find a waterfall faucet that will be the focal point of a bathroom.  Look for a vessel sink that is either frosted glass or hand painted to add a sleek look to a bathroom.  You can add life to a vanity by using oversized drawer pulls.  Modern drawer pulls run almost the entire length of the cabinet and are a sleek stainless steel rod.  Modern home design can also be dramatic.  Instead of using white walls with pops of hot pink, reverse it.  Try dramatic magenta walls with all white furniture for a more stylish space with lots of impact.  If your furniture seems boring, paint it.  This works especially well in an apartment where you can’t paint the walls.  Bring the color onto your furniture instead by using bold choices such as lime green.  Modern design is so trendy that it’s almost becoming the norm.  It’s a great way to make small spaces feel bigger or replicate that city loft that you’ve always wanted.