Contemporary and Modern
Although modern design furniture favors straight and strong lines, the design concepts of contemporary furniture are more organic in silhouette. Contemporary designed furniture is usually a blend of comfort and sophistication with a fresh look and feel. Metals, such as nickel, stainless steel, and chrome are also popular among furniture pieces boasting a contemporary style concept. Color palettes are one of the most distinct elements in contemporary vs modern design. Contemporary interior design styles tend to stick to a stricter palate of black & white and grey. Other colors can be brought in, but these colors are usually pure and saturated tones like indigo, red, and orange. Modern design colors, however, tend to focus on natural hues and feature shades of turquoise, brown, rust, and greens. Since contemporary interior design styles are forever evolving to what is the latest, it tends to pick up various elements that cannot be utilized in modern design. I’m personally drawn to this style for it's simplicity and clean feeling that I find very easy to relax in - no clutter with these spaces!
Mid-Century Modern
Mid-Century: a style of design (as in architecture and furniture) of roughly the 1930s through the mid-1960s characterized especially by clean lines, organic and streamlined forms, and lack of embellishment. - Merriam Webster Dictionary
I currently live in a architecturally designed mid-century home and have been exploring this genre of design up close. When you look at design projects that follow this style, the one thing you won’t see is tons of excess. Clean lines and the combination of new and old materials characterize this timeless design trend. Some characteristics: Simplicity: Clean lines, curves and smooth surfaces create an underhanded look - Less becomes more. Modern and geometric prints, bold colors, brass and gold finishes, wood with natural finishes, tapered legs and “floating furniture, and combining natural and manmade materials.
