Guide to Choosing Contemporary Furniture

If you are planning your next home renovation project or are preparing to welcome a new season with some interior design changes in your home, you may come to find that choosing the right furniture is not always as easy as one may think. Or it may come natural and you already know exactly what you’d like. With a vast range of different furniture styles available and although it may be fun to mix and match, the professional designers’ advice would be to place a focus on a certain design style. Selecting your home’s new furniture based on a style that matches your personality will guarantee a satisfying result and an enjoyable home atmosphere.

We’ll walk you through one of the most popular design styles in Contemporary design, what contemporary design truly means and we’ll share a guide to choosing contemporary furniture with the aim of making the process easier and more fun.

Contemporary Design Explained

Contemporary design is a reflection of the present time, with a key focus on today.The style is dynamic and what is contemporary today most likely will not be tomorrow’s contemporary.  Contemporary uses a range of elements from other design styles such as modern design and minimalism, and can often be related to a variety of other styles. It is a mere combination of the past and future.

Contemporary does however have its own specific set of characteristics, which separate it from the rest. It carries its unique color palettes, geometric forms, choice of materials, textures, and creates an unmatched feeling.

The style is inspired by natural elements and aims to build a simple and functional way of living. If you are fond of the contemporary lifestyle and are craving a in that direction, let’s look at a few tips on choosing contemporary furniture.

Tips for Picking Contemporary Furniture

Before making decisions regarding furniture, there is a list of points to consider if you are looking to create the ultimate home environment.

Sustainability

In the search of contemporary furniture, the starting point should always be with a question regarding sustainability. As mentioned earlier, contemporary design is a reflection of today’s environment, greater emphasis has been placed on taking the environment and our ecological situation into account. It is important to select manufacturers who produce responsibly and do their part to have minimal effect on our environment.

The government of California CARB Phase two regulations are one example of government taking a step in the right direction, forcing wood and furniture manufacturers to reduce formaldehyde levels in furniture brought into the states. Sustainably sourced woods are another important example of ensuring that forests are harvested in the most ecological manner, ensuring the longevity of the where the raw materials were harvested. These are all important things to consider and worth asking before making any buying purchases.

Variety of fabrics and textures bring a sense of warmth to this Contemporary Living room

Materials and Fabrics

The material used for contemporary furniture often include natural products such as natural woods or other fabrics and textures. However, if we take a look at the typical contemporary furniture used for an entertainment space at home, we will find glossy entertainment systems, with lower heights but longer widths. For instance, the Samso TV Cabinet, which provides support for flat screen TVs up to 85”, is the perfect example of a contemporary TV stand. It also has a smooth matte white laminated body, combining gloss with matte in a stunning manner. Our blog post article on the distinctive features of contemporary TV cabinets can shed more light on the process of choosing the best TV stand for your home from the perspective of a contemporary designer.

Fabrics or textures used for decoration, such as sofa pillows, rugs, or decorative lighting, will often have a natural and simple look. Metals such as; copper, steel, nickel and brass are often widely used for lighting fixtures in contemporary design.

Features

When selecting furniture, the features of the piece are essential in establishing whether the product is suitable for your needs and lifestyle. In contemporary design, the true objective is to depict a clean and tidy living environment, meaning that unnecessary decorations or messy bundles are a “no-no”.

In terms of contemporary furniture, this means a careful look at the functionality of the product. For instance, the perfect TV cabinet should include additional storage space where you can tuck away any entertainment gadgets, DVDs, or consoles.

Comfort

Comfort is an essential part of contemporary design and should be included in your list of points to cover in choosing the best items. Couches and chairs in contemporary design are often found in rectangular shapes. Your contemporary couch can be leather but it can also be a lighter texture, depending on your personal preference.

Simple and clean lines are a central part of contemporary furniture, giving a modest appearance to the living space. Lustrous and smooth surfaces provide a sense of comfort and belonging, while lines or surfaces in neutral colors and textures create the comforting feeling of going back to nature. The softer edges of contemporary furniture help to exit the sterile or stark feeling, and rather propose comfort in aesthetics.

 

Colors

Contemporary colors play around in the white, black, and grey color palettes but can also include shades of beige or other neutral hues. The more creative and bold designers may add accent colors from the peach or salmon color schemes. However, these colors will most often be used with decorations such as rugs, pillows, or wall paintings. The furniture is most commonly kept clean, with the prevalence of whites and blacks.

The contemporary living spaces often include open spaces and a sense of spaciousness, which can be created despite the actual size limitations of a room, thanks to the intelligent use of color.

Making the most of contemporary design today is a fun endeavor and can significantly improve your level of satisfaction from your home’s interior. We hope that this guide for selecting contemporary furniture will help you gain a better orientation towards the style and create a truly mesmerizing environment at home!