The contemporary style is one of the most popular interior design styles today. While people think of it as cold and minimalist, the reality is that it can be comfortable and welcoming without the additional clutter. Contemporary is a design style that’s oriented towards simplicity and practicality. It’s focused on colour, space and shape. Dominant colours are the neutrals – black, white and grey, with a splash of natural textures like wood or concrete and a bit of vibrant colour added through furniture or décor.
It’s also filled with plenty of lines and textures. The furniture is characterised by sharp edges and textured cushioning, while the walls often include bricks, exposed pipes and other textured details. The floors are bare and smooth and made of materials such as wood, tile or vinyl. Carpets are often patterned and in a neutral colour.
When it comes to décor, this design scheme includes simple and functional accessories that create visual interest. The most popular decor choices are monochromatic wall art prints, metallic lighting fixtures, textured cushions and indoor plants.
Black and White Wall Decor
I’m sure you often get intimidated when decorating a bare wall. Decorating with art prints is not an easy task and it takes a bit of thought and planning to do it properly. Although there are many guides on how to decorate with art prints, you firstly need to consider the design scheme of your home and your personal style.
The contemporary style doesn’t favour the excessive use of décor. It implies that any element used should have a unique functional role in the design scheme of the room. Wall décor such as rattan pieces or colourful art prints are a popular choice, but they’re not ideal for a home in contemporary style.
The ideal choice for a contemporary home is the modern black and white wall art. These are versatile artworks that create interesting visuals with the use of lines and textures. Depending on your taste, you can choose a realistic artwork or an abstract masterpiece. You can also find detailed prints inspired by nature, everyday life and the human body. They’re printed on high-quality polycotton canvas, which means they have superior fade resistance and will look good as new for years to come.
You can pair your black and white artwork with any frame of your choice, but it will work best with a simple minimalistic frame in a neutral colour or a wooden texture. To create a dramatic effect, you can pair the artwork with a shadow box frame. This frame creates a gap between it and the artwork, which makes a shadow effect.
If you’re not the type for these kinds of artworks, you can opt for a black and white photograph instead. You can choose a photograph inspired by everyday life or a portrait of a famous celebrity. These artworks convey different emotions and messages. Black and white wall art is quirky and iconic. It helps your seemingly ordinary living space reach an unmatched level of sophistication.
Metal Light Fixtures
Metallics were always present in our home design through hardware, faucets etc. However, they have a large presence in the contemporary style through furniture and accessories. Combined with the monochromatic colour scheme that dominates the space, these elements help to add a bit more drama to the room.
Metallic lighting fixtures are a common décor element in industrial styled homes, but they’re equally as popular in contemporary homes. Finishes range from brass to chrome, black and white metal. You can also mix them together, as it can create a more balanced and refined look.
Today’s metallic lighting fixtures are much more stylish and refined than they used to be. They’re no longer seen as cold and dark warehouse-style décor. These lights are quite versatile. You can find them as simple pendants, multi-light pendants, lantern pendants, wall lights and others.
Including brass fixtures will help you add some colour in a neutral contemporary setting. Brass gives your space a blend of luxury, warmth and texture. When deciding between a glossy or a matte brass surface, take into account the other elements in the room.
While chrome fixtures don’t provide as much warmth, they complement the monochrome interior quite well and give it a sophisticated edge.
Patterned Cushions
Cushions are a great way to add texture and pattern to your living room. They can liven up a monotone contemporary sofa and provide you with comfort as well. Add versatility by combining a few different patterns and textures, and combine them with plain single-coloured cushions. Natural patterns are a big trend these past few years, so tropical and floral-patterned cushions are good options. When you’re looking for cushions, pay attention to the materials you choose. Natural fabrics tend to be more skin-friendly, but they wrinkle easily, whereas synthetic fabrics are wrinkle-resistant.
Indoor Plants
Although not everyone has a green thumb, including a few well-picked pieces of greenery in your contemporary home comes with a lot of benefits. It creates a contrast with the neutral colours and adds to the visual interest of the space. Plants are natural air purifiers so they will cleanse your indoor air of any harmful chemicals and pollutants, as well as boost the oxygen quality. Countless studies have shown that simply looking at plants boosts your mental well-being and calms your mind, which is especially beneficial in today’s modern fast-paced lifestyles.
When it comes to picking the ideal indoor plant, this mainly depends on your personal preferences. However, some good ideas for indoor plants are: Chrysanthemum, Spider Plant, Ficus, Peace Lily, succulents (especially Aloe Vera), Rubber Plant and many more.
Bottom Line
When you’re hunting for décor for your contemporary home, you need to keep in mind a few factors. The ideal décor needs to follow the requirements of the contemporary style. Black and white wall decor is a good choice because it follows the monochrome contemporary scheme. Metallic lighting fixtures are modern lighting accessories that complement neutral colours quite well. On the other hand, indoor plants add a splash of colour and liven up your space.
