6 Contemporary Elements To Help Modernize Your Home
You’re looking to remodel your home, but remodeling can be tricky business. What do you do? How much do you spend? Should you splurge on drapes or blinds? Here are the top six contemporary elements that will help you sort it all out.
Open Floor Plans
Open floor plans sound like something from 1960s America, but they’re actually a result of more forward-thinking designs born from that era – hardly dated. In fact, companies like fci London make use of open floor plans to showcase their furniture lines which, if planned properly, eliminate the need for a lot of walls and separation.
Open floor plans are also brighter, since light is not trapped in a single room. Open floor plans benefit from acoustics too, allowing sound to travel, giving the whole house a more “cozy” feel. And, because there are fewer walls, you won’t feel nearly as cramped. Smaller spaces seem larger. We knocked down a wall in our living room 2 years ago and it was a huge improvement in our house!
Use “Dull” Base Colors and More Vibrant Accents
“Dull” colors might not seem very interesting, but they’re easier and cheaper to pick out. But, you don’t want your home to be dull, which is why you should use vibrant accent colors like red, orange or purple. In fact, using this strategy, you can go more vibrant than you otherwise would, and it won’t be “overdoing it.”
You’re home will look amazing because it won’t be flooded with color, it will highlight and accentuate the exceptional, and save you money on painting costs. Plus, let’s be honest, going more vibrant on accent colors is awesome. Your home is going to look so cool. Take a look at my orange accent wall for inspiration!
Use Texture
Texture, like velvet, wood, linen, and wool can dramatically affect the way a home looks and feels. However, you have to be careful about the specific materials you use and how you mix and match them. Don’t try to mix wool and velvet, for example. They don’t go well together.
And, if you do use texture in your home, use it as an accent, not the main feature.
Use Lighting Intelligently
Lighting can make a huge impact on your home and how it looks. Even a wide-open space can look dark and depressing if you cover the windows with shades and have no lighting. Some lighting systems, like the Parans L-series lighting systems bring the outside light, indoors.
The system supplements natural lighting with high-efficiency LEDs.
If you don’t want to spend thousands to upgrade your home’s lighting system, you can use existing windows to your advantage by not covering them with heavy drapes or blinds. Install a skylight, or replace several double-hung windows with a picture window.
You could even cut out a large section of wall and start replacing the surface area with more windows.
Go Minimalist With Flooring
Flooring options are almost endless. But, in most cases, it pays to be simple. Not only is basic flooring less expensive over the long-run, it looks nicer. A simple wood or cement floor is durable and stylish. Marble, travertine stone, and ceramic are also great options.
If you’re concerned about not having the comfort of high-maintenance carpet, put down an area rug.
Keep in mind that almost all carpeting options are going to require more upkeep and periodic replacement if you’re concerned about keeping the home looking fresh and clean. Carpet also tends to hide dirt, which many people love, but it can trap bugs, dust, food particles, and other nasties that, if you knew what you were walking over, would probably gross you out.
Simple Exterior Designs Win
The days of ornate designs are over. The homage to Victorian excesses only makes a home harder to clean. Today, homes are simpler, more practical, and the designs reflect that. Fences that are little more than wooden slats replace gaudy wrought-iron fencing.
Clean lines and simple decor is replacing fish scalloped siding and other complex design elements. Keep your home simple by choosing one or two exterior finishes, with a trim, and utilize simple exterior accents to make features pop.
For example, if you want to put in a garden out front, use a simple flower pot arrangement or, better yet, a concrete slab as the base. The lines of your mini-garden will be clean and simple. Keep plants simple too. If you have a blue-home, use complementary flowers that match. Red or naturally dark-stained wood looks nice with yellow or other bright colors.
The simpler you keep this, the better.