The concepts of a modern home and a cozy home don’t necessarily always go together, but they can.
It is possible to have a home that feels streamlined and modern, but also cozy, welcoming and family-friendly. In fact, modern interior design can often go well with a space that’s functional and perfect for a family. For example, if you have a modern sofa with clean lines and quality fabric, it can also be durable and resilient and able to withstand the daily wear and tear that happens in a family home.
The following are some specific ways to integrate modern interior design style with functionality, an inviting sensibility, and the needs of your family.
Bring Warmth in Unexpected Ways
Often when people love a modern style for their home, they find that it’s difficult to identify ways to warm it up. After all, modern style doesn’t call for a lot of accessories or clutter. Instead of looking to warm up a space in the traditional ways, think outside the box.
Modern interiors can be made to feel warmer by integrating layers, different textures, and different materials.
Choose materials that feel rich and textured, such as jute, grasscloth, woven elements, and velvet. Natural materials like linen also work well in a modern space. All of these can still be in line with a modern aesthetic, but they bring so much visual interest and warmth at the same time.
What’s great about incorporating different textures isn’t just the visual interest they bring. It’s also about the sense of touch. Sometimes we forget how important the sense of touch is in our home design.
Modern Doesn’t Mean Uncomfortable
There’s no reason to think that modern means uncomfortable. That’s a misconception. Modern furniture can still be somewhere that feels great to relax at the end of the day, and it can be a place where your family comes together.
Before purchasing items, think about your comfort level. Is that sofa hard and unforgiving, or does it make you feel as if you’re sinking into it, in a good way?
Mix In Different Styles
If you love modern design, but you still want a home that feels comfortable and family-friendly, you can mix in different styles. Consider a transitional approach, with elements of both modern and traditional design. You don’t have to go entirely in one direction with your home.
You might, for example, add some overstuffed more traditional armchairs to that modern sofa you love so much. If you have a guest room, consider looking into trundle beds or a daybed instead of a traditional looking bed. Maybe you integrate modern design in your light fixtures or your art as well.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the more overlooked parts of home design and decorating, but it’s also one of the most important. The lighting you have in a space can alter the entire feeling.
Use warm lamplight rather than harsh overhead light. Place lamps in different areas of the room for a sense of warmth and intimacy. Sconce lighting can also be wonderful if your objective is to create a space that does feel welcoming.
If you’re relaxing in your home and you have dimmer sources of lighting, it’s going to make it feel much cozier, no matter how big, open or modern everything else in the space might be.
What you might consider doing is adding a dimmer switch to light fixtures so that you can create the right ambiance at any given time. For example, if your kids are playing a game in the living room, you may want the lights brighter, but if your family is hanging out and watching a movie, you’ll want the lights to be dimmer.
Bring Together an Open Concept
Open concept homes are preferred by a lot of people right now, but sometimes you might wonder not just how to make a modern room more family-friendly but bring a sense of coziness to an open-concept space.
There are some different ways to do this. One good way is to use area rugs. Area rugs can define a space and create a sense of intimacy even if there are no walls or real divisions of that space.
When you include area rugs in a modern or open-concept home, you’re not only defining a space, but you’re creating a sense of purpose within that area. Generally, the bigger the rug you go with, the larger the space will feel.
When you’re arranging furniture in an open concept home, you want to think about creating areas conducive to conversation and your daily life.
Finally, modern wall art and modern home design go hand-in-hand and make your home look more expensive. Your art can also go a long way toward showcasing the personality of your family and adding color, and visual interest in a space you might otherwise fear is too cold.
