Modern vs Contemporary Interior Design: What’s the Real Difference?
For most people, contemporary and modern interior design sound alike. In reality, these two design styles are from different periods. At first, there was modernism and then came contemporary interior design. Modern interior design is still forming at present.
Contemporary and Modern Interior Design represents different times, design philosophies and each of them has its unique charm, aesthetics and of course, history. But, what’s the difference is the question that this blog is going to answer for you.
Before starting, let’s start with the definition to set up basics for our readers.
Modern Interior Design
Well, the name is an oxymoron. Modernism came in the late 1800s and birthed modern interior style. The German Bauhaus Schools of Design and the Scandinavian design emphasized on simplicity, therefore introducing modern interior design style to the world.
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Modern Interior Design style got popular in the 1920s to 1960s and was primarily known for clean lines, functional furniture, wood, leather, stones and muted color palettes.
Contemporary Interior Design
Another oxymoron, contemporary interior design style refers to designs relevant today and new. Contemporary style reflects what’s trending now and borrows other elements from modern, postmodern, minimalist, among others to make it visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing.
In contemporary interior design style, you will see a mix of concrete, glass, steel with bold colors, open spaces, natural light, curved lines and sculptural pieces.
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The Key Difference
| Modern Interior Design | Contemporary Interior Design |
| Modern style values function | Contemporary design style values form |
| Modern style focuses on maintaining a streamlined look and feel using natural materials like wood, leather, stones and more. | Contemporary design style focuses on simplicity using materials like concrete, natural lights, steel, glass and others. |
| Since modern design style came in the 1800s, it follows a strict format of minimalism with balance and clean lines. | Contemporary design style is still evolving and follows the latest trends, therefore, it is more fluid and does not have a specific format. |
| Modern design style focuses more on natural hues and shades of brown, rust, turquoise and greens. | Contemporary design color palette sticks to a stricter palette of black, grey and white. |
What Do The Numbers Say?
According to the study conducted by Houzz Interior Trends Report, contemporary interior style is the talk of the town today. Almost 37% of users choose contemporary over modern design style. Despite, modern design style is still popular, it holds for a solid 23% among Millennials and Baby Boomers.
Additionally, a study by Statista revealed that around 48% homeowners prefer blending styles highlighting the increase in fluidity between once-distinct categories.
Key Similarities
| Since both designs focus on architectural lines, the styles focus on presenting a sophisticated and timeless elegance. |
| Both design styles focus on an open floor plan in order to promote or increase spaciousness. For instance, the kitchen merges with the dining room or the living room merges with the kitchen, promoting more space. |
| Modern and contemporary design styles prefer an uncluttered and simple look, so the use of heavy elements is minimal or absent. |
Which One is Better?
That’s like asking, is pizza better than pasta? Well, choosing either of them depends on how an individual wants to decorate their house. If you enjoy aesthetics that date back to the 1920s or 50s, you can choose modern interior design.
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Ignite Your Ambitions- Seize the Opportunity for a Free Career Counseling Session.On the other hand, contemporary design style is best for owners who like to stay trendy in decor and ornament and are willing to change the aesthetics with time. So, be it curvy lines or straight lines, cold colors or warm tones, whatever you choose, will look dandy.
Conclusion
As aspirants of interior design, your ability to understand between modern and contemporary will help give you a smooth start to your career. At the AAFT – School of Interior Design, we do not just teach about the basics of interior design, we empower you to design experiences, innovate and create something extraordinary.
Our interior design course gives you the advantage to learn about the nitty-gritty through hands-on training, workshops, masterclasses by industry experts and live design projects. Be it creating a cozy bedroom layout with natural lights, or designing a living room space with bold color tones – our curriculum will help you master it all.
So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in one of our interior design programs now and get started.
AAFT has been providing the world with limitless creativity and expression since 1993! Through a dynamic and industry-driven curriculum, AAFT provides engaging and captivating articles to persuasive blogs and empowers its readers to explore diverse avenues of creative media education-related content.
