satrnt September 2005 Newsletter: Decorating - Contemporary Style
InteriorDecorating.com
September 2005

The Contemporary Home Furnishing style is unmistakably sleek, hip, funky and chic. By taking up a contemporary look for your home, your décor will end up being simple yet bold. There are essentially no rules to follow when using a contemporary theme, just a few basic guidelines: clean lines, neutral elements,
bold color, art and sculptured furnishings. By using these guidelines, contemporary decorating can easily be modified to reflect your personality.

In order to jumpstart your thinking for contemporary home furnishing there are a few things you need to keep in mind.. The color palette in a contemporary interior can be anything from a mix of neutrals, to black and white, to the use of bright and bold color. Black is often used to ground and define a contemporary room. Walls and windows look best with pastel paint colors or bold paint colors depending on what suits your personality. Make sure not to go into color overkill when decorating a room. For example, if you paint the walls a bright color, stick to neutral and simplistic furnishings and accessories. However, if you choose a basic color for walls, you can then add color into a room through the decor.

Furniture

Once you have chosen a color scheme for your room, you can begin on the interior. The most important part of the contemporary home furnishing is furniture. Contemporary furniture generally exhibits clean, smooth lines. Popular contemporary furniture includes glass and metal coffee tables, smooth leather chairs and polished wood chairs and low beds with simple, straight headboards. Keep furniture details uncluttered. Skip bedskirts and table linens that are frilly or pleated. Tassels and fringe are too much for a contemporary look. Furniture legs look great exposed and in chunky, solid shapes. Pillows add a burst of color and texture in clean geometric shapes.



Saturn Table Lamp
L217-PY-SATRNTBL

Lighting

Lighting is exceptionally important in a contemporary interior. Look for unusual fixtures with sculptural interest, clean lines and accents of bold color or metallic. Install recessed lighting or track fixtures to wash walls with light. Nickel and glass pendant lights go great in a dining area and look to add fluorescent lighting in the kitchen. Neon lights are also a great way to add a contemporary look to your lighting decor. Polished steel lamps with long and bendable necks and polished steel fixtures are also a great lighting accent.




Aquamarine Area Rug
A811-Aquamarine

Accessories

In straight contemporary interiors it is most effective to have a few large accessories well placed. Give each piece breathing room by establishing a zone of empty space around it. In choosing your accessories, there are wide variety of options such as abstract glass sculptures, primitive art and sculptures, area rugs with geometric patterns and bold colors, abstract mirrors and glass and steel display shelves.

Artwork and Walls

Jazz up the walls with contemporary artwork and pictures. Choose black and white pictures or prints in lacquer frames or large colorful abstract paintings with simple chrome or brass frames. Frame posters and prints simply in classic black wood, colored metals or light natural woods. Hang pictures close together so they look like one large piece of art.


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Frisbee-Cool Blue
F278-Frisbee-CoolBlue

More Tips for Contemporary Decorating:

Flower arrangements should be large, dramatic and follow simple shapes. Try to find contemporary containers and vases that will add to the sculptural look.

Plants will add a burst of life to a contemporary room. Make sure they are big, with interesting or colorful leaves. Place them in simple pots or baskets. Uplight them from the back and underneath. Cover the dirt with smooth rocks, bark chips or colorful marbles.

Glass, metal, stone and wood will all fit well into a contemporary interior. However, avoid a cold looking room by adding shots of warm colors and providing textural interest in fabrics, upholstery, rug or accessories.


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