Most people, when they are asked to picture a more rural or traditional-themed house, will have the same thoughts. They are likely to imagine beams across the ceilings, exposed brickwork in the kitchen or around any fireplaces, as well as wooden furniture throughout the home. However, while this is quaint and may fit into a cottage or other rural home, it may not be what you want in your brand-new home that you get to design from scratch. It may be the case that you want a home that is simple, modern, and more about entertaining guests, as well as displaying large, abstract art pieces. It does sound cool!
Of course, if you are new to interior design, you may be wondering how best to pull this look off in your new home. So, this article provides you with a guide to creating a modern theme in your home.
Flooring
Firstly, you need to think about flooring. Going back to the initial idea of an old-fashioned home, when you think about the flooring, it is likely to be wooden. Obviously, you can have wooden flooring in a more modern home, and it just isn’t as common. Other options, such as stone flooring, are more commonplace, as well as vinyl and ceramic floors, simply because they are, in most cases, more affordable than wooden ones.
So, if you are looking to lay down flooring in your new home’s entranceway, kitchen, or bathroom, it may be worth looking into options from companies such as Quorn Stone – they have slate, porcelain or even granite. Only opt for marble flooring if you have the money and can afford the maintenance. Other stone types are all very low maintenance and are hardy enough to be put into high-traffic areas of a home without any damage.
Of course, if you see any signs of damage to the stone flooring that has been laid, such as a crack or chip, there may be ways to repair it yourself with over-the-counter glues that are designed for that kind of stone. If not, it is worth calling in the team who laid it – you may have a warranty on it.
Natural Fabrics
Now, onto the fabrics that will be in your home. Firstly, when it comes to sofas or other seating areas, in a home with a modern design, it is best to opt for materials that are easy to care for and have a single color. This could be a black leather sofa, a brown partially suede sofa, or sofas that are made partially from wood or bamboo. When it comes to colors overall for seating, throws, and cushions, it is best to try neutral ones, such as whites, black, and beiges, as these are 3 shades that pretty much go with everything and will not clash. Rugs on the floors can also be minimal in color while also having a natural appearance. Again, these can be made from bamboo, cotton, or even faux fur, to add a bit of texture to the room.
Lines
Lines are more of a statement in an area like the kitchen. A modern-themed kitchen will seek to emphasize the lines in the space without creating clutter or being concealed. There are many ways to create lines in a kitchen space, which includes having those all-important neutral colors again; white, black, and grey. These will help to highlight the bold lines that are on the cabinets, the backsplash, and the countertops.
When it comes to the materials that are best suited for the cabinets, wood is an obvious choice, provided that the grain is not visible, as this can clutter the space. Minimalist metal handles on the cabinets and drawers can also highlight the minimalist look while being a quirky feature if they are striking silver or even gold.
Much like the flooring, the countertops are probably best suited to stone too. This can be an overlay or a full stone surface, usually made from granite or quartz. Again, there is nothing wrong with having marble countertops, but why should you pay the price when you can have the same look for less? Or, if stone isn’t your thing, you can have concrete countertops installed; these are hardy, unique and will highlight any lines that you want to show off.
Neutral Palette With Bursts of Color
At this point, you may be spotting a theme! When you are looking for colors for your modern home that is hassle-free, you may want to opt for whites, shades of grey, and black for the majority of the rooms. This may also be the case for any carpets you put down, accessories such as wall art, and even plant pots.
Of course, it isn’t all doom and gloom. You can add pops of color around the property, which will help you to add an interesting focal point to a room. This could be with a rug, a painting, candles, or even a bookshelf. Imagine walking into a minimalist living room that has a lot of neutral colors and then spotting a bright red bookcase, rug, or wall art. That would be quirky and would look very modern.
Metals
OK, so going back to accessories for a moment, as well as thinking about light fittings and clocks, it is worth considering highly-polished metals as the material of choice for these. Common polished metals to look into include stainless steel, brass, aluminum, nickel, and bronze.
Think of items such as mirror frames made from stainless steel, pendant light fittings made from rose gold metal, or even a metal clock that is gold. Paired with neutral colors and natural fabrics, this will ooze modern design and will help to pull the room together.
In relation to other accessories, if you have the aforementioned red bookcase, it could be worth getting bookends made from a metal material or even having candle holders made from polished metal. Placed against a dark wallpaper, that could look stunning and will certainly draw a lot of compliments from anyone who visits your home.
