Modern design. What exactly is “modern” anyway? In a nutshell, it is a broad term used for a clean, simplistic design, favoring the use of materials such as metal, glass, and steel. But honestly, the look can change according to the personality of the person that wields it. This is the real beauty of modern design. It can easily adjust according to your taste.
And how do you show this taste? Simple. By applying it to your living room. That’s because this is the room that first welcomes your guests upon entering your home. Are you itching to give your own living room a more modern vibe? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we are going to share with you the best decoration ideas in order to give your room the modern upgrade that you want. Let’s get started.
The Walls
As with any painting, you must first decide on the background. In the case of your living room, that would be your walls. There are different ways in order to give your walls a modern flair. Here are a couple of them:
- The Brick Wall. One of the most popular subgenres of the modern style is the modern industrial look. As we have mentioned above, the modern style favors three basic materials: metal, glass, and steel. These materials look perfect with the industrial aesthetic, and do you know what else goes well with it? An exposed brick wall. What we love more about it is that it gives a pop of color into your room, especially if you favor neutral colors.
- Bold Geometric Wallpaper. Do you know what else adds a pop of color and interest to any living room? An accent wall. We recommend opting for wallpaper designed with a bold geometric pattern. You can try sticking to classic colors, such as white geometric patterns on a background of dark navy blue, if you’re not feeling that adventurous.
Home Accessories
Once you’ve given your walls the treatment that they deserve, we can start layering on top of it to tie our background together. There are different home interior accessories that you can use for that. Here are some of them:
Lighting
When it comes to lighting, we recommend getting a bold piece for your overhead light. A sculptural pendant chandelier that resonates with the geometric pattern of your accent wall will be a work of art hanging from your ceiling. Light fixtures that use glass and steel materials are also edgy and modern choices. Don’t just focus on the ceiling, though. Skip the matching floor lamps with off-beat pieces that look trendy yet classic at the same time. Don’t be afraid to mix and match them.
Wall Art
Aside from the lighting, you can also use wall art to your advantage if you’re trying to give your living room a more modern vibe. You don’t have to stick with family pictures. You can use a combination of different art prints to create a gallery wall, or just one bold piece to breathe some flair to an otherwise plain white wall. Aside from art pieces, you can also frame a big mirror. Not only is it stylish but it will also give your room the illusion of space.
Curtains
Here’s another element that’s actually part of your walls: the curtains. Light and airy white curtains are a classic when you’re trying to create a modern look. You can never go wrong with them. But for a bolder choice, might we suggest a dark-colored curtain to frame your wide windows? Imagine black floor-to-ceiling pieces. They would look very dramatic.
The Floor
Now that the walls are nicely done, let’s move on to the floor. You have two choices:
- A plain but textured area rug. A wide and furry area rug actually looks like marble from afar.
- A bold statement rug. Can’t seem to find enough courage to hang that bold artwork on your wall? Or how about the accent wall? Well, you can get the same effect by using a bold statement rug on your floor as well.
The Couch
The background is complete. It’s time to slowly fill up your living room. There’s no better way to do that than by starting with the couch.
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- The L-Shaped. Do you have a wide open space at home and you’re trying to separate the living room from everything else? That’s what the L-shaped couch is for.
- Mix-and-match. You don’t have to stick with a complete set. You can get three different pieces that match the color palette that you have chosen. You can also experiment with same-patterned or same-colored pieces, but each of them is sporting a different texture, or they’re made from different materials.
- The Vintage Piece. Nothing spells style and luxury better than a chaise lounge. Plus points if you can get a one-of-a-kind piece with a fun pattern, like floral or geometric. Or better yet, why not get one custom upholstered for your space. Speaking of which…
- The Work of Art. Show your guests your taste and refinement by displaying a custom handmade piece that displays excellent craftsmanship and provides unspeakable comfort.
- The Plain Jane. Finally, you can also get a wide plain piece. But we’re not saying that there’s no room for fun here. You just need to dress her up with fun throw pillows. You can get pieces that share the same color scheme but are in different textures. Or you can go bold with different colors and patterns. Don’t forget to layer the throws as well. When it comes to blankets, however, we prefer plain neutral colors. Warm and chunky knitted pieces are really trendy at the moment.
The Art of Organization
Make sure that your living room is uncluttered by having multiple storage options. The top interior designers say that open shelving is so 2010s. 2020s is the decade of minimalism when it comes to organization. This doesn’t mean that you would need to throw all your stuff away, though. You just need to put them in closed shelving units. There’s no room for visible clutter.
If you really must display your things, like the mementos you’ve collected from your travels, then we suggest getting an airy display shelf that functions both as an organizational and decorative piece. Just make sure that you only display the pieces that brings you the most joy, and of course, those that won’t clash with the overall color palette of your living room.
The Center of Attention
Finally, you can tie the look of your living room together with a stylish center table. There are different pieces for you to choose from. Our favorite is the classic glass center table framed with gold hardware. For a more modern boho look, you can even opt for tree stumps or pieces made from a wicker material. Acrylic architectural pieces look like a feast for anyone’s eyes. Whatever piece you opt for, though, just don’t forget to dress it up with interesting decor as well. Layer books, figurines, treasure boxes, and even fresh flowers.
To Sum Up…
The modern aesthetic has got to be one of our most favorite themes in interior design because it’s also one of the most flexible. As long as you stick to a clean and elegant look with a bold and statement piece here and there, you’re good. If there’s one tip that we want you to take away from this article, it’s this: curate all your pieces. Display the ones that show your personality and you will never go wrong. Have fun decorating!
