Contemporary Interiors

CREATING A CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR FOR YOUR HOME

Cookes are dedicated to offering the very best choice, designs and expert knowledge to assist you with your furniture purchases! We have teamed with an Interior Design company to ensure we can delivery a bespoke, tailored furniture package, to meet the needs of you and your home!


Our Experts, Helen and Alice from Coral Interiors share all the latest trends and styles! This month they are focusing on Contemporary Interiors!  

 

 

CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR

You’re most likely drawn to contemporary design if you like clean lines, modern architecture and proportion, and everything in its place. Perhaps you live in a new home with lots of glass or enjoy open-plan family living?

 WHAT FURNITURE AND DESIGN STYLES WORK BEST FOR A CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR?

Ligne Roset

 

COLOUR

The standard palettes white or pale grey walls, (definitely not magnolia, cream or other warm, earthy colours), with strong elements of black and pops of bold colour.  

Alternatively, for a more refined contemporary look, you may opt for a more tonal neutral scheme and bring in elements of texture or soft metallics to add interest and contrast, for example in soft furnishings or artwork. 

 

 

Our Interiors Expert - Helen from Coral Interiors discussing the latest trends!

 

SCALE AND PROPORTION 

If your home has large windows or bi-fold doors, the view takes centre stage. 

Furniture needs to be scaled to suit the size of the room (and the glazing).

Think one larger piece e.g. a Modula sofa, rather than 2 or more smaller items, like a 3-piece suite).  

Contemporary design is more about the space between things, rather than lots of detail and visual clutter.

In furniture this translates to deep low-slung sofas, simple neutral rugs, and bold use of colour.  

Display and storage furniture in a high gloss or a fine-grain wood effect veneer.  

In your living room, opt for a single large coffee table to create a modern and contemporary look to your interior.

Alternatively double up and place two identical coffee tables side by side (a trick you’ll often see in high end show homes, which makes a space feel more luxurious). 

 

For the bedroom go for the largest bed the room can take, with a high upholstered headboard and if space permits.

This will create a dramatic and modern feel to your room!

Look to scale up from standard sized bedside tables to a pair of compact chests of drawers just to add the contemporary feel.

Likewise, with mirrors, art, rugs –it’s far more contemporary and stylish to go slightly oversized with these, to avoid items looking lost or too busy. Golden rule -Keep it bold, sleek and understated with long, straight lines. Sofas should be on legs, and low-slung, rather than high backed. 

 

WINDOW DRESSING

Likewise, you’ll want to avoid voluminous curtains, with swags, holdbacks and pelmets, or busy patterns. Optfor simple sheers or plain curtains with elegant wave headers, which maintain regular unfussy folds to your curtains. Roman blinds or shutters are a great option for smaller windows.

 

 

FLOORING 

Certainly, for the ground floor or the open plan kitchen/dining rooms or family rooms, hard floors will be more durable, reflect the light and maintain a sense of contemporary cool. Luxury vinyl tile, and wood-effect porcelain planks are very realistic and hard-wearing options, in addition to engineered wood, or ceramic tiles. Large format square tiles or planks will work best, and wood-effect floors look incredible in a herringbone or chevron design, as well as the more typical linear laying patterns. Add large plain rugs, incorporating subtle pattern, or a tactile texture to soften the space.

 

 

LIGHTING

Most contemporary homes will be built with recessed lighting in the form of downlights. If you have the opportunity to retrofit lighting, or to spec your own home, take a look at indirect lighting sources, such as linear coving profiles and shadow gap lighting.  

This can really add serious wow factor to a space.  

Whatever the look and style of your home, we’d always advise on more than one light source.  

Drop a statement pendant or a cluster of lights over your kitchen island, or dining table, or go for an oversized arc floor lamp.  

Use table lamps and floor lamps to create a soft relaxing ambience, especially if your ceiling lights don’t dim. If you have angled or track lighting, shine it on a large piece of statement art. 

 

 

Alice from Coral Interiors introduces us to the latest Scandi Trend!

Posted by Hayley Allen
8th February 2021

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