Popularity in features of modern interior design has more than tripled from 2019 to 2020. In fact, Statista reports that the top-rated home decor style of 2020 in the United States is Modern, with Traditional styles trailing behind it with a 6% gap. Other styles like rustic, farmhouse, contemporary, eclectic, transitional, and mission arts & crafts are significantly less popular. There doesn’t seem to be a predicted decrease insight for 2021 either. Interior Decor Trends confirms a continuous interest in modern styles, but confirms that “modern style in the interior is gradually changing” to fit the interests and tastes of the resident rather than one set design for everyone.
Keep in mind the growing importance of your own interest and tastes while shopping for Tampa leather sofas and other modern styles. And in the meantime, learn more about other important features of modern interior design to inspire your home renovations.
What is “Modern” Style?
Not to be confused with contemporary styles, modern style is simple, uncluttered, and clean-looking. The idea behind incorporating modern design into many homes and businesses, is to maintain a certain balance between the decorations and furnishings, and their intended purposes. In other words, if it doesn’t have a practical purpose in the space, it doesn’t need to be there.
6 Important Features of Modern Interior Design
Mad Men’s fictional star Don Draper once said, “Make it simple, but significant,” and designers have implemented that advice since. In fact, Essential Home confirms that Mad Men, “was not only one of the best TV shows of our generation. It was also a huge source of mid-century modern design inspiration, and it surely helped the movement gain momentum in a time when interior design was becoming more and more relevant.”
1. Environmentally-Friendly
Environmentally-friendly modern features are going to have a big role in the coming years’ trends. There has already been an increase in eco-friendly brand awareness. Reports from Barron’s show that 70% of consumers in the U.S. and Canada think it is important that a brand is sustainable or eco-friendly. Not to mention industrial designer Dieter Rams once implemented it into his principles of good design, stating, “Good design is environmentally friendly.”
Most notably, material such as wood has stayed at the forefront of high demand for its naturally renewable energy sources. Some even argue that leather is also environmentally-friendly as long as it’s “tanned naturally without using any chemicals.” You can make a statement with furniture like the Stressless Admiral Chair and Footrest, that incorporates leather’s modern beauty with a wooden base.
Ross Thompson, an interior designer at QE Home, told Insider that, “With the growing awareness of environmental issues, [he] foresee[s] a trend for using more sustainable materials and natural fabrics in the home.”
2. Natural Materials and Elements
Aside from the obvious attraction of being eco-friendly, natural materials and elements also have a certain amount of “character” not seen among many furniture pieces (except for leather furniture that cannot be modified into perfection). From exposed piping on ceilings and walls to wood and metal furnishings, industrial finishes make a statement in many modern style homes.
According to Insider, industrial interior style, which incorporates stonework, high ceilings, wood and metal elements, and neutral colors, may be the next big trend in 2021. Kobi Karp, the principal designer at Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design, told Insider that it’s appeal is due to a “mix of modern and traditional design and works for interiors that have to serve as places to live, work, and play.”
3. Open and Natural Lighting
Another important factor in modern design is the use of natural lighting in your space over artificial lighting. Not only is it an energy-saver, but it’s also a practical and functional way of brightening and opening up a room. Large windows often accommodate this feature, with many homeowners going out of their way to include it in their design plans.
J. Fisher Interiors explains that the trend is rising because it gives, “Homeowners unobstructed access to natural light and offers a way to bring the outdoors in.”
4. Neutral Walls and Textures
A complete modern design wouldn’t be right without neutral walls to match. They perfectly fit into the modern category of practical and functional. They not only have a clean look but also go with every modern interior design plan you can come up with. Neutral colors provide you with limitless possibilities while decorating.
My Move makes another important point about neutral walls, “The textural elements of a room often get overlooked [and] a neutral backdrop creates a welcoming interior when mixed with warm textures such as rough-hewn wooden elements, shiny tiles, nubby linens, and brushed velvets.”
Textures are also an important feature and one that can be implemented as soft or hard and/or rough or smooth. The idea is to set the ambiance of the room and evoke emotional responses.
5. Simple, Clean Lines and Simplistic Furniture
The idea of simple, unadorned, and clean lines in modern interior design stems from German and Scandinavian architecture and design. It is considered “a natural way of life” and embraces function and form over clutter and additional decorations.
Specifically, leather furniture like sofas and chairs have evolved into an important modern addition to your space, especially as leather designs shift from bulky and over-sized to more modern sizes with simple, clean lines.
On the topic of whether modern furniture can be curved, LinesMag explains that while “modern curvatures are trendy again this year,” it is important also to note that “they can be under the category of contemporary design. Contemporary and modern are two styles that are commonly mistaken.”
6. Practicality and Functionality
Practicality and functionality are arguable the two most important features of modern interior design. The whole movement is centered around decorative pieces for function, not for show. As stated by The Spruce, if it “does not have a practical purpose, then it can be eliminated.”
Get Inspired by The Experts
Now that you have an idea of what is considered to be the most important features of modern interior design and you’ve learned more about which of these features interest you, it’s time to see some incredible furniture pieces in person. Florida Leather Gallery has a team of professionals ready to bring your ideas to life. Contact us today for more tips and insights on decorating your future home projects.
