A Modern Approach to Interior Design

Image Courtesy of Timothy Bell

Modern interiors are typically defined by the phrase, "clean, simple lines." What that means is an absence of anything that could be described as clutter. Furniture is on legs allowing you see underneath. There is no mantle over the fireplace and of course, no objects. Large expanses of open space, in this case the pitched ceiling and the mostly bare wall space above the fireplace creates a feeing of openness that modernists dig. The tricky part is keeping the room from getting too cold and impersonal which is the biggest rap against the style.

Image Courtesy of Michael Wilkinson

Here's another way to do a mod living room using more decorative objects. While shelves full of books could make the room feel cluttered and hemmed in the homeowners have created an accent wall, painted it a dark color and then jazzed things up with simple objects - potted snake plants and white urns. By leaving plenty of open space between the decorative items, the space feels light and simple.

Arch & Interior by ColePrevost

Built in cabinetry can also be used to create a feeling of spaciousness. Handles are small or non-existent. The fronts of the cabinets are flat slabs with no detail. Objects are arranged on top, leaving plenty of room between them. Even the steps are designed without any extra details on the treads or risers. The focus then goes to the architecture of the room, wall, ceilings, and floors which can be accented by creating contrast through color and mixing up textures.

Image courtesy of Michael Wilkinson

Things are also kept simple in the kitchen. Counter tops are mostly free of small appliances. Windows are long sided rectangles not broken up with mullions. The use of natural materials - light colored wood, stones and glass is also a key component to modern design.

Arch & Interior by ColePrevost

Dining areas in this style often make use of tables and chairs with thin steel legs allowing you to see under and through the furniture. This room also contains a custom wall shade system used to control light. The shades can be slid in front of each other to increase the amount of shading.

Image Courtesy of Michael Wilkinson

Modern bedrooms are also dedicated to simple but can be "funked up" a little by using fabrics that warm the room. Here, horizontal stripes keep in line with the feel of the house with is a long sided rancher. The emphasis is on the horizontal.

Image by Gross and Butler

A bathroom that actually connects two bedrooms. Kids on one side, parents on the other. Each side has it's own toilet room and sink and vanity combination. The "wet room" contains a shower and a soaking tub. The long expanse of wall, the ability to see through the space, creates an open feeling in what is usually the smallest room in the house. Modern architecture and interior design still remain a force to be reckoned with.