What comes to your mind when you think of the word ‘modern?’ Probably something to do with the 21st century. The word, however, is often misinterpreted in the world of interior design and decorating. Modern is used to refer to 20th century, almost rustic, but not quite, and open decor plans.
What you’re thinking of is probably contemporary aesthetics. It’s easy to get confused between the two given the fact that they are synonyms in everything besides design.
In an ideal world, we would’ve had an unlimited budget and a professional decorator at our disposal to differentiate between the two for us. However, the economy isn’t as favorable and we need to have some decoration know-how.
Understanding Modern-Luxury Designs
Source: Pexels, Max Vakhtbovycht
Modern designs were first introduced during the 20th century. The word has retained the same association in decor and design well into the 21st century as well.
The aesthetic was first introduced in German and Scandinavian architectures around the beginning of the 20th century. The best word to ascribe with modern design would be simple.
Modern interiors with luxury lightings have simple furnishings, but an open floor plan. To elaborate, a modern living room won’t be over-filled with furnishings and art, but it will feature items that are all serving their intended purpose.
Play Around With Lighting
Product In The Image: Rioghnach Luxury Ring Balls Chandelier Light
Most novice or first time decorators are under the impression that lighting is the easiest thing to hack. It is, on the contrary, the easiest thing to get wrong when you’re designing an apartment – much more so when you’re trying to elevate it into a modern-luxurious one.
However, lighting holds the capacity to elevate any living space to a whole new level. In this case, if you’re tired of living in the same, bleak-looking apartment, the most cost-effective way to transform it into a luxurious one would be by playing around with lighting.
Layering Lights
Source: Renopedia, DSOD Interior
There are three broad categories of lighting: Ambient, Task, and Accent. Ambient lights are overhead lights that provide general illumination to a space, think chandeliers. Task lights are lights designated for particular purposes, think table lamps. Accent lights accentuate existing architecture or items, think track lights.
The gist of it is that variable lighting solutions serve various functions. You can’t have one over the other. Which is why the very first thing you need to do to make your apartment look modern is layering different types of lights.
For example, hang an overhead pendant light over the dining table, accent lights around art in the room, and place a standing lamp in one corner.
Switch Out old Lampshades
Product In The Image: Yllka Chic Crystal Jewelry Stones Table Lamp
To transform a plain-looking apartment into a modern luxurious one, you need to get experimental with different colors and patterns. The simplest and cheapest way to do so would be to switch out old generic looking lampshades for something different.
Lampshades don’t break your bank. They’re easily sourced or thrift found for a fraction of the cost.
Allow Natural Light to Come in
Source: Pexels, Max Vakhtbovych
Nothing beats the serenity and luxuriousness of natural lighting. Warm sunlight coming in through the window or through a door can give your living space much needed extravagance.
Invest in sheer curtains. If you want to make it more luxurious, invest in curtains that are free-falling and touch the ground. Additionally, you can ditch out basic door frames for French doors to allow more natural light to come in.
Changing Color Schemes
Source: Renopedia, Des&Co Interior
Once you’ve looked closely at your apartment, assessed what style you want, and made space for redecorating and renovating, your first stop needs to be to get a bucket of paint and a roller.
Modern-luxury apartment feature muted, toned, and pastel colors. This isn’t to say that you can’t add in a pop of color here and there. Rather, the pop of color seems more in place when everything else is muted.
You could, alternatively, hang up wallpapers that fit the color palette on some walls and even luxury lightings can bring the difference. Another important consideration to make in small apartments is that colors can help in separating living spaces.
For example, a pastel kitchen is differentiated from a neutral dining room based solely on the color.
Thrift Finds Are Your Friends
Source: Renopedia, Des&Co Interior
The word modern has often been misused in context to mean expensive. However, modern decor is an aesthetic overview based on time, taste, and décor. It has nothing to do with your budget.
If anything, modern décor is the easiest and cheapest to source. The idea is to be as minimal as possible in your décor, but make everything as functional as it can be.
If you’re on a budget then you could pick out items and refurbish them from thrift stores. For example, throw pillows, rugs, artwork, etc.
Using Different Textures
Source: Renopedia, WT+A Interiors
To keep you apartment from looking monotonous and boring, add in various textures to spruce it up. This includes throw pillows, rugs, and lampshades.
Place Artwork Center Stage
Source: Pexels, Max Vakhtbovych
Minimalism is key to transforming any apartment from a boring one into a fancy one, sounds counter-intuitive but it’s true. Instead of hanging multiple artworks around, invest in one and hang it up center stage.
To accentuate it, you could place accent lights around it.
Declutter, Declutter, and Declutter
Source: Renopedia, DSOD Design
If you’re thinking modern, you’re thinking simplistic. Modern décor is based on laid-back, and elegant designs with open floor plans. Basically, you need to make space for everything and only keep what’s necessary.
A cluttered apartment isn’t a fancy one by any standards. Especially when you’re aiming towards making yours look more modern and luxurious. Only keep furnishings that are necessary (bonus points for dual purpose furniture).
Conclusion
Modern home designs and interiors have been sought after since they were first introduced in the 20th century. They key to living modern is to declutter, use simple furnishings, and add texture in your space. Just because it’s modern doesn’t mean it has to break the bank.
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