The home design style known as contemporary design started in the 1970s. At the time, it was a mix of several popular aesthetics. These included styles such as Art Deco, modern house design, and postmodern house design.
Contemporary design still uses traces of these designs today. But designers have also combined it with many of the currently popular styles. Designers will probably keep adding to this style in the future and still call it contemporary.
But what does contemporary look like in the present moment? How can you use modern house design in Idaho today? It’s best to examine the key elements that make this style stand out before deciding what works for you.
Read on.
Bold and Neutral Home Colors
In contemporary home decor and furnishings, neutral colors dominate the scene, with staples like gray, brown, white, black, greige, and beige setting the tone. While other colors can undoubtedly be incorporated, they often find harmony by embracing a subtle grayish undertone to maintain that essential neutrality.
A Neutral Palette
In addition to the classic neutrals like gray, brown, white, and black, greige and beige are becoming increasingly popular for contemporary home interiors. Greige, a blend of gray and beige, offers a warm and versatile option that fits seamlessly into modern decor schemes. On the other hand, beige brings a timeless elegance with its soft, sandy tones. These hues provide a softer alternative to the cooler neutrals and can be used to create a sophisticated, neutral backdrop that complements a wide range of bold accent colors.
Add the Bold
The rest of the home decor should have bolder colors. Examples of these include dark blues and reds. The point, in general, is to create some contrast.
You may think that the bolds and neutrals will clash too much with each other. However, the contrast between these two types of colors will instead create a dynamic environment. The vibrant tones will add a touch of freshness to the neutral ones.
Examples
For instance, when constructing your home, you can opt for neutral exterior finishes and then introduce bold accents, such as vibrant door colors or unique architectural elements. This balance ensures that your home’s overall design remains visually appealing while allowing for creative and distinctive touches that set it apart.
Industrial and Natural Home Build Materials
Not a lot of homes use harsh industrial materials these days. Contemporary interior design in Boise has moved on to softer looks.
Some Industrial
But that doesn’t mean home builders have thrown out industrial materials entirely. They often use an industrial element or two amongst a sea of natural materials. In doing so, they add some interest to the space.
Examples
For instance, your home builder might incorporate exposed steel beams into the framework of a timber-framed house, blending industrial robustness with natural warmth. Alternatively, a home’s exterior can combine rugged brickwork with sleek metal cladding to achieve a harmonious fusion of industrial aesthetics and natural textures. The key lies in maintaining a careful balance between these elements to ensure that the overall design remains cohesive and functional.
Natural Light
Light is something that modern home decor in Idaho borrows from its modern and postmodern ancestors. The latter styles broke away from traditional dark interiors and decided to let the light in.
Lots of Windows
Contemporary homes let in as much natural light as possible, achieved with floor-to-ceiling windows. But these types of homes also have solar tubes, skylights, etc.
Wide, Open Spaces
Some people prefer smaller, cozier rooms separate from the rest of the home. If that’s what they want, contemporary style isn’t for them.
The layouts of the rooms in an Idaho contemporary home are broad and open. Such spaces merge together until they are no longer distinct from one another.
Crisp Lines and Simple Shapes
In contemporary home building, the emphasis is placed on maintaining clean lines and employing straightforward shapes. The architectural design should favor well-defined squares, circles, and other geometric elements. The choice between using rounded or angular shapes can vary depending on the home’s specific architectural context and style.
Specific Lines
You have different choices with lines, however. Any lines you use in contemporary designs must be crisp and strong. You can achieve these strong lines with big bare windows, bold color blocks, etc.
Minimalism
The home designs under the contemporary design label should look very minimalistic. Yes, contemporary designs use minimalistic elements. Designers use these elements to highlight a space’s key features.
Hidden Technology
It’s hard to see the switches, panels, etc., of different pieces of technology in a contemporary home. But they’re still there. Contemporary designers are very clever in the way that they hide these elements.
Keep the Balance
Consider hiding your switches and such behind panels or other elements. Doing so should prevent your technology from interrupting the balance of the other components in your home.
The Exterior
Remember to make your exterior a part of your contemporary home design. Most modern homes have exteriors with simple angles or curves rather than complex ornamentation. These should blend well with plants, stones, etc., around your home.
Get a Modern House Design in Idaho
Contemporary style is a modern house design in Idaho that simultaneously balances elements from two or more styles. Which styles you decide to combine is entirely up to you. If you need more ideas, you should find plenty of examples online.
At Idaho Impact Homes, we can build your luxury custom home in the Idaho Treasure Valley with various curated design packages to choose from.
Get more information by filling out the form on this page.
