Two words that often come up when talking about style, furniture, or design are “contemporary” and “modern.” In a non-decorating context, we think of the words as synonymous, but in the design world they seem to mean very different things. We decided to poke around and try to figure out what, precisely, contemporary and modern mean in the design context. First, definitions of the words:
Contemporary: adj. belonging to or occurring in the present.
Modern: adj. of or relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past.
Sounds the same, right? But add on the word “style” to either word, and they evolve to mean something very different.
First, “modern style”: modern style references a specific movement characterized by clean lines and minimalism. “Modern” emerged in the 1920s-1950s (according to dubious, but numerous, internet sources), so the word in this context doesn’t mean ‘relating to the present,’ but is a specific and static design style. In other words it’s the style of a design, not how recently it emerged, that designates something like the Panton Chair (cir. 1960) as modern. Perhaps the most recognizable iteration of modern style is mid-century modern style, which is, confusingly, quite popular in contemporary interiors (as in, right now). Here are some examples of ‘modern style’ rooms:
At its most broad, ‘contemporary style’ seems to mean a style that focuses on design trends from the second half of the 20th century. Contemporary decor incorporates neutral colors, with lots of brown, taupe, cream, and white, as well as stainless steel, nickel, and chrome. Pattern is eschewed in favor of tone-on-tone solids and furnishings are ultra linear. We found that most often ‘contemporary style’ is defined by what it’s not: traditional (another design definition post in the making!).
Here are some spaces that illustrate contemporary style:
This is from ‘Better Homes and Gardens,’ where contemporary style is described as being “defined by clean lines with a casual atmosphere, open spaces, neutral colors, and elements and materials inspired by nature.”
Going through this exercise has shed light for us on the difference between modern and contemporary decor, and the ways in which the styles overlap and intersect. What do you think? Have we cleared it up or further confounded you?