2. MEANING OF THE WORD
Contemporary means belonging to the same time or living or occurring in the same
period of time.
Contemporaries are people and things from the same time period. Contemporary can
also describe things happening now or recently. It's common to speak of contemporary
music or contemporary furniture, for example. Those things are new, not old. Anything
characteristic of the present day can be called contemporary.
3. MEANING OF THE WORD
Contemporary history is a subset of modern history which
describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the
present.The term "contemporary history" has been in use at
least since the early 19th century.
TIMELINE
4. CONTEMPORARY INTERIORS
Contemporary by definition means “existing, occurring, or living at the same time; belonging
to the same time.” And that is exactly the same for the use of the term in interior design.
Contemporary design refers to what is popular or used right now. Contemporary design can
be very eclectic for that reason, because it is ever changing and borrows pieces and styles
from all different eras.
5. MEANING OF THE WORD
It doesn’t have to be something that is “designed” right now – for example; furniture
and art from the modern era are often used in contemporary design, and tradition
mouldings and millwork are incorporated in many cases.
Right now a contemporary home might incorporate large windows, unique or odd
shapes, open plan and harmony with the surrounding landscape. The finishes would use
a lot of natural elements such as fir or cedar and stone. The finishing details and
furniture are in-ornate and use clean lines. Comfort and sustainability are key values
that are important in a contemporary home.
8. EXTERIOR
Contemporary houses offer striking, attention grabbing facades. Exterior features of a
contemporary house include large windows and daring, even radical roof lines. Flat, expansive
roofs or dramatically angled roof lines characterize contemporary houses. An asymmetrical
design is another common feature along with bold, geometric shapes. Since a connection to
nature is another important attribute of the contemporary home, natural materials such as
stone, brick, wood and stucco are commonly used.
9. Contemporary houses often
incorporate an industrial feel, and
this is certainly true in the kitchen.
Materials such as stainless steel,
marble, granite or even concrete are
often used. Stainless steel
appliances, hardware or even counter
tops can denote a contemporary
kitchen. Simple, unadorned cabinetry
might also feature areas of sleek,
open shelving. Function is as
important as form in a contemporary
kitchen. This means minimal
embellishment and efficiently
arranged work spaces as well as
plenty of counter space.
Contemporary features include
dramatic lighting that also places the
light where it is needed most.
KITCHEN
10. LANDSCAPE
. Banks of over-size windows, a major
characteristic of contemporary homes,
welcome exterior views into interior
spaces and smooth the transition between
indoor and outdoor living space. Sliding
glass doors lead to streamlined decks and
outdoor living spaces that blend
seamlessly with the architecture.
A contemporary home offers
a smooth flow from the
interior to the exterior of the
home. Intelligent landscaping
softens and complements the
bold lines and geometric
shapes of a contemporary
house.
11. CHARACTERSTICS
Simplicity in Form and Function
Many minimalist houses have a simper, straight forward and efficient plan layout
with stacked volumes of spaces. This creates clarity in plan, where spaces are
predictable and uncomplicated.
Uncomplicated punched openings for doors and windows punctuate the facades.
Overall, there is a simple house design that avoids a lot of ins and outs, complex
curves or angles.
Uncomplicated Cladding & Wall Finishes
Using a simple continuous exterior cladding material can easily provide visual appeal
and articulation by expressing the physical characteristics of the materials and their
texture.
Clean, Open, Light-Filled Spaces
An open floor plan between kitchen and living areas lets an abundance of light fill the
space. Light colored wall surfaces, clean modern detailing, uncluttered spaces and a
neutral color palette (with a few splashes of color) give spaces like this minimalist
home interior a calm interesting appeal.
Spacious rooms filled with light, wide sight lines and an uncluttered aesthetic are
typical of many minimalist interiors. Only the necessary furniture and accessories are
used so that objects have some breathing room. The abundance of natural light adds
to the ambiance of the space, helping it feel warm and cozy rather than cold and
sterile.
Simple Detailing Devoid of Decoration
Many minimalist interiors are also characterized by clean cabinetry, stair, and trim
details – paring down to only what is necessary.
12. Detailing cabinetry with flat slab panels instead of raised or recessed panels and minimally
exposed hardware eliminates the visual noise often seen with cabinetry.
Clean, crisp window details and well-designed facades avoid the need for unnecessary
trim work. A flush window frame aligning with the joints in the cladding material provides a
clean minimalist solution to window articulations like the exterior image on the left below.
Simle minimalistic details are cost-effective.. Flat stock trim is an inexpensive and easy
way to trim out windows and doors and still maintain a minimalist look.
Strategic Use of Materials for Visual Interest, Texture, + Personality
The material palette is limited to mostly concrete and glass. Yet, the board-formed
concrete provides texture and interest to the minimalist interior design.
The texture and grain of the tile pattern adds visual interest to the simple neutral palette
of the modern bathroom.
Eye-catching materials such as the brick wall can stand on their own without the need for
shelving and knick-knacks to clutter them up.
13. Contemporary design is typically offset by neutral colors. When painting your walls
you'll want to choose shades of brown, taupe, cream or pure white. You can easily
spice up your room by painting one wall with an accent color, adding a bold colored
sofa and choosing small, yet vivid decorative accessories, like pillows, area rugs, lighting
fixtures and artwork. A word of caution when accessorizing is not to clutter your space
because the key to contemporary design is simplicity.
COLOUR
14. MATERIAL
Metals like stainless steel,
nickel and chrome are very
popular in contemporary
design, because they provide
a sleek finish and clean look.
You can easily accent your
home by choosing stainless
steel appliances for your
kitchen. When it comes to
your kitchen and bathroom
faucets, there are a
multitude of great metal
finishes to choose from. For
home accents consider using
metal for furniture pieces,
lamps, shelves and artwork
to help keep the style
consistent from room to
room.
15. FABRICS / UPHOLSTARY
If you want to add texture and create a more natural and inviting setting use fabrics such
as silk, crushed velvet, linen or wool. Accents like fabric window treatments, furniture
upholstery, over-stuffed pillows, area rugs and linen wallpaper are a great way to offset
the clean, smooth lines of the metal accents. When choosing your fabrics, stay away from
elaborate patterns because they will distort the clean, contemporary look you are trying to
achieve.
17. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
MODERN
AND
CONTEMPORARY
The term “Modern” in interior design
really refers to “Mid Century Modern”.
It is recognizable by it’s clean,
unadorned interiors. Use of natural
materials such as wood, leather, teak
and linen are prominent. Melded
plywood and plastic is very popular in
modern furniture, as well as polished
metal. Furniture is very open and raised
off the floor allowing for an airy feeling.
Walls are often white adding to the
expansive feeling. Modern interiors
generally have bare floors and if area
rugs are used, they are typically wool,
and neutral in colour. Hints of colour
were used in moderation. We generally
refer to modern interiors as retro these
days.
18. Contemporary by definition means “existing,
occurring, or living at the same time; belonging
to the same time.” And that is exactly the same
for the use of the term in interior design.
Contemporary design refers to what is popular
or used right now. Contemporary design can be
very eclectic for that reason, because it is ever
changing and borrows pieces and styles from all
different eras. It doesn’t have to be something
that is “designed” right now – for example;
furniture and art from the modern era are often
used in contemporary design, and tradition
mouldings and millwork are incorporated in many
cases.
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