Design Trends - Contemporary vs Classic
When it comes to design trends, there isn’t one design that’s better than the next one since people have different preferences. Some enjoy the elegance and timelessness of classical design, while others prefer keeping up with current trends, which is exactly what contemporary design is.
But how do these design trends differ from each other? Are there some similarities between them? What factors do we need to consider when designing a contemporary or classic interior?
We’ll answer all these questions and more as we dive into the most popular design trends of today, their main features, and how you can start designing your contemporary or classic interior.
Classic vs Contemporary Design
Before we dive into other design trends that are currently popular, let’s see what contemporary and classic design is all about.
Contemporary Design
Even though contemporary and modern styles are used as synonyms, this isn’t actually the case. As opposed to modern design, which was big in the early to mid-20th century, contemporary design is focused on the current era that people live in, which is why it’s ever-changing and constantly evolving.
This design trend is influenced by minimalism, modernism, and Art Deco, but at the same time, it’s quite ambiguous and can look different, depending on the designer's specific influences. That being said, contemporary design has some key features that define it, such as:
- Using neutral color palettes with pops of color here and there.
- Combining materials such as steel, nickel, and chrome with natural materials such as jute, hemp, and others.
- Using organic silhouettes.
- Using minimalistic, crisp, and clean lines.
- Using curved lines.
- Balancing out the space.
Color Palette
Neutrals dominate contemporary interiors, and black and white are the most commonly used colors. Bold colors are often used as accent colors to contrast the neutrals. If you want more information about choosing a color palette, check out our article on the use of Pantone shades in renovations.
Furniture
The furniture is characterized by geometric shapes that have a smooth design and are often considered statement pieces in a contemporary room. The basic background is used to put more focus on the design of the furniture and the seating area often has pillows in geometric shapes.
Floors
The floors in contemporary spaces are either carpeted or left bare and use materials such as wood, vinyl, marble, or tiles that are either plain or have some geometric pattern.
Light and Art
Track lights and spotlights are quite popular in contemporary homes and they’re often made from metallic elements or have a pop of color. When it comes to art, contemporary homes focus a lot on quality pieces of art that are just as important as the space itself.
The Lines
The key design principle in contemporary homes is the strong lines that define the space and give an accent to the geometric aspect of the space that looks very compact. The windows are often left bare, and the focus is put on the structural elements as well as the sculptures, artwork, and unique pieces of furniture.
Classic Design
Classic interior design originates from Roman and Greek design and the main focus is put on creating a harmonious space that is inspired by tradition and order. The idea is to create a sense of symmetry and have large focal points in each room. These focal points can be fireplaces, impressive staircases, arches, circular columns, or even a large table that the whole family can gather around. These architectural elements should be big, bold, and eye-catching.
If you want to implement the classic design trend for your interior, there are some key features you should consider:
- Introducing symmetry in the space
- Adding classic decorations and accessories
- Introducing a color scheme inspired by nature
- Creating a timeless space
Symmetry
When designing classic interiors, creating symmetry is priority number one. One way to achieve this is by adding pairs of elements to the room. For example, you can add a pair of armchairs to a room, include two dressers on each side of a fireplace, add two sets of windows in a big kitchen, or even create a focal point in the kitchen and have a mirrored design on both sides. You can also use smaller objects, such as decoration, art, mirrors, lights, and other elements, to create symmetry and bring the space together.
Accessories and Decoration
The classic design aims to include quality pieces as decoration and avoid clutter. It’s also important to find ways to make the space appear larger, which is where mirrors placed at specific points in a room make the most difference when increasing the amount of natural light.
Include quality materials, such as wood, precious metals, porcelain, and marble to enrich the space. It’s also a great idea to include busts, large vases, and some ancient Roman or Greek ornamentation. Finally, you often find a lot of decorations in classic interiors, such as cornices, stucco, and even plaster decoration, so feel free to pick and choose whatever suits your style and preference.
The Color Scheme
The classic design has a timeless quality, which should also be reflected in the colors. The colors that are generally used in such interiors are neutrals and include creamy shades of white, warm browns, and beige as the base. And since the classic design is often inspired by nature, colors such as earth tones, blues, greens, and yellows would be great if you want to create a focal point in a room. You can also find some gold or silver in the accessories and decorations.
The Quality
Last but not least, classic design involves using high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Classical furniture is well-made and many classic pieces stand the test of time, which is why achieving classic design involves collaborating with experienced craftsmen who can deliver the quality you’re after.
Other Popular Design Trends
As our societies are changing, so are the design trends. Apart from classic and contemporary, there are many more design trends you can explore, some of which are more on the classic and others on the contemporary side.
Modern
Modern design originated from the early to mid-twentieth century and was quite dominant before contemporary design was introduced. Modern homes became quite popular as a result of the patriarchs of modernist architecture, Mies van der Rohe, Corbusier, and other architects.
This design trend was quite influenced by Scandinavian and Bauhaus design and one of its key principles is the form always following the function. It uses materials such as glass, metal, steel, wood, leather, and stone, and earthy palettes.
Modern spaces are characterized as spaces that aren’t cluttered with a lot of decorations, but rather let the quality of the design as a whole give the impression of functionality and simplicity.
Minimalism
One of the most popular concepts nowadays in the era of decluttering and using only what you need is minimalism. This design takes the modern design and streamlines furnishings and excessive details, as well as centers around using neutral colors and functionality. The furniture is made using simplified lines and top-quality materials that look timeless.
Minimalism is all about quality over quantity and not owning furniture or decorations that you wouldn’t use on a daily basis. Or, as Marie Kondo would say, getting rid of everything that doesn't spark joy.
Scandinavian
Scandinavian design has a lot of similarities to minimal design, especially in terms of using only what you need. It originated in the Nordic countries, but today it’s prominent all around the world. Scandi design focuses on using light color palettes, especially white, and it predominantly uses natural materials.
In Scandinavian design, the overall aura in the space is calming, bright, and relaxing since they focus on having a lot of natural light in the space. Moreover, you can find artwork on the walls, pops of color here and there, and a lot of candles, though not a lot of accessories and decor since each piece is carefully selected.
Industrial
Industrial design trends are inspired by the look and functioning of warehouses and similar industrial buildings. The aim is to create a utilitarian space where everything has its own place and use.
Generally, the ceilings in industrial design buildings are high and you can find a lot of metal light fixtures dangling from the ceiling. Natural materials such as brick and wood are extremely popular in industrial design homes and offices. The space has limited decoration and uses mostly color to make contrasts and catch the eye.
Bohemian
Bohemian, or Boho, is quite popular in interior design nowadays. It’s characterized by the inclusion of vintage pieces that create a homey feeling and a display of personal collections and items that have a lot of sentimental value to the owner of the space.
In bohemian spaces, you can find a lot of floor pillows, furniture, and seating spaces in a lot of different textiles and patterns. And let’s not forget one item often used as a focal point, a cozy rug. A lot of the decoration in bohemian houses is typically found second-hand at flea markets, which also adds a carefree spirit to the space.
Shabby Chic
Shabby chic is another design trend that’s inspired by vintage pieces, however, it’s a lot more delicate compared to rustic and bohemian design. All the furniture is generally made of wood and typically colored white. In shabby chic interiors, you find a lot of pastels, whites, and creams, as well as ornamented light fixtures and decorations that give a feminine vibe to the whole space.
French Country
Unsurprisingly, French country design does make you think of France due to the overall style and warm tones that are used for the furniture, walls, floors, and decor. It’s characterized by wooden furniture that has a lot of ornamentation in various tones of warm browns, reds, and wenge. Some of the wooden cabinets have glass walls where you can see collections of ornamented porcelain dishes and a lot of decoration. French country design takes advantage of natural materials, such as brick, stone, and wood, to create unforgettable and eye-catching interiors.
Rustic
Rustic design is known for the use of unfinished furniture and decoration made out of wood, stone, and other natural materials. It aims to do as little as possible to help design quaint country cottages that are one with nature. Nature has a big part of the rustic design as a result of the use of wooden beams and wooden floors, warm colors, and a lot of fresh flowers in old vases, as well as warm rugs and blankets as decoration.
Mid-Century Modern
The mid-century modern design trend was widespread, especially in the 1950s and 60s. This trend combines the elements of minimalism together with a nostalgic throwback to previous eras. These spaces are very functional and the focus is put on having less but high-quality furniture and decor. If you really analyze the mid-century modern design, you’ll notice that it has a timeless look, and focuses on organic shapes, high-quality materials, and a smooth transition from inside to outside.
Traditional
Traditional design focuses on the use of furniture made out of dark wood with rich finishes and a lot of decorations and accessories. The interior design has a variety of different textures and ornamentation and uses delicate fabrics such as silk and velvet that give the space a rich feeling. When you enter such spaces, you feel the rich history, the attention to detail, and the effort behind each piece of furniture.
Transitional
Transitional design falls in between modern and traditional design and is a perfect balance of both design trends. These spaces are quite balanced and include materials such as glass and steel, together with velvet and plush furnishings. The color palette is very color-neutral, however, you can find interesting patterns in the seating areas, rugs, and artwork on the walls.
Hamptons
The Hamptons style originated from the extremely famous US beachside area and is also known as the “Coastal style”. It features a lot of neutral color shades that are combined with green and blue to bring water and nature inside the space. Most of the furniture is white or beige-colored and made of natural materials such as wood with some nautical ornamentation and textures. In the Hamptons style, you can find huge windows that let a lot of natural light come in, and striped navy and white patterns.
Hollywood Regency
Last but not least, we have the Hollywood Regency or Hollywood Glam design style that is known for being over-the-top and luxurious to showcase wealth. This style is quite popular for homeowners who want to exhibit their unique antiques to whoever comes into their space, so these spaces can sometimes look like galleries because you often have a lot of different pieces from different eras. Hollywood Regency design uses a lot of bold color palettes which, when combined, create a space that you’ll never forget.
Final Thoughts
We hope that after reading this article, you’ve grasped all the key features of each design style and have some idea of what you want to do with your space. Now that you know a lot more about all of these different design trends, you can feel a lot more confident when talking to your interior decorator or designer about the remodel or renovation you want to do in your home.