Characteristics of Modern Furniture – 5 Easy Steps

Modern furniture has a few defining characteristics that make it different in comparison to other common types of furniture. Do you know what those characteristics are? If not, this article is here to help.

1. Simplicity

One of the most recognizable things about modern furniture is the fact that it is simple in both nature and design. Most modern pieces have straight, defined edges and are very easy for the eye to comprehend. This is often what separates this style of furniture from its commonly mistaken cousin, contemporary furniture. Contemporary furniture usually has more curves and emphasis on shape.

2. Neutral Colors

The color of modern furniture is neutral. This is a commonly misunderstood aspect of modern design. When people hear the word modern then they tend to think of bright, lively red or some other wildly vibrant color. These colors are characteristics of contemporary furniture, not modern. Don’t let this get you down though. Modern design does use color. You can even use the vibrant colors if you want, but there’s a catch. These vibrant colors should accent the room, not define it. A common color scheme is black furniture, white walls and vibrant color accents.

3. Visually Interesting

Sometimes it’s hard to make something both simple and visually pleasing. This isn’t the case with modern furniture. There’s just something about it that makes it pop out as furniture that’s visually interesting. Modern design makes your furniture more like a piece of art and less like an object that just “fills space.” Now that we’re talking about space, it’d be a good time to move on to the next defining characteristic.

4. Open Space

Modern furniture likes to act very minimalistic. Clutter is one of its worst enemies. Furniture with a modern design tends to free up space and give your home a more open and airy atmosphere. It helps that most of the furniture is usually designed with the concept of free space in mind. Adding any modern piece to your home should make you feel free and less cramped. It also tends to relieve stress. It’s starting to sound pretty good, huh?

5. Functionality

Almost all furniture with a modern design serves a purpose, usually more than one purpose actually. It’s common for you to see a modern bed with storage space underneath it or a modern sofa that does more than the typical bulky, dirty couch. Other than built-in functionality, this style of furniture is, once again, always visually interesting, which serves as a purpose on its own.