Maybe it’s because many potential home buyers do a great deal of their early research online and while watching one of the MANY real estate shows on HGTV, but today’s home buyer often has a picture in their head of just what ‘kind’ of home they are looking for before they even begin their search. And, at the moment, the term ‘contemporary’ is one heard a lot when these potential new homeowners discuss their preference with their new real estate representative. But what does that really mean?
Contemporary Exteriors
At its most literal, “contemporary” is the architecture being produced now, the architecture of the moment. Therefore, a home that a buyer might consider fits their notion of just what is contemporary is likely to be newer, under 25 years old in most cases. It’s not just a single style, more of a ‘vibe’, and that vibe is created by a combination of the exterior and the interior.
In terms of the interior, creating a pulled together, contemporary feel is not as difficult as you might think. Here are some examples:
Wall Colours
To achieve a truly contemporary look without making the space seem too plain, harsh or unforgiving, the colours you choose to adorn the walls of your home should be complimentary to one another. The addition of an accent wall – one wall painted a vivid color while the others are more neutrally hued – is also a very popular and very effective way to almost instantly impart a very contemporary look into almost any room.
Flooring
It is not usual for a room that is decorated in the contemporary style to feature wall to wall carpeting. Instead, flooring is of the solid variety; hardwood, laminate or tile and accented with appropriate, modern rugs. These rugs can come in all different sizes, shapes and colours but have one thing in common – they are bright, bold and make a visual statement that ties the whole contemporary look together.
Furniture
The furniture in a contemporary room works best if it is all in the same color palette, with the added spark being provided by interesting accents like a zebra stripe pillow on a black couch or a bright red throw on a white chair. Stay within the same color palette as you have chosen for the walls and contemporary rug though.
Clean, simple lines are the signature of furniture that is found in contemporary look homes. Often the furniture is the star of the show and the rest of the room the supporting cast, so choose carefully, especially when staging the home for sale.
Lighting
Contemporary look rooms are bright without be blindingly so. Lighting should be sleek and as close to real thing as possible. Both recessed and track lighting are popular choices and a stunning floor lamp makes for a great extra touch as well. In work areas, like the kitchen, or a home office, another popular choice is sleek, elegant pendant lighting, as its excellent for adding both the function of a focused light source and an extra shot of style.