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The line between modern design styles has blurred by 2021. Combinations like loft-minimalism are in vogue, which makes apartments really stylish and unique. How to combine different directions and why it is worth doing now we will figure it out.
Thinking about modern design, many imagine a European-style renovation from the beginning of the 2000s. This is fundamentally wrong, and renovation is a curse and the harshest insult for a designer’s work. Forget all those curved drywall structures painted in pale blue or pink, peach or malachite tiles in baths, etc. Instead, when we talk about contemporary design, we mean:
- Geometry. Angular shapes and strict lines in the decoration of the floor, walls, and ceilings. Smooth lines and rounded shapes only for furniture and textiles.
- Variety of shades. Practically unlimited color spectrum. Both clean and dirty colors are used, and saturation, etc. However, this does not negate the importance of color combinations.
- Environmental friendliness. The use of natural materials or their high-quality imitations is in fashion. Wood, stone, concrete, metal, glass are the main materials.
- There is no such thing as comfort. However, with proper design, even an apartment dominated by concrete and metal will be as comfortable as possible, even without a carpet on the wall.
- Maximum light. Want to diversify your design with accessories? Better add light sources: hidden, background, bottom. Light is a designer’s weapon. It would be best if you had a lot of switches.
- Zoning. If the ratio of living space/person allows, then the integration of spaces is our everything.
These rules are already enough to keep the design right. It is difficult to spoil the renovation with natural materials and lots of light. There is another golden rule:
Combination of Modern Design Styles
Modern styles of apartment interiors do not have clear edges. They all go well with each other. Therefore, it is more correct to speak as soon as possible about directions and ideas without driving yourself into a rigid framework. There is no place for snobbery.
Minimalism – Basic Modern Style
One of the main features of almost all modern styles is simplicity. That is why minimalism is the basic background and basis of modern styles. Some are obtained by simplification, for example, the Scandinavian style. Which is essentially minimalism with a dominance of light wood and spotted dirty colors as accents.
Others are obtained with some complications. For example, minimalism with expensive ultra-modern lamps, appliances, and furniture, glass, and metal (which are very expensive for the interior) is already turning into high-tech.
The main thing to remember is that modern design is easier to spoil with unnecessary complexity than simplicity.
Use decors and non-functional elements only if you are completely sure of their need.
Combination of Loft and other Contemporary Styles
Loft used to be understood only as large rooms with high ceilings and many objects from the past. By 2021, design trends have changed and loft elements, especially unmasked concrete, have permeated almost all modern apartment designs. And that’s great, really cool stuff, which is a crime to hide.
In addition to being used in apartments, the loft-style has become more modern and diverse. Initially, it was intended to use accessories, lamps, and furniture to reference the past. For this, either old lamps and furniture, sometimes industrial ones, were not supposed to be used in apartments at all. Now, this technique is also used but is no longer required.
Read on to learn how to implement a loft-style kitchen in a typical apartment.
Concrete is the main and best thing that came from the loft in all modern styles. This material is convenient due to its color and texture. And very handsome. Some people still spit, calling the concrete too rough. But when diluted correctly, this is an exciting accent option.
The concrete walls, columns, and ceiling look especially cool under the sidelight. This is because the light from the side does not hit the depressions on the surface of the concrete, and they remain in the shadows, which makes the texture very deep and beautiful. The play of light on uneven surfaces is a well-known design technique.
Features of Modern Apartment Design
The modern design of an apartment implies a clear division into functional zones, and it does not always coincide with the division into rooms. The development of any design is a balancing act between appearance and practicality. This balance differs from room to room.
Modern Kitchen Design
The kitchen is the most actively used room. Even if you spend less time in it than in living rooms, you do much more active activities there. These actions are also associated with moisture, dirt, and the movement of a huge number of small objects. Therefore, in the kitchen, the scales are completely biased towards practicality.
You’ve probably seen pictures of sterile white kitchens. They look very stylish and modern. But there was no feeling that no one was using them? For real photos to match the picture, it is important to immediately consider the high functional workload and know how to choose a kitchen to wipe off every dried drop of water.
The Scandinavian-style kitchen is interesting in this regard: a slight mess there is part of the design.
From modern trends, which combine both convenience and appearance, one can distinguish:
- Bar counters
- White gloss for facades
- Woodgrain chipboard for countertops
- Floor tiles or laminate
- Built-in appliances
- Large and deep sink with a wing
- Top cabinets all the way to the ceiling
- Avoiding black
Let’s explain the non-obvious. Laminate is now just as strong and durable as tile. Built-in appliances look cool, save space in work areas, and do not collect dirt on themselves and behind them. It is more expensive but worth it. Cabinets up to the ceiling look monolithic, do not allow trash and dirt to accumulate on them. This can be achieved by slightly lowering the ceiling above them; the pipe from the hood to the ventilation is usually hidden in the same step. Black is terribly impractical – both fingerprints and dried splashes of water are visible (since it contains salts that remain when it dries).
Living Room and Bedroom
These rooms experience much less stress, and here you can give free rein to imagination and realize your ideas. The main thing is not to forget about moderation. It’s a good idea to make one room as spectacular as possible and the other just comfortable. The living room is ideal for the role of a room for a wow effect. You can experiment with decorative plaster, designer lamps, and intricate structures on the walls and ceiling in the living room. The main thing is not to overdo it.
The main element in the bedroom is light. There should be several light modes: main, additional, minimum, and individual. Additional – lighting for watching TV. It is harmful to do this in complete darkness. Minimum to be able to move and do something while the second family member is sleeping. Individual for reading books. Well, the combination of these modes looks very cool. Unfortunately, it sounds scarier than it is implemented in practice.
Modern Studio Apartment
Everything rises in price, and housing is no exception. Modern apartments are constantly decreasing in size in response to rising prices. But this reduction has brought us an absolutely wonderful modern housing option – the studio.
The design of a studio apartment is more complicated than an ordinary apartment because first, we need to manage to cram everything necessary for life in a small area. Secondly, due to the lack of division into rooms, there will be many zones, objects, colors, differences in functionality, and textures in one space. And all this should not conflict.
The good news is that if it is easier to stick to the principle, it is better. This is because most mistakes can already be avoided. However, if you still want a sophisticated and modern design of the studio, then there is a link to sensible material in the last paragraph.
Conclusions:
- Don’t be afraid to combine styles
- You can’t spoil modern design with natural materials
- Don’t complicate
- Strike a balance between practicality and appearance
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