Determining a theme for your living room can be quite a significant decision… It’s ultimately the key to setting the theme for your entire home. Of course, a contemporary feel is always desirable, as it prompts a fresh and spacious atmosphere – and who doesn’t love the idea of open living? With all of our furniture being locally made, this allows us to offer our customers a variety of high quality, custom furniture options.
Contemporary means… White White White!
When you hear the word “contemporary” a few things might come to mind… Open space, smooth lines, simplistic design and of course white! Having white as the base for your colour palette seems like an obvious choice when trying to achieve a contemporary feel. It’s fresh, crisp, and creates a feeling of openness, which is ideal for any living space. And when complemented with natural light and neutral finishes, your space will simply ooze “contemporary”.
However, there can be a fine line when executing this concept… As desirable as ‘white’ can be, it can also become overpowering and remove the warmth from your home. To avoid this from happening, be sure to consider a few things when selecting your furniture pieces and styling your space…
Furniture makes all the difference…
The furnishings you select will make all the difference in defining the ambience of your home. The main ingredient to contemporary living is keeping things fresh and minimalistic (this is where the whites and neutrals come into play). Your furniture gives you the opportunity to add some depth and warmth back into your space.
Let’s start with Lounge Suites. You might consider a slimline design, upholstered in natural leather for a feeling of luxury, or maybe a textured fabric for some added substance. However, if you desire something to serve as a show stopper, why not create a statement with a bold print for added contrast? The shape of your chosen lounge pieces will also contribute to the feeling of your room. Choosing a design with slim lines is less intrusive to your space and a lounge that sits on a risen leg will offer a spacious feeling. Whether you desire an arm chair, corner lounge, or even a sofa bed, we can modify design and upholstery to best suit the style of your home.
If you’re still having trouble deciding how to configure your Lounge furniture, read more about designs and selections in our latest Lounge Suite article.
Don’t forget that the cabinetry you choose will also influence the feel of your home. While ‘all white’ can feel clean and modern, it can also become very static. Create some warmth by introducing hardwood timbers… This invites rich natural tones to liven up your space and the details in the grain also add an element of interest. The deep colour tones in the timber will also make surrounding whites pop even more!
Consider including a Hall Table to your living room. Typically a slimline piece that takes up less space, these can be perfect to add warmth, practicality, and versatility to your space. Having a Console Table offers opportunity for more display items in your living area, which will once again contribute warmth and an emotional feeling. A table with storage is also something handy to have around… Consider drawers or shelving to neatly store daily items and maintain a clean and tidy room aesthetic.
Some other things you might consider are the finishes you select. Would you like high gloss or a matte finish? You can also choose the handles you like, whether they be chrome, black or even gold. Alternatively, for a flush surface, consider no handles at all… With push to open drawers, you can really emphasise clean lines and a smooth surface.
Timber selection will also contribute to how contemporary you want to make your home feel. Lighter tones from Mountain Ash or American Oak timber will offer an even grain and consistent colour tones. Whereas a choice of Tasmanian Blackwood or Jarrah will throw multiple tonal variations and promote more of a traditional feeling. Of course, we can alter the tone of different timbers to closely colour match if you have something specific in mind… And there are plenty of ways to soften those darker timbers if you wish to incorporate them into your living space.
Seen above are some current pieces that have just the right balance of hardwood timber and crisp white. And don’t forget, these are only a small selection of examples for you to browse… Visit our large Showroom and explore what other variations our range includes!
Finishing touches…
Some other ways you can incorporate ‘white’ into your aesthetic is with accessories… And who doesn’t love scouting for new accessories? Our tip is to consider items that have subtle textures to generate added depth. And a throw rug or some scatter cushions are always useful pieces that add a homey feel.
When it comes to styling and adding those finishing touches to your living space, why not search for inspiration? For example, we’re constantly being inspired by Warwick Fabrics Australia and their versatile mood boards! Alternatively, create your very own… We love combining different bits and pieces to create mood boards – it’s the best way to get creative and help visualise your ideas!
To spark your inspiration
Styling your home should be an enjoyable process and it certainly shouldn’t be rushed… Gather ideas, search the internet and talk to some experts along the way to help you stay on track. And don’t forget, by choosing a contemporary style, it doesn’t mean you can’t change things around every few years… If you have the right basics, you can mix and match things along the way as your lifestyle changes. At Nordic Design, our priority is to craft high quality furniture pieces that will last many years and complement different design trends, so you aren’t committed to updating your larger items too often. So why not visit our showroom and explore our current designs – or let us work with you to create something unique.
At Nordic Design Furniture, we specialise in creating personalised pieces. Each week we see new styles come through our factory, meaning we’re constantly inspired with new ideas that we want to share with you when creating your next piece of designer furniture…
