Whether you’re looking to shake up your home’s interior and give it a new look, or you’re simply interested in understanding the differences between various design styles, this guide will help you to identify some of the most popular interior design styles and the key characteristics of each!
Traditional
Traditional interior design is one of the oldest and most common design styles. It focuses on traditional shapes and forms, with furniture pieces that are often unchanged for many years.
Traditionally styled homes will often have a distinct visual cohesiveness between colours, shapes, layouts and materials which gives rooms more symmetry and structure. Colours are usually muted to create a calm feel to the home.
Transitional
Transitional designs incorporate a variety of different styles to create a unique feel that’s not reminiscent of any one style. Rooms will balance traditional furnishings with more modern design elements that are sleek and straight-lined.
Much like traditional design, colours are usually softer and include creamy whites, tans, and various shades of brown. On the contrary, furniture is upholstered with more textured materials, with graphic patterns. Transitional design is great for utilising a mixture of existing furniture, with new elements to upgrade your home!
Modern
The focus of a modern design is on simplicity and cleanliness. Design elements are mostly squared and involve sharp corners and straight lines. Furniture offers a pleasing aesthetic with smooth lines and a sleek appearance.
Homes with a modern design make use of neutral colours like blacks, greys, and whites however what often sets them apart from minimalist designs is the splashes of vibrant colours like brighter oranges, yellows, and turquoises.
Contemporary
Contemporary design is often confused with modern design, or people simply use the two as simile for the other. There are however some important differences that make these two design styles different. Contemporary designs take style from the current moment, whereas a modern design could have anything from the past 70 years or so, which in itself creates a unique look. What’s more is that contemporary design allows for more freedom in the use of various elements; where modern design relies on straight edges and sharp corners, contemporary designs make use of more curves and waves.
Similar to minimalist designs, they have large open spaces and design features are often bare and fairly sparse throughout the home. Colours are mostly neutral, with no patterns or graphics to maintain a simple, modern aesthetic.
Minimalist
Minimalism is all about simplicity, refinement, and effortless beauty. Rooms display only those items that are necessary: couches, beds, tables and lights. You won’t find any extra design features here, leaving bold and striking aesthetic.
Rooms are mostly undecorated, with bare walls, simple colours and plain designs. Furniture features clean, sharp lines with minimal detail that often serve multiple functions to reduce the density of individual items around the home. Think modern art gallery meets interior design!
Of course, there are many other design styles, including separate variations of each of those defined above – the list never ends! Hopefully you now understand the differences in these five extremely popular interior design styles which will help you to navigate your next redesign. You can check in to our blog every month for upcoming news, guides, and tips – keep an eye out for our design styles guide!
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