Make Any Space Modern
Do you love modern style but live in a not-so-modern home? To achieve a modern vibe in your home, you don’t have to make very large adjustments. By using these easy guidelines, you can quickly bring modern touches to any space.
Scheme a New Scheme
Color is trendy, and when you introduce a current color pallet into your home, it will give a contemporary lift to any space. You can take your cues from countless sources of inspiration, like a favorite blog or magazine, or even your fall wardrobe.
To prolong the longevity of your décor, more permanent and expensive materials like tile, countertops, or flooring should be selected in neutral colors. After all, neutrals age slowly compared to bolder hues. Also, lower-cost accessories are perfect for experimentation, so consider replacing lamp shades, window treatments, and/or artwork for quick but impactful updates.
Freshen Up Finishes and Fabrics
Discoloration and fading can happen over time and be nearly imperceptible, but even slight traces of dinginess can indicate age. Like-new condition lends a modern flavor to any style. Touch up scratched wooden table legs or cabinetry with a matching wood-stain pen, and have existing draperies and upholstered furniture professionally steam-cleaned. Existing paint can be used for wall touch-ups, especially around corners, stairs, and high-traffic areas.
For more dramatic changes, paint can be used to update almost any surface, including cabinetry, stairs, garage floors, tile, old appliances, and brick fireplaces. Alternatively, if selecting new finishes, opt for trendier options. Instead of glossy flooring, select matte; instead of polished countertops, select honed or leathered; instead of cherry-stained cabinetry, select oak. Sometimes, updating only one surface can make a dramatic difference, like refacing a green marble fireplace surround with neutral limestone tiles.
Fix Up Fixtures
New finishes are a quick way to invigorate details throughout the rooms of your home. A dingy faucet, old doorknobs, and other fixtures fashioned from dated metals like brass can easily be updated. Try replacing these accessories with counterparts finished in chrome or brushed nickel for a trendier look. Keep a cohesive appearance by matching—not mixing—metal finishes. Light fixtures provide an opportunity to really make a statement, so consider changing out a mounted ceiling light with something more personal yet modernized, whether a classic drum shade or something with an industrial flavor.
Sometimes, the details are small but impactful. Because fluorescent light bulbs will dull over time, changing the bulbs will help brighten a space. Switches, electrical sockets, and plate covers can discolor and wear from use, so ensuring that these details all look new and are matching will keep your home looking fresh.
Rehabilitate Furnishings
Though the architecture of a space influences the interior’s style, this influence can be interpreted by using furniture that represents the space’s innate style, but with a modern twist. Or, you may choose to keep your furniture and replace only key statement pieces; for example, you could swap a worn armchair for a more contemporary edition. When shopping for furniture, take your cues from trendsetters like Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn.
You may even consider modernizing your current furniture. Tasks like painting old dining chairs and updating distressed upholstery and accent cushions with trendy designer fabrics are practical ploys that will easily lend a modern effect to your spaces.
Even if you aren’t planning on extensive remodeling, by following these guidelines and making a few minor changes in each room, you can easily make an impact while consequently transforming your home into a modern haven.
