Classy Furniture: Contemporary Furniture Trends

By Gregory Brown


Fashion trends no longer dictate how we dress or decorate our homes. Eclecticism and contrasting style directions reign in home design. More folks develop a little taste of mixing paradoxical furniture trends in their home decor, mixing recent furniture with vintage finds and exotic art pieces.

Doubtful economy, the upward thrust of natural catastrophes, determined war conflicts and terrorist threats has ended in the further insulation of people within their home cocoons. This cocoon lifestyle has given a boom to houseware and furniture industry, since more folk turn to home entertainment and dinner parties instead of "going out."

The "cocoon boom," which originally started after September 11, 2001, transformed the modern house into a family sanctuary and hideaway. Casual living remains as the major theme with contemporary furniture today, with stress on home entertaining and informal dining.

From modern furniture to accessories and dinnerware, people look for items that have a strong sense of private style. The casual living trend in modern furniture interprets into multi-functional furniture with clear non-cluttered design and extended seating furniture pieces like extra-long and curved couches and settees.

Modern furniture today inspires family ethics, promotes quality family entertainment, supports traditional values and usually helps folk connect. Another conspicuous trend in home dcor is a return to 'formal ' for memorable occasions. People tend to make a bigger effort preparing for big occasions or dinner parties and spend a little more time picking dinnerware, candles, photograph albums, seasonal decorations and table linen. Another vital modern furniture trend is sexiness which means delightful fabrics, soft warm colours and simple shapes.

Many furniture items are altered for use for the focused group of single men. This means graceful minimalist design and importance on the use of multi-media applications. Flat screen TV's are accommodated in hi-tech entertainment centers, and flat loudspeakers are incorporated into lean, spacious settees, covered with dark trendy upholstery fabrics. This trend is also mirrored in one-in-a-million furniture items, for example art pieces having a functional meaning. Wide use of LED lighting technology helps transform an occasional table into a futuristic object that will change colors depending on a situation.

Talking of materials used in modern furniture today, light woods still rule. Oak, cherry, and birch are the most popular woods, with rattan and bamboo on the rise. Many woods are artificially stained to look like beautiful tropical woods, for example, zebrano, mahogany, or palisander. A polished solid front is usually mixed with a veneered body. Chrome steel, polished or brushed, and aluminum are used widely, frequently mixed with innovative satin glass and boldly colored fiberglass.

In the upholstery, modern furniture designers favor refined large abstract patterns or sophisticated monochrome surfaces. Stripes and checks, as well as floral patterns are a touch out of style. The hottest materials are wool, cotton and leather, with wool felt gaining in popularity.

The primary characteristic feature of modern furniture is its understatement. Giorgio Armani, a couturier turned furniture designer says, that a subtle richness, not an obvious beauty, is most crucial in contemporary furniture design. Like a beautiful lady, furniture today uncovers itself over a period of time.




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