{"id":2694,"date":"2023-02-02T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/?p=2694"},"modified":"2023-01-27T23:09:19","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T23:09:19","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-modern-vs-contemporary-furniture-styles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/what-is-the-difference-between-modern-vs-contemporary-furniture-styles\/","title":{"rendered":"Modern vs. Contemporary Furniture: What’s The Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The thesaurus isn\u2019t always your friend in the design world. When it comes to different styles, specificity counts \u2014 and just because one thing sounds<\/em> like another, doesn\u2019t mean the two are interchangable. Case in point? Modern design vs. contemporary design: Two different design styles that are more distinct from one another than you might think. Don\u2019t worry, though. It\u2019s easy to distinguish them from one another, once you know what to look for. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Modern Furniture?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When people talk about modern style, they\u2019re talking about a specific time period, namely the early to mid 20th century, Elle Decor<\/em><\/a> explains. This time period saw the emergence of many notable and influential designers, like Charles and Ray Eames, Florence Knoll, Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer, Alvar Aalto, Isami Noguchi, Harry Bertoia, and Charlotte Perriand, among others. Furniture design in this style tends to emphasize clean, straight lines, natural materials, and a simple, neutral palette, and pulls inspiration from both German Bauhaus and Scandinavian design. The Modern design movement also made use of chrome accents, as in Ludwig Mies van der Rohe\u2019s Barcelona chair and Marcel Breuer\u2019s Wassily chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we consider mid-century modern<\/a> furniture \u2014 which is still extremely popular today, thanks to its timelessness, Curbed<\/em><\/a> notes \u2014 specifically originated in the specific period ranging from 1933 to 1965, Clever<\/em><\/a> explains. But, it\u2019s still appropriate to refer to these design styles as simply \u201cmodern.\u201d Like most modern designs, mid-century modern furniture places an emphasis on minimalism and natural materials. Think: sofas with peg legs and little extra ornamentation, light or warm wood furniture, and the organically inspired, ergonomic Eames Lounge Chair. Mid-century modern furniture was quickly and efficiently produced in the U.S., especially post-World War II \u2014 which helped it to gain popularity across the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural materials, like wood, are core to mid-century modern style, but beyond this base, the color palette of mid-century furniture can vary. Upholstery can range from bright and sunny oranges and yellows to more pared-back green and blues. And, of course, there are plenty of neutral options for the more minimalistically inclined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern furniture pieces, especially mid-century items from acclaimed designers like Knoll, Le Corbusier, Breuer, and more, have become covered collectors\u2019 items in the design world. While many vintage pieces can fetch handsome prices in auctions and antique shops, some of the designs that first became popular 50+ years ago (like the aforementioned Eames Lounge Chair) are still in production today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable Modern Furniture Designs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Photo credit: The Inside by Havenly<\/a> | The Drum Ottoman in Verdure Bois De Chene<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Many of the modern furniture designs from the 20th century have remained popular, and their staying power is no accident \u2014 this design movement was all about creating furniture that was easy to live with, no frills necessary. It\u2019s not a surprise why some of these designs have remained in the design world\u2019s public consciousness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern Chairs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An armchair<\/a> can make a pretty significant impact in a space \u2014 maybe that\u2019s why so many modern chair designs have risen to icon status decades after their debut. We\u2019ve already mentioned Charles and Ray Eames\u2019s classic Lounge chair, but that\u2019s not the only standout seat of the century. Breuer\u2019s Wassily chair, designed in 1925, is emblematic of geometric German Bauhaus style, and the designer\u2019s cane-backed Cesca chair, made in 1928, was the first tubular-steel-frame, caned-seat chair to be mass-produced (it\u2019s also a favorite of many design-lovers today). Eames\u2019s molded fiberglass chair, Eero Saarinen\u2019s tulip chair, and Hans Wegner\u2019s wishbone chair have all also inspired countess seating options (many of which you wouldn\u2019t be hard-pressed to spot in a restaurant today).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern Sofas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Several sofa<\/a> designs have also stood the test of time. The 1954 Florence Knoll sofa, with its steel legs and modular shape, is virtually the blueprint for simple style, while Vladimir Kagan\u2019s 1950 Sepentine sofa is the predecessor to today\u2019s curvy, S-shaped seating options. Tobia and Afra Scarpa\u2019s 1969 Soriana seating system has a distinctive look, combining leather and steel in a curved, belted fashion, and Ray Wilkes\u2019s 1976 \u201cChiclet sofa\u201d is a playful example of 20th century simplicity, with cushy, rounded arms and legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern Tables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Forget the long, stately, dining room table \u2014 smaller, rounded tables were especially en vogue<\/em> in the 20th century as many Americans downsized post-WWII. Eero Saarinen\u2019s all-white 1957 pedestal table eschews four legs for a single, futuristic-looking base. Warren Platner\u2019s 1966 pedestal table swapped the simple white stand for a more detailed, chrome base and a glass top. Noguchi\u2019s 1947 coffee table also opted for a glass top, in a rounded, organic shape, paired with a cut-out, abstract wooden base. That\u2019s not to say that modern style doesn\u2019t also have its fair share of simpler options: Dining tables (rounded and angular) in warm and light woods with simple peg legs are also typical of the era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Contemporary Furniture?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Photo credit: The Inside by Havenly<\/a> | The Barrel Back Dining Chair<\/a> in Leopard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unlike modern furniture, contemporary furniture doesn\u2019t relate to a specific period or style \u2014 instead, when we say \u201ccontemporary,\u201d we really do mean whatever is au courant<\/em>. A contemporary home might feature a living room with large windows and open space instead of a more traditional dining room, but when it comes to contemporary furniture pieces, there\u2019s not as much of a defined look<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contemporary spaces tend to balance warmth and minimalism, Architectural Design<\/em><\/a> notes \u2014 so they can draw inspiration from a number of different design movements, including modern design, art deco<\/a>, and boho style. Really, contemporary interior design is often about mixing and matching different elements to create inviting spaces that really represent their inhabitants. Contemporary furniture design can encompass mid-century-inspired sofas covered in bold, graphic upholstery, coastal-cool rattan pieces, playful, blob-like armchairs, and colorful, Danish-inspired dining room chairs. Basically, there\u2019s no one style that dominates the contemporary design world today \u2014 a lot has to do with a designer and a client\u2019s personal taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern vs. Contemporary Furniture Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Photo credit: The Inside by Havenly<\/a> | The Modern Platform Bed<\/a> in Ink Frida<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although they\u2019re not one-in-the-same, contemporary furniture can draw inspiration from the modern design movement \u2014 especially because so many characteristics of modern furniture design are still popular today (simple lines, neutral colors, and a lack of excessive ornamentation). But contemporary rooms may pair these more minimalist designs with unexpected foils: An art deco-inspired headboard may look perfectly elegant next to a mid-century modern nightstand, and a more bohemian wicker coffee table might lend an unexpected casual-cool vibe to a modern-style sofa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because contemporary design can be so in-flux \u2014 with 1980s Italian Memphis Group-inspired furnishings trending one day and Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics rising in popularity the next, there\u2019s no one way to categorize what contemporary furniture does and should<\/em> look like, while modern furniture design has distinctive characteristics that are set in history. The good news? In today\u2019s design world, you\u2019re more than welcome to mix and match to your heart\u2019s content \u2014 all to create a contemporary space that most resonates with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Our Top Modern Furniture Styles:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n