Ideas For Contemporary Living Room Designs

When you’re designing a contemporary living room, you can play around with colors, patterns, textures, and more. But you’ll need to be mindful of your overall theme or style.

When it comes to color, go for neutrals or shades that aren’t too bold or loud. Pick one main accent color, and use other shades in smaller doses to keep the look simple but interesting.

Color

In contemporary living room designs, color is an important part of the overall design. It helps to define and enhance the mood, create a sense of comfort, and add a touch of personality.

Bright yellow, for example, is a warm color that works well with neutrals in the rest of the space. To keep the look from getting too warm, introduce cooler tones such as blue and purple for contrast and balance.

Dark blue, on the other hand, is a calming choice that can easily be used as an accent wall. It also looks fantastic with other colors like orange and red.

Light

Whether you’re creating a minimal living room or a bold statement space, light plays a huge part. It can be the difference between a room feeling cold and gloomy or a space that’s warm, inviting, and functional.

For a contemporary look, think about how the lighting in your space will be used, and consider layering to create different moods. For example, overhead lights can provide blanket brightness when watching a movie or reading a book while floor lamps and wall sconces can add ambience to the atmosphere.

For more modern living room designs, consider adding a touch of color to your lighting. Ceiling shades and table lamps can come in a range of colors to co-ordinate with the rest of your furniture and decor choices.

Patterns

Using a variety of patterns in your contemporary living room design can add interest and excitement to the space. Patterns can energize spaces with higher contrast and geometry, subdued transitional areas, or simply provide a pop of color.

Smith says that a light leather piece in neutral colors can create a contemporary vibe. She also recommends a large fiddle-leaf fig plant in a simple colored pot to make the room feel more calming and inviting.

Another pattern to consider for your contemporary living room is a geometric tile or wallpaper. These can be incorporated into your flooring, furniture, and accessories to give your room a modern look that’s fresh and unique.

Texture

Texture, when incorporated well, can add a layer of depth and dimension to any space. It can be found in a range of materials from rough concrete to smooth Perspex, and it comes in both visual and tactile forms.

Using texture to enhance your contemporary living room design is easy and affordable. A woven wood roman shade by Urban Loft Window Treatments adds an extra layer of warmth to the white backdrop in Philadelphia designer Larina Kase’s living room, for example.

While color and pattern can be a great way to introduce texture, if you are going for a contemporary look, it is best to stick with neutral colors and shades like snow white, warm creams, light grays and beige. These are all favored by contemporary designers for their natural tones and textures.

Space

Contemporary living rooms often don’t have much floor space, but this doesn’t mean you can’t create an airy, inviting space with the right layout. You can use modular sectionals and other furniture pieces to create a cozy setup that’s also functional.

If you’re decorating a modern space, consider using a neutral palette with a few pops of color to keep the room from looking cold. For instance, this Florida high rise living room from interior designer Maite Granda uses a cool neutral palette with a few warm accents to keep the space feeling modern without sacrificing sweeping views.

In addition to choosing bold colors, try adding visual interest with a geometric rug or a piece of wall art. Whether you’re going for an edgy contemporary look or a more traditional style, the right lighting can transform a space.