Wall art is available in such a diverse variety that choosing the right art for your home can seem a bit tricky. However, if your end goal is to create a modern home interior appeal, you will be able to narrow down your selection of choices significantly. To further help you choose the right wall art, we have listed the top five modern wall art ideas that are currently trending in interior design.
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Modern Art For Animal Lovers
Modern art for pet lovers is a fantastic idea to decorate your home with a few details that will showcase your love for your animals. You have the option of simplistic yet bold line art, colour block prints, and various others. The simplicity of these artworks ensures that decorating around them is relatively straightforward as the wall art pieces won’t demand all the attention. You can find a variety of modern animal wall art at https://animalist.art/.
Large Abstract Canvas Paintings
Abstract canvas paintings remain the most vibrant and modern choices to opt for. What’s more, tons of online tutorials will even help you create your own abstract artworks and save a small fortune in the process. You will also be able to choose your favourite colours to compliment your existing modern decor. You could also consider abstract art prints in frames if block canvases don’t appeal to you all that much.
An Accent Wallpaper Wall
Modern interior design elements suggest that you should use decor sparingly to avoid a cluttered finish. With that said, it’s not the best idea to hand painting and wall art on every wall in your home as you want each piece to have an impact without overwhelming the finished look. So if you have already chosen a few artworks for your home, you could consider creating an accent wall in your home with wallpaper. You can consider modern geometric patterns or even plain textured wallpaper with an embossed design for an elegant look. You could even use floral wallpaper designs in rooms such as the bedroom. Although, when opting for detailed prints, you should play down the vibrance by choosing monotone colour palette.
Mirrors With Bold Frames
Mirrors are not considered art, although if you choose mirrors in bold frames, they can be used as modern wall art that can essentially tie a room together. There are tons of frame designs out there to choose from, so the options are endless, although you should focus on frames that are striking yet simplistic. Larger border frames are also best.
Pattern Canvas Prints
A large canvas that showcases a geometric print design can have a massive impact on the overall interior of any home. You could consider geometric block designs, 3D patterns, and various others. However, it is key to opt for a large canvas print for this modern wall art idea to ensure it has a notable impact. You can place canvas pattern prints just about anywhere in your home as well.
The modern décor- a brief description
Modern décor made its entrance at the end of the 19th century. Glass, steel, and concrete have become available and people were ready to move to a new décor style which was the modern style. Austrian architect Rudolph Schindler designed in 1922 what was going to be the first modern house. In World War II, architects like Richard Neutra and Frank Lloyd Wright made modern homes common in wealthy neighborhoods.
The essential principle with modernist décor is that “form follows function.” As a result, simple forms are characteristic to modern décor. The clutter-free view explains why materials like steel and concrete are fundamental for modern buildings. Houses typically have large windows and flat roofs and take shapes of cubes and even cylinders. A stream of modernism is still present today and modern design elements are found in many contemporary homes.
What’s typical for modern décor in homes?
Apart from the simple forms, modern homes have specific décor elements. Keep reading for the details.
Modernist Art
Modernists artists took distance from the conventional view of realism and turned to vibrant colors and one-of-a-kind forms. Cubism, abstract art, and Fauvism represent the essence of the early stage in modernism.
Go for a large art piece with no frame or minimal frame on a wall. For expansive walls, a small art series could be the final touch for your home décor. Make sure to avoid a gallery wall because it creates clutter—something that you won’t find with modern décor.
Neutral walls& abstract forms
Years of Victorian wallpaper and murals made the modernists look at the opposite and chose the neutral walls instead. Shades of grey and white for both the interior and exterior of the house are typical for modern décor.
With modern décor, the focus is on the function instead of the appearance, which explains why design strikes as abstract. One major characteristic of modern design is that it fulfills the most basic purpose, hence the abstract forms.
Focus on the line
Clean and simple lines are also genuine to modern design. You will notice powerful horizontal and vertical lines in the furniture and décor designs. Modern homes would have cylindrical columns made of reinforced concrete. Thanks to the strong horizontal and vertical elements, you will feel a sense of hierarchy with the modern décor. Surprisingly, the natural surroundings and neighborhood will blend too.
You won’t see arches, window shutters, ornate columns, or intricate ornamentation within the modern décor. It’s the simple shapes and asymmetry that replace opulence. The modern home is all about functionality and no useless frills. Simplicity makes modern homes calming and welcoming, which explains why they’re still present in today’s world.
Industrial elements
We wouldn’t talk about modern décor without steel, concrete, and glass as building materials. The industrial aesthetic with steel, iron, and concrete elements is crucial for a modern décor.
Clutter-free
If you aim for modern décor, you cannot have any clutter on your walls, mantles, countertops, etc. The minimalist look with the “less is more” principle is fundamental when decorating your modern home. Always make sure to put away trinkets and various miscellaneous that you find pretty to look at.
Open plan
Another crucial characteristic of modern homes is the open-plan layout. An open living, dining, and kitchen area will eliminate the less valuable structures. Unrestricted airflow is essential for a modern house.
Color spectrum
With a modern décor, the walls work as a background, which explains the neutral shades: light gray, pale olive, white, and ivory are typical for the walls in modern homes. Dark colors look fantastic and the shade of the riverside is widely expected.
You can bring bold colors into your home in the form of furniture pieces, rugs, or artwork. Black, red, yellow, blue, white, and black are top-favorites with modern décor.
Streamlined Furniture
Some furniture pieces (the butterfly chair) have become iconic for modern homes. Modern furniture impresses with the straight line and sparse use of decoration. Stay away from the bold patterns and prints and go with furniture with plain fabric instead.
Large windows
You will notice a modern home not only by its shape but also by its large windows. Again, it’s practical to have large windows, as you let more sunlight come inside.
Another feature you can try with a modern home is to have internal windows. They’re incredible at connecting spaces visually while still creating separation. A glass wall for your home office is attractive and a fun feature that people in the main living space can check out from time to time.
No molding whatsoever
Ornate architectural elements such as cornices and molding aren’t found within the modern décor. For an open and calm modern house, less embellishment is common for the doors and cabinetry.
Extra tip: add a level
You can accentuate the height and connect various spaces through sightlines when you add a balcony level or mezzanine room within a very tall room. The level can make your property unique and impress guests. For example, you can turn the central dining area into a significant “courtyard” to get light into the other rooms.
You can organize a children’s room on the first floor and have a glass balcony that looks down at the dining room/kitchen/living space. Place your home office on the second-floor patio. It’s a fun layout that gives room to everyone in their own space, yet together as a family. As you work in your home office, your partner cooks in the kitchen, and your children play downstairs—and you can still take a peek at each other from time to time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Modern or contemporary—which one is better?
Contemporary refers to what happens in the design at this very moment. As a result, the contemporary design is more fluid and difficult to pin down. On the other hand, modern design was developed years ago and attracts with warm neutral, sharp lines, and balance.
Can you mix decorating styles? How much?
Regardless of the styles you want to mix in your home, always remember the 80/20 principle. 80% should be your primary style and you can use the left 20% for the other kind you want in your home. Most of us love more than one style, and we can safely bring them into our homes.
Do people still use the modern style?
Mid-century modern design was trendy in the 50s and 60s, and people turned to it a lot in recent years. Reputable interior designers observe that the style is slowly fading away.
What is rustic modern design?
Rustic modern, also known as rustic chic, is a style of interior design where historical period room installations/furniture are used in a room with modern décor.
Is modern farmhouse style a thing?
Modern farmhouse is all about the combination of clean lines of modern décor with a comfortable farmhouse aesthetic. The result is home with a fresh and cozy feel. Modern farmhouse style attracts warmth and simplicity, with natural textures and materials like galvanized steel and wood as central features.
