What is the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Furniture?

Modern and contemporary furniture both get their influences from the design of the Bauhaus school in Germany. In the 1920's many furniture designers led a movement towards a vastly different type of space decoration. Both share many similarities, but are not, by definition, the same. Clean lines, open spaces, and natural materials are some of the basics of both of these styles of furniture. Both are distinctly modern in appearance, and the clean lines of each have made them popular in crowded cities.

While ascetically similar to contemporary furniture, the word modern refers to a type of style, or school of design called modernism. It employs angular shapes, minimal clutter, sharp edges, and low, clean pieces, which are designed to make the most of large windows leading to more open space. Contemporary can refer to any type of furniture which is essentially modern, but similar and from a specific period or decade. In this way, furniture can be categorized as fitting in a scheme, where parallels provide continuity. Much of these pieces incorporate a sense of modernness, utilizing modern materials, as does modern furniture. These materials can include: steel, glass, molded plywood, and even plastic. Materials which can create a clean, sharp line.

When designing with modern or contemporary furniture, simple and basic is best. Basic colors, such as beige, black, and white, giving a sense of order, will fit the bill. The focus should be on space, giving a sense of tranquility, as opposed to a cold, sterile environment.

The shift from gilded wood and rich patterns in the late 19th century reflected an appreciation of space and natural materials. The modernism movement changed the way people thought about furniture, and also reflected a change in the art world. African and Japanese influences could be seen in the modern movement, and in the many and varied types of contemporary furniture.

It is possible to decorate with a modern feel, focusing on a particular contemporary style, such as with a Japanese quality, or from a time-period like the 1960's. To focus solely with a modern approach, clean, basic simplicity would be the goal.

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