What is the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Furniture?

Modern and contemporary furniture, although often very similar, are not necessarily the same thing. The word modern, in this context, refers to a school of design -- modernism -- as opposed to the time frame in which the furniture was designed or built. Contemporary, on the other hand, refers to a different set of aesthetics, although like modern furniture it also incorporates clean lines and a lack of clutter. Modern and contemporary furniture are both very popular styles right now, and a great deal of what can be seen in high-end boutiques fits into one of these similar schools. Contemporary furniture can also refer simply to a set of furniture which all fits in the same time frame, no matter what that time frame might be. For example, a dining room set in which all of the pieces were from the 1970s might be described as 1970s contemporary, to indicate that the pieces were all meant to go together when they were made. The term can also simply mean furniture done in the style of the d ... more