Modernism arose in the 19th century, and it has since been taken over by movements like postmodernism. However, some aspects of modernism still prevail today, particularly in architecture. Many features of modernism can be found in 21st-century homes. The simplicity, clean lines, and minimal fuss of modern design lend it a timeless relevance.
If you’re planning to update your home, consider giving it a modernist twist to get the most out of your update. That said, here are some tips to modernize your home.
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Freshen Up Your Walls
Modern design departs from Victorian years of patterned wallpapers and murals to neutral and restrained colors, like shades of white and gray. Neutral colors emphasize simplicity and cleanliness. Other popular colors for modern interiors are beige, taupe, and black.
Primary colors are also used in modern design but usually only for accent furniture pieces, sometimes a side or part of a wall. Industrial aesthetic with iron or steel finish and concrete elements also features in many modern home designs.
Get Rid of Clutter
Simplicity, cleanliness, and orderliness define modern design. In the ideal modern home, clutter should remain out of sight. Countertops, walls, and other visible areas in the house should be clutter-free. Use high-quality window cleaning tools to keep your windows and glasses polished. Accessories should be used sparingly, and trinkets should be kept in organizers.
Contrary to Victorian design, modern interior style prefers simplicity in every element, including furnishing and accessories. The design places a high value on space and simplicity.
Create Open Spaces
Modern design uses an open-plan layout to get rid of unnecessary structures and promote the free flow of air, light, and movement. There are little to no boundaries to separate common areas, such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Usually, only furnishing or visual distractions are used to distinguish one area for another.
Update Your Lighting
Good lighting is an essential component of modern homes. The style emphasizes a clean and bright interior, which is achieved by combining three basic types of lighting—ambient, accent, and task.
An overhead lighting fixture is the primary source of illumination, but it can cast shadows over corners. Floor lamps strategically placed along the edges of a room light up dark corners and provide better lighting for doing certain tasks, like reading, writing, or cooking. Track lighting and sconces are used to highlight artwork or architectural features in the home.
Update your home’s lighting by installing ambient, accent, and task lighting fixtures. Also, use lightweight light-colored curtains to let plenty of natural light in during the daytime and further brighten up your home.
Go Green
Convert your home into an eco-friendly space, starting with small changes. Got dead light bulbs at home? Get LED bulbs instead of standard incandescent lights. LED lights use “at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer,” says the US Department of Energy.
If you’re planning to update your appliances too, go for Energy Star-certified products. Appliances with that Energy Star label are more energy-efficient, which means they use less power to function, don’t create as much unnecessary pollution, and generate more savings on utility bills.
Water usage is another thing that homeowners should pay attention to. Standard shower heads and faucets use more water than is necessary. Consider replacing them with low-flow fixtures that use significantly less water.
Old toilets are also colossal water wasters. If you have one at home, think about switching to an efficient Sanicompact self-contained toilet. Modern toilets use only 1 to 1.6 gallons of water while old ones use as much as 4 gallons.
Not considering the environment is one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make during home-improvement projects. The world is currently facing a tremendous climate crisis that needs the contribution of every person in the globe to stop; otherwise, everyone, especially the next generation, will face a bleak future.
