The Safest Ways to Mix Modern Furniture with Tradition Pieces

Not everyone is interior-design savvy but everyone always has two styles they most definitely want to combine. Unfortunately, mixing modern furniture and traditional style could easily end up a disaster if not done correctly. Without the proper advice, you're at risk of spending precious cash styling your home with a confusion hodgepodge of designs that can make anyone dizzy. So, before winding up with an eclectic space instead of the pre-planned modern-meets-traditional duet, here some ways to help you carry out the interior-design project correctly.

Dominating Style

The first step in mixing modern furniture and traditional pieces is to determine which style should dominate the other. You cannot have two dominant styles otherwise you'll end up with a showroom, which you should avoid. If you want a modern space with antique accents, items that have elegant finishes and intricate carvings, you should consider being primarily modern. On the other hand, you can choose traditional design and punctuate it with functional modern pieces.

The dominant style should be your main primary focus. If you're planning to go dominantly modern, make modern furniture your focal point and accessorize with traditional pieces. Consider opting for small traditional accents that can compliment through the finish and design.

After deciding on the style you want to focus on, you must then determine the visual characteristics that attracted you to the pieces. For instance, modern pieces are known for their clean lines and functional shapes, while traditional furnishings are famous of elegant finishes and outstanding textures. What you can do is to browse for furniture and take note of the pieces that attract you. Experiment on the combination and visualize the overall look of the space before you decide to buy the pieces.

Finishing Touches

There are two important things to consider when mixing modern and traditional: contrast and harmony. These two are equally challenging to achieve. Going for a contrast look can appear too visually strong if not done correctly. Too harmonious and you're going to wind up with a boring space.

If you're looking for a harmonious space, choose pieces that are slightly similar to each other. This is great for dining chairs and table, for instance. You can choose to utilize modern furniture chairs with an antique piece of dining table. But when you're going for contrast, concentrate on buying pieces mainly for their textures and colors. Finishes and materials are also excellent considerations for this look.

Mark Michael Ferrer

Modern Furniture