modern home refurbishment
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11 | 06 | 15

How to: Achieve a modern look in your home

Everyone loves the idea of keeping up with the latest trends and looking the part. Not only does this include fashion and clothes but it is also applicable to our home space too. There are many ways to make a home look more modern, and we could be writing an article to the end of time on this! Some of our selection on the best ideas are shown below.

ceiling moldings

Straight away you can see the degree of elegance and class the ceiling mouldings give to this above room. Mouldings can be surprisingly cheap – especially if you opt for the plastic design which is paintable. There are different styles and depths available so you really can experiment to find something that is right for you. Mouldings can be a little awkward to fix, but it is nothing overly complicated.

The fabric touches.
Making your home look more modern may simply depend on the materials you decide to put into the rooms. When thinking about this be mindful of carpet, cushions, pillows, curtains and rugs / mats. These are simple ways which further style and freshness can be created to give a room a modern look.

Think about lighting.
This is an age old favourite but good lighting can work wonders for many reasons. Firstly it throws light on areas showing them up and allowing you to expose the atmosphere you are trying to create. Secondly almost all lights are simply more than just a bulb – they come in fancy designs. Remember also that a range of shades, pendulums or other ‘covers’ exist which can also be style icons in their own right.
Don’t just stick to the simple wall lights either. These days LED silhouettes and string lighting exist for example, which gives a different and extra idea. Why not mix and match?

Colours work, some don’t!
When thinking about your colour scheme be careful if you want to achieve contemporary. The above picture looks very modern and this is for two reasons.
1) The neutral colour scheme.
2) All the colours blend well (this is probably the most important point.)
Imagine if that room above was all black and brown or multi coloured – it would go from modern to dingy or odd looking.
When thinking of colours we like to use the ‘money look.’ What materials are used for money? Gold, Silver, Bronze?! Using these colours where possible can go a long way in achieving a current and stylish theme.

Beware of clutter.
Clutter destroys the look of a room whatever style you are trying to achieve. This is mainly because your focus is robbed of the room and features itself, and you simply concentrate on the mess.

The features.
If you are trying to fit your home out for 2015 and beyond then this is by far the most important thing to take note of. It sounds like such an expensive job, and of course it can be if you want, but it doesn’t have to be! Think small and use the imagination. Items such as mirrors, paintings and pictures can all help on the way to achieving an up to date looking room. Having a centre piece or focal point can really catch the eye, meaning you will be attracted to it, while unconsciously associating it with the current. When it comes to features there are no hard and fast rules, and a lot of it is down to personal taste. A good tip is to think a little outside the box, but don’t go too mad or tacky.

oriental home design ideas

The paintings and metal style works on the right hand side of this bedroom photo make it look the part. You will also notice the role the ‘fabric elements’ play in this photo – the bed looks a picture of class.

Achieving success with this is not as difficult as you think. Hopefully now you will have a few more thoughts on your own project.