What is considered contemporary design?

When you want a design that’s minimal yet bold in textures, finishes, and accents, you need contemporary. It’s a harmonious blend of traditional and modern that have come together to define 2020 style. The best part is, contemporary is always evolving. 

With contemporary design, form and function have equal importance, resulting in a bold look that says a lot with very little. You’ll often see neutrals, natural lighting, and a seamless blend of straight and curved lines. Think of the juxtaposition of a bar stool with a curved wood backrest against a flat, marble island. Simply stunning!

To give you a better idea of how to bring contemporary design into your dining room in 2020, the Lindye Galloway Studio is going to give you some inside tips from some of our most recent contemporary projects.  

What are the common colors in contemporary design?

In contemporary design, you’ll often see a very clean palette, along with very streamlined furniture. But then unexpectedly, you’ll see a wood-slatted wall or a brass door. We love these minimal hints of character that are thoughtfully done. 

Contemporary color combos would be mostly neutral. Try a very moody deep blue paired with different shades of whites. If you have fewer taupes and ivories and more bright whites, add some grays and blacks, along with a surprising accent color. When you bring in furniture, any wood tone can become contemporary when paired with those kinds of colors. 

The simplicity of a more neutral palette allows for more curated designs while ensuring the room is still elegant and sleek. 

Should your dining room match your other rooms?

Your dining room should be intentional to create cohesiveness throughout your home. have an underlying theme to be similar and avoid being too eclectic. 

The dining room is where your family often gathers around a table, so investing in a dining room table that really makes a statement or leads the rest of the room’s aesthetic is quite important. Think a marble top, brass base dining table  paired with neutral leather chairs

Contemporary Dining Room Ideas

By now you probably have a good idea of what contemporary is and are curious to see how it looks in a variety of dining rooms. Let’s look over a few of our contemporary dining room projects to give you a better idea of how contemporary style could elevate your own living spaces. 

Cameo Highlands Remodel

This light and airy kitchen to the adjacent dining room had wooden accents throughout the kitchen. To create a contemporary feel, we added a smooth white countertop with very straight, geometric lines. Three mid-century bar stools with gold accents and round leather backrests brought home the contemporary element to the space.  It brought some softness to the otherwise clean and straight-lined dining area. We carried the contemporary wood accents into the rest of the house to keep the style consistent. 

Commercial Projects

This contemporary living room has very clean, simple, and white walls, creating a light and airy feel. This simple backdrop also allows for a bit more variation in colors and textures with the dining room furniture. We used a dark wood table, almost black, that really commands the attention of anyone entering the room. They’re balanced with thin and elegant bronze-colored chairs with sharp, thin legs. It creates quite the contrast, while also keeping the room aesthetically pleasing. 

Marigold New Build

This kitchen and dining room area is full of geometric lines that all play very well together. The backdrop features a wooden cabinet with an abundance of windows, creating a grid against the wall. Right next to it is a white marble sink, a definite contrast with its flat and sleek look. This is matched by the breakfast bar area, a white counter with no texture or pops of color. That elegance is paired with a row of wooden bar stools featuring a busy and textured back in a blue-gray finish. The crisscrossed lines are balanced with the sleek simplicity of the rest of the dining room, making for a striking space. 

Final Thoughts

Contemporary is a great choice for any home since it allows for so many different aesthetics. A home with contemporary architecture allows for a very thoughtful and transitional collection of furniture and accents within your space. 

If you’re feeling inspired but aren’t sure where to begin, contact the Lindye Galloway Studio today. We would love to collaborate with you on a future interior project, transforming your home into a contemporary space you can enjoy for years to come.