The Design Mix Guide: Classic Contemporary
May 23, 2012 at 7:45 AM
By Samantha Grose, Designer, JP&CO: A residential construction firm dedicated to delivering a personalized home at a remarkable pace through an enjoyable process.
I’ve always touted the mix of classic and contemporary as the perfect combination of design for today’s lifestyle. Contemporary design pushes the blissful “less is more” philosophy, which many people gravitate toward as a result of their busy lives. Classic design melds well with the contemporary, as it finds its roots in the creation of order, balance, and harmony.
Now raise your hand if you’re interested in creating a home that’s less cluttered and abound with balance and harmony. This means day lite spaces, clean lines, calming rooms—sounds pretty nice, right?
Many people feel that contemporary design alone isn’t enough to give a room that warm feel essential to a home. But contemporary doesn’t have to be cold or sterile. Instead, we can take the best fundamentals tenets of contemporary design and synthesize with the best of classic design.
The Best of Contemporary
- Minimalism
- Smooth Surfaces
- Minimal Accessories
- Emphasis on form and line
- Creation of open space
- Natural light
The Best of Classic
- Balance/Symmetry
- Large focal points
- Nature-inspired hues, earth tones
- Black outline/piping
- Understated fabrics
- Traditional floor materials such as stone and wood
As you can see, classic design is rooted in tradition. Ralph Lauren Home does classic extremely well. Those who prefer symmetry may tend toward classic design. The downfall is that classic spaces can often get bogged down with too much—too many visually heavy elements that slow down the way we live today. You may find that stripping down classic design by combining it with a contemporary style will give you the balance you are looking for.
Grose Samantha
Associate AIA, Allied ASID Designer for JP&CO.