What Is a Contemporary Style Home?

Choosing a specific style for your home is not easy because there are numerous options to choose from. Some of the available options are already well known but are you familiar with a contemporary style home?

Contemporary style homes are popular, and that design approach is worth exploring for your building project. We are here to help if you are still confused about contemporary houses.

Stay tuned to learn more about the defining principles of contemporary homes. We will also discuss how the contemporary and modern building styles differ from one another so stick around if you are eager to learn more about that.

Defining the Contemporary Style of Home Building

Let’s start by getting a better handle on what contemporary style is when it comes to home building, and you probably guessed what it will be.

Since it is known as contemporary, it is similar to modern design. Some may even guess that the two approaches are simply different terms referring to the same thing.

It is a fair assumption to make. However, it is also inaccurate.

There are three defining principles of contemporary home building that differentiate it from every other approach. We cover those defining principles in greater detail below.

Contemporary Style Homes Show Off the Design Ideas of Today

First off, a home that features a contemporary style should accurately reflect the popular design ideas of today. We are talking about popular trends for home building projects.

That explains why contemporary style homes built two years apart can look so different from one another. Style sensibilities can change quickly, and contemporary homes are proof of that.

You do not need to incorporate every new trend into your home. You can still pick and choose the design scheme that you like.

Then again, ignoring popular trends completely is also a no-go if you want a contemporary style house. You run the risk of creating a dated home by taking that approach. The identity of your home may prove hard to define if you ignore the current trends.

Contemporary Style Homes Do Not Shy Away from Innovation

Evolution is at the heart of the contemporary style of home building. As much as it focuses on the current trends, it also fully recognizes the potential directions that the project may take.

If you are open to featuring some bold looks using your home, then this building approach is for you. You will be taking some risks, but those could pay off quite well.

Contemporary style also goes beyond taking design risks. It also focuses on integrating new features to make the home more convenient.

For instance, many contemporary homes are loaded with smart devices. Per Reader’s Digest, examples of smart devices you can use inside your contemporary style home include smart lights, smart vacuums, and smart thermostats. Those are only some examples; you are free to feature more if you are going for a contemporary style house.

Embrace innovation in your contemporary style house and come up with something on the cutting edge of architecture.

Contemporary Style Homes Draw Influences from Different Building Approaches

Contemporary style home building also takes influences from different design approaches to create something more unique. You can choose which design principles you take to produce the exact type of home you want.

Are there limitations imposed on which design principles you can feature in contemporary style homes? There are some restrictions that you need to acknowledge.

For the most part, those restrictions relate to featuring traditional designs. That makes sense since contemporary style houses are supposed to push architecture forward. You cannot lean on the classics if that is your goal.

Beyond that, you are pretty much free to use whichever newer design principles you like. Try out different combinations and see how they mesh with one another. You may stumble upon something special after a fair bit of experimentation.

Comparing and Contrasting Contemporary Style Homes and Modern Homes

You may still be confused about contemporary style homes and modern homes. To be more specific, you may be wondering if the two differ from one another in any significant ways.

It is an important question to ask. You want to communicate the type of home you want to the builders you are hiring, so understanding the difference between modern and contemporary homes is crucial.

Read through this section to learn more about the similarities and differences between those two building approaches.

Similarity: Open Spaces Are Prominently Featured

Let’s start by highlighting something that contemporary style and modern homes share. Both approaches emphasize open spaces.

Modern homes have open floor plans that allow for movement and utility. Occupants do not become restricted by fixtures and pieces of furniture that constantly get in the way.

You will notice that many contemporary style homes follow that same type of building style. They often feature open concept kitchens. Some even follow open floor plans that functionally combine the kitchen and the living room.

Dissimilarity: Color Schemes

The color palettes for modern and contemporary style homes are not the same, and this is one of the areas where you notice the greatest differences between the two.

Modern homes feature a neutral color scheme. It features a lot of black, white, and other muted colors. It is not the most diverse color palette you will see, and that is why some people shy away from it.

Contemporary styles homes have a significantly broader color palette. You are not limited to the same handful of colors. Experimentation with colors is even encouraged if you are building a contemporary style home.

Similarity: Utilization of Natural Elements

Modern architecture often evokes the feel of an industrial setting, but that does not mean that it shies away from featuring natural elements. If you walk into a modern home, you may find some plants positioned in strategic locations.  They are used to break up the monotony of the design.

You will also find that modern design leans on natural lighting quite a bit. The open floor plans, the glass walls, and the large windows that are staples of modern architecture all promote natural lighting.

Contemporary style homes follow suit in that regard. Go ahead and use plants to round out your design scheme. They are more than welcome in contemporary design.

The same goes for natural lighting. The contemporary design gives you free rein to add features that improve natural lighting. Take full advantage of that abundant natural resource to showcase the beauty of your home.

Dissimilarity: Materials Used

The materials most commonly used in modern architecture include concrete, glass, metal, natural stone, and wood. You will see a few more materials occasionally used, but the ones we mentioned are practically fixtures of this building approach.

The contemporary approach to building gives you a wider range of materials to choose from. Sustainable building materials are especially popular right now so you will see them prominently featured in contemporary style homes.

Notable examples of sustainable building materials include cork, recycled plastic, straw, and wool. Those are far from conventional building materials, but you may see them utilized in the contemporary building approach. You can use those materials to create a home that features a truly unique look.

Similarity: Emphasis on the Quality of the Materials Used

Although the range of materials used in modern and contemporary style homes are not completely the same, they do try to accomplish a similar goal. That goal is to showcase the beauty of the materials used.

Designers of modern homes may opt to leave certain materials exposed to show them off. The look of the material itself is the design element they want to feature.

You will also see that approach utilized in contemporary design. The only difference is they may put a wider range of materials on display instead of the staple materials used in modern design.

Dissimilarity: The Push for Minimalism

Minimalism is a key feature of modern design. People are encouraged to be selective to the elements they feature inside their homes to maintain that minimalist look. If the item has no important function, it is typically not found inside a modern home.

Contemporary design is not as fixated on minimalism. This approach still skews toward leaving your home more open, but you can feature more design elements. You are free to include items to improve the look and feel of your home.

Design Tips You Can Use to Create Your Contemporary Style Home

Does the idea of building a contemporary style home appeal to you? If so, we can help with that goal of yours.

In this section of the article, we focus on specific things you can do to create a contemporary style home. You can also tweak the tips to work better with your design sensibilities.

Update Your Flooring

Updating your flooring may be necessary if you want a more contemporary home. You rarely see marble and ceramic floors in these types of dwellings. Instead, you are more likely to see hardwood flooring.

The simple beauty of hardwood can be showcased well by contemporary design. If hardwood is a little too pricey for your budget, you can opt for laminate flooring instead.

Polished concrete is another popular choice for contemporary home flooring. It features an understated elegance that fits better in that kind of setting. Concrete Network also notes that polished concrete is remarkably versatile in terms of design.

Unfortunately, pricing is a concern if you want to install polished concrete floors.

Consider your flooring options carefully to pick the best one for your contemporary style home.

Adjust Your Lighting

Next, you want to work on the lighting inside your new home.

With contemporary homes, you can focus first on natural lighting. Identify the parts of your home where natural lighting is accessible and add features that can take advantage of it.

You do not need to use certain types of light fixtures, but track lights and flush-mounted lights are more common in these newer homes. If you would like to follow that trend, then feel free to use those fixtures as well.

Change Your Window Coverings

Curtains and contemporary homes typically do not mix. Since you are trying to improve natural lighting and open spaces, the curtains would only get in the way.

If possible, you should take down your window treatments and leave your windows bare. Let your home bathe in all that natural light and show off your stylish interior design to the world.

Of course, not everyone is comfortable with leaving their windows like that. If you want to keep the inside of your home more private, you can still hang some window treatments. Select simple window treatments so they do not clash with your contemporary decor.

Install Green Home Features

Lastly, you can also create a contemporary home by finishing it with eco-friendly features. Green homes are trendy right now and have become common about everywhere. That is a good thing since we all need to do our part to conserve our natural resources.

Go ahead and add features like solar panels or water-recycling appliances to your home. Even if they may not fit in with your home’s contemporary design aesthetically, they still work well from a thematic standpoint.

Talk to your contractor and explore all your available options when adding eco-friendly features.

Are you planning to turn your current home into a contemporary style house, or are you building one from scratch? Either way, we at Eco Minded Solutions can help you accomplish your plan. Contact us today and let’s start working together to construct your contemporary style home!