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Juxtaposition: Sleek Lines & Texture

Mar 03, 2010

The simple lines and bold but understated look of modern design have always appealed to me. The challenge is making a modern room look warm and inviting. Smooth surfaces, sharp angles, geometric shapes, and crisp lines form the foundation of the look, but I find it requires some added warmth to look really appealing and homey. So how do you get that warmth without sacrificing the bold look you wanted in the first place? With texture. Here are a few rooms that do it well. I specifically chose somewhat monochromatic rooms so that the contrast of shape and texture would be most apparent.

This living room by architects Fernlund + Logan illustrates the idea beautifully. The windows, columns, built-ins, and major furniture pieces are spare and simple. But the room feels warm due to loads of light, a rough-hewn beam, fabrics and textiles with different textures, and accessories that introduce curves and whimsical forms.

Another Fernlund + Logan home is a bit more traditional, but the emphasis on clean simplicity is the same. A stark color palette draws attention to architectural detail. Curves in the architecture and furniture counteract severe straight lines, and texture warms it up: a sheepskin throw, a driftwood lamp base, rough pine floors, and woolen upholstery.

The juxtaposition works here within individual pieces. Chairs with right angles look warmer with rush seats. Clean-lined roller shades get added interest from a diamond pattern. A smooth aluminum accent lamp is the perfect foil for all the natural textures. Photo: Sköna Hem.

A dark room makes textures stand out even more. A textural painting complements the brick hearth, and white accents keep the room from looking too somber. A curvy, molded fiberglass rocker sidles up to its polar opposite, a very linear wooden chair. Photo: Sköna Hem.

A room like this might normally inspire strict geometry and masculine shapes. But the coverlet and hassocks are all it takes to soften the sharp space and make it more cozy. Photo: Sköna Hem.

Want to make modern work in your own home? (Or any other style?) I can help. An eDecor Plan will give you all the ideas, sources, and know-how you need to pull of a sleek but cozy room in your own house. Check out the benefits of eDecor here or just email me. —Diane

TAGS: modern sleek minimalist style interior design how to warm up modern cozy texture inviting photos of modern interiors rooms

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