Modern furniture, with its practicality and basic elegance, makes for an incredibly inviting living room space. The roots of the movement are found in the post WWII era. Designers and consumers were beginning to have a fresh and positive outlook about the future. The inviting style of the furniture that was designed and produced reflects the sentiment of the day. Consumer’s modern desires, coupled with more disposable income, began a trend in furniture that continues to the present day. The style continues to be reinvented as new designers come onto the scene with new ideas stemming from the works of their predecessors.

Contemporary decor is sophisticated and sleek. The furniture is functional and comfortable. Oversized proportions and relaxed elegance are trademarks of this modern style. Instead of the worth of a piece of living room furniture lying in how many hours it took to complete the piece, modern home decor is judged on its capability to balance aesthetically pleasing design with practicality. Modern-styled furniture is a diverse topic, but all furniture created in this style holds the basic tenants of simplicity and functionality in common.

Perhaps the most famous and long-standing example of this modern style is the Tulip Chair. The chair, designed by Eero Saarinen, in 1957, was a simple single leg chair created from fiberglass reinforced resin. It came in an as-sundry of base colors and customizable cushions to fit any contemporary home decor scheme. The chair won the Museum of Modern Art’s most prestigious award in 1969 followed by several other design awards. The simple design has proved to be before its time. The Tulip Chair is still one of the most popular pieces sold in furniture shops around the world. Customers love the unpretentious design coupled with its charming versatile appeal. Contemporary decor seems to grow based on the design ideas that the Tulip Chair introduced to the design community.

Japan is known for its hospitality. The “less-is-more” design movement can trace its way back to influences from Japanese design. The beautiful, simple designs were easy to mix and match and appealed to the emergence of the desire for “sets” in the western world. Consumers were seemingly obsessed with matching bedroom sets, living room sets, and dining room sets. Japanese styled design could make this concept a reality for many people wanting to create inviting living space within their personal homes. Outdoor furniture became popular, as well, as the backyard was starting to be seen as an extension of one’s living room. The design aesthetic grew to include things like bird feeders, outdoor furniture, plastic wall clocks, and electric fondue pots.

Living rooms have become less stuffy and more relaxed. This is the key to creating an inviting space enveloped in modern design ideals. The newer furniture is less ornate, lighter in weight, and boasts a mindfulness that is alluring to guests. The materials used changes to include new technology in manufacturing. Tubular metal was an innovation at the beginning of the modern movement. Dalmine began manufacturing seamless steel tubes at low prices, and the material took off as a modern building marvel. Molded plywood was introduced onto the scene around this time as well. Flowing organic style contributes to the less stuffy attitude of modern consumers. These styles are useful, durable, and unique.

Consumers, in addition to other factors, desire portable design. The large, clunky, and overly ornate design of older furniture does not lend itself well to a jet setter population. Families who move around often desire the simplicity and portable nature of modern decor. It is easier to collect pieces of furniture and other accessories that make a space personal and interesting if the furniture is lighter and maintains a high level of functionality.

A movement that has grown out of the modern design movement is the eco-design variant. Containing the tenants of modern decor design and combining them with the use of sustainable materials is a new concept in contemporary home decor. Some up and coming modern furniture designers that boast this style include Alexander Julian, Thom Filicia, and Alessandro Mendini. Eco-design is comfortable and sits well with the consumer who is eco-conscious. The new designs are innovative and exciting. Modern home decor is expected to change along the lines of these new designer’s visions. Creating an inviting living room and whole estate is easy and practical if consumers keep these modern design innovations in mind.