Modern Architecture: How to Design a 21st-Century House

Home design has been a vital aspect of human life for thousands of years and living in a home which we believe has a great design can positively impact our day-to-day lives. Take the Ancient Egyptians, for example. They took home design incredibly seriously and deliberated for a great deal of time about what would be best for the space. The end result? A home which inspired them and made them feel completely comfortable. Of course, this is what we are all striving for and you should achieve this if you follow a few simple steps.

In this blog, we will explore the topic of modern interior and exterior design to find out what principles you need to stick to in order to get the perfect home for you and your family. We will also mention a few items which would fit into your home well and help you elevate the space to the next level. The trick with design, though, is to have fun and refrain from taking everything so seriously. Your home should reflect your personality and making spaces too serious can be incredibly damaging. The trick is to merge practicality with joy and excitement. If you achieve this then you and your team will have built a truly great building.



What is modern design?

Design, as we have already mentioned, has been progressing for some time and modern design (as it is known) is a fairly new concept. Essentially, modern design follows a few of the basic principles of minimalism but adds a few things to attempt to incorporate some personality into space. Design is, like other forms of art, constantly evolving and keeping track of this will greatly increase your chances of building a fantastic home. We will obviously cover a great deal of things in this blog, so aim to take a few things away with you for your next project.

So, in this next section, we are going to discuss the elements that you need to incorporate into your home to ensure that you have a well-balanced modern home. Of course, you don’t need to add all of these to your space, but it will certainly stand you in good stead if you incorporate a few of them. So, keep reading this blog to find out a few easy methods to modernise your space!

Balance

Your home is where you will likely spend most of your time, and it is so important that this space remains both a calming and productive place to be. There are many ways to achieve this but there is no doubt that balance is one of the main things that you need to focus on. When we say balance, we mean the materials, colour and furniture you use. Each material must marry with each other and there should be no overloading of heavy materials and shapes. Too much exposed brick in an older property, for example, can make the space feel small and overbearing.

So, how can I achieve this? A great place to start is to think about a few elements which you really want in your home. Let’s say you’re a big fan of clean white walls and colourful furniture. You will want these areas of your home to really stand out so you can celebrate these elements and having too much of them will, in some ways, make these elements slip into the background. Adding other elements such as black or grey furniture will allow the items that are colourful to really pop out. The same goes for your walls. Perhaps you could think about painting some walls a darker grey so the white areas really sing? This kind of interior design is a great way to add balance to your home.

Unity

Design in almost every metric is about unity in some way or another. Whether that be a deliberate attempt to disregard the principle or an obvious move to celebrate it, unity is a lasting theme in architecture and art in general. When it comes to modern home design you should attempt to celebrate unity in every possible facet. So, how can you do this? With a functional home, it can, at times, be challenging to make the rooms in your home all sing the same tune, but there are a few simple tricks to help you on your way.

The first trick may seem slightly obvious to some of our readers, but you might be surprised how many homes don’t have this. Make sure your plumbing fittings and light switches all follow the same design. This will mean that whether you’re in the upstairs bathroom or the kitchen downstairs, there is a real sense of cohesion in the home. This will have a wide variety of benefits and make your home feel as if it has one continuous theme. You might also choose to have similar bed sheets in some bedrooms as well as the same armchair and sofa covers. So, what else can you do to improve your home?

Contrast

Modern design is, of course, all about making your home feel spacious and a relaxing place to be which you can achieve through a wide range of different methods. Though, it is often said that contrast is one of the most important factors and you should certainly consider creating areas of significant contrast in some of your rooms. Essentially, this technique revolves around coupling materials and objects that feel very different to one another, such as a dark wood cabinet and a light metal chair. When you contrast materials and colours like this, it creates a striking visual aspect in your home. 

As you might expect, there are many different ways in which you can incorporate contrast into your home. You may choose to add contrast by changing the colour of your walls or perhaps your furniture might be the best place to start. Either way, we are sure that incorporating this simple technique in your home will vastly improve the look and feel of the space.

Variety

In a modern home, it is vital that you have areas in the house that stand out and draw the eye. This kind of space will add excitement to the home and create a sense of youth in the space. As you might expect, there are multiple ways of achieving this feeling, but one of the most trusted methods is by adding variety to the space. This will make specific areas of the house pop creating a feeling of animation. This kind of design principle will also allow you to express yourself and make your home feel like your own.

You can, of course, add variety in many different ways but certainly one of the most successful methods is by having a few items of furniture that stand out from the rest. This will draw people's eyes and create a few specific areas of theatre in the home. You might also choose to paint a few feature walls which will also have a similar effect.

Technology

There is no doubt that technology has changed the face of the modern world. In fact, over the past few decades, it has become a staple in modern life and many of our homes feature technology in some way or another. Therefore, in order to build a modern home, you must celebrate technology and use this wonderful new frontier to your advantage. This will create spaces in your home that feel not only modern but fun and playful as well, which will certainly wow your guests. The trick is to incorporate the right technology so your home's design can still speak for itself.

One of the most recent areas of technology to reach the modern home is custom lift design. Having a lift designed for your home can vastly improve the general feel of the space and future-proof your home as well as add an exciting new element. Elevator design is certainly something which is growing in popularity and you should certainly consider it if you are designing a new property.

So, if you have any questions about lift design and custom lift design, then make sure to contact us today. We have many years of experience in the industry and can certainly help you with any questions you might have.