Contemporary style stresses clean, comfortable look

"Go where he will, the wise man is at home; his hearth the earth, his hall the azure dome." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American essayist

We read a lot about clean lines and contemporary furniture -- and quite frankly it scares most people to death. The thought behind clean lines for most people is hard-edge, stark, cold and uncomfortable furniture. If you are one of those folks, relax. Contemporary design may, in fact, be for you. If you like comfort and ease, keep reading.

While doing research for this column, I found a lot of different takes on contemporary, but each piece I read emphasized over and over again the confusion between modern design and contemporary. Even on the HGTV Web site, the statement of style read, "Contemporary style encompasses a range of styles developed in the latter half of the 20th century. Pieces feature softened and rounded lines, as opposed to the stark lines seen in modern design. Interiors contain neutral elements and bold color and focus on the basics of line, shape and form." There are absolutely no extremes in contemporary and nothing to excess.

The information went on to say that colors are more tone on tone and not so plain, and that natural fabrics such as silk, wool, linen and cotton are great choices for contemporary because of their texture and natural appearance. These natural fabrics are wonderful in any design style, and in keeping environmentally sound, they are also excellent picks.

True contemporary furniture is a little more rounded than modern and has no ornamentation. Pieces are not fragile looking; in other words, you can sit in them. The upholstered pieces are comfortable, yet clean. Woods tend to be lighter in color and you will find accents of glass and stainless steel. Glass and stainless steel also are used for contemporary lighting.

Contemporary design also is uncluttered design. Rooms are not jammed with pieces, and pieces in the rooms are workers. Tables and credenzas or cabinets should have spaces with glass doors or drawers to stash away the day-to-day clutter.

Floor coverings also tend to be flat and not fluffy. A berber or other flat weave would fit much nicer than a higher pile carpet. The carpets will help bring the entire look together, as they do in any space, so they definitely need to stay in the same style.

I've picked some pieces that represent the contemporary style very well. The manufacturer is Lexington Home Brands (www.lexington.com), and these pieces were shown at the home-furnishings market in Las Vegas in January. Since there is a lag in time between when they show at market and when they hit the retail floor, you should now be able to find them in your local stores.

As you can see from the photos, the furnishings are so comfortable looking, but at the same time have clean, uninterrupted lines. Even if you don't want an entire room of this type of furniture, contemporary furnishings such as these will blend well with almost any design scheme. If you have used contemporary pieces in your décor, I would love to see photos showing how you incorporated them into your space.

As you can see, there is absolutely nothing to fear in contemporary design. As a matter of fact, I think you may find that this style is actually one of the easiest to incorporate into your life.

Carolyn Muse Grant is a founder and past president of the Architectural & Decorative Arts Society, as well as an interior design consultant/stylist specializing in home staging. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home section of the Review-Journal. Send questions to creativemuse@cox.net.