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Home Improvements · January 5, 2016

Tips and Tricks for Bringing Your Home into the 21st Century

Glass balustrade loft stairs
Image: Love Chic Living

If you’d prefer to give your home a more modern look, but it’s already filled with traditional or antique furnishings, don’t worry. With some simple changes, it’s still possible to achieve the contemporary home look you’re aiming for. Don’t think you have to replace all of your existing pieces of furniture either – creating a blend of old and new is very desirable.  Here are a few tips and tricks for bringing your home into the 21st century.

A More Modern Colour Palette

Neutral colour tones, like off-whites and greys, are still popular and can give you that minimalist look that many people crave. If you want to add a little more personality to the mix, though, don’t be afraid to try some bold colours like blues, oranges, purples and reds. These can be in the form of paint or accessories and often work best when used to provide some accent colours to a space.

Choosing Contemporary Furniture

Contemporary furniture comes in all kinds of different materials and designs at the moment. Look for lighter woods like pine or beech, or much more daring materials like steel.  These may be at odds with your older furnishings at the moment, but fortunately there’s also a trend of reupholstering vintage chairs and sofas with modern fabrics.  These combine the best of both approaches and means you could end up with something that’s truly one of a kind.

Using Glass and Steel Materials

Glass tables or office desks are perfect for creating a room that’s stylish and modern. On their own, they can add a sophisticated, executive look, but when paired with leather or the right kinds of wood finishes and metals, can form a more industrial aesthetic that makes your property stand out. Suppliers like Barrier Components have everything you need to create an impressive glass balustrade to your staircase. This is perfect if you can contrast it with something traditional like an exposed brick wall, or a striking feature wallpaper (as in the image above which shows a glimpse of the new ‘Project Attic’ over at Love Chic Living).

Finding the Right Pieces of Art

Finally, adding the right artwork to your home can be the finishing touch that transforms your property into a truly contemporary home. More abstract pieces are popular at the moment, especially large paintings or prints that can be used to impart personality to more minimalist settings. If you do decide to go down this route, try adding some accent lighting in the form of track lighting, sconces, or lamps to help highlight the piece.

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© Copyright 2016 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife

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Posted By: Antonia · In: Home Improvements

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Comments

  1. Geraldine says

    January 6, 2016 at 7:25 am

    Great ideas here. I love mixing and matching old and new in my home to create an eclectic look.
    Geraldine recently posted…Augustine in Prague, a pre- Christmas stay.My Profile

    Reply
  2. Rachel says

    January 6, 2016 at 8:46 am

    Totally agree – it’s great to mix old and new and is the ideal way to create your own, eclectic look.
    Rachel recently posted…Bedeck 1951 Collection luxury bedding review: Oriental style KaveriMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Jen says

    January 6, 2016 at 11:07 am

    Great tips Antonia, and I’m flattered you wanted to use my image from the renovations as an example. 🙂
    Jen recently posted…Trends, Rugs and QVCMy Profile

    Reply
    • Antonia says

      January 26, 2016 at 9:59 pm

      It’s really super, Jen – I think you’ve done a brilliant job. Just wish it was my home, he heh! x

      Reply
  4. carole says

    January 6, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Good tips Antonia. I agree that mixing is achievable and makes for a much more interesting scheme. x
    carole recently posted…Books: The Shopkeeper’s Home by Caroline RowlandMy Profile

    Reply
    • Antonia says

      January 26, 2016 at 9:58 pm

      Thank you, Carole 🙂

      Reply
  5. Rachel @ The Ordinary Lovely says

    January 6, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    I love Jen’s new staircase. It’s amazing!! We live in a new build house so almost have the opposite problem … everything is a bit too shiny, new and modern. I do like it but now and again, I crave more character. Yep, I spend way too much time on RightMove 😉

    Reply
    • Antonia says

      January 26, 2016 at 9:58 pm

      Ha ha, I think we all do that Rachel 😉 I think it can be quite tricky to get a nice balance of old and new, whatever sort of property we live in.

      Reply
  6. Molly says

    January 6, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Good tips, I think a more modern colour pallete can work wonders at updating an interior. I thought the image was from some posh interiors magazine – wow Jen, it looks amazing!
    Molly recently posted…A Modern Morning Toilette, with Pantone Colour of the Year 2016, and WayfairMy Profile

    Reply
    • Antonia says

      January 26, 2016 at 9:57 pm

      It looks so good doesn’t it? Clever Jen! x

      Reply

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Hello! I'M ANTONIA I launched Tidylife to provide interior, garden & lifestyle inspiration. Love home decor and budget friendly improvements? Me too! You'll find them all here. Plus decorating, styling & upcycling ideas. I also love to share fitness, fashion & beauty features, so I hope you enjoy visiting Tidylife.

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