Modern home decor: a guide to creating sleek, functional living spaces

Modern home decor is characterised by clean lines, a neutral colour palette, a mix of natural and synthetic materials and the latest smart technology.

This interior style emphasises simplicity and shuns the superfluous. Every element of modern home decor has a practical and an aesthetic function.

This contemporary style is also marked by furnishings that promote freedom of movement within your living space.

Modern house decoration focuses on simplicity and organisation.

It prioritises space and light.

Contemporary minimalist home design is about removing the unnecessary and highlighting the essentials, creating spaces that feel calm, purposeful, and inviting.

In a modern home interior, furniture, lighting and accessories are chosen for their aesthetic appeal and for their ability to improve comfort and efficiency.

Examples of this include, adjustable sofas, ergonomic desk chairs and automated lighting.

In modern home decor, open spaces promote better circulation of light and air and facilitate social interactions. This architectural approach invites a sense of freedom and openness.

Soft greys, warm beiges and creamy whites create a calming canvas, ready to be accented with bold art or sculptural furniture.

Modern home decor combines natural materials, such as wood, with modern synthetic elements, such as concrete.

Here’s how and why to integrate these materials into your modern home decor:

Combining warm, organic wood with industrial, modern metallic finishes creates an interesting visual contrast.

A solid wood table with stainless steel legs, for example, highlights the fusion of tradition and modernity. 

In modern home decor, concrete and micro cement are often used for flooring or accent walls, team these strong elements with the fragility and lightness of glass. Introduce glass in shelving, tables, roof windows and room dividers.

Combine marble or granite, perhaps used in kitchen or bathroom worktops, with colourful resin furniture and home accessories to create a modern scene that never dates.

To bring a sustainable element to your modern home decor, opt for reconstituted wood, made from recycled materials, for furniture or flooring and contrast this with colourful acrylic furniture and decorative elements.

Acrylic offers the visual clarity of glass but is more durable.

Statement pieces set the tone for your modern interior decoration. These contemporary style elements are functional and aesthetic focal points.

• Select a modular sofa in neutral fabric or leather, which you can reconfigure when you fancy a room refresh. 
• A solid wood table with black metal legs combines the warmth of natural wood with the sturdiness of metal.
• A low sideboard made from lacquered wood or tempered glass can house your entertainment system.

For modern home decoration, choose contemporary-style furniture that combines modern design and functionality.

• Choose sofas with added features, such as hidden storage, built-in USB ports and automated swing-out footrests. 
• Modular wall shelves or built-in storage units maximise storage space and ensure your room never feels cluttered.
• Invest in chairs that combine comfort with a modern vibe. Place a sleek, ergonomic desk chair covered in breathable fabric in your home office, for example. 

Modern lighting is an integral part of modern home decoration, here’s how to integrate modern home lighting throughout your house:

Use strip LED lights under kitchen cabinets, shelves in your living space and even your bathroom vanity unit. This discreet lighting highlights often used areas without taking up space.

Choose elegant pendant lights for your living-dining room, kitchen and bedrooms.

Choose simple metal shapes for your hallway and kitchen and soft, relaxing textured shades for your living spaces.

Install track lighting in your kitchen, hallway and office.

These are useful for directing light to specific areas. Adjust them to highlight your artworks or architectural features in your modern home decor.

Incorporate LED strips in your living room and bedrooms, run them along skirting boards and around the ceiling cornice to create a soothing atmosphere.

You can alternate the colours according to the mood you want to create.

Strategically place floor and table lamps in your living space and bedrooms to create a more intimate atmosphere when your overhead lights are too harsh for the mood you want to create.

Discover how to enhance your modern home decor with these three types of modern house accessories:  

Incorporate modern artwork to personalise your space without making it feel cluttered. 

These serve as focal points in your contemporary-style decor.

Curtains, rugs and other textiles help you add texture and depth to your contemporary-style décor.

Opt for linen or cotton-covered sofas to add comfort and a natural feel to your home. Team with synthetic fibres, such as a faux-fur throw, to create a practical and aesthetically pleasing scene.

Plants are an essential element in modern home decor. They add life and colour and improve your indoor air quality. 

They can also serve as natural room dividers to help zone the large open-plan spaces of your modern home. Place the plants near natural light sources to ensure they thrive.
 

The strategic use of windows – particularly roof windows – can radically transform the decor in your modern home.

Roof windows are also inextricably linked to contemporary style, because they:

• Optimise natural light
• Improve air quality
• Make small spaces appear larger
• Provide stunning views and create an open, airy atmosphere

Home automation devices improve comfort, security and energy efficiency.

VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO technology manages the opening and closing of your VELUX motorised products. Using rain, temperature and CO₂ sensors, VELUX ACTIVE automatically controls your VELUX roof windows, blinds and shutters to always provide you with optimal natural light and fresh air.

You maintain control over your interior comfort through an app accessed from your smartphone, or via the VELUX ACTIVE remote control.