Modern Design with a Hint of Traditional

To the untrained eye, "modern furniture" stands in stark contrast against pieces that many refer to as "traditional" or "classic." Modern furniture is often considered simplistic - even futuristic in terms of its design. If you take a closer look, however, you're likely to notice elements of traditional design within modern furniture.

Modern manufacturers and designers like Knoll, Kartell, Herman Miller and Julian Chinchester have a knack for creating pieces that are contemporary and sophisticated, yet work in a home decorated in a traditional style.

A fine example of "modern meets traditional" is designer Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost Chair . Known for his diverse design and architectural background, Starck's creation represents an intersection of classic baroque style and innovative modern design. In form, the Louis Ghost Chair resembles a traditional wooden arm chair. While the shape of the chair is clearly traditional, the innovative choice of a transparent polycarbonate as the medium, is clearly modern (pun intended).

English designer Julian Chinchester describes his line of furniture as "contemporary design inspired by tradition," with most of his pieces falling into the "transitional" category. Transitional is essentially a style of furniture that fits somewhere in between traditional and modern. Chinchester's high end line has a cozy yet luxurious look, mixing traditional form with contemporary styling including a collection of mirrored furniture.

Other manufacturers like Knoll use traditional materials with more modern shapes. Knoll has a line of tables designed by Eero Saarinen in the late 1950s, available in a luxurious marble finish. Marble is predominantly used today as an accent, either on countertops or in bathrooms. You rarely see contemporary furniture today made from marble.

When decorating your space, it's OK to stray away from one particular aesthetic. Given the traditional influence present in a good deal of modern furniture, these two styles naturally mesh quite well together. Just make sure that you don't overdo it. Clutter is never a good look in a room, no matter how nice the furniture is.