Apr
24

Kitchen design has changed dramatically within the last 50 years. From indoor refrigerators to dishwashers and microwaves, modern kitchen design is all about convenience, fluidity, and simplicity. The design and appliances compliment our times perfectly – no more clunky iceboxes and wood burning stoves.

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While modern kitchen design isn’t quite how it was perceived in “The Jetsons,” the materials are modern – made of linoleum, plastics, steel and chrome, along with artistic touches of granite, marble, and wood. A simplistic elegance haunts the kitchens, with many of the major appliances hidden in small out of the way cabinets, allowing the room to remain open in breezy.

Refrigerators are the most visible appliances encompassed in modern kitchen design. Some blend beautifully into the background using faces of wood, and others stand out boldly made of steel. Modern kitchen design brings you the ability to have your personal taste in color match the rest of your kitchen, without spending more money or looking in the far corners of the Earth. In some modern refrigerators, you’ll find ice machines and small computers to help you plan your meals. Even better, these computers can remind you to thaw your meat overnight and help balance the nutrition of your diet.

Dishwashers, which until modern kitchen design were the household members, are now commonplace, usually taking residence next to the kitchen sink. Dishwashers allow for dishes to be washed in near-boiling water, allowing for the dishes to be perfectly sanitized and beautifully dried – each time. To accompany the dishwasher, a garbage disposal is found under the sink to allow for the easy disposal of foodstuffs and other kitchen by-products.

Oven and stovetops are just as discreet, and in many kitchens you’ll find the oven and stovetop hidden in the counter area. With flat-surfaced burners, it’s become easy to hide the stovetop, and with the self-cleaning oven it’s easy to forget its there when not in use!

On the granite and marble countertops, you’ll find microwaves, which can cook food as fast as lightning! The invention of these devices over 30 years ago revolutionized cooking, and in the interim has created an entire industry relating to the producing of foods therein. In modern kitchen design, you’ll find microwaves where you can scan just the barcode of the item to be cooked, and the microwave will do the rest.

Cabinets are plentiful in modern kitchen design, and can be made of a plethora of material. You can find cabinets made of oak, pine, plastic, fiberglass, and many more materials. The structure and architecture of the kitchen allow for ample cabinet space, bringing cabinets above the head and rotating lower cabinets that can house much more items than in previous designs.

Flooring, while often overlooked, is also made of newer materials. While you can still find many kitchens floored in wood, many floors are also covered in linoleum and carpets, and others are elaborately adorned in tile and marble.

As you can see, the decoration and design of the kitchen has changed dramatically in the past 100 years. Modern kitchen design allows for a great number of appliances and materials to be used, thus making it customizable for anyone!

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Apr
22

Contemporary rugs are a wonderful fit for a beautiful art deco, modern or contemporary style room. Rugs are used to accent the floor design and material or the furnishings surrounding the rug. Rugs can add color, texture, interest and space definition to the room décor and their popularity is escalating.

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Because contemporary rugs are easier to find and they’re being decorated with many popular patterns. While traditional patterned rugs are still available, there is a whole new movement of rugs that contain designs that you will find hip, new, and refreshing. There are a number of companies manufacturing contemporary rugs, and in turn many more retailers are open to providing this alternative to the traditional market.

You can find contemporary rugs in almost any shape or pattern – ranging from the very geometric and angular to patterns including wildlife, nature, personal, political and other scenes. Finding the perfect rug to compliment your home is a breeze with all the patterns and designs to choose from.

Because contemporary rugs are becoming much more fashionable, and easier to make, the costs associated with buying and maintaining a high-quality rug has diminished greatly. No longer are rugs for the very rich – even middle class families can afford to buy and maintain a great contemporary rug that compliments the homes’ décor.

In addition, there is another form of rug called the metro modern rug collection which has a minimalist form and has exquisitely refined details. These rugs are accented by their neutral colors, tone-on-tone designs, and underlying simplicity of line, shape, and form. This range of emotions that the rugs depict makes them a hit for consumers and designers alike.

You can get a contemporary rug created from three basic yarns: wools, nylons, and polypropylene. Wool is the most expensive, next comes nylon, and the cheapest is polypropylene. The quality of the weave in the rug has increased dramatically within the last hundred years, especially since the utilization of mass production, thus the longevity of the rug has been extended. Rugs can be expected to last up to 20 years, needing only occasional cleaning. Rugs are now a easy to maintain and relatively cheap form of artwork for the home.

When you’re shopping for your contemporary rug, make sure to speak with the retailer about your needs. Chances are, your retailer will be able to help you find the perfect rug for your durability, stain resistance, and traffic needs. Because of their inherent knowledge in the field, they will be able to show you which rugs will compliment your home and needs, and which ones stay away from.

As you can see, rugs are now available for all modern consumers regardless of social status. Because the creation process has sped up the creation time of contemporary rugs, you are able to find beautiful, decorated, rugs to accent your home décor – at a reasonable price.

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Apr
22

Danish furniture has become synonymous with contemporary furniture over the last several decades. Some of the most elegant modern furniture on the market today is of Danish design. Not only do people associate the classic modern lines and look of this furniture with Danish craftsmanship but the general quality of this furniture makes it one of the most popular styles of furniture on the market today. And, this popularity is showing no signs whatsoever of fading.

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Danish furniture requires no ornamental scrollwork or bright and bold patterns. It’s simplicity and sleek design is part of its appeal. One of the things that you will immediately notice about this furniture is its use of wood in combination with other materials. The other thing you will notice is that it is built for comfort and functionality rather than for looks.

While the furniture does have a modern and often sleek look to it, there is purpose in the modern lines that goes far beyond appearance. Most Danish furniture is designed with the human body in mind. The form of the furniture is meant to conform to the contours and shape of the human body. Not only does this furniture offer superior form and comfort, you will also find that it is very beautiful for the very simplicity of its design.

Some of the most elegant things are really quite simple. A simple, single strand of pearls is one of the most beautiful and elegant jewelry pieces a girl can own and yet there is no real adornment, no fancy settings. The simplicity of the strand is what makes it so beautiful. The same principle holds true for Danish furniture. It doesn’t have to extensive patterns, scrollwork, or complicated lines. The mere simplicity of this furniture is a significant component of its beauty. The superior comfort is vital to its appeal. The combination of the two is the reason for its unsurpassed popularity over the better part of the last century.

With furniture lines for the home office to the home theatre and everything in between, Danish furniture makers have been quite busy. The fact that they continue to remain ahead of the trends and demands of the public is almost uncanny. The makers of this phenomenal furniture also have the ability to improve upon existing concepts and make them more comfortable while retaining the overall look and appeal of the furniture they are improving all the while continuing to create new and innovative furniture as they go.

These talented craftsmen do not limit themselves to copying and improving works of others, nor do they find themselves above it. If something works with the body they are perfectly willing to adopt and adapt the new technology to increase the performance and comfort of their furniture. If it looks good but isn’t comfortable, they can adopt the look and find ways to increase the comfort. I applaud their efforts at creating furniture for the human form. The Danish furniture makers are modern miracle workers if you ask me.

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Apr
20

Modern tables, while not all that different in construction from antique tables, have gained tremendous respect as pieces of artwork as well as functional pieces. Modern tables use angular lines and dramatic shapes to bring the pieces to ‘life’, and using modern space-saving techniques have found a permanent place in the home of many contemporary homes.

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Design has taken a whole new direction in modern table construction. Because of the need to fit many things in small living spaces, you’ll find tables that can serve one, two, or more purposes to fit the need of the household. You can find dining tables with cubbies or even cupboards underneath, utilizing all the space that is so desperately needed in modern homes.

The artists of such furniture use a ‘designers eye’ when constructing such pieces. Because of the lines, shapes, and textures of such pieces, you can find certain modern tables to appear to be one thing, and at second glass look like something completely different. For example, tables that in silhouette look like large wine glasses or other shapes.

The nature of the table design leaves behind the ornamental complexity of past designs, and thrusts forward into a design age where less is more. The detailed and complex decoration on antique furniture is no longer a sign of status for modern households, and many could not even spend the time necessary to clean it! Instead, modern tables are sleek and smooth, and constructed of durable materials that are easy to maintain.

Modern tables are made of many types of materials, from chrome and steel to glass and wood. Designers generally choose the material that best compliment the surrounding area and is most pleasing to the eye. For example, in a room with chrome highlights, you may find a glass-top coffee table with small chrome highlights to fit in the room. Or, you may see a side table with a thin and tall base with a glass top to minimize space and maintain ultimate elegance. Generally, this design is left to the designer.

Because of the popularity of modern tables, many couture designers become so popular they create entire lines of furniture that compliment each other. For example, a designer may have an overwhelmingly popular side table, and therefore create an entire line of furniture complimenting that table. Everything from the couches and sofas, to coffee tables, lighting fixtures, and other pieces could be included in the collection. While each item can be bought individually, the designer makes it ideal for all pieces in a collection to be housed together, for maximum impact.

Design has changed a lot over the past millennia, allowing for designers to bring a bold and brilliant flair into the home and office. Modern tables, exemplify this by allowing double-duty furniture items bring sleek lines and artistic drama to the middle-class home.

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Apr
20

It’s all in the details, and using the right reproduction drawer pulls can put the perfect finishing touch on that period style desk or cabinetry. From classic Victorian bail pulls to modern stainless steel handles, there’s no shortage of styles to adorn your drawer fronts.

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Before you set out to purchase your hardware there are a few terms you should become familiar with. When finding the correct size of reproduction drawer pulls the term “boring size” refers to the measurement from the center of one hole to the center of the other from which the pulls are attached to the drawer. Different types of drawer pulls are measured depending on their style. Those pulls attached by two small round circular bases will have sizing refer to the width of each of the washer’s diameter. A reproduction drawer pull with a full back plate will be measured by the dimensions of the plate.

Style is an important factor when choosing your reproduction drawer pulls, since you will probably be aiming to recreate a certain period’s décor. For a Victorian theme brass pulls work well, usually with ornate detailing on the face plate of the drawer pull. Try a flower motif or a Greek inspired design to add a touch of class to your drawer fronts. Glass knobs of various colors are also available but if you’re looking for a truly elegant style the pendant-like drop pulls are an excellent choice.

Cast iron reproduction drawer pulls fit well in the Arts and Crafts style of décor. Look for drawer pulls that are black and have a very simple, rustic design. Brass can also work for this style but pay close attention to the detailing on the face plate. Too intricate a design will end up looking more Victorian than Arts and Crafts. If you want to play it safe stick with a plain wooden drawer pull and stain it the same color as the drawer fronts, or black for a contrasting look.

To install your drawer pulls you must first take into consideration the distance between the two mounting screws. If you are replacing an existing pull try and purchase reproduction drawer pulls that are the same sizes and will utilize the same holes when being mounted. Also, be aware that when purchasing your drawer pulls, especially from the Internet, some dealers get their supplies from Europe and, therefore, will list measurements in centimeters instead of inches. Be sure you know whether the measurements you’re looking at are imperial or metric to ensure you get the right sizing.

Choosing the right drawer pulls might take a little forethought and research but if you’re aiming for a certain style the extra work will be well worth it. Know your period décor styles and double check those measurements and you can make any drawer front look amazing with the right reproduction drawer pulls.

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Apr
19

Modern art a term used to represent most of the artistic production from the late 19th century to the 1960s. Since the invention of photography, it has been somewhat obsolete for artists to reproduce subjects realistically. With their new vision they found new ways of experiencing nature and the materials and function of art, and often led their art in the abstract persuasion.

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This style of artwork began in printing and painting, and eventually expanded into architecture and sculpture in the 1800s. By the end of the 1800s, the Impressionism Style (characterized with painting which includes visible brushstrokes, light colors, and usual angles) and Expressionism Style (which is the distortion of reality for an emotional effect) emerged, both of which influenced highly influenced modern art and encouraged its expansion.

In the time period of the late 1800s, the standard belief of art was that it should express the subject accurately; express the idea of any given situation or subject, and it should highlight the domestic nature of things. The most successful painters of the pre-modern era usually worked on commissions or through public exhibitions, and there were even government sponsored unions and exhibits of new fine arts.

When the art form broke the depiction of idealization, it was an enormous artistic and social statement, with vast economic implications. While the artists of the new art movement didn’t identify themselves as being associated with progress or personal artistic freedom, they did argue that they should be able to paint the world as they saw fit.

The movement of modern art identified itself as the representation of universal values and reality. They argued that people do not see objects, they see the reflection of light off objects, and therefore painters should paint in natural light and should capture the effects of natural light on their work. Despite internal and external tensions, the modern artists were able formed groups to promote their works.

This modern art style was embraced by artists from around the globe, and often was chosen over the preferred local or national style. Therefore, the art style was considered a ‘movement’ because of several events: the establishment of a working technique vital to the art, the visible support core, and the international adoption of the art. This would be repeated by artists across the globe in support of the modern art movement.

World War I brought an end to the modern art phase, but began a number of anti-art movements such as Dada, Duchamp, and Surrealism. The style was introduced to the United States of America in 1913, and through European artists who relocated to the United States of America in World War I. After World War II, the United States became the focal point of the new artistic movement and saw the emergence of abstract expressionism, pop-art, op-art, and minimal art. After World War II, fewer artists were using the Modern Art, and instead moved to postmodern works.

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Apr
18

The rise of costs of oil and increased energy usage has brought energy conservation to the forefront of many of our minds. Modern lighting allows for us to control our energy usage – without having a huge investment in installation and upkeep. While you can’t use the same lighting techniques in both residential and commercial venues, we must utilize the techniques in both areas to ensure energy conservation.

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Lighting utilizes twelve percent of our energy consumption in residential zones, and the techniques of modern lighting can significantly reduce that percentage. Modern lighting styles such as track lighting, ceiling fans/lights, and florescent lights allow residences to have panache with the interior décor, whilst still adhering to strict energy consumption standards.

There is an entire industry devoted to the modern art style of lighting fixtures. You can find a plethora of modern lighting fixtures to compliment the decoration of your interior without a huge lighting investment. You can browse items such as ceiling fans, wall lights, and desk, floor, and bathroom lamps to find the perfect fixture to update your home. While searching for these fixtures, make sure they meet the energy consumption standards you need to keep your energy costs minimal. You should be able to find an “Energy Star” logo or sticker somewhere on your new appliance to ensure you’re meeting the new, modern lighting regulations.

In the commercial sector, modern lighting techniques offer the option to save energy without compromising the performance and well-being of the employees. It is the challenge to reduce energy consumption while improving visual conditions – which results in greater productivity and the perceived well-being of the employees.

The influence of lighting on productivity has been the subject of several investigations – because it influences factors such as output, errors, and accidents. Effects of light can be divided into biological and visual effects. Visual can be influenced by the amount of light, glare, spectral and spatial distribution of the light on objects. Knowledge of biological effects is limited; although, in many corporate settings, people have attributed wellness and mental issues directly to the lighting situation.

To control the lighting consumption in commercial venues, we need to adhere to a few simple rules and/or techniques. We need to have better use of lighting control, such as time switching, occupancy sensors, daylight dimming and personal control to limit the amount of light used. We need to use newer bulbs and devices with better optics and the highest energy efficiency. Finally, we need to re-install all our fixtures with new installations – such as localized and task-based lighting.

With a few simple techniques, we can easily take our twelve percent of lighting energy usage and bring it down to nine or eight percent. Modern lighting techniques allow us to monitor and conserve energy, while decorating our homes in popular styles and improving the performance of our employees. With a minimal investment, and a little elbow grease, we can all ensure that there will be enough energy for generations to come.

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Apr
17

Modern rugs are sleek, stark and spacious with angular lines and shapes. The popularity of this style of design is escalating, and with it is the demand for modern home décor accessories. Modern rugs can add color, texture, interest, and space definition to your décor. In the past, it could be difficult to find a modern rug to fit a consumer’s precise space and contextual requirements; today, however, there is a growing number of rug companies that manufacture modern rugs and more stores, in turn, are stocking these brilliant and popular designs.

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There is a huge market for modern rugs, and because of this buyers aren’t restricted to old faded colors with abstract patters. Today you can find rugs with designs ranging from solid colors to modern stripes, circles, animal prints, and more. Additionally, you can find many rugs that are replicated from famous artwork, such as a famous Andy Warhol or Leonardo da Vinci depiction.

For many consumers, the form of ‘rug art’ is considered far too expensive and beyond the budget of the average person. If they only knew! One does not have to spend a life’s fortune to own a high quality modern rug. Actually, modern rugs are becoming the choice for a number of designers, and you can visit the Museum of Modern Art to find a number of rugs that replicate vintage and modern paintings. Many abstract artists are featured on modern rugs, with artists such as Kadinski, Picasso, and Braque.

Even without an impressive painting canvassing the rugs, the style can be simple and refined using color scheme for effect rather than coordination. The usage of solid colored rugs with interesting textures and patters to compliment other furniture pieces and accessories is becoming more popular every day. The solid palette modern rugs depict clean lines and compliment high-end contemporary or casual settings, and are typically hand made in India from Indian and New Zealand wools.

In addition, there is another form of rug called the metro modern rug collection which has a minimalist form and has exquisitely refined details. These rugs are accented by their neutral colors, tone-on-tone designs, and underlying simplicity of line, shape, and form. This range of emotions that the rugs depict makes them a hit for consumers and designers alike.

Today’s modern rugs are available in three different yarns: wools, nylons, and polypropylene. Wool is the most expensive of the three, and polypropylene is the least expensive. Experts recommend that it is best not to shampoo your rug right away – just vacuum it regularly, depending on the traffic it’s exposed to.

Because of the high quality most modern rugs can last up to 20 years, needing only occasional cleaning. If you remember to keep in mind the type of fabric you need for your modern rugs, you’ll have a long-lasting welcome addition to the décor of your home.

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Apr
17

Interior design, the planning and design of man-made spaces, is a specialized branch of architecture, the art and technique of building a structure. The need for humans to create a pleasant environment is ingrained in our species; however, the field of interior design is relatively new. Modern interior design has carved out a niche in the civilized world because of its use of aesthetic, functional, and psychological characterizations of interior spaces.

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Interior Design is still a developing profession, and therefore doesn’t have a clear definition of limits. Modern interior design falls into two basic categories: residential and nonresidential. Residential designers usually receive their compensation through the architectural firm associated with the building. Alternatively, nonresidential designers generally get their fees through a contractual fee arrangement. While there is a great volume of activity in residential design, many professionals are leaning toward nonresidential design.

Most major architectural firms have their own interior design departments, and usually smaller firmer have a specialist on board. Because there are no limitations to the field of modern interior design, the furniture in mass-production may have been created by an architect, interior, industrial, or furniture designer. Usually, furniture designed for mass production is designed by industrial or furniture designers; couture furniture is usually designed by interior designers or architects, and aren’t readily available on the market.

Specialized couture items usually serve a purpose, both functional and aesthetic. Occasionally, a special item, such as a chair or table, becomes so popular it becomes part of a furniture line. This can also happen in the design of fabrics, lighting, floors, and other home furnishings. Modern interior design inspires the mass-production of many home furnishings.

In modern interior design, there are a number of generally accepted principles to define beauty and aesthetics. One of the key considerations of interior design is whether or not it ‘works’ for its function or purpose. For example, if you have a theater and it does not have good acoustics and light is absorbed by the surroundings, then it obviously does not work. Alternatively, an interior can be meant to be part of a statue or other monument, such as the Statue of Liberty, so the interior can be determined as part of the overall effect of the exterior.

Another consideration of aesthetics in modern interior design is the social and economic implications of the piece. For example, in the 18th and 19th centuries chairs, tables, and other furnishings were decorated with ornate and elaborate designs – and thus were meant to be cared for by many servants. In the 20th and 21st century, however, such a style would be inappropriate for the average family. It would also be inappropriate to use modern materials, such as plastics, to imitate earlier materials and processes. Many designers have compared beauty to truth, and therefore honestly expressed functions, materials, and processes are far more beautiful than imitation and fakery.

The definition of beauty differs from person to person, critique to critique, but the basic elements of modern interior design hold true. Understanding a few key elements of the designers, their designs, and the critics will not only help you find beautiful architecture and beauty, but also appreciate it for the art it is.

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Apr
17

Even though the practice hasn’t changed much in several hundred years, modern sculpture is still a very popular form of art. It is a form of artistic expression where hard or plastic materials are worked, by carving, molding, or welding, into three dimensional art objects. The designs may be embodied in existing objects, reliefs on surfaces, or in environments ranging from tableaux to context that envelop the spectator. Sculpture can be made of clay, wax, stone, fabric, wood, plaster, rubber, and other seemingly ‘random’ materials and objects. These materials can be carved, molded, modeled, cast, wrought, welded, sewn, assembled, or otherwise manipulated into the sculpture.

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Modern sculpture is not a tem that applies to a fixed or permanent category of objects or activities. The term and practice of modern sculpture grows and changes and continually extends the range of its activities and evolves into new kinds of objects and designs. The definition has changed much more dramatically in the second half of the Twentieth Century than it had in much of the period before, thus turning ‘modern sculpture’ into a fluid state of creation that seemingly no one can predict it’s next inception.

Before ‘modern,’ sculpture was considered to be a solid form of art, or mass that represented something. While the voids and hollows have always had their space in the pieces, modern sculpture has shifted the focus to the spatial aspects of the works of art. Also, before the age of ‘modern,’ sculpture was considered a representational art. While it had long been accepted that three-dimensional objects such as furniture, pots, and buildings were expressive and beautiful, it was not until the Twentieth Century that nonfunctional, nonrepresentational, three-dimensional works of art began production.

Modern sculpture has not been confided to the two traditional forming processes of carving and modeling, nor to such traditional materials such as stone, metal, wood, ivory, bone, and clay. Sculptures can use any form of material and manufacture that serve their purpose, therefore the art of sculpture can not be identified with these techniques.

Even though there has been a great many changes in the mechanics of creating sculptures, the essential thing that remains the same is the fact that is the branch of the visual arts that expresses in three dimensions. Sculpture can either be in ‘round’ (a separate, detached object, with independent space) or ‘relief’ (sculpture which is an integral part or attached to something) forms. Sculpture does not conjure up the illusion of space by optical means – it has a reality, a physical presence that is denied to all other art forms. The forms of sculpture are tangible as well as visible, therefore it appeals greatly to both the touch and vision.

Because three dimensional forms are perceived as having a ‘character’ as well as spatial properties, the use of sculpture has evolved from representational art to an art that, while it takes up actual space, is abstract in thought and form. Modern sculpture manipulates our perceptions of art, bringing beauty, simplicity, and abstraction to prominent art form everyone appreciates.

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