What's Modern Now

“Today, modern remains not a fickle visual style but a steadfast school of thought. Modern embraces the potential of the present condition while addressing its challenges, gracefully. Modern emphasizes means over precedent and current economy over embellishment. Thus, modern now ironically includes the reuse and repurposing of old materials and existing spaces. What the design community refers to as ‘adaptive reuse’ no longer exists solely as an environmental or social initiative; it is a wallet initiative happening everywhere. From an entrepreneur’s conversion of a downtown warehouse to a homeowner’s repainting and reupholstering a Craigslist chair, modern means innovating with the resources available.”
– Claire Watkins, HighGlossBlue.com

“Uncluttered lines and clean, crisp colors are what I envision when I think of modern design today. Modern is the elimination of the ornamentation of other periods in design. In addition to being true to its core concepts, today’s modern incorporates views of our changing world, which champions recycled materials. Recycling brings a whole new vision as we incorporate antiques into our schemes. Modern design can be distinguished from ‘contemporary’ or 'trendy.’ Modern design is timeless.”
– Barbara Heath, blog.theMercantileatlanta.com

“Being modern means being innovative. in these economic times, design should not be wasteful or frivolous. A modernist is inevitably conspicuous and should try to avoid trendy designs that can become dated quickly. In our increasingly chaotic world, design should achieve order and balance, peace and quiet, elegance and simplicity. forms and materials should be rational and humane. this is what ‘sustainable design’ means to me.”
– Holly Street, ThingsThatInspire.net

“Modern design is ... about mixing classic pieces, new pieces and exotic pieces together. Today’s rooms reflect where we’ve been and where we’re going. In our increasingly connected global community, a modern room has pieces from far and near, priced high and low. Modern isn’t about the money we spend but the connections we have to the treasures we collect on our journeys.”
– Jane Douglas Reynolds and Helen Draper Young, Whitehaveninteriors.blogspot.com

“As economic woes and international tensions make life noticeably uncertain, our clients are seeking simplicity and tranquility. The more networked we become, the more we desire a smaller, more private sphere. We are seeing more understated purchases; no more “too much is not enough” attitude.
– Sheila Benson, blog.FoxgloveAntiques.com

“Modern is an appreciation of light, an awareness of color and texture, and an understanding of volume. It is how we put these together that defines ‘modern.’ This is an always-moving target, and the phenomenon that is driving this is technology. As a consequence, individuals are seeking calm and simplicity. Modern interiors provide a refuge from the onslaught of information we are constantly exposed to.”
– Stephen Pararo, blog.Pineapplehouse.com

“Modern means color—especially rich, clear color. I think youthful designers such as Atlanta native Miles Redd are proving that gutsy color—for example, glossy peacock-blue walls in a cozy den or a sleek kitchen—can be incredibly sophisticated. Whether inspiration comes from Mad Men sets or the decorating masters of the 1960s, like Southern-born Albert Hadley, I think we are revisiting the concept that color can be quite cosmopolitan.”
– Courtney Barnes, StyleCourt.blogspot.com

“When I was a child, I thought we’d have flying cars by now. Modern hasn’t turned out as I expected. These days, I define modern based on how my mid-20s children live in Atlanta. They want to live and hang out in un-modern areas: Decatur, Highland Avenue, Ponce, sometimes Midtown and the Westside. They enjoy doing un-modern things: eating and being with friends. They are second-generation Highland Avenue kids; when they go out, they see folks they know from their generation and mine. This sense of community has been a long time returning to central Atlanta. The new urbanists have figured this out. Modern emulates the best from old communities.”
– Terry Kerns, ArchitectureTourist.blogspot.com

“Modern means living in the now and looking forward, but also being aware of what the past has given us. Modern is the freedom, and the chutzpah, to combine the best of everything that’s ever been thought of—or, perhaps, the best that you can afford—into something that’s unique and beautiful. Modern isn’t afraid to take a stance, declines to be neutral, but doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
– Barry Leach, TheBlueRememberedHills.blogspot.com

“Scaled-back luxury is modern now. Choose one piece to splurge on and do the rest in moderation. It’s about getting crisp, clean, sophisticated trends for less, or even doing them yourself. What’s old is new again and the result is more thought-out and careful design. Repaint, refinish, recover and, more importantly, edit and simplify. What’s modern now is to focus on what you love and realize that all the rest is just stuff.”
– Blayne Beacham, ThisPhotographersLife.com

“Modern design is about looking forward while never forgetting the past. It’s about reinterpreting traditional shapes or fabrics in a way that is fresh and unexpected yet not contrived. Nothing fades more quickly than the trends of today. Pick your style—whether it be contemporary, 1930s glamour, or even Victorian—and execute it well. Buy the best that you can afford, even if it means you have fewer pieces. After all, today’s ‘modern’ economic realities have forced us to rethink the way we live.”
– Jennifer Boles, ThePeakofChic.com

“What are modern now are less-than-perfect, less-designed, more personal spaces that have evolved over time. Modern is collecting pieces that have special meaning and bringing them together in creative ways. It’s about the freedom to express your point of view without being constrained by new trends or old rules.”
– Ally Kim, FromtheRightBank.com

“As a layperson of design but aficionado of aesthetically pleasing things, I measure the soul of a space and juxtapose it against the personality of its owner and, ultimately, how it makes me feel. I also tend to be a fan of the back story: Is a MG+BW sofa situated near a $200 sideboard from Scott Antique Market? Is that really your grandmother’s farm table? How lovely! To my untrained eye, the oxymoronic nature of modern design piques my interest. Clean with curvy, contemporary with classic—the possibilities seem endless.”
– Shameeka Ayers, TheBrokeSocialite.com

“In my overly enthusiastic, self-taught opinion, modern now is all about clean lines through a perfect, personalized edit. It’s achieving an unexpected balance with disparate objects, for example a nubby Florence Knoll sofa, giant Lego coffee table, cast-plaster Rococo mirror and hefty iron chandelier all arranged in front of a stacked-stone feature wall. Mr. Modernism swept in from Germany, cleaned house and taught us that less is more... but now we want our stuff back. By applying modernist principles to any space, we can mix a hand-me-down Victorian dining table with new Saarinen tulip chairs, have our cake and eat it, too.”
– Brian Patrick Flynn, DecorDemon.com