FINDING A NEW DESIGN STYLE
Back in 2015 my husband and I decided that we were tired of our current home. We were ready for a change. Our son had “left the nest”. We were bored with the home’s more traditional style. And we realized we were only using a fraction of the rooms in the house.
We wanted a more modern home and started looking around. We looked at several mid-century modern houses, but most of their floor plans didn’t appeal to us. They were also in the next town over, which would be too far from my husband’s work.
We looked at new homes, and while we really liked many of the features, they just felt too “cookie cutter”. We didn’t want a house that closely resembled every other one on the street!
Designing our New Home
We discussed and debated and finally decided that we would design and build a house. One that would be everything that we had been looking for. We then purchased the empty lot across the street from our current home! The neighbors thought we were crazy, but we didn’t care – we loved our current neighborhood and WANTED TO STAY!.
We forged ahead and hired a builder and an architect to help us design our dream home. I started scouring house plans online and was able to put together a rough floor plan that we liked. I had a vision of our style, what we wanted the house to look like.
We liked modern, but didn’t want a stark, cold, minimalist house. We liked some elements of the current transitional style, but wanted to create a unique home with personality. I searched Pinterest and hundreds of design blogs and websites looking for “our style”. But nothing seemed to fit my vision. Ever been there? Soooo frustrating!
I then wallowed in defeat for a couple of months and did absolutely nothing on our project (reformed procrastinator here! lol). When I finally pulled myself together I realized that I just needed to design our style using elements that we loved. I used neutral colors and incorporated lots of glass and windows to bring the outside in. Stone, wood, and metal were featured. I worked with the architect to design streamlined molding and doors and an open floor plan. He also added mid-century elements that I had loved as a child growing up in the 1970’s watching The Brady Bunch…
My husband and I wanted a home that was A LITTLE MODERN. We wanted our home’s design to be a combination of cool contemporary architectural style mixed with warm, livable organic elements. I was thrilled when this style got a name several years later and became much more mainstream!
WHAT EXACTLY IS Warm Modern Style
Warm modern or warm organic modern style is about creating a space that feels both contemporary and comfortable. It incorporates clean lines, neutral color palettes, and natural materials to evoke a sense of simplicity, tranquility, and character. . The style blends contemporary sophistication and mid-century sleekness with cozy warmth. Unlike modern style which can be cold and stark, warm modern embraces texture, softness, natural elements, and subtle pops of color.
Key Elements of ORGANIC Modern Design
1. Neutral Color Palette:
Neutral hues are the foundation of warm modern interiors. Shades of beige, taupe, gray, and creamy whites dominate the color scheme, providing a soothing backdrop that allows other design elements to shine. With a neutral base you are able to coordinate pretty much any color into your decor and furnishings. And easily swap it out when you are ready for a change.
2. Natural Materials:
Wood, stone, and metal elements play a crucial role in warm modern design. These natural materials add warmth and texture to the space, creating visual interest and layered appeal. As with mid-century modern design, it is quite commonplace to see a tall stone fireplace or metal stair railings in a warm modern home. Maybe even a built-in stone planter. Remember that great planter at the foot of the staircase in the Brady Bunch house? I still love watching reruns of the show today, just so I can revisit that iconic house and it’s many cool architectural features!
3. Open Floor Plans:
Open floor plans promote a flow of connectivity between different living spaces in the home, allowing social interaction and communication without impeding sightlines and conversation. Warm modern style maximizes natural light in open areas to create a sense of spaciousness and airiness, allowing for comfortable large gatherings and social events.
4. Clean Lines and Minimalist Aesthetics:
Warm modern architecture and interiors use uncluttered lines in the design. Homes built in this style tend to have minimal (if any) crown or upper molding. I skipped the upper crown molding in my organic modern house and used very simple minimal door framing and baseboard molding. I used a clean one-panel door throughout the house to make cleaning a breeze. Who wants to spent hours dusting doors and baseboards? Uggh.. Organic modern style prioritizes functionality over the busy design aesthetic of more ornate and decorative styles.
5. Cozy Textiles:
Cozy textiles easily soften the straight lines and hard surfaces of more modern design. Plush area rugs, cozy throws, and textured upholstery fabrics infuse the space with warmth and comfort, inviting you to relax and unwind. I use area rugs in almost every room in my home to soften the feel of our hardwood floors. And throw pillows! I am a throw-pillow junkie and am always in search of a new one to add to my collection or unique fabric that I can use to make my own pillows.
6. Blending of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces:
Similar to mid-century modern design influenced by the concepts of Frank Lloyd Wright, warm organic modern style is all about seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces. Large windows and doors allow lots of natural light in and provide views of the surrounding landscape, creating the feeling of being outside year-round. A love of nature is always on display, evident by the use of natural materials, earth tones, and excessive greenery. Houseplants are typically present in abundance in a warm modern home!
7. Statement Lighting:
Lighting plays a key role in warm modern interiors, utilizing both functional fixtures and sculptural accents. Minimalist recessed lighting provides the general or ambient lighting component of a residential lighting plan. I like to add dimmer switches to these lights to allow them to also become more decorative and change the mood of the room at night. Accent lighting, like lamps, pendants, and sconces add that extra special pop of visual interest in the warm modern design. In keeping with the theme of “bringing the outdoors in”, I love to use unusual exterior light fixtures and sconces inside the home!
8. Exterior Features:
The exterior of a warm modern home plays an important role in creating the overall design aesthetic and a warm and welcoming first impression. Exteriors feature clean geometric forms with sharp angles that are free of any ornate details. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie-style architecture, they are often built with flat or low-pitched rooflines. Wider overhanging eaves and cantilevered roof sections add visual interest and provide shade. Wood, stone, and a neutral color palette infuse warmth into the home’s exterior.
Creating Your Warm Modern Oasis
Incorporating warm modern style into your home allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds – contemporary sophistication and cozy livability. By blending clean lines, natural materials, and inviting textures, you can create a space that exudes warmth, elegance, and timeless appeal.
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