Modern furniture is often very geometric in shape. Their designs can be unique, interesting, and serve as the focal point of a home. However, many people tend to use modern furniture in minimalistic ways. While it may look stylish and classy, it often, doesn’t look very inviting. It looks more like a showroom, where people are often too nervous to sit down. If you like modern furniture styles, but still want your home to have a warm feeling, here are a few ways to achieve your goal.

Understand Your Ultimate Goal

Do you intend to completely revamp your living space, getting rid of all the old furnishings and decorations, and replacing new and more modern styled furniture? Or, do you intend to use what you currently have, simply modernizing your living space? Perhaps you’d only like to have a new sofa or coffee table. Whichever situation you find yourself in, before going out and purchasing furnishings, consider your goal. How large is the room you are redoing and how many pieces of furniture do you plan to keep? Does the room contain natural lighting, exposing the furniture to direct sunlight or draught? These questions need to be considered, especially, when selecting colors and the styles of new furniture.

Color Schemes

Most people like neutral tones, which is often a good choice for a living area. With neutral colors, you can blend in items, without being concerned about colors clashing. However, neutral tones doesn’t mean colors of brown and beige. Today, there are neutral colors in shades of blue, green, and red, available in muted tones. Try experimenting with different color combos, including contrasting colors. This can add a fresh dimension to the look of the room. Modern furnishings often come in bold colors. If the rest of your room is neutral in color, try making a bold statement with the sofa or another piece of furniture. You can also use stylish cushions to introduce different colors and textures.

Determine the central feature or focal point of the room

To create an inviting space, create a focal point area in the room. This could be the sofa, coffee table, sculpture or painting. It can even be a collection of ornaments, a large window or fireplace. A focal point is something that draws people into the room. People tend to want a closer look or are simply be attracted by the stylish features or even the quirkiness of an item. Think of a room that has neutral earth shades yet the focal point is a modern designed cherry red sofa. It may have a throw over the one of the arms or, a number of different cushions that helps it to blend into the rest of the room. When a person enters the room, their eyes will immediately be drawn to the sofa. It will quite literally, invite them into the room.

Experiment with Different Combinations

Just because you want modern furniture, doesn’t mean that all your old favorites need to be trashed. An inviting living space is one that looks lived in. Combining new and old furniture items is a great way to create this effect. The only caution is to consider the styles. An old-style lamp can be modernized with a new lamp shade and complement a sofa or lounge. However, a small coffee table may look out of place in the same setting. An old leather ottoman could replace the coffee table and give the room a more welcoming feel.

Use Textures to Your Advantage

Using different fabrics and textures is a great way to add warmth and dimension to a room. Instead of fabrics looking flat and clinical, make an item have more depth. Take, for example, a rug. If your furniture is quite geometric, you can get a rug that has different shapes, that compliment the furniture. If you have leather furniture with a cool appearance, consider a shaggy rug to place at the base or, add some textured cushions to the sofa.

Italydesign.com, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, in the East Bay City of Emeryville between Oakland and Berkeley has one of the largest showroom/warehouse facilities for high-style Italian modern furniture.