Contemporary style furnishings with solid oak furniture

Saying solid oak furniture you might think it couldn't cope with the current style. And that the massiveness of oak can't be associated with the minimalist style so popular today. Far from it. Oak is a versatile wood with which an inspired designer can "play" with different themes, from classic to contemporary or futuristic. You may wonder why I avoid the term modern when talking about the current style? Because in design, as in art, modern is not synonymous with contemporary.

The differences between modern and contemporary in design

When we say modern When we talk about art or design we are referring to a movement whose heyday was in the 50s and 60s. The modernist period was much longer, starting in the 1920s - the style Art Deco being a modernist style - and lasting until the late 70s. It was the style that introduced minimalist design, wide, airy spaces and bright colors.

Contemporary style refers to the style of the period in which we live or the near future. While, everything that represents the modernist period has passed and can be exactly defined, the contemporary style lives every day, traces its lines and trends, is constantly changing. It can be referred to now, but it will be described with features, similarities and personal imprint when it will be talked about in the past.

Features of contemporary style

In many ways, contemporary interior design resembles modern interior design. It has the same minimalist trend, with sparse furnishings marked by accents. Straight, clean, architectural lines are present. Ornamentation and curved lines are still seen now, as in the modern period, as a vestige of the past, of opulent bourgeois styles. The open spaces are kept open, not clearly demarcated, the transition from one space to another is invisible, the purpose of each surface being marked by pieces of furniture or decoration.

But there are also differences. Whereas in the modern style it was wood that was the furniture, now wood is combined with metal or glass, often letting them dominate. The colors are no longer the earthy, vivid splashes of color we find in nature - rust, olive green, turquoise blue - but white, black and gray predominate. We still have patches of color, but they are smaller and much stronger, fuller - orange, red, violet.

Contemporary design with solid oak furniture

Solid oak furniture has gradually evolved from the curved lines of classic furniture to the heavy, simple and slightly rough look of rustic furnitureThe simple, straight lines of contemporary style. Pieces of furniture begin to take their place on the wall, appearing to float above the ground. The oak wood combines with metal and glass to create a new, modern look. month located on the borderline between soft and massive.

Furniture in contemporary spaces no longer has to fill every nook and cranny at all costs. And this time less is more. The fact that the furniture isn't a lot and cramped makes each piece stand out, show its value. Oak wood can be seen and admired in all its beauty, and when used in contrast with metal it amplifies its warm feel.

Oak-glass combinations greatly reduce the feeling of massiveness, of the weight of wood. Glass adds transparency, "breaking up" the pieces. Replacing the legs with glass creates the illusion of floating, making the furniture seem much lighter.

Without embellishments, straight lines or many clues as to their purpose, solid oak furniture pieces can define spaces with the help of decorative pieces, audio-video equipment or positioning. The same table can be a dining table surrounded by six chairs or a desk when it has fewer. Two chests of drawers and a worktop can be a kitchen, while a generous sofa and a TV can 'build' a living room.

We are discovering with pleasure this approach to solid oak furniture in Romania. Until recently we used to see the same old classic oak furniture at trade fairs - clunky bedrooms, massive chests of drawers, curved lines and carvings. Things have been changing for a while. First it was oak tables combined with metal, glass, resin or plastic.

One such example of a change in approach to solid oak furniture is the North Arin. The furniture presented at Milan furniture fair is perhaps the best example. Beams collection perfectly blends the idea of massive oak beams with minimalist furniture, which is why it was so appreciated at an exhibition where it's not easy to impress.

It is not only this collection from the Nord Arin portfolio that can be well adapted to a contemporary space. Metal or glass combination tables, chests of drawers with glass legs, simple wall-mountable pieces are just a few examples. For interior design ideas catalog that you can download on the website can be useful.