What Is Urban Contemporary Design?

Are you on the lookout for renovating your home? Do you want to get the edginess and the sleekness that will make your home stand out? If yes, urban Contemporary design is the design you are looking for. The key to getting that urban contemporary feel is to add clean, simple and of course an urban touch to the house. Just as the name shows, it is a mix of two designs: urban and contemporary. If you look at it separately, you will get vibes of industrial design, mid-century and even contemporary. But it is not just this. Even though it takes elements from all these designs, that is not what it is all about. Several key details make it stand out from the rest of the design movements. It is softer and more towards the comfortable side when compared to the industrial design. It is functional and uses small spaces to make it functional. Its characteristics include light colors, clear spaces, open spaces and clean-cut finishes. It is similar to a minimalistic design by using oversized single furniture pieces, geometric designs and vintage light fixtures. The style you pick is totally up to you. You can go for eclectic or earthy looks.

Pro Designing Tip: The best way is to design room by room. The bedroom can be calming and casual. You can use elements with warmer tones in the bedroom and keep it simple. For the living room, go for contrasting elements. We have not only added elements of the urban contemporary design but have also given tips on how you can achieve this look at home.

Elements of the Urban Contemporary Design

- Color Palette

The color palette is neutral and warm. Do not go after "matchy” looks. To give that calming effect, neutral tones are appreciated. Gray and blues work best. You can go for any other colors that you like for example lavender and chartreuse. Keeping a single-color tone is not necessary. Throw in splashes of color here and there. For example, with chartreuse, you can use splashes of green here and there.

Pro Designing Tip: Shades of brown, taupe and cream will help you achieve the urban contemporary look to perfection. Use these shades not only on the walls and floors but try to add furniture pieces in the same tone also.

- Flooring

Stone and wood are used to create the foundation of the home. Once the foundation is made, you don’t need to continue with wood and stone. Vinyl and natural-looking wood are used as flooring.

- Furniture

Even though it has elements of the industrial design, it is much less severe than it. The furniture and furnishings are very soft and comfortable. Comfortable and large sofas with natural-colored cushions and throws are an integral part of the design. Natural material made rugs with warm tones give the house a welcoming and comfortable look.

You don’t need to stick with boring patterns and designs. You can opt for an eclectic look by including velvet sofas in very bright colors. If you want an earthy tone, you can go for yellows, greens and shades of brown. As you can see, you don’t need to restrict yourself to a few colors. You can play with different colors. Just remember to keep the tone neutral and warm.

- Contemporary and Contrasting Materials

Mixing different types of furnishings is a good idea. You can use soft furnishings and combine them with contrasting elements. A good example can be metal railings on the staircases. Another idea is using mirrors or pictures frames with a metal frame. The trick is to mix and match but not in a way that one thing stands out.

The final look should not be "WOW! What a great idea to mix and match stuff" rather it should be something like this "Wow! All the stuff complements each other". The elements should mix so well that it looks like a single, continuous design.

- Statement Elements

Looking closely at urban interior design, a very obvious element is statement pieces. Large artwork, vintage lighting fixtures, rugs with heavy patterns and full curtains from ceiling to floor are a good idea. If you don’t want to do too much, you can always add one or two statement pieces to give that urban contemporary design to your space. Doing this will also retain the essence of minimalism in the house.

As you can see, urban contemporary design is a design that lasts through time. It has the elements of multiple design styles along with its unique features. This makes it a hit amongst most of the public and interior designers alike. A design that has such variety and elements to itis easy to incorporate and design with. So, if you are looking to renovate your home, this guide will help you along the way!