Are you thinking of buying furniture for your new apartment, but don’t know where to get started?
You know there are lots of different furniture styles but aren’t clear on the difference between them and what you might like best.
You’ve come to the right place!
Let’s take a look at the most popular furniture styles, and give you pictures of each, so you know what to look for!
Modern
Influenced by the time period between the 1920s and the 1950s, modern furniture was a transformation from ornate traditional furniture pieces with sleek lines and clean finishes. Rooted in minimalism and neutral coloring, this furniture style has transcended time and remains a popular choice in many homes today. Take a look at the picture of above to see if this is the right style for you.
Contemporary
This type of furniture style reflects today’s trends, whether it is particular patterns, colors, shapes or sizes. Since contemporary furniture refers to designs that are popular at present, they evolve and change based on the season or time.
Contemporary designs may borrow from any time period and furniture style based on how trends change over the years.
Scandinavian
Marked by clean and simple lines with a focus on functionality and lack of clutter, Scandinavian furniture is designed with minimalism in mind.
It is characterized by natural tones and wooden features and is often designed for smaller spaces.
Farmhouse
Prioritizing practical function and rustic charm, a farmhouse furniture style reflects the beauty of the country with a modern and cozy feel. It is warm and inviting with the use of natural materials like steel and wood.
Traditional
Traditional furniture is known to be more formal and elaborate defined by ornate craftsmanship, hand carvings and more elaborate finishes. It is often made from dark wood, intricate detailing and luxurious fabrics.
Transitional
Transitional furniture blends elements of modern, contemporary and traditional furniture to create classic yet contemporary pieces that beautifully embrace modern homes. Some features of transitional furniture include muted colors,ย large patterned textiles, polished finishes, and materials such as rattan, metal, wood and glass.
Antique
Antique furniture refers to pieces that are over 100 years old. This furniture type is generally valued because of its age, condition, and rarity and is often quite valuable, which also means it can be more expensive than other types of furniture styles.
Antique pieces from before the 1700s were made from mostly oak, while mahogany and walnut were also introduced shortly after.
What furniture styles are popular?
That varies, but from our experience, today many apartment renters love modern, contemporary, and Scandinavian.
What are different decorating styles called?
As mentioned above, different decorating styles fall into one of seven (7) general categories which are Modern, Contemporary, Scandinavian, Farmhouse, Traditional, Transitional, or Antique.
How do you mix different styles of furniture?
Easy. There are no rules on apartment decorating as long as you love it!
You can check out some quick general design principles on mixing furniture, but if you need help use check out online interior design services like Modsy.com or Havenly.com.
Check out the article we wrote on tips for picking an online interior design service.
Where to buy furniture?
ONLINE – There are a lot of great websites for buying furniture online.
- Wayfair
- PotteryBarn
- West Elm
- Crate & Barrell
- Ikea
- Overstock
CATALOGS – Old-school catalogs can often be helpful when searching for inspiration. Check out: Liveabout.com has compiled a great list on furniture catalogs.
PINTEREST – check out Pinterest for inspiration.
REGIONAL FURNITURE STORE – Another great option to support local businesses is to buy furniture at your local furniture store or local regional store. Typically, where you live there will be a regional chain with 1 to 10 locations.
