Five Modern Furniture Trends That are Very In Right Now

Modern furniture complements a vast array of decor styles and doesn’t neatly fit into one category. The price of modern furniture can be very affordable, moderate, or expensive, but the great thing about this style is it can easily be mixed and matched — a cheap, good looking end table can sit right next to a $8,000 sofa and your room will still look great. There are certain types of modern furniture that are becoming immensely trendy, some of which you may want to use for inspiration the next time you redecorate or remodel your home.

Here are five modern furniture trends that are popular right now.

Low, chunky furniture

A recurring theme in modern design is taking styles that are old and making them new again. This is the case with the trend of using chunky low pieces. The design world last went crazy over this style in the 70s, and the trend has spun back around today. This is a style that screams comfortable, plush, and inviting — perfect for a living room, family room, or bedroom. You can even incorporate low chunky chairs into your dining area to give it a welcoming vibe.

The modular sectional is a very popular furniture piece that can fall into the chunky low category. To keep such pieces from being overwhelming, especially in small spaces, stick to a neutral pattern and color. It’s also important to invest in fabric that’s high quality and will wear well throughout the years. Pay attention to the lines of low chunky pieces, particularly the arms of chairs and sofas. Go for rounded or curved arms if you have a room that leans more towards traditional or transitional, and stick with boxy arms if your home is largely modern or minimalist.

Minimalist

Minimalist furniture embraces the concept of less is more. This doesn’t mean that the furniture pieces apart of this trend can’t be beautiful or decorative, but the focus is on achieving balance and not cluttering a space with too many extras. In minimalist rooms, the furniture often serves as the decor itself. You may have noticed that the price tag on minimalist pieces, especially large ones such as sofas and dining tables, can be quite expensive. That’s no mistake and relates to the less is more philosophy: quality is most important when choosing minimalist pieces for any space, not price.

Fortunately, it is possible to find bargains on minimalist pieces if you scout around, and because this look is about simplicity rather than filling a space with tons of furniture and accessories, well-made large ticket items of this style are more affordable. You can splurge on one great couch and not have to worry about buying several chairs, a love seat, and lots of things to fill your bookshelves when you’re putting together a minimalist room. Mixing and matching with this trend is perfectly acceptable, and expected. Well chosen coordinating furniture pieces with clean lines fit beautifully into the minimalist style.

Farmhouse Style

If you’ve spent any length of time browsing popular home design blogs or the decor boards on Pinterest, you’ve seen the farmhouse trend in action. It’s all about combining rustic pieces of furniture with modern ones to create a look that’s part warm and cozy and part chic. Don’t confuse farmhouse style with shabby chic, however — there’s no ruffles and lace involved in this trend.

Palette furniture and pieces with wooden platforms are often used in farmhouse style rooms, as is slip-covered furniture in light neutral tones. The clustered wood coffee tables and barn doors that so many people have hung up in their homes are also apart of the farmhouse trend. DIY aficionados love this furniture style because upcycled and handcrafted pieces are perfect for it.

For kitchen and dining areas, using tables made of reclaimed wood is popular as is installing the quintessential farmhouse sink, which can serve as a focal piece and a hefty multi-tasker. Bring in plenty of white pieces to pull this trend off — all of the wood can start to feel heavy, especially if it’s dark, so white and very light furniture is needed to provide balance and keep a room from feeling bogged down.

Sustainable Chic

Sustainable style has been around for awhile, people just didn’t define it as being sustainable. Think upcycled items, organic decor, and Scandinavian decor. The thing that makes furniture fit into this trend isn’t necessarily the look, but how it was sourced or produced. This is why one Nordic style couch from a certain store may not be considered sustainable, while one from a different retailer or artisan vendor would.

Those who are into eclectic rooms or DIY furniture projects will be able to easily pull a beautiful sustainable room together, but the rest of us should just keep in mind that furniture pieces that contribute to the health of the world, the living space, and the people inhabiting that space will fit into this trend. This is why you’ll very rarely see sustainable furniture that has plastic elements, and why those that are painted or stained use no and low-VOC varieties.

This is one furniture trend that can make your home look amazing on a small budget — thrifted pieces work wonderfully in sustainable design, and you can also try your hand at making your own furniture. Those do-it-yourself palette and clustered coffee tables mentioned above that sent Pinterest into a frenzy? As long as the wood, boxes, and palettes you use contain no contaminants, chemicals, or pesticides, you’re technically making a sustainable piece of furniture.

Channel Tufted Furniture

This trend has been seen in a wide range of modern furniture pieces, from headboards to chairs and ottomans. Channel tufting has a very luxurious feel, and the plush look has even been used to accent interior walls. Use furniture with channel tufts when you want an Old Hollywood feel with a modern edge by mixing in minimalist pieces and different fabrics. For instance, a channel tufted banquette paired with burnished leather chairs would bring sophistication and glamour to a dining area. To avoid overwhelming a space with large pieces of channel tufted furniture, bring in sleek decor, lighting, and tables to balance things out. Unlike so many other modern furniture trends, vertical and horizontal channel tufts are perfect for showcasing vibrant colors.