Contemporary home design was birthed in the 1970s as the postmodern era was coming to a close. The movement was all about what was new and fresh at the time. Interestingly enough, contemporary design was never limited to the 1970s or 80s. It continues to evolve even today. Need evidence? Just look at some of the current trends in contemporary home design and compare them against other trends of the past.

What makes contemporary home design so unique is that it isn’t static. It is not defined by a single era in architecture or interior design. It changes with the times. To illustrate the point, four of the more recent contemporary home design trends people are now glomming onto are described below. Do any of them impress you?

1. Nature Theming

If you are into creating a single theme for your entire home, one of the hottest contemporary trends right now is nature theming. Note that we are not talking about something like mountain modern architecture that seeks to combine natural surroundings with modern design features. Rather, we’re talking about utilizing nature themed textures, colors, etc. throughout your home.

Park City, Utah’s Sparano + Mooney explains that mountain modern architecture encapsulates the entire building project from the ground up. Nature theming is about interior design. It suggests covering entire walls with nature themed murals. It suggests colors normally associated with nature: deep greens, bright blues, and rich earth tones. When you are designing with a nature theme in mind, you’re looking for interior spaces to reflect the outdoors.

2. Romantic Theming

Maybe you’re looking to theme your entire house, but nature doesn’t do it for you. That’s fine because romance is hot too. A romance theme leans heavily on Victorian and Edwardian influences. It accentuates floral patterns, soft color palettes, and antiques.

Do not think of romantic theming only in terms of love. Rather, think of it in terms of one of the romance eras of the past. Romantic theming is all about maximizing Victorian and Edwardian styles mixed with just a hint of modern flair.

3. Layered Looks

You can bring a bit of contemporary flair into your home without completely redecorating by focusing on your furniture. Right now, layering is the hot look. Do you have a formal dining room table? If so, layered place settings are the place to start. Complete the look with one or two texturally rich centerpieces that top things off.

You can also create a layered look on coffee tables, end tables, buffets, dressers, and even nightstands. Wherever you have a flat surface you would normally decorate with flowers or knickknacks, you have space to create the layered look.

4. Loving the Mustard

This final contemporary design trend is straight from the late sixties and early seventies: expressing your love for mustard yellow, a unique color with its own characteristics and vibe. Mustard yellow was all the rage in ’70s kitchens and baths. Furniture manufacturers obsessed over the color in their search for the perfect piece of faux leather upholstery.

Mustard yellow is a not good choice for every contemporary home. It might clash too much with existing furniture and decorations. But if you can get away with it, go for it. People really love the mustard right now.

The four contemporary design trends described in this post are hot right now. They might not be so hot five or 10 years from now. If you like contemporary design, that’s okay. One of the best things about contemporary design is that it always gives you a reason to do something new.