Mainstream Modern

Sleek, smooth and eclectic, with an emphasis on comfort, the Mainstream Modern style is rooted in the here and now. Characterised by clean lines, open spaces and a conscious effort to blend with nature, this is a style that builds on a sound design foundation and yet allows for a liberating mix of individuality and creativity. Simple lines, subtle patterns and minimal accessories form the bedrock of the Mainstream Modern look. A curated collection of well chosen, high impact pieces creates a streamlined, striking look. Relevant, trendy and always up to date, the Mainstream Modern style is perfect for those who celebrate the present with an infectious enthusiasm and are quick to embrace the latest, forward looking trends.

Mainstream Modern - Designs On Today

The Mainstream Modern style derives its energy from clean, firm lines; open, airy spaces with an abundance of natural light and elements and materials inspired by nature. With a marked emphasis on line and form, this is a style built on strong design principles. Sleek shapes and smooth forms combine with minimal ornamentation and neutral colours to create a vibe that is distinctly casual and eclectic.

Rooted in the present day, Mainstream Modern is a style that defines the here and now. Technology blends with architecture and design to create dynamic and innovative modern-day masterpieces that can be in equal parts fantastical and forward looking, without compromising on structural efficiency. At the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, computer aided design was used to create the unusual curves and shapes that almost seem to bring the building to life. Created in an exciting mix of limestone, titanium and glass by celebrated contemporary architect Frank Gehry, the museum is a fusion of swirling, dynamic forms seamlessly integrated into an urban landscape.Famed for his eclectic style and use of bold, postmodern shapes and original building materials such as corrugated metal, Gehry is known to use unusual architectural concepts to create world renowned attractions. Interestingly, the Guggenheim Bilbao's distinctive titanium facade could well have ended up as stainless steel if it hadn't been for a fortuitous drop in titanium prices just as bids were being prepared!

Fluid and creative, with room enough for whimsy and a bit of rule breaking, one of the enduring tenets of the Mainstream Modern style is the conscious effort to blend with the natural surroundings. At the Musee du Quai Branly, Paris, designed by architect Jean Nouvel, part of the structure is wallpapered with plants, set as it is in a lush, rambling garden on the Left Bank of the Seine in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Featuring a jumble of mismatched buildings and Asian, African, and Oceanic art, Nouvel's masterpiece tosses aside the rule book to create an exotic immersion into popular French culture that is wildly defiant and almost eccentric and at the same time intensely personal.Known to veer away from the aesthetic of modernism and postmodernism, to create a stylistic language that is all his own, Nouvel often compares his role of architect to that of a film director. Known to be a master conceptualist, one of Nouvel's quirks consists of getting right back into bed as soon as he wakes up in the morning, with his eye mask on and earplugs in, to focus on some intense visualizing and imagining before he takes on his work day.

Bold and trendy, the Mainstream Modern style shifts the focus on shape, form and texture to create a look that is relaxed and natural, and yet a glorious celebration of the present.

Contemporary. Relevant. Conscious.

A Mainstream Modern home exudes a cool vibe that reflects the contemporary ethos of its owners. Technology makes its presence felt in a manner that's very 21st century. Each object is a conscious choice and every piece aware of a need to be sustainable and efficient. While this home is reassuringly familiar, there's no forced attempts to align to a particular design stereotype. And the flexibility that comes with this is liberating. Just as important, don't feel compelled to take a risky design choice because you have to. Your Mainstream Modern home doesn't demand that of you. It is a reflection of your life and your home today, not a trend or set of rules you need to conform to.

Your home becomes a retreat from the hubbub of modern living while never straying from its contemporary appeal. Light colours in neutral shades place the design of this home firmly in the moment, with classics like cream, tan, and beige featuring prominently. White sets a backdrop for the geometric lines of the cerused oak table and the sweeping curves of the comfortable Eames lounge chair. An abstract mobile hovering over the proceedings in a more minimalist take on Derick Pobell originals, catches the eye. An artful use of hints of greens, blues, and even purples perpetuate that sense of harmony and peacefulness.

Abstract art sits quietly on the walls, a flash of colour amidst the subdued palette of its surroundings. You might also display prints or original artwork from artists like Julie Mehretu, considered Pollock's successor by some; or an impossible to miss pop coloured artwork from Rafael Rozendaal; or the geometric curves and lines in a piece from Tomma Abts.

A gentle sheen or smooth matte finish finds favour in the Mainstream Modern home. That's what makes the powder coated black "Here Comes the Sun Pendant Lamp" from Bertrand Balas so perfect for your dining area. The orb shaped lamp is inspired by pop culture icons The Beatles' song of the same name, casting glare-free diffused light in a style that's in line with contemporary design. Even some classic pieces get a trendy update to fit into a Mainstream Modern space. Like an Anglepoise Type 75 Floor Lamp that's as much at home today as it was in 1933 when it made a mark as a British design icon. Another intuitive choice is a curved floor lamp, a dramatic sweeping arch and black or white coating reflecting a modern sensibility.

Sleek cabinetry makes everything seem neat as a pin. French designer Jean Louis Iratzoki's restrained "Kai Collection" has shelves that appeal to your innate sense of a contemporary pared down style. Movable dividers allow for customization, another trend of the times. Iratzoki's pieces are said to reflect a respect for nature. Inspired perhaps by the the connect to the environment he feels in the woods of Northern Basque Country, where his studio is tucked away.

You love the charm of pairs and symmetry. And that's why the cluster of pearly beige vases on the corner table are just adequately distinguishable in shape and form, yet unmistakably alike. It's also why your otherwise identical wooden candleholders are just subtly different from each other in their white, black, and grey coats of paint. The J-Me Float Magazine Rack holds your copies of the Daily Mail and Financial Times in perfect symmetry, seemingly suspended in thin air. There's an order to things, and that makes your home neat, modern, and classic, like a well-tailored crisp white cotton shirt.

As lines between work, play, and entertainment all seem to blur, your home rises to the occasion. Your sleek ash wood or white veneer Renew Sit to Stand Desk lets you workout on the treadmill as you catch up on emails from work. Its creator Brian Alexander says he's drawn to the "beauty in ugly problems". And with his work on display at the acclaimed MoMA as well as the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, he's done that to perfection.

The perfectly geometric lines of the legs of your glass and steel Poul Kjærholm coffee table and the graceful long legged stools at the kitchen island are on show. Your dining table too sits elegantly high on its endless pins. An occasional ottoman or low slung sofa is just right for breaking up the visual and bringing that added layer of comfort to the space.

The spines of those treasured hardcover books in the clean lines of your bookshelf belie their vintage. While they may appear to be old tomes, they are in fact, specially acquired hardcover versions of books very much of the 21st century. Chosen as much for their leaning on simplicity, minimalism, innovation, and fiction of the moment, as for their aesthetic appeal. Paperbacks are so last century! For books you really want to own, only beautifully lined up hardcovers will do. Like The Power of Less by Leo Babauta, bringing the wisdom from his blog to print. Or a compilation of real life stories of people around us like social media hero and New York photo blogger/social commentator Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York or Choosing Simplicity by Linda Breen Pierce. Stanton in an interview mentioned how what he does is have conversations with people and not formal interviews. In doing so, he says, he uncovers things no interviewer could. It is somehow more personal, though at once professional in its output. And that's exactly what contemporary and Mainstream Modern philosophy does too. It puts you at ease without dropping its put together look.

Life Simplified

A need to be smartly dressed and current draws you to stores like Next, where you can find effortlessly stylish looks whether it's for work or play. Sport a modern style blazer over their well tailored trousers. Even the classic jumpsuit gets a sassy makeover for the 21st century with spaghetti straps creating an eye catching detail on the back. Pick up that very trendy saddle bag satchel and you're good to go!

At home you love watching reruns of the Great British Bake Off on the telly - it's addictive! You often return to modern classics like Titanic when you're in the mood for a movie that's larger than life. And for those times when you're feeling frisky, what better than that guilty pleasure - Fifty Shades of Grey?

When it comes to a modern and reliable set of wheels, your Ford Focus is a no-brainer. Equipped with the latest technology and driving like a dream, this bestseller fits your life like a glove. But when you're a thousand miles away from work and the rigour of running your home, sunning on the beaches of an idyllic Greek isle, your feet and a pair of swimmers will do nicely. And Corfu manages to deliver every time. The Ionian island is the perfect setting to plug into your playlist of Coldplay's greatest hits - or Sheryl Crow for when you're feeling mellow. The spot for an artist you'd love to see live though, is firmly reserved for Michael Buble and his Rat Pack update for the noughties, twenty tens and beyond. Just like Elvis in his prime. Like your home, his music is undeniably of the here and now. And relevant as ever.