Contemporary and Modern

It's Clean and Simple

Contemporary furniture can always be recognized by clean and simple lines. Although this style of furniture – which, ironically, is frequently associated with the future – may be traced back well over a century, the simplified elegance of contemporary and modern furniture always leaves a striking impression.

A History of Design Evolution

During the Art Deco movement of the early 20th century, contemporary designs often featured then-modern references to electricity in their patterns. Forms and shapes from other advances of that era, such as the emergence of skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, also became prolific.

Around the same time, architect Walter Gropius would heavily influence design as he laid the foundation of his Staatliches Bauhaus, the renowned German art school that sought to meld fine arts with crafts. The school, which was ultimately forced to shutter its doors by the Nazi regime, was an intellectual house for such names as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who would later emigrate to the United States and contribute building designs to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Other architects and designers also left Germany for other countries, spreading the message of Bauhaus around the world and ultimately helping to ignite the Mid-Century modern movement. Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Florence Knoll Bassett, George Nakashima, Milo Baughmann, George Nelson, Issamu Noguchi, and Harry Bertoia became household names.

As the decades went on, computers and other machines became ubiquitous throughout office environments. High-tech designs emerged during the Late Modernism period, integrating technology with human lifestyles. These pieces were highly functional, acknowledged the technology age, and expressed their minimalist design philosophy through heavy use of materials like metal and glass.

Today, contemporary designs are among the most sought-after in office furniture, as well as home furniture and building architecture. Thought leaders, including NeoCon® award-winning designers from idesk and Safco, continue to drive the contemporary style forward.