Modern, contemporary design for your own room

What defines the style

• A neutral base: white, warm grey, greige or soft black on the large surfaces.
• One accent colour, used two or three times (a cushion, a print, a chair) rather than everywhere.
• Mixed materials: wood with metal, stone with fabric, matt with a little sheen.
• Clean lines and low profiles, but seating made for sitting in, not for show.
• Lighting designed into the room: linear pendants, wall lights, strips in shelving, then lamps.

Building the palette

Start with three neutrals: a light one for the walls, a mid-tone for the big upholstery, and a darker one to ground the room in a rug, a side table or picture frames. Then choose the accent. Deep teal, rust, ochre and olive all work against warm greys; cobalt and emerald suit cooler ones. Use the accent in two or three places at different heights so the eye travels round the room, and keep metals to a single finish, with black or brushed steel the most contemporary.

Modern, contemporary, mid-century or minimalist?

The names get mixed up. Mid-century modern is a period style from the 1950s and 60s: tapered legs, teak, organic curves. Minimalism is a discipline of owning very little. Contemporary means what is current now, and it borrows from both: clean lines and few pieces, but softer, warmer and more comfortable. If you want the strict version, use the Minimalist preset; for a warmer one, Warm Minimal or Organic Modern.

Common mistakes

• All grey. A grey sofa on a grey rug against grey walls looks cold; vary the tones and bring in wood.
• Too many accent colours. Pick one and repeat it.
• Furniture that photographs well and is uncomfortable to sit on.
• Ceiling spotlights as the only light. They flatten a room; add lamps at eye level.

Which rooms suit it, and how to try it

Contemporary works in nearly any room, which makes it the safe choice for living rooms, kitchens and rented flats. Photograph the room from a corner in daylight, choose the Contemporary preset and a mode (Redesign to keep the room's layout, Full transformation to replace everything movable), and mark anything you love Keep. One older piece kept in a contemporary room usually makes it look more considered, not less.