How to Design a Contemporary Living Room

A contemporary living room has the perfect combination of minimalism and bright decor for those who despise clutter but love beautiful design. If you want to design a room with plenty of visual interest while allowing your space to speak for itself, you’ll love the contemporary interior design style!

What is the Contemporary Interior Design Style?

Many people use the words “contemporary” and “modern” interchangeably to describe their interior design style, but there are subtle differences between the two. Both contemporary and modern design styles favor clean lines and simplicity, but modern design is often more minimalistic and neutral than its contemporary cousin.

Contemporary furniture is characterized by:

• A deceptively simple sense of luxury
• Timeless, classic pieces
• Bold, daring designs
• A smattering of interesting architectural features that pop

Decoraid explains, “[C]ontemporary style is calming and serene, and is peppered with a focus on architectural elements, decorative details, attention to bold scales, and a concise color palette… Simplicity, clean lines, plays on texture, and quiet drama are fundamental”. Keep reading to learn about our favorite contemporary pieces sourced from local Bay Area furniture stores.

Contemporary Sofas in the Bay Area

You can visit our Sofa Creations showrooms in San Francisco and San Rafael to get inspiration for your contemporary interior design, or we can design a completely custom piece for your home. Here are some of our favorite sofas and sectionals inspired by contemporary design:

• Alvin Sofa — The Alvin has gently curving armrests, a gorgeous wooden base, and ultra comfortable cushions for your contemporary interior design.
• Barcelona Sofa — If you’re looking for a statement piece for your living room, you’ll love the Barcelona’s combination of chic design and timeless shape.
• Carson Sectional — This chaise sectional is the perfect combination of timeless design and contemporary luxury.
• Chandler Sofa — The Chandler is another eye-catching gem with its unique, fluid silhouette.
• Clyde Sofa — The Clyde is a classic that will never go out of style. Its solid frame, tapered legs, and sloping arms are a beauty to behold.
• Dublin Sofa — The Dublin has biscuit-patterned tufting and decorative seams that offer visual interest to any contemporary living room.
• Hayes Sectional — This bumper chaise sectional offers plenty of support and comfort to complement its luxurious appearance.
• Logan Sofa — The perfect example of contemporary design, the Logan has a low, classic shape with glamorous, round arm pillows.
• Murphy Sofa — With just a touch of mid-century modern inspiration, the Murphy is sophisticated and relaxing.
• Sage Sectional — With double arm rests, narrow legs, and a sleek silhouette, the Sage is the perfect addition to any living room.
• Victoria Sofa — The Victoria is decorated with diamond-shaped tufting, curved armrests, and tapered legs to create a beautiful centerpiece for your room.

We personalize every sofa, sleeper, and sectional for each individual customer, so we can customize any of these pieces according to your preferred colors, dimensions, and style.

Keep reading to learn about some of our favorite local home goods stories that have even more designs you’ll love!

Where to Find Contemporary Furniture in the Bay Area

Whether you need to deck out your living room, bedroom, or another room in your home with contemporary pieces, we must recommend the following locally-sourced items:

• Shell Chair from Heath Ceramics in the Bay Area — This chic, slight chair embodies a combination of industrial and contemporary design with slim, bright legs and a unique shell shape.
• Cylinder Stool from Hudson | Grace in San Francisco — This exquisite stool blurs the line between rustic and contemporary design for a dramatic touch to your room.
• Clear Acrylic Coffee Table from Anthem in San Francisco — This handcrafted, two-tone table is the perfect setting for magazines, vases, and other living room accessories.
• Victo 4240 Pendant Light from S16 Home in San Francisco — This pendant light is created with laminated birch slats to add visual interest to any contemporary room.
• Wave Lounge Chair from Anyon Atelier in the Bay Area — This unique chair is made with rattan and wicker to bring a mixture of casual coolness and sophistication to your living room.
• TV Cabinet from Sierra Living Concepts in the Bay Area — Built in the Scandinavian style, this cabinet has two drawers and plenty of shelf space for your TV and media.

[If possible, share a photo of a staged room with a contemporary Sofa Creations sofa; otherwise, use a CC0 image like this one]

[H2] Where to Find Contemporary Home Accessories in the Bay Area

Need to decorate your room with a few more accessories and home goods? Check out our favorite contemporary pieces from local Bay Area stores:

• Geometric Tile Print from Hudson | Grace in San Francisco — Bold, geometric architecture is often showcased in contemporary design, and this photo brings this stylish design to your home.
• Flower Vase from Anthem in San Francisco — This vase brings architectural beauty to your home decor with its unique shape.
• Alabaster Table Lamp from Anthem in San Francisco — With a graceful hourglass shape and smooth texture, this table lamp is sure to catch the eye of your guests.
• Forme No. 4 Sculpture from Anyon Atelier in the Bay Area — This geometric sculpture by Amy Meier is made with glass fiber reinforced concrete to add a touch of art to your bookcase, side table, or coffee table.
• Brass Bowl from Anyon Atelier in the Bay Area — Keep your keys, jewelry, or candy for guests in this bright, square-shaped bowl.
• Aqua Mirror from March in San Francisco — Each Maureen Fullam mirror is uniquely crafted with the French reverse gilding technique to add some contemporary, rustic design to your home.

About Sofa Creations — California’s Custom-Made Furniture Company

We’ve been California’s most trusted family-run custom furniture company since 2010. We love working with clients like you to design the perfect custom-made sofa, sectional, or sleeper sofa for your home. Please contact us to learn more about our customization process, or visit us in San Francisco or San Rafael to see some of our favorite styles in person.