Design | Bethesda | Grosvenor Heights | Westside at Shady Grove Metro | Montgomery Row | The Brownstones at Chevy Chase Lake
By: EYA Homes on June 10th, 2019
If you love elements of industrial, contemporary and minimalist styles, then the urban modern look may be right for you. An urban modern style stems from cosmopolitan influence—think designer loft in a major city—that fuses together opposing, yet complementary, design elements. It’s not uncommon to see traits of minimalist style, with edgy designs, and a bit of glamor in an urban modern room. However, urban modern design has a softer side than purely industrial or contemporary styles, giving the home a hip yet comfortable and welcoming feel.
So how to get this look in your own home? We asked top Bethesda interior designer Erica Burns for tips to bring some urban modern into your own home.
Are you transitional, contemporary, urban industrial or more of a minimalist?
Take our interior design style quiz to find out!
When a room has minimalist furnishings, have fun with "scale" to make pieces pop. For example, this kitchen features simple shaped pendants over the island, but the large size creates a dramatic look. For art and mirrors, you can use a mix of oversized pieces and groupings of smaller items for varying impacts.
Small details go a long way when you have minimalist furnishings. In this room, drapery with a loud pattern would have been too much of a statement. Instead, simple gray drapes were used along with a graphic applique trim in blue to add a tailored finishing touch. This provides the perfect frame for the oversized windows, a common element in urban modern design.
In urban modern spaces, you want to avoid too much of a "matchy" decorated look. Have a common color subtly play throughout (in this case, blue and gray) but also incorporate different colors to keep it interesting—such as splashes of chartruese and lavender, and the pop of green in the lamp on the bar. Also, notice the steel stair rails, another frequently used element in urban modern design.
Each room should have some sort of statement piece, whether it is art, a patterned rug or fun dining room chandelier (as shown in this photo). However, make sure not to have too many statement pieces so that they do not compete with each other and your favorite can be the star of the show.
If you want a space to be more casual, like this family room, tone down the glam and choose more relaxed fabrics and patterns. And when it's more of an entertaining space, such as a formal living room, ramp up the more luxe fabrics like a velvet sofa and add some metal finishes. The great thing about the urban modern look is you can fuse varying design elements to get a trendy, yet comfortable feel.
Is the urban modern design style right for you? Tag us on Instagram to show us how you've created this designer look in your own home!
Interested in finding out your interior design style? Click here to take the quiz and find out!
April 21, 2023
Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22nd, is a great opportunity to reflect on our impact on the environment and evaluate the choices we make in our daily lives, including where and how we live. EYA thinks green not only when it comes to how we build, but also how our homeowners will live. This includes building neighborhoods in close-in locations with easy access to transit and open green spaces, recycling construction materials, environmentally-friendly home features and more. As an example, the infographic below shows a snapshot of EYA’s sustainable design practices at our newest community, Tysons Ridge.
February 21, 2023
When searching for a new place to call home, it is often not only the home that one takes into consideration, but also the community that you become a part of. Well-designed neighborhoods with outdoor amenities and green spaces can impact happiness and help to bring people together. Thoughtful community visioning integrates design elements and open spaces to connect residents with each other and their surrounding area. Amenities may include neighborhood parks, walking paths, plazas, playgrounds and seating areas to facilitate interactions among neighbors. A well-planned landscape design not only connects residents with nature and creates a visual sense of harmony, but also offers highly sought after amenities and supports community engagement. To learn more about how landscape design can foster community, EYA's approach to neighborhood planning and features you may not have previously considered to look for in your new community, read our Q&A below with EYA's longtime landscape architect Gabriela Cañamar Clark, a partner at LandDesign.
February 16, 2023
Our three brand new model homes will be opening for tours at The Townhomes at Graham Park on Saturday, February 25th! Join us from 12-4 PM for our grand opening event and be among the first to tour these modern, new townhomes offering the best of urban living just steps to retail, dining and more. RSVP is required as space is limited. Click here to register for the event and get an exclusive first look.
January 5, 2023
Whether you’re moving into your first home or just looking to refresh your furnishings, there are many unique and creative ways to switch up your current home decor to feel fresh in the new year without breaking the bank. Read on for an updated post featuring a Q&A with one of our favorite designers, Holly Polgreen, President and Co-founder of Carlyn & Company Interiors + Design, for the best tips on how to repurpose, reorganize, and redesign your home decor.