Interior Design Styles Series: Urban Spaces

Welcome back to the second of my series about interior design styles! This is one of my favorite subjects, and I love to dig into different types of interior design with my clients. I think that being able to recognize all different design styles and talk about them knowledgeably is a huge help — after all, it’s just as important to be able to name and describe what you don’t like as it is to talk about what you love!

We talked previously about “Clean and Classic Interior Design” and it’s emphasis on clean lines, neutral colors and simple sophistication.

Today I’m going to talk about a style that can be a bit polarizing: urban spaces. People tend to either love it or hate it — where do you fall?

The Hallmarks of Urban Interior Design Style

Urban spaces are all about the streamlined design that was originally meant to highlight city high rises. When you consider that modern skyscrapers only really started sprouting up during the building boom that followed World War II, you get a sense of what these interiors are all about. Gone are all the ornate moldings and Victorian fixtures that occupied older homes. Instead, urban spaces leaned forward toward the space age. Main features of this style include:

Streamlined styling: Urban style is one that subtracts rather than adds to create its effect. Molding and trim are removed, leaving just the architectural lines of windows and doorways — and the beginnings of open concept living as lofts became more popular.

High-rise features: The major draw of living in a high rise? The view! To take advantage, urban spaces often feature lots of glass in the form of a wall of windows on the world. This lets in loads of natural light and adds a sense of airiness to make small spaces feel expansive.

Contemporary flair: If you love antiques or cozy-country style, the urban look isn’t for you. Solid blocks of color win out over patterns, and the modern sensibility means that furniture and the overall feel is more rectilinear and less about scrollwork and curlicues.

Putting the ‘Urban’ in Suburban

After a couple decades of new construction riffing off of traditional home styles, we’re starting to see a shift to more modern looks in new apartment communities and city-inspired residential areas. The pared-down look is popular with millennials and anyone looking for a more walkable urban lifestyle, so you’re sure to see more and more people embracing urban decor in the years to come.

If you’re interested in this style, talk to a designer! There’s a definite skill to making the urban look feel livable and not too edgy. A professional eye will help you get just the right balance in your chic urban space.

We offer on-site consultations to answer all your questions and start down the road to that perfect home or office design. Contact us using the form on this page or call (214) 326-1160.