Modern Furniture


The modernist design movement started in the 19th century. Before that, furniture was made more for looking at than actually using. Pieces of furniture were complicated and ornate with little to no regard for functionality. Furniture back then was intended for appeal and design and made out of rich dark woods, expensive fabrics, and beautiful designs.  The amount of time put into making the piece determined how much is was worth. Furniture was more of an ornament than something to actually relax on. The less comfortable, the better.

With the coming of the 19th century, people discovered new and easier ways to make furniture as well as new materials that revolutionized home furniture. This started the modernist movement. Furniture went from being visually heavy to visually light and spacious. Modern furniture was about creating space and functioning pieces of furniture that could actually be used and enjoyed instead of just looked at. The focus went from complicated and ornate to functional and accessible. Instead of having heavy and dark couches that took up massive amounts of space, people started lifting chairs and couches off the ground with higher legs to make more space inside of the room. The modern style represents the present and the future instead of the past and symbolized   free thinking and independence.

Companies such as Calligaris, Gamma Arredamenti,  and ROM are great examples of modern design in furniture.  They put a new spin on the old Victorian style and make it into something new, fun, and actually comfortable. The modern style makes it so that you can still enjoy looking at your room, while still being able to sit down and relax and actually enjoy the furniture for what it is meant to be. Instead of using gilded wood and sculpture people started using steel, plywood, and even plastic. New colors, shapes, and designs were used as well as opposed to the boring and neutral style that came before the modernist era. Although the modern style is starting to become a part of the past again, it still is a beautiful way to decorate a living space and is used by millions of people to furnish their houses.

Glass vs. Wood Top Table

There are many things to consider when choosing a Dining Room Table. The question of wood or glass is a common one among customers. There are a number of advantages as well as disadvantages with both wood tables and glass ones. You must consider both the pros and cons of each type of table to really make an education decision.

First, you must consider the fact that almost all glass tables are made with tempered glass. Tempered glass is processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength. When broken, tempered glass shatters to a million little pieces instead of breaking into pieces with jagged dangerous edges. Still, glass tables are more likely to chip than wooden ones.

Glass is easily maintained and can be cleaned with Windex or any type of spray cleaner while wood can be easily stained if cups are placed on it without the use of coasters. Many types of wood use pine as a construction material. With Pine and other softer woods, you run the risk of easily denting or scratching the wood. Because of this, wood needs to be refinished more often while glass resists this type of wear and tear.

Although glass looks very nice on wooden floors, many people do not like glass tables because of the clear view of the bottom of the table. Many people dislike looking down at the dinner table and seeing everybody’s feet. On the other hand, tables that have a unique and stylish base are often hidden with a wooden top.

Glass tables, although easily cleanable, are famous for showing fingerprints and smears along the top of the table. Dark toned glass tables also make dust and small particles very visible. Because of the transparency, you must often times clean and wipe the bottom of the table as well as the top to avoid the smear marks. Wooden top tables stay looking cleaner longer and give more of a warmer looking feel to a room.