Behind the Design
It's here: Modern classic!
By Susan Pantaleo, ASID -- Furniture Today, March 25, 2007
Something new is happening in the design world! It's a hot style direction that is distinct and has mass appeal. It defies typecasting, but we can identify the influence of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern, while the look sometimes reaches even further back to Louis XV and Neoclassical design.
This new style is something we can call Modern Classic.
We were first re-exposed to Mid-Century Modern by Pottery Barn and HGTV home makeovers. This style originally emerged after World War II with the availability of new materials and mass production.
In the past three years, a new finesse has been applied and this fresh look is rapidly becoming one of the most often requested by baby boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Yers alike.
Everyone can relate when the line between traditional and contemporary is blurred. It's a warm take on modern with a touch of French '40s class.
The "transitional" label of the past does not do this style justice. With influences from earlier periods as well as the modern era, it can visually blend with traditional and contemporary interiors without compromising either.
What remains is a dignified simplicity that can be dressed up or down with fabrics to suit the mood and budget. Modern Classic can update a room instantly.
One notable furniture designer that's helped define this style is Larry Laslo. He explains: "There is no present without the past. I love taking from the past to create a modern day classic by giving it a twist. My design becomes my own personal vocabulary, probably by the quirky juxtapositions that I create, which look absolutely right in today's contemporary moment."
You can try your hand at identifying the Modern Classic style this week in several High Point showrooms. For starters, don't miss Laslo's collection at Ferguson Copeland. Then you might check out Calia Italia for leather sofas, Christopher Guy's upholstery and case pieces, and Hickory Chair for the Thomas O'Brien Collection.
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