When decorating or redecorating your home from scratch, it can be tough to match a particular style in every room of the house, but the last thing you want is to have a contemporary entry-way that leads to traditional kitchen, then a mishmash of style in the living room.

Contemporary and traditional are two of the most popular styles for American homes, but these styles don’t complement each other; they actually work against each other. Traditional and Contemporary are two of the few styles that don’t play well together.

Let’s explore the one that best fits your lifestyle.

Understanding the Separate Styles

Traditional furniture really refers to any piece that resembles the styles of the 19th century or earlier. Furniture from this time period tends to be made of dark, heavy wood. The furniture is often large and heavy. Traditional style is still used often, especially in homes and offices in historic buildings. Traditional rooms are not ostentatious, but often feel somewhat formal. Furniture pieces are often reproductions or “new takes” on furniture from an earlier time.

Contemporary furniture refers to furniture styles that came about after the 19th century. These pieces tend to utilize lighter wood tones, brighter fabrics, and newer materials, like plastic or metal. A contemporary-styled home features a focus on clean, light, and functional furniture. Contemporary style is often defined by clean lines with a casual atmosphere, open spaces, neutral colors, and elements and materials inspired by nature. The look hasn’t lost its focus or popularity over the years. Contemporary designs are some of the most sought-after in furniture décor.

Defining Your Style

Most traditional-style homes feature a living room with a sofa, loveseat and two chairs. The space can then be complemented with a coffee table, side tables, ottomans, rugs and more. At least one accent chair will help center the room and help it look like a place for conversation as opposed to watching TV.

In the bedroom, traditional furniture will mean a quality bed with wooden dressers and drawers. The shaker style is perfect for a traditional bedroom with its lack of ornamentations and emphasis on craftmanship.

The dining room in a traditional home is generally a separate room, often with some corner cabinets for storage and display. A traditional dining room table will be large and formal. That doesn’t necessarily have to mean bulky, but instead, roomy for accommodating lots of guests. Look for rectangular tables with matching chairs. Bentwood and high chairs with upholstered seats are the most common. If you have the space, you may also want to consider a buffet table for the dining room.

Contemporary furniture, on the other hand, utilizes completely different lines and is rather low profile. Make sure the function of the design fits with your lifestyle. If you are sharing the space with someone who has mobility problems, the low-profile nature could create problems. Bulky furniture will instantly feel out of place in a contemporary home, so look for sleek pieces. Lines can be rounded or sharp depending on the design.