Modern furniture and contemporary furniture were born from a general change in attitude, design and style that began within the late nineteenth century. Formerly, furniture had tended towards more heavy, robust and lavish pieces, products that designed a statement because of its huge character, instead of simple elegance. Contemporary furniture design has veered more to that particular very elegance, frequently characterised by smooth, sleek lines and recognized for its neat finishes instead of because of its bulk and size.

The chance to produce new, modern furniture designs continues to be greatly helped by advances in technology, materials and tooling. Where older pieces were built of wood and adorned with intricate, picky carvings and deep-coloured, luscious fabrics, contemporary furnishings are more prone to be constructed from polished metal, sleek steel and moulded plastics. With the development of man-made padding after world war ii, even soft, cushioned seating could be styled inside a more ‘clean’ and clever finish. The computer has already established an effect on modern furniture, with designers easier in a position to manipulate a prototype image to generate striking and new creations.

The first influences of recent design originate from the skill deco and publish-war modernism ages – artists were attempting to break from the conventional and discover new methods to push limitations. This mix-over between creating pieces of art and designing functional bits of modern furniture really increased in momentum throughout the Bauhaus movement from the 1920s and the style of modern furniture now use real self-expression and individuality, in addition to being serviceable and comfy to make use of.

Contemporary furniture design also saw architecture being an inspiration and some of the most influential modern furniture designers were initially also known as architects. The making of more structural and stylised bits of modern furniture resonated using these designers plus they looked to show their hands to more immediate methods for expressing their very own styles. Probably the most famous architects who grew to become active in the contemporary furniture movement were Gio Ponti, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and An Artist.

Wright introduced an idea of Japanese culture into his modern furniture designs, adding another element towards the overall contemporary style. His work, however, though still broadly replicated, wasn’t considered as practical and serviceable as those of Mackintosh, who centered on functionality, with simplistic but highly geometric formed contemporary furnishings.

Italian design seemed to be another strong indicator in contemporary furniture design, but this kind of furniture design also required much from French, America and Swedish influences. Most of the original contributors towards the contemporary furniture movement, for example Charles and Ray Eames continue to be highly respected and then influence furniture designers even today.