Modern or contemporary bedroom furniture. What’s the difference?

Shopping for modern furniture is such a personal experience. Perhaps that’s why there are so many styles of bedroom furniture to choose from – Early American, Colonial, Queen Anne, Art Nouveau – the list is virtually endless.
For most styles, the differences are very clear. For example, Art Nouveau is known for its intricate, detailed patterns and curvaceous lines while Early American is utilitarian and showcases local woods. Queen Anne is famous for its cabriole legs and duck feet while the Georgian style has taken it a step further, being more elaborate and featuring the characteristic ball and claw feet.
Contemporary and modern are much easier to tell apart from nearly every other style. These styles are clean and crisp and more in sync with current lifestyle trends. They tend to have a less heavy look to them and their lack of ornate embellishments create an uncluttered look to any room, from the bedroom to the living room.
While the terms “contemporary” and “modern” are often used interchangeably, there are differences.
The modernist movement began between the two world wars in the Bauhaus School of Design in Germany. A vast departure from the more ornate furnishings that were in style then, the modern bedroom furniture designs of the modernist movement relied on non-traditional approaches, including the use of steel, glass and plastics instead of foam and fabric.
“Form follows function” is the mantra of modern design. That’s why you’ll see bedroom furniture where tables fold down flat when not in use or bed frames that open up to provide additional storage. Designs are timeless and often architecturally driven, such as those by Mies Van Der Rohe and Le Corbusier.
Contemporary can be modern as well, but it can also be any bedroom furniture style based on today’s trends. So, contemporary can be retro-antique, ethnic-influenced or rustic as well as modern – it just depends what is in vogue at the moment.
Where form follows function in modern bedroom furniture, contemporary may stretch the very limits of design since it is based on fashion, trends of simply new ideas. The function of the piece comes secondary to its adherence to what’s happening in the world at the moment.
So, there you have it. Modern bedroom furniture can be contemporary and contemporary designs can be modern, but the two aren’t really interchangeable.
With this in mind, it should be easier for you to determine your true personal style, whether it’s something that’s contemporary, modern or traditional. The most important thing is to choose what you like and not to follow the trends too closely. Perhaps that’s why so many furniture styles are still extremely popular decades, if not centuries, after they were introduced.