Interior Design Styles Trending in 2023: Part 1-Modern Style

Fall is here, so now is a great time to plan for your autumn interior design projects. You may be thinking about giving your space a facelift. Or perhaps you may want to do a renovation. Whether you intend to decorate your home on your own or want to get a designer to help you, one of the steps in the design process is determining your ideal interior design style.

But you may not know how to figure out what style to choose for your space. You are not alone. So many homeowners I have talked to cannot understand the difference between the styles. There are many interior design styles and plenty of sub-categories within those styles, so it is hard to narrow down one that is your preferred style and that suits your space.


It is hard to figure out your favourite interior design style if you do not know their differences. So I will break down 1 of these decorating styles and explain its different characteristics. When redecorating or renovating, understanding what sets one decorating style apart from the others is paramount. As I talk about these styles, I hope it will help you find your favourite style. And the one you would like to incorporate into your home.


If you decide to work with a designer, having a basic understanding of the interior design vocabulary so you can describe and define your ideas and visions for your desired interior design look is necessary. Knowing your unique style means you can explain it. If you know your preferred style and can communicate that to your decorator, she can help you create your dream room or space. So with this in mind, I thought I would discuss one trending interior design style. Modern style is the style I will discuss in this post.

Modern Interior Design Style

Designed by Lynteriors

History of Modern Interior Design

Each style is a result of different influences and originated during different periods. So one way to find your personal interior design style is to study furniture from different eras, historical periods or movements. For example, modern design is a style of interior design that emerged in the early twentieth century and continues to evolve. It was a response to the ornate furnishings of the Victorian era. As a result, the movements and styles of the 20th century have a no-frills sensibility.

The furniture in your space can affect the overall aesthetics of your home. If you want it to have a modern style, modern furniture design will help you achieve that.

Desire for Simplicity

Modern style was born from a desire for simplicity. It was a new stylistic ideal that removed all ornament from the furniture. For every ornate piece of furniture or ornate fixture and rich patterned fabric, modernity presented a streamlined alternative—a pared-down approach to furniture and decor. The shift away from ornamentation changed the overall aesthetics. For example, nail heads and ornate floral patterns were removed from tub chairs like the one above. So the designer could design a more streamlined version like the modern tub chair below.

If you dislike embellishments on your furniture, modern style may be for you. By the way, tub chairs are dining or lounge chairs with rounded arms and backs. They resemble a tub in shape, hence the name.

Reading nook with modern tub chair designed by Lynteriors

Purpose or Function of Furniture

It was a tremendous change from traditional furniture styles, which were loud and showy. Modern furniture designs, however, focus on the purpose of the furniture other than ornate designs that will make the house busy and visually heavy. They were now designed based on their function.

For example, the chair above is based on a traditional tub chair, but with all the embellishments removed. In this case, it was about the comfortable chair, not its ornate details. It still has a graceful curved back and arms. But the swooped arms have a more subtle angle. Also, the chair becomes even more comfortable to lounge in without embellishments. Without the nail heads and wood frame, it is also easier and cheaper to make in a factory.

Hand-Made Methods Replaced by Industrial Production Methods

As alluded to above, furniture was beginning to be mass-produced in factories at the end of the 19th century. The furniture designers focused on affordable, simple products that would be easier to mass-produce. As a result, the hand-made manufacturing methods of the earlier era were overtaken by industrial production methods, which integrated modern materials into the designs.
For example, these factories used new materials to make furniture, such as plastic and steel, instead of wood. Before this period, tables were made of wood. Below is a photo of an Aurora, Ontario, living room. The modern style coffee table and side table have straight lines. Glass and chrome were the material used to manufacture them. As a result, they are simple to mass produced in a factory.

Characteristics of Modern Furniture

Each style, including the modern style, comprises distinctive furniture, lighting and accents that give it its signature look. As discussed earlier, this style is a mix of all the substyles of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The modern style includes the substyles of Bauhaus, art deco, the mid-century modern style etc. Despite all these substyles, the super category style has general defining characteristics.

Basic Forms and Shapes

One of the characteristics of modern furniture is its simple forms and shapes. The designs have simple geometric shapes and angles. If there are curves, they are simple and streamlined. Chairs are a great example. They typify the forms seen in this style.

The shapes are often square-shaped chairs or rounded-shaped chairs such as tub chairs. The boxy-shaped club chair in the above photo is similar to Borge Mogenson’s 1963 pared-down version of the traditional club chair.

The top of the back of the traditional club chair had a wooden crest and an exposed wooden frame. It was invented 250 years ago in France. Borge took the club chair to its bare bones and created a simple square design with swooped arms. He removed the ornate wooden top, and the wooden chair frame was not exposed anymore.

The chair above has the same form and is a recent copy of Borge’s 1963 chair. It has soft cushioning just like Borge’s chair. So it is still a comfortable chair which was its intended function.

Straight Lines and Clean Lines

Many modern furniture designs have straight lines. For example, the club chair above has straight lines making its shape boxy. Even the ends of the arms have straight lines. It also has subtle swooping arms that create a streamlined, elegant look. He used straight lines and streamlines because Borge believed in the simplicity of lines. The coffee table and side tables have straight-lined silhouettes too.

Furthermore, modern furniture has clean lines. It means all the ornamentation and embellishments are removed. For example, the chair above has a square-shaped tapered leg that is clean-lined with no ornately carved detailing. And the tub chair below has tapered legs with no added detailing.

Patterns Removed

Modern style furniture has no ornate, heavy floral patterns like traditional upholstery often had. The tub chair pictured above and the club chair below have no designs on their fabric. They have solid white coloured textiles instead.

Neutral Colour Schemes

Modern style steers clear of dark or bright colours found in traditional interior design styles. Instead, it favours a neutral colour palette. A neutral colour scheme includes white, grey, black, brown, and beige.

Borge Mogenson’s 1960s club chairs had pea-green fabric or brown leather. The updated modern style club chair below has a white polyester linen-look fabric. It does not have the dark or bright classic colours or the pea-green colour found on 1960s upholstered furniture.
Some modern-style homes have a pop of colour: such as the navy blue and white reading nook tub chair above.

Sleek surfaces

Shiny, smooth and glossy surfaces are the hallmark of modern furniture designs. Removing carvings and other embellishments from the furniture surface creates this smooth surface and that sleek look. Tables made of polished chrome and glass create that shiny look too. The coffee table and side table in the living room below are examples. If you like this type of furniture, the modern style may be for you.

But you may prefer furniture and a style with some embellishments, glam and a modern touch. If so, you may like the modern glam farmhouse style. To find out if you like the modern glam farmhouse style go to https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/2022/09/29/what-is-modern-glam-farmhouse-style/

I, Lynn Asbury, am the owner of Lynteriors, an interior design firm based in Aurora, Ontario.

Why do Sofas and Chairs have Different Price Points?

The reason your sofa is expensive is the quality of the materials. The tailor-made components you choose give you the luxury, support, and style you want. For example, the fabric you pick affects the price. Silk fabric is more expensive than a man-made fabric such as polyester. This post will focus on textiles and detailing, which add style to the look of your upholstered furniture but affect the price.

The suspension material affects the price point too. Eight-way, hand-tied seats are comfortable and responsive, while furniture with sinuous springs is slightly softer. Webbing suspension keeps the cost of seats low and gives chairs less support. But webbing suspensions will sag sooner. So buyers beware.

The frame and construction affect the price too. For sofas and chairs that can hold up to years of daily use, focus on pieces that feature kiln-dried hardwood frames. Ones with reinforced corner blocked joints will be the absolute sturdiest. The cost of the sofa due to frame construction, frame materials and suspension materials is discussed in more detail in another post. Go to https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/2022/05/06/why-does-your-sofas-construction-matter to find out more.

Contemporary style love seat procured by Lynteriors

Good, Better, Best Upholstered Furniture Categories

As alluded to earlier, the quality or rarity of the textile also affects the price. Fabric is available at $2 per yard or $200 per yard. Fine leathers can cost even more. And a good sofa with a quality frame and springs can start at around $4000 retail.


Man-made materials are less expensive, so if the fabric is polyester, it will cost less. A better sofa with higher quality fabric can start around $4500 or more.


Furthermore, the best sofas will have high-quality leather or 100% natural fabrics such as wool or silk. They will also have extra detailing added, like nail heads. The best sofa will cost $6000 or more. The good news is that Lynteriors provides discounts of up to 30%. So you do not pay the retail price.

Example of Good Upholstered Furniture

Contemporary Love Seat

A contemporary love seat has simple, clean lines like the one above. Smooth, clean, and unadorned furniture materials in solid hues always work best in contemporary-style homes. Solid neutral colours such as white or off-white are examples. The love seat upholstery in this family room above is in an off-white polyester.

Since the loveseat is clean-lined without detailing and upholstered in polyester fabric, it is more reasonably priced. It is an example of a good loveseat with a high-quality solid wood engineered frame but a lower-grade upholstery. It looks beautiful like linen but is not as costly. 

Better and Best Upholstered Furniture

Farmhouse Style Dining chairs procured by Lynteriors, a decorating company in Aurora, Ontario

Refined Styling

The added details on your upholstered furniture affect the price too. For example, the dining chair above has nailhead detailing. The extra detailing gives it refined styling but means this chair costs extra. So this was one of the manufacturer’s most expensive dining chairs.


The fabric was polyester. So the lower grade fabric kept the cost down. This dining chair is considered a better-upholstered furniture piece. If the chair had a 100% linen fabric and the nail heads, it would fall into the category of the best-upholstered furniture.
The dining chair is by Canadel, a Quebec manufacturer. Canadel uses high-quality frames and springs too. To find out more about high quality frames and springs go to https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/2022/05/06/why-does-your-sofas-construction-matter.

I, Lynn Asbury, am the owner of Lynteriors, an interior design firm based in Aurora, Ontario.

2 Biophilic Interior Decorating Ideas for Summer 2022

You may be wondering what biophilic interior design is. Well, it may be just what the doctor ordered! That is because you and I have just come out of the COVID pandemic- or the worst of it. And there is inflation to contend with now. So you may feel stressed because of inflation, excessive use of technology and work etc. Evidence suggests that nature helps alleviate this stress. A home where you can experience a piece of the outdoors is, therefore, more popular than ever.

A room incorporating biophilic design ideas is a great way to escape from the summer heat waves too!

As some of you know, I was a nurse. And I practiced as a psychiatric nurse for over four years. So anything that helps alleviate stress in your life and everyone else’s life is near and dear to me. So I am very interested in interior design styles that involve mental health. The trend discussed in this post is about that. This trend is known as biophilic interior design.


Biophilic design involves bringing the outdoors in too. It has become popular because research supports the claim that images depicting nature, such as wall art, can alleviate stress. Other interior design accessories such as tropical indoor plants and even cut flowers in a vase can achieve the same results. As a result, we have come to appreciate the power of nature to uplift and revitalize us.

Cut flowers in a vase in my breakfast room add to the biophilic design

Scientific Proof that Nature Alleviates Stress

Research has also shown that images depicting nature produce a calming atmosphere. They also reduce stress, improve cognitive function, spur creativity, and improve overall well-being.

For example, one of these research papers published by the Oxford Academic journal on 22 December 2005 states, “This paper presents a summary of empirical, theoretical and anecdotal evidence drawn from a literature review of the human health benefits of contact with nature. Initial findings indicate that nature plays a vital role in human health and well-being.” (Health Promotion International) Click the following link to read the full abstract and paper. https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/21/1/45/646436?login=false.

No wonder you may desire to reconnect with the natural, outside world. A walk in the forest or a garden is an ideal way to connect with nature. But you can achieve this using interior design too. Houseplants, greenery and cut flowers help you receive these health benefits too. A window garden view connects you with nature too. The breakfast room photo above is an example of how to use cut flowers and a window garden view to achieving this. This type of interior design is known as biophilic design.

My family room with abstract forest wall art of a tree with gold leaves, a corn plant, an umbrella plant and faux ivy add to the biophilic design

Biophilic Design

Erich Fromm created the term “biophilia in 1964. He described it as the passionate love of all that is alive or a love of nature. Biophilic interior design, an extension of biophilia, incorporates natural materials, flowers, foliage plants, nature views and other experiences of the natural world into the interiors of your home. You may love nature because you sense it has health benefits. And you are right.

Stress is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders. You reduce it by spending time in a nature-oriented environment. Scientific evidence reveals that bringing the outdoors into your interior spaces has health benefits. These benefits include decreasing stress. What the scientists have found is now influencing the world of interior design. You and I love nature because it has physical and psychological health benefits. So we gravitate toward nature and want to bring it into our indoor spaces.

Idea #1: GO ALL IN ON GREENERY

Introducing live plants into your interior spaces is one way to incorporate biophilic interior design. Furthermore, nothing says summer like lush green leafy plants. Plants add a pop of green through their leaves. Given its connection with nature, the rise of green colours follows homeowners’ appetite for all things biophilic. So green foliage plants are popular right now. Plants help to liven up the room and will also purify the air. Foliage plants, such as tropical plants, are easy to move around. Besides, seeing your blooms and leaves grow brings a deep sense of fulfillment and joy.

I love indoor and outdoor plants for many reasons, including seeing them grow and thrive. I have a corn plant and an umbrella tree in my family room pictured above. And on the hearth sits a faux ivy plant which gets minimal light. So remember, there’s no shame in using artificial plants in spaces that get minimal light or if you have trouble keeping plants alive.

You can try decorating with tall, standing house plants, like a monstera or an umbrella plant. Many of them are easy to look after. For example, my umbrella plant is easy to look after. Also, these sturdy house plants are like living art, and they add a vibrant pop of colour to any room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try to use realistic-looking fake plants. That way, you can feel like you have a little piece of a garden in your home, yet never worry about forgetting to water the plants. Greenery is trending this summer and is an element of the biophilic design trend. So update your interior by incorporating real or faux plants in your rooms too.

Idea #2: Use Windows as Live Wall Art

Aurora, Ontario living room sheers designed by Lynteriors. Example of live wall art.

Summer sheers block the harsh summer sun and let the summer breezes in. Click the following link if you want to find out more about summer sheers. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/2022/06/06/sheers-for-

Your window, its view and the window treatments that frame the window also become live wall art during the summer season too. The above photo is an example of live wall art. You can see the lovely flowering tree from this homeowner’s window. If you have a lovely view of a garden from your window, open your curtains so you can see it. That is what my Aurora interior design customer loved to do with the sheer curtains I helped design for her. So bring the outdoors in thru a window with a lovely view. Open your sheers or curtains to create living wall art. Or, if the view out of your windows is obscured by curtains and drapery, consider removing and storing those extra layers for next winter. Bringing the outdoors in via the window as live wall art is another way to incorporate biophilic design.

Abstract wall art with a tree and gold leaves above the family room fireplace. Biophilic Interiors Design ideas and tips

Tips On How to Add Biophilic Interior Design Elements into Your Home:

  • Introduce more live plants and flowers in vases
  • Purchase artwork that immerses you in nature such as the abstract wall art of a tree with gold leaves that is in my family room pictured above
  • Open curtains to bring in garden and forest views 

If you want help incorporating biophilic design into your rooms feel free to contact me at 416 721 6217.

I, Lynn Asbury, am the owner of Lynteriors, an interior design firm based in Aurora, Ontario.

  

 

 

Preparing for the Interior Design Consultation

If you need renovation help or redecorating help that involves several purchases, then an interior design consultation is one of the first steps in the process. But you may be wondering about this meeting. And now that the consultation is close at hand, you’re probably brimming with excitement as you anticipate a transformation of your living spaces. You want your home or room to look great, feel like you, and you want it to work well too. You want that transformation of your space to be your dream space. Well, Lynteriors will help you create your dream room or home. And the interior design consultation will help us get you there. I provide other types of consultations for DIY projects too. Click the following link to find out more about DIY consultations. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/designer-by-your-side/

What is an Interior Design Consultation?

It is a meeting between you and me. During the consultation, I will learn about your interior design style preferences and how you want to use the room. I will consider your home’s lighting, the existing floorplan and furnishings. I will also account for the square footage of your project’s space. So I often do measurements too during the consultation.

The interior design consultation will occur in your home, where I will provide you with targeted help that speaks to your specific lifestyle. I assist you with anything design-related, from furniture layout to window treatment solutions that meet your practical and aesthetic goals. It is during this meeting, you show me the space that will be redecorated or renovated too.

Goals of an Interior Design Consultation

 If you have never had an interior design consultation or worked with an interior designer before, you may be a little nervous about it. Also, You may be wondering if and how you should prepare for your first consultation with Lynteriors? I have created this post to answer this question and alleviate any concerns.

Usually, I will send you a questionnaire for you to fill out beforehand. Or I will ask you questions during the consultation. These questions help ensure that the following goals are met during this first meeting. Preparing and sharing the following information with me is the key to a successful consultation. I cannot create a tailored design for your space without this information.  Also, remember that all decision-makers should be there too.

Newmarket, Ontario Family room love seat procured by Lynteriors

The Goals of Your First Interior Design Meeting are to:

  1. Establish a budget and Share It with Your Designer. Knowing how much money you have to spend or what you are comfortable spending is information to share with someone like me who will be guiding you through this process. Sharing your budget with me will save time and enable me to establish what design options you can and cannot afford. If you need help figuring out a budget, I can help you during the first meeting. Also, it is helpful to have realistic expectations about how much you are willing to spend on your home interior design project.
  2. Determine the Project’s Scope and Share It with Your Designer. Show me which rooms are part of your project. And tell me about your redesign project. For example, share with me if these rooms need a renovation or not. Or do you need help choosing the number of furnishings in a room? If so, share with me what pieces you need to purchase. So I can source those pieces and add them to the design concept. With this information, I can create a design concept tailored-made for you.
  3. Determine the Intended Function of the Room. In other words, what activities will be carried out in the room and by whom. I need to know how you plan to use the space now and in the future so that I can design your space to meet your needs.
  4. Have inspiration ideas and photos ready to share. As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words. That is why showing me photos from Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, or interior design magazines of rooms that you love is important. These photos help me gain insight into what you envision for your interior design project. This exercise allows you to think about what you like and don’t like without worrying about how to identify your “style” in words as well. 
  5. Make Sure All stakeholders and Decision-Makers are Present (if possible). Make sure anyone who is instrumental in the decision-making process attends the consultation. It will save time and potentially money as I bring together possible opposing styles. I can then work to create a sense of cohesion in the project when everyone is there and reaches an agreement on the vision for the project.
  6. Have Existing Drawings and Plans for the House (if possible).
  7. Have questions ready.

Newmarket, Ontario Dining room table and chairs procured by Lynteriors

Homeowner’s Preparation for Consultation Checklist

The following checklist for homeowners to be ready with by the first meeting should help ensure that the project kicks off effectively and efficiently. The more you put into the consultation, the more you will get out of it.

  • Establish a budget
  • Determine the Project’s Scope
  • Determine the Room’s Function
  • Have inspiration ideas and photos to share.
  • Make Sure All stakeholders and Decision-Makers are Present.
  • Have Existing Drawings and Plans for the House
  • Have questions ready.

A room renovation requires a consultation to start the design off properly. Even some redecorating projects involving many decorating elements such as furniture, plus window treatments and lighting require a consultation and concept design to ensure everything in the room coordinates with everything else. I will work with you to develop a new direction for your home or room. The consultation is one of the first steps in the process. I provide other types of consultations for DIY projects. Click the following link to find out more. https://lynteriors.wordpress.com/work-with-me/

I, Lynn Asbury, am the owner of Lynteriors, an interior design firm based in Aurora, Ontario.

Sheers for Privacy

Sheer curtains add privacy to a room during the day. A design idea to incorporate then, is white sheers. It adds to the white colour scheme of the room.

Do you have windows that let in too much sun in the summer? Or do you want to be able to look outside and still have privacy? Sheers may be the solution for you.

The homeowner featured in this post came to me for help in solving these issues. This blog will also talk about the practical and aesthetic benefits of sheers.

Sheers Keep the Sun’s Heat and Excessive Light Out

The heat and light in the afternoon are fierce in my Aurora customer’s living room because her window is west facing.-a, big issue, particularly in the summer. Leaving windows uncovered in a room that receives a large amount of sun may lead to heat gain and excessive light that can create discomfort and hamper the atmosphere inside your house. This was the case for my client.


White sheers are an excellent barrier to solar heat gain in your home during summer. So, closing your sheers during the summer can keep heat out. You can still look through them and enjoy the view out of the window. Other fabric curtains such as thicker weight cotton can help when they are drawn closed too.

Furthermore, sheers filter the harshest of the sun’s rays. They softly diffuse the natural light coming into your room when drawn closed. It screens the light without blocking breezes from your open window. My client wanted to be able to enjoy breezes while her curtains were closed. Sheers were the solution for her. They may be the solution for you, too.

 By using sheers, we blocked out the heat without compromising on the light.  The sheers can then be drawn back on a gloomy day or when the sun changes position or if she wants more of a breeze, giving the client the best of both options.

Windows help frame lovely views such as this flowering tree. It creates a live wall art to view from the room. So it becomes part of the home decor.
Simple sheers give emphasis to the lovely view by framing it

Sheers Provide Privacy

Sheers can help you enjoy a light-filled room. And keep those inquisitive eyes away. Their material is thin enough to let the sunshine in and thick enough to block the inside view.


For my Aurora client, there was a need for daytime privacy because her living room faces the street that the photo above reveals. You can see through sheers when the light shines through them so you can look outside while sitting on your sofa. But no one on the street can see you!

Sheers Frame Windows and Outdoor Views

During the living room photoshoot, we marvelled at the beauty of the homeowner’s flowering tree that we viewed from her window. These sheers framed that view nicely. It acts as a frame for the window and the lovely sight, creating a live wall art. The photo above shows what I mean. Other window treatments such as thicker silk curtains can beautifully frame a window too.

Soft Sheer Curtains are so Versatile

They sit right at home in traditional and modern settings and work beautifully on their own. Sheers can look contemporary or more classic depending on the hardware and the header you select. Sheers work well in a transitional style room, such as the living room in the photo below. And a traditional style living room too.

Sheers add to the summer decor. Sheers work in rooms with different design styles. They work in this transitional living room too.
Aurora, Ontario Living Room Redecorated by Lynteriors

Sheers Provide a Visual Aesthetic Through Colour

The colour of the sheer fabric can be used as a design tool to coordinate, complement and support the interior design. For example, the white sheers in the photo above help to unify the room by adding more white to the design supporting the white colour rhythm in the room.

The colour scheme in the living room above is neutral with wood tones, dark gray and white. The white sheers coordinate with and complement the dark gray sofa and wood-tone furniture. It supports the neutral white, gray and wood-toned colour scheme.

Sheer Curtains Provide a Simple Sense of Beauty

White sheer contributes a lot to brightening up your room. Its transparency makes your room appear bigger.

They create a light and airy feeling in your room. You want this in a summer window treatment and perhaps all year round.

Sheers also add a beautiful translucent look that softens the feel of a room. The sheer curtains in the photo below lighten and brighten the room. It softens the stream-lined look of the modern sofa too.

Furthermore, they are the perfect look you need when staging a room. So if you think you will be moving soon, white sheers are the few curtains appropriate for staging.

The white sheers support the interior design of the room. They add more white to the room. They are a great window treatment to use for home staging.
Sheers procured by Lynteriors

Final Words-The Main Points to Remember About Sheers

  1. Sheers and other curtains add to the Interior Design
  2. Windows bring the outside in and window treatments frame that view
  3. They keep the heat out and excessive light out
  4. Sheers provide privacy but you can still look out the window when they are drawn closed

If you are interested in incorporating sheers or other window treatments in your home, Lynteriors can help. Call Lynteriors at 416-721-6217 for a free discovery call!

I, Lynn Asbury, am the owner of Lynteriors, an interior design firm based in Aurora, Ontario.