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There’s something about springtime in Northern Virginia (well, usually – this year is special with its cold!): the sun comes out, flowers bloom, and we emerge from winter for outdoor sports!

One of the best signs of spring are the little league players on the fields, dressed in their uniforms, learning how to throw, catch, bat, and slide. Moss Building & Design has been a big supporter of local little league programs for several years – this year, we decided to up the ante and add several more organizations to our list. It is an honor to support the boys and girls who are learning to work as a team, improving their individual skills, and being a part of their local community.

With opening weekends coming up, we wanted to wish all the players (and coaches, and umpires, and volunteers!) a wonderful spring little league season. Good luck to everyone! Play ball! 

If you’d like to learn more about Moss Building & Design and our community outreach, please contact Jenn Zschunke, Community Relations Manager, at jzschunke@mossbuildinganddesign.com. 

Many people mistakenly interchange the terms contemporary and modern when describing their home design style. Contemporary design style is fluid and ever-changing.

Unlike traditional design style, which can become over-the-top with ornamentation, and modern design style, which can be overly sharp and stark, contemporary design blends the two in perfect balance. While I must admit, it’s a little confusing, some distinct differences exist between the two.

Modern Design Reflects A Particular Period

As you may remember from our modern design series of blogs in December, modern design is a style that rose to popularity in the 1920s to 1950s. Its minimalism, sleekness, and airiness has a very distinct look. You’ll likely see sharp lines and bold colors standing out from a stark white, black, or gray color palette, as well as plastic, glass, or wood furniture.

In the following McLean, Virginia, home that MOSS remodeled in 2015, you see a perfect example of modern design style through accent furniture used in this hallway.

What Is Contemporary Home Design?

Contemporary home design is up-to-date and “modern”. It’s ever-changing and in-the-moment. It adopts some elements of modern design, such as a clutter-free environment and a lack of ornamentation and embellishments.

However, in a contemporary home, you also see the latest trends or a homeowner’s eclectic personality shine through.

This Arlington, Virginia remodel features a lot of natural light and open space. It uses neutral gray colors and is clutter-free but still very comfortable and inviting. The recessed lighting is a must-have in today’s homes, but the lamps on the end tables still make the room feel very cozy.

Finally, the nailhead trim headboard on the bed is a very contemporary trend. If this bedroom were more modern (instead of contemporary), you’d see furniture and accent pieces with sharper, straighter lines.

How Do You Achieve Contemporary Design Style?

Newly remodeled contemporary homes focus on finishes like fir, cedar, and stone, which are popular at this time, according to Relish Interiors.

Another highly utilized trend is luxury vinyl plank flooring, which is hot right now in just about any room of your home from kitchens and bathrooms to basements. This is such a desirable floor option because of its versatility and durability. It’s very difficult to scratch or tarnish and holds up well against changing temperatures and moisture levels.

See the picture below of a MOSS bathroom remodel that features plank flooring in Arlington, Virginia.

Sometimes, being “contemporary” means embracing vintage elements that have become trendy again. In our blog, Our Predictions for Popular 2018 Design Trends, we outline some of the top remodeling trends we’ve seen rise over the past year. A few of those trends lean toward rustic or vintage design styles, including farmhouse sinks, vintage pendant lights, and touches of brass.

When done right, you can add any of these trends into your design while still remaining contemporary.

For more tips on how to incorporate a contemporary home design into your living space, download our style guide by clicking on the button below. We outline best practices for creating the best contemporary kitchen design, living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

If you’re thinking of a contemporary home design for your next remodeling project, work with Northern Virginia’s top remodeler. Call Moss Building & Design at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

Contemporary Design 101

Contemporary and modern design are often used interchangeably. While some similarities are present, the two design styles aren’t the same. Modern design actually comes from a specific time period while contemporary design is ever-changing. Contemporary design often incorporates modern elements but also includes new and trendy pieces from “the now.”

Contemporary Living Room Remodel in Northern VA

Unlike modern design, which has stark straight lines, contemporary design often incorporates soft and rounded lines. In a contemporary living room, you see rounded lines particularly in the furniture and decor.

Our first favorite contemporary living room is from this remodel in Arlington, Virginia.

As noted above, you immediately see a living room full of rounded, soft lines. The furniture, center coffee table, and light fixture all play up the rounded lines in this remodel. The bold red and blue are used in this contemporary space, really creating a “wow” look.

The use of geometrical shapes is also a common element in contemporary design. This living room incorporates many geometrical shapes from the pattern on the chairs and pillows to the shape of the light fixture.

Contemporary Living Room Design

This gorgeous contemporary living room takes a much different approach than the remodel in Arlington, Virginia. The monochromatic scheme is very different from the bold pops of color in the first living room, but it’s still beautiful in its own way.

You notice the symmetry in this living room almost immediately. Modern elements in this space include the clean, straight lines, but they’re offset by the addition of rounded lines. The side tables and lamps all add softer lines to the design.

While this space is organized and clean, you notice a bit more decor here than what you typically find in modern design. A cozy element is in this space as opposed to the starkness that’s found in modern design.

Our Final Favorite Contemporary Living Room

Our final favorite contemporary living room incorporates natural elements and maintains a neutral color scheme. The fireplace, made from natural stone, goes from floor to ceiling and makes the room more dramatic.

If you look past the living room, you see that it’s not the only room in the home to use wood. From the hardwood floors to the sliding doors, many wooden elements are in this home. In addition to straight lines, rounded lines are also found in the decor on the shelves and table behind the sofa. The neutral color palette is very contemporary.

Home Remodeling with Contemporary Design

Contemporary design is tricky to spot since it’s an ever-changing design style, but, by process of elimination, you should be able to spot a contemporary room. Our design blog series is a resource for you to learn more about each design style:

• Traditional design
• Modern design
• Transitional design
• Farmhouse Chic design
• Contemporary Design

Unsure of which design style you prefer? Take our design quiz to find out!

If you’re considering changes to your home, give us a call. We’re happy to answer any questions that you have about design and home remodeling. Call 703-961-7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

We spend a majority of our time under the fluorescent lights of an office, and then swap a computer screen glow for a television blur. Most of us want to spend more time outside, basking in the sunlight or frolicking in the snow.

So, how do we merge the best of both worlds? According to Moss Building & Design, here are a list of ways that you can bring the outdoors in (and skip the excess house plants):

Use natural materials. A great way to bring the outdoors in is by using natural materials, such as stone or wood, in your home. It’s important that these interior design features stand out, like this Native Trails Trough Stone Rectangular Drop-In Bathroom Sink from Wayfair or this Three Posts Abigail Standard Bookcase that’s made from dark oak.

Pick up accent pieces outside. We’re not talking about using nature as inspiration anymore. Literally pick up a beautiful rock, a handful of stones, or a set of pinecones off of the ground. Use these small accents to decorate your home, and combine with hanging planters, vertical gardens, or fresh flowers in a vase for an extra touch of organic essence.

Incorporate natural floors. Natural materials, such as bamboo, cork, and actual wood, have unique textures and shapes that mimic Mother Nature. To make your floors stand out, contrast the walls and surroundings. For example, if you use a bamboo floor, install smooth white cabinetry to contrast in color and texture.

Light a scented candle. Elle Decor mentions peaches, jasmine, white cedar, saffron, vanilla, and dark wood as some of the best smelling candle scents. NYMag quotes tomato, gooseberry, rose, pine, mint, and cypress as celebrity favorites. Orange blossom, tuberose, and mushroom were handpicked by interior designers for POPSUGAR.

What do all of these popular candle scents have in common? They’re all found in nature! To spruce up your home, bring the outdoors in by lighting an earthy, floral, citrus, or sweet scented candle.

Choose your color palette wisely. Mother Nature offers a gorgeous variety of colors, but what really feels closest to home are the colors that you see everyday. Instead of investing in the rich blues and deep purples of Greek or Moroccan scenery, start with leafy greens, sandy taupes, and earthy browns of your own backyard.

Take advantage of natural light. To feel fresh and cheerful during the day, use every natural light source in your home. Draw the blinds, open the windows, and install a skylight in your bathroom or bedroom to leverage natural light as often as possible. You can’t get more outdoorsy than sunlight!

Embrace natural motifs. For an artsy touch, hang paintings or photographs of natural elements, such as coral reefs, forests, animals, oceans, flowers, and so on. Even though it’s a still image, it “connects the natural architectural elements with traditional” design style, according to Southern Living.

Decorate for the season. To seamlessly integrate the outdoors and your home’s interior, decorate your space for the appropriate season. When it’s the chilly fall season, break out plastic pumpkins and gourds. As winter rolls around, collect and arrange bare branches and twigs in a vase above the fireplace. When it’s summer and spring time, invest in water features for your home.

If you’re interested in a home remodel from Northern Virginia’s best remodeling team, call Moss Building & Design at (703) 961-7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com to see how we can help.

What I like about contemporary design style, as cited by HGTV, is its fluidity and ever-changing personality. Unlike traditional design style, which can become over-the-top with ornamentation, and modern design style, which seems overly sharp and stark, contemporary design blends the two in perfect harmony. It’s never exactly the same with any project.

Every year, contemporary design offers something new or unique from that season’s trend. However, some common elements recur in almost all seasons of contemporary design. Trends, like neutral colors, smooth lines, and natural elements, are hallmarks of the style.

Read more about how to achieve this design style in our style guide by clicking here.

The Best Contemporary Kitchen Remodels

For kitchen remodels, you’ll typically see contemporary design reflected in white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and a minimalist, clutter-free environment. This McLean, Virginia, kitchen shown below (remodeled by Moss Building and Design) perfectly showcases contemporary style.

Its white countertops and stainless steel appliances are neutral and use clean lines but also have character.

When you’re considering a contemporary kitchen remodel, add additional touches, like a bold backsplash, a vintage butcher block, or metallic accents. Don’t be afraid to make the kitchen your own! These personal touches are exactly what contemporary design style is all about.

This photo of a kitchen backsplash in McLean, Virginia, shows a great use of beautiful, rectangular tiles. Using creative and colorful tiles adds texture to your space and creates a lovely focal point for the room.

Contemporary kitchens don’t have to predominantly use the color white. For example, this MOSS-designed Arlington, Virginia, kitchen uses darker wood cabinetry to add warmth while adhering to contemporary style. You also see very creative and modern light fixtures and bar stools, as well as a colorful tiled geometric backsplash that runs the length of the kitchen remodel.

Another example of a darker contemporary kitchen in Arlington focuses on hardwoods from the floor to the cabinets.

The Best Contemporary Bathroom Remodels

Bathrooms remodeled in contemporary design style are very elegant and spa-like. They create a calming atmosphere with updated fixtures and flooring and often feature geometric shapes in the tile or vanity and mirror.

Glass and natural elements, like stone, real plants, or greenery, are also common. Contemporary bathrooms are nearly always remodeled with new material and technologies in mind, according to HGTV.

For example, many contemporary bathrooms of today use laminate or luxury vinyl plank flooring that resembles real wood but holds up better under moisture conditions.

This example of a MOSS bathroom remodel in Arlington, Virginia, showcases a beautiful, oval mirror behind the sink. The mirror becomes one of the focal points of the room in addition to the geometric tiled wall. The dark wood cabinets of the bathroom complement the light plank flooring.

For a look that’s more common, this Oakton, Virginia, bathroom remodel focuses on the tile artistry in the shower. It also matches contemporary style with sleek lines and a clean, updated look.

Learn More About Northern Virginia’s Top Remodeler

Kitchens and bathrooms are where you really have fun with home design during a remodeling project. These rooms need the most attention because of their daily use and how quickly appliances and fixtures become outdated. What better way to bring in your eclectic flair than through a contemporary home design in your bathroom or kitchen?

If you’re thinking of a contemporary home design for your next remodeling project, call Moss Building & Design at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com. 

Contemporary means “…living in the present.” In contemporary home design style, the word includes anything and everything in terms of style: Embracing a few standouts of past styles that are still popular (modernism, traditionalism, transitional) and mixing in present-day trends. Here are five contemporary home design trends that are popular right now:  

Emphasis on Minimalism

Contemporary design borrows a “less is more” mentality from modern design. Little clutter on countertops, a few key pieces of art, underwhelming furniture, and a minimal color palette are a few key elements.  

This Arlington, Virginia, remodeled home by Moss Building & Design showcases an office area with neutral colors and storage that keeps clutter to a minimum. A few pieces of art bring in color as an understated look.

Balance Is Key

A contemporary design style relies heavily on balance. Monochromatic and balanced colors are a big part of this design style. Colored furniture that balances the neutral walls and a good deal of natural light are perfect. Imagine a kitchen with white and dark cabinets; a warm wood floor; and dark, soothing countertops.

Clean Lines

Unlike other design styles, contemporary design emphasizes clean lines in furniture, cabinetry, wall mirrors, and bathroom vanities. Lines aren’t overly intricate or sharp. They can be geometric and soft.

Note the beautiful use of lines and symmetry in this Moss Building & Design kitchen remodel in Ashburn, Virginia. The cabinets, appliances, walls, floors, and furniture lines are all clean yet not sharp. The overall effect is comfort and warmth, while retaining a level of sophistication.

Nature And Light

Bare walls in contemporary homes are often accented by large windows that allow in natural light. The emphasis on nature in contemporary homes is twofold. Bringing in natural light highlights open space and feelings that contemporary design style relies on. Plants and large windows allow for the feeling of nature inside a home.

Greenery or other colors in nature introduce a pop of color that contemporary homes use to emphasize the neutrality and monochromatic colors in interior decor.

This McLean, Virginia, master bedroom beautifully showcases large windows that bring in an abundance of natural light. Paired with furniture that doesn’t overwhelm the room, the design is perfectly contemporary.

Mixed Materials

Contemporary home design incorporates many materials, including the mixed use of metals, glass, stone, and more. Utilizing natural and manmade products is a way to embrace what’s presently available while recognizing the value of what’s been available. It’s the mixed vision that really stands out as a trend for contemporary home design.

Finally, this Arlington, Virginia, kitchen remodel showcases large windows that illuminate a kitchen designed with mixed materials in mind — from the backsplash and fixtures to the cabinetry and pulls, it all blends together beautifully as a contemporary kitchen.

If you’re interested in a home remodel or to speak with someone about contemporary home design, contact Moss Building & Design at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

It always seems like it’s a constant struggle to keep up with the mess at home and spring sure brings its own unique challenges. With the introduction of rain boots, sneakers, sports equipment, and sandals (boy, I can’t wait to whip those out again!) also comes an increasing amount of clutter for the spring and summer season. One way to keep the clutter from extending into your home would be to create a mudroom. 

Mudrooms are great because they allow you to keep things like jackets, umbrellas, backpacks, boots, and sports equipment handy, while still giving them their proper place that’s not on the living room or entryway floor. Many mudrooms have built-in cubbies with hooks so each family member can have their own designated space. A built-in bench serves as a place to sit and remove dirty outerwear items. Drawers are also a great way to hide more seasonal pieces like scarves or gloves when the weather changes.

This Oakton, VA mudroom designed by Moss Building & Design uses removable baskets instead of permanent drawers to hide the clutter. 

Some people add even more character to their mudrooms. If your family is full of sports buffs, you could model your mudroom after a locker room and install cubbies that resemble lockers. Or, if you’d like to hide the space — out of sight, out of mind! — and you appreciate more of a rustic look, you could use sliding barn doors to shield the clutter like in this MOSS project in Herndon.

If building a mudroom isn’t an option for you, there are still a number of great tips to keep you organized and kick off spring cleaning season. To help store some of that clutter, check out small bench options that include drawers and cubbies. As opposed to a mudroom that might take up a lot of precious space, the bench can be placed by almost any entryway. Alternatively, simply invest in some decorative bins that can be labeled by child or article of clothing.

For even more space-conscious storage options, think about how you can utilize your walls. You may have space to add coat hooks by the door that could replace a floor-hogging coat rack. For containing the smaller messes, hang small boxes, folders or mesh bags on the walls to collect things like keys, mail and school announcements. Pair that with a chalkboard or family calendar to jot down important reminders and events. This wall organizer on the blog Simply Organized has gotten me inspired to keep things tidy. 

If you’re interested in building a mudroom in your house, simply call us at (703) 961-7707 or email us at Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com to learn more!

Getting organized at home is something that I am constantly striving for. I like to consider myself pretty organized, but I admit that if you open up some of our kitchen cabinets or drawers, the contents are in terrible disarray. I’m going to come clean and share that the below photo is the current state of one of my kitchen cabinets. 

Not too organized, right? Let’s add this to my spring organization work! In the meantime, I’ve scoured the internet and picked my friends’ brains for their best organizational solutions for kitchens: 

Use Your Kitchen Cabinets Effectively

From what I can tell, using cabinet space (a-hem) more effectively is a wonderful organizational tool. Risers are especially helpful, as you can stack your tupperware, sports bottles, and dishes that can otherwise get cluttered. Prior to doing that work, of course, going through and recycling any items that don’t have lids or bottoms is a great way to level the playing field. You can find inexpensive risers and cabinet trays that pull out (and are easily installed) and almost immediately feel a sense of accomplishment. Note to self: follow own advice ASAP. 

Make Some Updates To Utilize Dead Space

Nowadays kitchens are designed with many useful components, but if you still have a corner cabinet where you store the “never to be used pasta pot” in the far corner, then you might want to consider updating your kitchen. Installing a lazy susan or corner drawers helps to organize your pots and pans and makes life a lot easier. Tabletop lazy susans can be used in your pantry as well to organize cans, spices, and many other pantry items that would otherwise be relegated to the far back. Another great idea is to better utilize the wall at the end of your cabinets. We have hooks installed for the kids’ backpacks, but, you can also use that space for a hanging magazine rack to store cooking magazines or install a towel bar to hang more dish towels. 

Kitchen Organization 101: Storing All The Spices

Spice storage is a hot topic these days. I can absolutely attest that my spices are stored helter skelter in a cabinet and I’d love to implement a better system. Some great ideas for better spice organization in the kitchen include:

• Using a shoe organizer over the inside pantry drawer to store spices individually
• Built-in spice drawers in cabinetry
• Using a lazy susan in your pantry so you can use dead space (see above!)
• Storing spices in or even ON the fridge with magnetic backs
• Installing a slim spice shelf next to the refrigerator if you have that splice of space.

Organize Your Knives

As a parent, I have (for years) stored my knives lying on their sides on a cabinet shelf (I will not amuse you with a photo of this) so as to keep the kitchen childproofed. Since my children are older now, I could probably utilize a better way to store knives. Using a portion of the wall, you can install a magnetic rack for knives, as Martha Stewart demonstrates here. Another option would be an in drawer with a slotted organization system, allowing the knives to be safe but also keeps them from potentially dulling each other. Another note to self: fix knife storage issues. 

Add Deep Drawers

Having had deep drawers at one point in time makes me long for those days. Several of my pots and pans have permanent residence in the oven. To that I say: I am truly sorry. If I had my druthers, I would absolutely have deep, wide drawers in my cabinets in which to store my pots and pans. Included in that, I would install a lid organization system, so there’s never any fumbling about! Deep drawers (with risers!) would also be helpful with my (lack of) plasticware organization. Other ways to store pots and pans include hanging them from the ceiling or from hooks on walls (using dead space! See how this is all connected!?) or even hanging them on the wall at the end of your cabinets (again, see above!). 

Organizational solutions abound when talking about kitchen organization. Clearly my kitchen and I have a lot of work ahead of us! Stay tuned this spring as we at Moss Building & Design share more tips, tricks and tried-and-true ways to keep your home organized. For today, take this away: making the best use of your space may take some tools and a bit of time, but it will be worth it.

If you’d like to speak with someone at Moss Building & Design about updating or organizing your kitchen or other parts of your home, please call us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.