Contradictory Design

Growing up in South Jersey made me privy to a wide variety of delicious food the majority of the world simply wasn’t lucky enough to be exposed to…real Philly cheesesteaks, 24 hour diners, Tastykakes, Herr’s potato chips, Panzerottis, and the list goes on.  Ask anyone from South Jersey and they’ll tell you the food there is so good you have no choice but to brag about it when you visit other cities.  One of my favorite treats to discuss with non-Jersey folks has always been Water Ice…especially because nine times out of ten the response sounds something like “Water ice?  How can something be both water and ice at the same time?”.  The fact that it is seemingly contradictory in terms makes it intriguing to describe (but substantially more fun to eat).  Now, leave it to me to find the connection between food and…essentially everything, but the same concept applies when you add a little contradiction to your design…things start to get interesting.  Take the design style ‘modern vintage’, for example.  A little old, a little new…could be intriguing, no?  There are some styles you simply can’t go wrong with…and this isn’t one of them.  The potential for disaster is probably quite high, but fortunately so is the potential to create an amazingly beautiful space.  Like most things in life, there’s no sure-fire formula for the perfectly coordinated balance of vintage and modern, in fact everyone who attempts the look is sure to go about it in a different way.  And if I had to pick one thing to love about the concept, that would be it.  If you’re interested in styling a vintage modern space you should start by determining a few foundational pieces.  Which elements will be streamlined, finished and sleek (modern) and which will be nostalgic, distressed and comfortable (vintage)?  Consider colors, shapes, patterns and textures from both styles…how can you coordinate them?  Go ahead and glean some inspiration from the rooms below.