How to Add Warmth to Modern Interiors

High-rise homes and modern interiors seem to be the norm these days. However, it doesn't mean furniture should be cold or boring.

Incorporating warmth and coziness into your home can be achieved not just by using certain materials and textures but also by giving careful thought to furniture pieces you fill your home with. Hint: They should reveal something about your passion and your personality.

Here's a roundup of easy design tips featuring pieces from the French furniture brand Gautier to get you started:

Make a statement with sculptural details

Art can also be in furniture form. Go for pieces with unique, sculptural forms and details that easily command attention in a room, such as the SETIS console table from the Addict Collection. Its tubular steel details give it an unexpected charm. Whether you go for the white lacquer or oak finish (and whether you use it as side board or a corner writing desk), you can be sure it won't go unnoticed.

Choose light over dark

Love to have wood furniture but dread the dreariness it may bring to your space? Opt for pieces with a light stain or natural finish. For an even lighter, sleeker style, choose wooden pieces sans drawer pulls and handles, like the tall chest from the Symphonie Collection. The minimalist look will also introduce a sense of calm to your space. 

Put the fun in functional

Your choice of furniture need not be serious and straightforward all the time. If you're looking to inject subtle quirk into your space without making use of sassy patterns or loud colors, consider furniture or décor with a perfectly imperfect or off-kilter feel.

A good example of this is the modular and customizable shelving from the Graphic Collection, which can be configured to your own liking. There's also the chest of drawers, also from the same collection, with a clever deconstructed style.

Play with different heights

Visual layering is a decorating hack for creating depth and achieving that "styled by a pro" look in your home. For instance, go for a grouping of three smaller tables (three is always a good number when styling) in varying heights and shapes instead of one massive center table.

Try juxtaposing the rectangular QUADRO coffee table with the small, round ALTO pedestal table. Then, finish it off with the irregularly-shaped GALET coffee table. Anchor the grouping with a printed or textured rug for an elegant finish.

Go for contrast

Opposites can indeed work together, even when it comes to materials for your furnishings. The beds from the Graphic Collection are a good example of this. The wooden headboard and frame look traditional at first glance, but the steel legs update them with a modern touch. 

For even more contrast, opt for a trendy fabric headboard in blue/gray, yellow, or ocher. A bed from the Graphic Collection can add character to a teen's room.

Find the mentioned pieces and the rest of the collections at Gautier Manila, located at Shangri-La at the Fort.