Modern design is all about crisp, clean lines. In light of this, it may seem counterintuitive to try to combine modern sensibilities with the natural flourish of flowers. However, when produced in their most basic form (“modernized”), floral prints can carry a huge impact into the design of a space. The beautiful thing is, the incorporation of a modern floral isn’t confined to contemporary spaces alone but, rather, is a versatile and successful fit into home décor of any kind. Consider these examples:

Modern Floral on Furniture – The large, oversized floral print on this curvy armless chair is an important piece of design in this space. The round flower shape is mirrored subtly in the geometric print of the rug and the mum-inspired paper sculpture on the desktop. What’s more, because the space overall thrives upon simplicity as a rule, the light-on-dark modern floral print works perfectly. The color palette is kept soft and fairly neutral, with a nod to nature (sand-and-sea) in other elements as well, such as the glass-framed butterflies, flowers in a vase, and slatted side table.

Modern Floral on Flooring – Although I feel like the rug itself is a little small in this space proportionately, the idea behind the oversized modern floral print is fabulous. Large, chunky flowers scattered randomly across rug provide bold jolts of color and interest while maintaining a contemporary scale. The space keeps a tight color scheme, mostly greys with some browns and reds thrown in for warmth, and the rug goes along with this and throws in some pops of yellow to keep things interesting. I love the varied scale of large printed rug with small- and mid-sized prints on the pillows.

Modern Floral on Wallpaper – Although this print could really go either way in the traditional-modern realm, the wallpaper looks modern and chic in this updated bathroom. The contemporary feel is helped, of course, by modern touches such as countertop sinks and updated sconces. I’m fascinated by how this wallpaper includes lots of “white space” between flowers and stems, which blurs the boundary between traditional and contemporary. The metallic sheen of the flowers here goes well with the bright space, however, and either way, the space looks airy and bright and very chic.

Modern Floral on Window Treatments – Black-and-white floral curtains add drama and height to this fairly neutral space. Although the well-edited furnishings connote a sense of the contemporary, the furnishings themselves lean toward a traditional style, with creamy wood paneling on the walls and plaid upholstery on the pair of club chairs. Accessories are kept minimal, which makes the curtains’ floral pattern all the more distinct.

Modern Floral on Accessories – Throw pillows are one of the best (and easiest!) ways to incorporate a modern floral print into any space. The red and ivory chunky flowers of these army-brown pillows help to both break up the solid feel of the space and also infuse a bit of color. Neutral color palette all around, but pops of orange, contemporary pieces (e.g., the floor lamp and clean sofa lines), and varied textures of each component keeps it far from boring.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.