ADE: An Essay on Modern Glamour

Residence by Kelly Wearstler

A recap of my POV

When asked to label my aesthetic of choice, I’m quick to reference the modern glamour movement. I knew my taste in design was unusual, a hodgepodge of many styles, but it took research, reflection, and a book before I could properly name it. Barring the occasional departure (like yesterday's post), it's what you see here on Sukio. Modern glamour, a way to define the indefinable.

So, what is modern glamour?

Many would simply describe it as a new take on an old idea, i.e., "modern" as in new, current, or fresh - "to modernize". But my MIT-trained brain always views things differently. To me, modern glamour is merely the intersection of two contrasting styles: the sleek, clean, and edgy vs. the fanciful, decadent and exquisite. It is the delicate balance between the two that makes a space interesting and relevant.

Residence by Shaun Jackson

In short, modern glamour is controlled eclecticism. It's a style that allows designers to unexpectedly integrate, marry, and juxtapose the best elements of the design world, creating something wonderful in the process. But like all attempts at eclecticism, the task is tricky and can be downright daunting for many. Marian McEvoy may have put it best in her forward for "Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style":

It’s easier for a decorator to assemble a room in which everything matches than to concoct a space in which nothing matches but everything makes beautiful sense all together.

While experts like Kelly Wearstler can mix and match using natural intuition, others may opt for a more structured approach. Metropolitan Home’s "Glamour: Making it Modern" boils things down into a list of essential concepts (scale, palette, luster, antiques, Asiana, and multiples) and objects (staircases, fireplaces, drapery, chandeliers, mirrors, and daybeds). Helpful guidelines, but like rules, meant to be ignored from time to time.

Residence by Lee Ledbetter

The gist…

Modern doesn't mean austere or sterile and glamour doesn't mean frilly or overworked. It's a style that marries multiple ideas, viewing traditional notions of glamour, its shapes and textures, through a sophisticated lens. Mixing old with new, feminine with masculine, it conveys artful expression by way of interior design, creating not just a room, but a statement. It respects luxury and craftsmanship but sneers at the ostentatious. Modern glamour is powerful, not delicate or precious, and the chosen aesthetic of movers and shakers everywhere.

Ready to join the movement?

Images: kellywearstler.com, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest