Modern

Where it comes from

The postwar move away from ornament, now the default language of new-build interiors.

Modern is the easiest style to reach in a remodel because it is mostly subtraction: handleless doors, a continuous counter, trim reduced to a shadow gap. The discipline is holding the line once the work is done, since every added object reads loudly against it.

Lighting

Recessed and linear, positioned so the fittings disappear and only the light is visible. Warm enough to stop the flat surfaces reading cold.

What breaks it

• Ornate mouldings and carved detail
• Busy florals
• Visible clutter on open surfaces
• Too many competing wood tones

Where to spend

Cabinet fronts and the junction between materials. Modern lives or dies on how surfaces meet, so the reveals and shadow gaps matter more than the finishes themselves.