{"id":89361,"date":"2023-08-08T17:15:13","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T11:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/?p=89361"},"modified":"2026-10-08T13:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T08:09:21","slug":"contemporary-house-design-smrthme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/contemporary-house-design-smrthme","title":{"rendered":"Contemporary House Design: Features, Cost &#038; Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask someone to explain the difference between contemporary house design and modern house design, and most people just shrug. The words get tossed around like they mean the same thing. They don&#8217;t, and the real difference actually matters if you&#8217;re planning to build.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house design in India refers to whatever architectural style is current right now, built around clean lines, open floor plans, and a mix of concrete, glass, and steel. Modern design is tied to a specific historical period. Contemporary keeps moving with the times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide covers the key features, modern-vs-contemporary differences, practical design ideas, and construction costs you should consider before planning a contemporary home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>{{auto_toc}}<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Is Contemporary House Design?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house design means whatever&#8217;s architecturally current at this moment, not a fixed style locked to one era. That&#8217;s the actual technical distinction. It&#8217;s also the one most articles skip entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few quick facts worth knowing:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary design pulls ideas from lots of past styles instead of sticking to just one<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These features are common in many contemporary homes: flat or low-slope roofs, open floor plans, big windows<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concrete, glass, and steel are commonly used in contemporary homes, often left bare instead of covered up<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Odd angles and asymmetrical shapes show up a lot too, since contemporary design cares more about standing out than fitting a mold<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house plans genuinely change over time. What reads as contemporary today won&#8217;t necessarily read that way in twenty years. That&#8217;s actually the whole point.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary vs. Modern House Design: The Real Difference<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern house design refers to a specific architectural movement from the early-to-mid 20th century. Contemporary house design refers to whatever&#8217;s current right now, and it can borrow from modern design or move in a completely different direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>\n<p><b>Basis<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><b>Modern<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><b>Contemporary<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time period<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fixed, early-to-mid 20th century<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always shifting, whatever&#8217;s current now<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Core philosophy<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form follows function<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blends multiple styles freely<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Materials<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Concrete, steel, glass, minimal ornamentation<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Same materials, plus natural stone, wood accents<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facade style<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean, geometric, often symmetrical<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently asymmetrical, curved and angular mixed<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern architecture refers to a defined historical design movement, while contemporary architecture reflects current design trends that keep moving. That is the key distinction between the two.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1091709 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/modern-house-and-contemporary-house.jpg\" alt=\"modern house and contemporary house\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/modern-house-and-contemporary-house.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/modern-house-and-contemporary-house-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/modern-house-and-contemporary-house-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/modern-house-and-contemporary-house-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key Features of Contemporary House Design<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A handful of features show up across nearly every genuine contemporary home, no matter which specific style choices get made.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open floor plans. Kitchen, dining, living, walls between them get thinned out or knocked down completely. One space instead of three separate boxes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Big windows. Large glass panels can bring in natural light and provide views while reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mixed materials. Concrete, glass, steel, stone, wood, all mixed together instead of just picking one and running with it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uneven facades. Contemporary elevations and contemporary house front design often use asymmetrical forms and varied geometric shapes rather than strict symmetry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indoor-outdoor flow. Sliding doors and covered patios blur where inside ends and outside begins.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house interior design usually follows the same logic as the exterior, open sightlines, a restrained material palette, and furniture that doesn&#8217;t compete with the architecture for attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/elevation-design-decart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">house elevation design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers front-facing ideas in more depth if the exterior look is what you&#8217;re focused on right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary House Design for a Single Floor<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A single-floor contemporary home works especially well on wider plots, since nothing upstairs is fighting for the same footprint. Keeping everything on one level makes the whole open-floor-plan idea work even better too, no rooms getting cut off vertically either.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Single-floor contemporary designs typically lean on a flat or barely-sloped roof, a wide, low-slung facade, and generous windows along the front elevation. A contemporary 2BHK house design usually fits comfortably in this single-floor format, while a contemporary 3BHK house design often needs either a wider plot or a second floor to keep rooms from feeling cramped. Our dedicated <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/single-floor-house-design-decart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">single floor house design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers layout-specific ideas, including Vastu-friendly options, if a single level is what you&#8217;re planning. Our broader <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/house-plans-smrthme\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">house plans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is worth a look too if you&#8217;re still deciding on plot size before committing to a style.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small Contemporary House Design<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A small contemporary house design leans harder on open planning, since there&#8217;s just less floor space to work with. Merging the living and dining area into one, swapping several small windows for a few big ones, picking just one standout material for the front instead of three, all of it helps a compact home read as genuinely contemporary and not just cramped.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storage becomes the real test on a small footprint. Built-in cabinetry and multi-functional furniture do more heavy lifting here than they would on a bigger plot. Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/small-house-design-ideas-that-make-your-home-attractive-cwart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">small house design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> goes deeper into these space-saving specifics.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary House Design in Kerala<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary design can adapt well to Kerala&#8217;s climate by combining features such as sloped roofs and generous overhangs with modern materials, layouts, and finishes. The result blends climate-smart engineering with a genuinely current look, not a copy of either a purely traditional template or some generic Western contemporary one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/kerala-house-design-smrthme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kerala house design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers this blend in real depth, including the difference between traditional Nalukettu-style homes and their modern contemporary counterparts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary House Design Cost<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house design cost in India isn&#8217;t one fixed number, it moves with your city, contractor, material grade, glazing, and specifications. The ranges below are an editorial estimate based on typical specifications at each tier, not a benchmark drawn from a single verified source, treat them as a planning reference rather than a market rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>\n<p><b>Cost Level<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><b>Approx. Range (\u20b9\/sq ft)<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><b>What It May Include<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic contemporary<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u20b91,800 \u2013 \u20b92,200<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard finishes, limited glazing, single accent material<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mid-range contemporary<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u20b92,200 \u2013 \u20b93,000<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better glazing, mixed materials, moderate steel work<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Premium contemporary<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u20b93,000 \u2013 \u20b94,500<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large glazing, exposed structural steel, premium finishes throughout<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are indicative editorial ranges only, not an authoritative nationwide rate. Actual quotations vary by city, built-up area, structural system, labor rates, and site conditions. Get estimates from two or three local contractors, and confirm each quote specifies which tier of finishes and glazing it&#8217;s actually based on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Don\u2019t miss It!<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Types of\u00a0 Houses<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/types-of-houses-in-india-smrthme\"><b>Know about Types of Houses<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Ghar Ka Naksha<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/ghar-ka-naksha-smrthme\"><b>Complete Info about Ghar ka Naksha<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Cabin House<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/cabin-house-smrthme\"><b>What is a Cabin House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Open House<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/open-house-smrthme\"><b>What is a Open House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Construct a House<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/how-to-construct-a-house-smrthme\"><b>How to Construct a House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>2 Storey House Design<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/two-storey-modern-house-design-smrthme\"><b>What is Two Storey Modern House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Duplex House<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/duplex-house-smrthme\"><b>What is a Duplex House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Standalone Building<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/what-is-standalone-building-smrthme\"><b>What is Standalone Building?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Condominium<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/what-is-a-condominium-smrthme\"><b>What is a Condominium Meaning?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Kutcha House<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/kutcha-house-smrthme\"><b>What is a Kutcha House?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrapping Up<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contemporary house design isn&#8217;t locked to one look. It&#8217;s defined by staying current, borrowing freely from whatever works, blending materials instead of sticking to a single formula. That flexibility is exactly why it works on a single floor, a contemporary two-storey house, a small plot, or even inside a regional style like Kerala&#8217;s traditional architecture.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start by deciding how much of that &#8220;current trends&#8221; flexibility you actually want, versus the more fixed, timeless quality modern design offers instead. Bring real numbers to your architect. And if you&#8217;re still torn between the two styles, our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/modern-house-design-smrthme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">modern house design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers the other side of that comparison in full.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ask someone to explain the difference between contemporary house design and modern house design, and most people just shrug. The words get tossed around like they mean the same thing. They don&#8217;t, and the real difference actually matters if you&#8217;re planning to build. Contemporary house design in India refers to whatever architectural style is current [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":89363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[216],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89361"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89361"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1091712,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89361\/revisions\/1091712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squareyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}