| lux·u·ry | (noun): the state of great comfort or elegance and extravagant living.What does it mean to emphasize luxury as well as comfort in a home decor market?For us, it means living in a space that is elegant—but not too cluttered—where the aesthetic is perfect for entertaining, but also for staying to enjoy the artistic tranquility displayed in one's surroundings. Peace is what we often miss in our busy lives. We search for something meaningful in items or places that bring us joy, but you don't have to go outside to look for luxury. You don't have to go outside the home to obtain luxury. Why not bring it inside to enjoy in your own place of comfort?We crave excitement, but sometimes the excitement (or extravagance) of outside world does not match the luxury and comfort of a Modern-styled home inside. The home should be a space of intimacy, whilst also an escape from boring, drab, cookie-cutter or cluttered, loud and out-dated looks. And, yes, colors do effect our moods. If we want calm or uplifting, there are tones, shades, contrasts & even solid shapes to think about. One realizes geometry and symmetry do have a purpose in how one feels in their surroundings. With the Modern-style approach to design in the home and office, industrial constructed-elements conspire with Nature to bring presence, consistency, and purpose in our most-used spaces. Borrowing inspiration from industrial chic styles, the focus of Pop of Modern is about adorning your space with style but not forgoing the importance of comfort. The founder and fellow artist Kristina of PoM wants to help its customers achieve a merger of luxury—not necessarily extravagance—with comfort in their home or office by returning to hand-made and artisan objects for everyday use and appeal. Bring back art and artistry into the Modern home and office. Supporting the arts and (local) artists seems like a no-brainer, but, unfortunately, there are so many cheap and quickly manufactured objects and furnishings available in the home decor market that it can be easily overlooked. However, there was a time when quality stood for individually-made and customized pieces that were admittedly more expensive purchases; but, this was necessary for their purpose. Besides, it was the lasting aesthetic created by the artist (and not the machine) that accomplished such delight. Now, that is comfort in our opinion. So, the moral of the story is that these pieces often lasted far beyond their original purchase value and use.Today in our modern lives, we frequently settle for cookie-cutter, mass-produced items that often break or fall apart way before we expected or wanted them to (but, hey it was on sale!). If it was cheap, it often gets thrown away and replaced by another equivalent purchase. This should be a lesson in learning about what easily consumable items and their massive by-product waste does to the world and the environment, but we won't delve further into another 'moral of the story.'Here at Pop of Modern, we chose consistency over contemporary, and within that framework the idea of luxury blended with real comfort has a chance to progress. Certain trends come and go, but Modern style was created with lasting comfort in mind in order to balance the constantly changing world on the outside. The vision behind the boutique products and artisan/handmade items we sell is that they should bring one a sense of peace, yet, also be creative or exquisite to look at. One such example of a modern, calming and creative look, is to combine industrial stream-lined objects (i.e., iron, metal, solid shapes, minimalist detail, etc.) with natural materials and earth-inspired tones (pictured above). The dusty rose wall contrasts nicely with the black and grey accents that hold your everyday life items, whilst also displaying one's own personal taste and favorite treasures. Simple, peaceful elegance is achieved alongside furnishings that serve purpose and exhibit design quality, such as is in our Featured Product "Roll" Trolley Table and our geometric Magazine Holder arranged together. The composition demonstrates functionality and style with its structure, elemental design-features, earth-toned and neutral colors. These objects are easily movable and adjustable to suit one's individual space and life, which makes it a comfortable and luxurious way to adorn your space with style. Tone it up or down, and you've got an upgraded and sophisticated space to call your own. Is there a difference between luxury and comfort? Let us know what you think and don't forget to sign-up for our newsletter for more design tips and news!