Simply Contemporary: Inspirations for the Modern Home

Eclectic, livable, personal: these are the qualities that epitomize today's most captivating modern homes, turning them into spaces brimming with individual style.

In Simply Contemporary, renowned photographer Solvi dos Santos shares her unique portfolio of twenty-eight homes that have been updated to reflect the personalities and passions of the people who live in them. None of the properties has been made this way through exorbitant budgets, extravagant shopping sprees, or pages of style tips from glossy magazines. Rather, the homeowners looked to the items they already own and love to create dwellings that are full of personal significance and history. These spaces have been gutted, rebuilt, adapted, or simply redecorated, and not a single one was produced under the watchful gaze of interior designers. The end result is a collection of modern interiors that are constantly evolving, bringing a fresh new spin to contemporary design that tailors itself to the lives of each home's inhabitants.

Much of the beauty of the spaces in Simply Contemporary is derived from the objects within: African masks in a lakeside apartment in Copenhagen revealing a fashion designer's penchant for collecting, or a kitchen blackboard hanging below a painting in a Dutch country villa showing that a family's need for practicality doesn't override their love for art. From a family's weekend houseboat off the Danish coast to a restored farmhouse in Provence, from an architect's New York City loft high above Chinatown to a writer's hideaway in the shadows of Palma's cathedral, this stunning collection will inspire you to embrace the items already in your home to create warm, comforting spaces that radiate individual personality.

Simply Contemporary transforms the often daunting concept of contemporary, modern decorating through interiors that are at once aspirational and accessible. Whether you're searching for inspiration to redesign your home office or ideas to personalize your country getaway, Simply Contemporary will spark the creativity of anyone looking to embrace individuality and meaning to create the perfect comfortable home, regardless of location, size, or budget.

Solvi dos Santos is a renowned international lifestyle photographer. Her many publications include Contemporary Natural and Baltic Homes.

Henrietta Thompson is the editor at large of Blueprint magazine and the author of Phone Book: The Ultimate Guide to the Cell Phone Phenomenon.