Our Modern and Contemporary rug collections are similar yet different and beautifully compatible with a variety of interior design schemes. Both categories share design features, so what differentiates them? Modern design objects reference the past even if it's the not-too-distant past of the 1980s. Modern design (as opposed to Modern Art) dates to the Art Deco era, and anything older than the 1920s is grouped under other historical style categories. Fine Art (painting and sculpture) and the Applied Art of architecture influenced the development of Modern decorative arts. Modern design as a style peaked in the 1950s and 1960s creating the look we know as "Mid-century Modern". New design influenced by Modern style – including rugs – continues to reference familiar "modern" geometric shapes, abstract compositions, and an absence of ornamental flourishes combined with often muted color palettes. Contemporary design objects visually reflect what's happening now, in other words current styles and trends. Contemporary is a fluid, ever-changing style. Contemporary applied art motifs are diverse and include trends such as the current interest in the natural world including birds, plant and leaf motifs, and tropical colors. Both categories of rugs reflect new technical performance developments that benefit the consumer.