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A few small accent pieces can go a long way towards creating a great desert modern look. Poke around in thrift shops, mineral stores, and antique fairs for hunks of crystal, cool rocks, and vintage pottery. Use your finds to perk up bookshelves, hold down a stack of papers on your desk, or add interest to your coffee table.
This is where the modern in desert modern comes in. Think vintage mid-century modern pieces in warm wood tones, like the bookshelf shown here. Sofas and chairs with simple, straight shapes work well, as do campaign furniture (like the folding leather stool seen here) and woven pieces.
Bring warmth to simple, clean-lined modern pieces (like the sofa and pendant light shown here) with rich, colorful, Southwest-inspired textiles. A great big rug in the living room is a great way to ground the space and set the color palette.
What sets desert modern style apart from straight-up southwest or desert style is a lighter touch. Instead of bringing in lots of heavy, rustic wood furniture and painting the walls in earth tones, lighten things up with airy wire furniture legs, crisp white walls, and delicate vases of flowers.
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Thankfully, cacti and succulents make excellent houseplants no matter where you live! Bring in little terracotta or handmade pots and fill them with a variety of cacti to create your own mini-southwestern indoor garden. Don’t have a green thumb? Consider picking up an art print or photo featuring desert-inspired plant motifs instead.
This cozy little nook uses a touch of mid-century modern with the chair, which looks stylish and comfortable enough to sit and enjoy a good book. The vibrant Southwestern rug is what really creates the desert modern decor vibe here, though, with its eye-catching pattern and colorway. We love the semi-sheer linen curtains, bringing an earthy tan to the textural grey walls. Notice how the foliage from the houseplants enhances the desert look, giving the space energy and a modern feel.
Decorating with desert modern means looking to other styles for influence. Here, we see it executed beautifully in this modern boho living room. With a large Southwestern rug and a cozy seating arrangement, this area is ready to play host to gatherings of friends and family. Notice the details around the room, from the end table to the large vase in the back, adding personalized touches. If you love this look, try heating to the flea market or thrift store for unique accents to bring your desert modern living room to life.
Desert modern decor draws inspiration from boho styling, which is all about the textured textiles. And you can see that influence here, from the throw blanket and pillows to the stunning area rug. Notice the decorative fringe and textured design in this image—both elements help give desert modern rugs an earthier, more interesting appeal. This seating arrangement might be found in a desert modern living room or even a patio with eye-catching lanterns and lush plant life.
This desert modern living room makes full use of natural neutral tones like tan, brown, beige, grey, and white to create a relaxing atmosphere. We love the semi-sheer shite curtains that filter in the sunlight, creating a diffuse glow while offering total privacy. Notice the lush foliage, adding color and breaking up the otherwise muted palette.
A comfy chair, a stack of books, and an end table for your tea or coffee—could there be a cozier desert modern reading nook? This relaxing little seating area might be tucked away in the corner of a desert modern bedroom or office, offering a place to unwind after a long day. Again, notice the hand-made detailing on this eye-catching rug, giving the space color and character. And again, a large houseplant in the corner adds a hint of natural color with plenty of personality, thanks to the beautiful planter.
Bright white walls and a lovely glass door give this inviting entryway a distinctly modern appeal. The Southwestern rug and weathered wood bench introduce desert allure, as does the exposed cement flooring. We love how this design makes use of the built-in shelf in the wall to display a lovely little plant as well as some books for light reading. Notice the rock being used as a doorstop—if you can incorporate natural elements into your desert modern decor, it’ll instantly look more authentic.
This warm color palette offers a more vibrant take on desert modern decor, using red, yellow, orange, brown, and tan to create depth and dimension. We love the eye-catching pouf, offering extra seating or somewhere to rest your feet while you relax in the cozy chair. Note the low-hanging artwork on the walls and the addition of natural foliage to create texture and visual appeal. This welcoming nook could again be tucked away in a desert modern office or bedroom, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Desert modern decor works well in outdoor spaces, too. Here, we see an eye-catching Southwestern area rug and a beautiful, textured chair to relax in. The lantern and side table add character and texture, enhancing the area and making it more inviting. We love the leafy plants to the edge of the patio, making good use of hostas and ferns to bring color and texture to this seating area.
This desert modern living room is an excellent example of coordinating the decor around the color palette of the area rug. To use this approach in your own home, choose a Southwestern area rug first, one with colors you love, and then select your accents to match. You don’t have to include every color on the rug, just a few to complete your palette of four to six colors in the room. Here, blue is just used in the rug, and green is only expressed through the houseplants.
This modern office space is subtly desert modern, making good use of a stylized rug and artfully placed houseplants. Note the air plants sitting on the desk—these beauties don’t even need to be planted! Talk about a low-maintenance addition to your desert modern decor. We love the mid-century modern desk here, making this office feel practical but still masterfully decorated. And note the calming aesthetic created by the blue-toned rug, a recommended color to encourage productivity in home offices.
We hope you've found the inspiration you need to create a desert modern paradise in your home. Even if you don't have your dream house yet, decorating with desert modern can capture the essence of this carefree, easygoing design style. And the options are endless! If you're still looking for desert modern decor inspiration, check out our selection of Southwestern decor for more beautiful ideas.
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