Mid-century modern-inspired style can be found everywhere, whether it's the full-blown theme of a room or a space that simply has hints of it. Though the period itself emerged in the 1940s (and technically ended in the late '60s and early '70s), people are still adorning their homes in furniture, colors, and materials that look like they could be plucked from a home in 1955.
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The origins of mid-century modern
According to Luciana Fragali, owner of interior and architectural design firm Design Solutions, mid-century modern's timeless appeal has made it a go-to for designers and homeowners alike. The now-iconic design style was started by German architects and designers who immigrated to the United States post-World War II.
"It is based on earlier styles like the Bauhaus that began in Germany, but it is still around and thriving in the world of interior design today," she says. "This is due to its iconic look featuring clean lines, organic and geometric forms, minimal orientation, and high functionality."
If you're obsessed with the look — or just starting your design exploration — these are six distinguishing features of mid-century modern to keep stowed away for your next reno project.
For those who are color obsessed, this design type won't let you down. "The color palette of mid-century style tends to include a lot of whites, muted orange tones, smoky blues, deep yellows, and olive green," says Laura Hodges of Laura Hodges Studio. This means you have a wide range of shades to play with — so go wild mixing them all or pull it back for a minimalist spin by only selecting one or two hues.
2. Design icons are names you'd recognize
You could spend days talking about all of the designers, architects, and inventors who have made mid-century modern what it is today. Some of the most well-known are designers like Charles and Ray Eames, who Fragali says "paved the way for mid-century modern furniture with their colorful furniture made of bent plywood and plastic chairs molded to fit the curve of the body."
For more furniture that fit for your current design projects, but feature the original traits that make mid-century modern so popular, Hodges recommends looking into pieces from the late and great Scandi designers Alvar Aalto and Hans Wegner, whose work has Finnish and Danish influences. Other names to keep in mind:
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Arne Jacobsen
Florence Knoll
Isamu Noguchi
Charlotte Perriand
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3. The furniture is clean, minimal, and sleek
Nearly anything — beds, dressers, consoles, desks — can get the mid-century modern treatment, says Fragali, because the designs themselves were incredibly efficient, minimal, and angular.
The evolution of this furniture style didn't come from the design world at all. Ethen Wood of Ethen Wood Designs says designers "started using industrial techniques that had been developed for the war effort and applied them to make light and affordable furniture pieces." Although the furniture frames were thought to be neutral and plain, the upholstery took everything to a new level with bold colors and vivid prints.
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4. Elevated furniture is part of the appeal
The fabrics and materials that made up the furniture from this era (and the modernized versions that aim to copy original styles) include "thin legs, chromed steel, or bent wood," according to Wood. They're major indicators that an object hailed from this time — or would like to at least believe it did.
He explains that the point of this was to take furniture off the floor and emphasize a light and spacious vibe, so those living in pint-size apartments, take note: "This helps small spaces feel bigger allowing the floor to feel more visually continuous."
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5. Soft curves and sharp lines live in harmony
Items like the Eames chair, egg chair, and Saarinen dining table are proof of how angular, geometric shapes and curves can work in tandem. In one item alone, you're able to see how sharp legs play perfectly against a circular top of a table or rounded spine of a chair — so don't be scared of mixing these contrasting looks yourself.
6. It's easy to blend with other interior styles
Both Hodges and Fragali emphasize that mid-century modern is super versatile. "Choose two or three pieces that work well for your taste and combine them with more contemporary pieces or other complementary styles like Art Deco," says Hodges. This is especially helpful if you're just warming up to the style and don't want to overwhelm your space (and wallet) with brand new furniture and decor.
Melissa Epifano
Melissa Epifano is a lifestyle writer for INSIDER. She has also edited and written content for sites like MyDomaine, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, Lonny, and more.
The trademarks of midcentury modern furniture include sleek, functional design. This includes soft curves, minimalist materials, and pops of personality with bold colors or geometric prints. Most midcentury modern furniture will also have wood or metal frames with upholstery.
Clean Lines: This design style prioritized clean and straight lines, often with gentle curves to create a sleek look. Geometric Patterns & Shapes: Furniture pieces often include geometric shapes, such as the use of ovals, triangles, and other non-traditional forms.
“Midcentury modern was about stripping away unnecessary ornament and really getting to the essence of a design gesture,” designer Jonathan Adler says. “That clarity of vision is innately communicative and people love design that speaks to them.
The MCM design aesthetic is modern in style and construction, aligned with the Modernist movement of the period. It is typically characterized by clean, simple lines and honest use of materials, and generally does not include decorative embellishments.
There are some distinctions between the two, though: Mid-century modern furniture refers especially to furniture designs that are contemporary and utilitarian, with clean lines and basic shapes. Mid-century furniture often refers to furniture pieces that were developed and produced during the mid-20th century.
Professional interior designers will usually follow a set of informal “rules”, based on specific interior design principles and elements. These interior design elements include space, line, forms, light, colour, texture and pattern; and keeping them balanced is the key to creating an aesthetically pleasing interior.
A midcentury modern house plan is characterized by a very wide, low footprint with large, open spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and an emphasis on bringing the outdoors in. Although midcentury modern architecture boomed all across America from 1945 to 1969, it's seen a major resurgence in recent years.
MCM uses many bold colors without being too vibrant. Wood is the predominant tone in MCM style. Designers usually go for dark wood to achieve a warm and vintage essence. Teal, tangerine, mauve, mustard — are the colors in addition to the neutral color palette in MCM style.
If you're decorating with a mid-century modern theme, choose warm tones of beige, orange, ochre yellow, mustard and brown. Combine these with a mix of punchy, playful colours like teal, burgundy red, mustard yellow and moss green.
Mid-Century Modern decor goes well with Scandinavian, Contemporary, Southwestern, and Art Deco interior design styles. These are the most natural complements to MCM decor, but you can also consider other styles that offer more contrast.
It is characterized by its emphasis on clean lines, organic shapes, and modern materials such as wood, leather, and metal. Furthermore, mid-century modern furniture is often characterized by its functionality and practicality, as well as its attention to detail.
One of the founding fathers of American modernism, George Nelson was part of a generation of architects who revolutionised product, graphic and interior design, transforming everyday objects into works of art.
Midcentury pieces are simply well-designed objects, with a timeless look, says Sotheby's Holdeman. "[Midcentury modern designs] sit very well in contemporary homes and interiors—they still feel fresh today, they still feel modern. A lot of those pieces haven't been bettered. They still stand the test of time."
Midcentury Modern: Features iconic furniture designs from mid-century designers. Clean lines and functional pieces are key elements. Modern: Showcases contemporary furniture with a focus on simplicity and functionality.
These five elements are line, color, shape, texture, and space. Line: Lines are one of the most fundamental elements in graphic design. They can be used to create structure, separate elements, and guide the viewer's eye.
Basic Forms & Shapes: Modern furniture typically features simple, basic shapes like squares, rectangles, and circles. Pieces are often designed to fit together like a puzzle, making them aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Additionally, it makes the space feel less cluttered.
Weathered finishes, exposed and painted wood, wrought iron, and plush upholstery. Ornate furniture shapes juxtaposed with simple wall paneling. Textile details like ruffles and lace, patterns including pinstripes and toile, and tufted upholstery.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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