This article explains the Mid-Century Modern Decor Style and their elements in detail.This singular design style blends arresting shapes, graphic patterns and quirky accents.
Mid-century modern style reappeared on our radar screens more than a decade ago, but the wildly popular show Mad Men has pushed it even farther into the limelight. Just as the name implies, it spanned a period of roughly two and a half decades in the middle of the 20th century, from the mid-1940s to 1970. Its uncomplicated, fresh aesthetic arose from a desire to propel postwar America into the modern era and recast design through a bold new lens.
Midcentury modern’s emphasis on pared-down forms, contemporary patterns, natural materials and a seamless flow between indoors and out create a medley of functional comfort and chic style. The look bridges the organic and the man-made, with one foot in the natural world and the other in brave new territory that still has the power to surprise us today.Lets look into the elements of Mid-Century Modern decor style.
Indoor-outdoor flow
It may sound quaint now, but back in the ‘50s, the idea of indoor-outdoor living was revolutionary for the average American. Mid-century modern homes took advantage of the new passion for bringing the indoors out and vice versa: Wide windows, sliding doors, patios. The idea was to create a connection with the natural world that worked equally well with a book in your lap during a quiet moment or a cocktail in your hand at a party.
Iconic furnishings
Mid-century style is unique in that it’s largely driven by innovative mass-produced furniture and accents. Perhaps no other period produced the same volume of household-name artists and designers as this era: George Nelson, Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen and dozens more. Their singular furnishings and accents drive and define the look, from Marshmallow sofas to sculptural Egg and Womb chairs.
Simple lines, pure forms
Mid-century interiors are all about organic style and ease of living, and that’s reflected in their structure and trappings. Furnishings and floor plans are stripped down to their essential forms, with no excess detailing or unnecessary flourishes.
Graphic patterns
There’s nothing shy about mid-century modern patterns. Bold geometrics, strong, sensuous curves and whimsical motifs give rooms a strong graphic punch. Heavy, textural fabrics, such as burlap or nubbly wool knits, give the patterns added weight.
Statement lighting
Sputnik chandeliers , Acro floor lamps – classic midcentury lighting pumps up a room’s drama. Although its forms are sculptural enough to double as art, function remains paramount. Yet lighting fixtures from this era are so striking that they’ve become design motifs all their own. These fixtures are so powerful that it’s best to let them have the spotlight – don’t force them to compete with each other in a single space.
Neutrals paired with brights
Warm and earthy colours, largely through the natural woods that predominate, are central to the mid-century palette. Yet it wouldn’t do for this look to come across as too quiet, and a few strokes of rich, saturated colour give it strength and presence. You’ll probably want to skip the blushing pinks and pale lilacs, but the choice of saturated colours spans the spectrum.
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Sleek kitchens
Mid-century kitchens were intended to represent the wave of the future. Full of showy, shiny new appliances, bright colours and space-age surfaces, they’re designed to look streamlined and cutting edge – at least for their time. Simplicity rules: Slab cabinet doors, plain countertop edges, no-fuss materials.
Period art and accents
The midcentury days were so rich with innovative and talented artists, from Hockney and Pollock to Calder and Lichtenstein, that you really have a lot of latitude. Their work reflected bold new territory in the art world, and it complements this groundbreaking style perfectly. Finish the room with classic mid-century accessories, such as an Eames Hang-It-All or a George Nelson Clock.
