Introduction

The mid-century modern home design ethos surfaced in the mid-20th century and has since become globally renowned as one of the most favored architectural styles. It was the design movement that brought modernity to the masses and continues to inspire designers to this day. Mid-century modern revolutionized the approach to designing living spaces, advocating for functional, open, and uncluttered interiors in a completely innovative manner.

History of mid-century modern home design in short

Mid-century modern is also much more than just a design style; it represents breaking free from the oppression of the world wars, rejecting stuffy traditions, and embracing new and modern ways of life. This beautiful, streamlined aesthetic actually has some of its roots in Germany’s Bauhaus style. It also has strong ties to Scandinavian design. Scandinavian design and American mid-century modern are actually very similar in style because they developed at the same time in history, and the designers also heavily influenced each other.

Timeless in their authenticity, mid-century modern designs remain as popular today as they were over 70 years ago, enduringly crafted and sought after in contemporary manufacturing and sales.

how to bring the mid-century modern home look

Clean lines, simple shapes, the use of new materials, and organic elements characterize the mid-century modern design style. Mid-century design prioritizes functionality, eschewing embellishments for practicality and longevity. These designs not only serve a purpose but also captivate with their sculptural beauty, embodying both utility and aesthetics. It was indeed the perfect marriage between form and function.

Mid-century furniture type

Typically, sofas boast crisp, streamlined contours and are frequently raised above the floor, supported by slender, tapered legs.The overall shape is rectangular. Typical back designs encompass tight backs and tufted backs. Chairs have many of the same characteristics as sofas, but you’ll see more of those organic curves introduced.

Furniture from the mid-century era often features angled legs, tapered peg legs, occasionally adorned with brass caps, or iconic hairpin legs. Solid wood is popular, but combinations like wood and marble, wood and glass, and glossy plastic and metal are all common mid-century looks.

General tips

• As a general tip, if you deck out your whole room in mid-century modern pieces, the look might be overwhelming, and you may get tired of it. Of course, it’s your home, so use as much or as little of the style as you want.
• But my recommendation would be to mix in a maximum of a couple of pieces in a room so that you leave space for your personality to shine through in your home.
• If you want to avoid investing in larger pieces of furniture, there are some smaller decor items you can incorporate into your space to get the mid-century modern vibe.

Popular mid-century colors include:

• Tones like yellow, gold, pumpkin, orange, and mustard.
• A spectrum of green shades including apple, olive, and avocado.
• Warm reds, earthy browns, and teal.
• Even certain pastel hues such as soft pink and pale blue.

You can incorporate traditional mid-century colors into our 21st-century settings

If vibrant citrus tones aren’t your preference, consider pairing mid-century-shaped wooden furniture with hues and textures such as leather, brass accents, muted greens, earthy tans, and crisp whites to evoke an early mid-century ambiance. Bring it all to life with some fresh pops of greenery from the outdoors If you’re feeling daring, create a neutral base and integrate the mid-century look into your home through a bright pop of color. It’s not enough to get any style of furniture in a bright color, though. In order to get an authentic look, the shape of your furniture must be mid-century.

Here are a few ideas for some specific ways to bring the mid-century style into your modern home

• Use a bold accent piece for mid-century modern home.
• Try updating your lighting fixtures. Lighting can be a massive statement in a room, so for a significant impact, you could acquire a mid-century style pendant light or floor lamp and incorporate that into your space.
• Create a wood accent wall. Wood was massive in mid-century homes, so you could make a mid-tone to dark-toned wood panel wall in one of your rooms.
• Add a bold graphic piece of art. Whether you make it yourself or you buy it is up to you; there’s lots out there available.
• Incorporate geometric elements. Mid-century designs are known for their geometric forms, which often repeat themselves into patterns, so you could try incorporating that into some of your decor.
• Lastly, you could remove your window treatments. Mid-century homes were huge on using big picture windows and glass and allowing a lot of light to spill into the house. If you have expansive windows, consider removing your drapes or blinds to allow abundant natural light to flood the space.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I really hope you found this valuable and exciting.