Mid-Century Furniture is Back!

The mid-century modern style was popularized the 1950s and has yet to leave and for good reason. Defined by simple forms, organic influences, high functionality, signature clean lines and minimal details and ornamentation, the style has an undeniably timeless appeal. Plus, with a few simple tweaks, you can easily infuse your living room with a mid-century modern vibe.

Image Credits: Don Pedro Brooklyn

Mid-century modern, like any era of design, evolved. It was a culturally eclectic era, bursting with creative expression in art, design, music, and fashion, and when it comes to decor, we’re currently in the midst of a revival. The 1939 World’s Fair in New York City had brought the geometric forms and clean lines of the Bauhaus and Danish Modernist movements into the American consciousness, but the style didn’t really take shape until the late 1940s, lasting well through the 1960s.

It turned designers into icons. Legendary designers like Eero Saarinen, Florence Knoll, Arne Jacobsen and Charles and Ray Eames ditched the ornate frills of yesteryear for a pared-down, simpler, and indisputably cooler alternative. They made iconic pieces that were a far cry away from the norm.

Image Credits: Hive Modern (Child’s Womb chair designed by Eero Saarinen)

Image Credits: Matt Blatt (Egg chair designed by Arne Jacobsen)

Image Credits: Dezeen (Eames Lounge chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames)

Get the Look!

Brightly polished metal fixtures supporting oversized spherical lights are among the most easily recognizable design elements of mid-century style. It’s no surprise that they’re a staple of mid-century modern style, as they add a dash of glamour while providing illumination. The look would simply be incomplete without mentioning the iconic Arco lamp.

Image Credits: Anthropologie

Oh, so many textures. The mid-century period of design was highly tactile with its textiles: velvet, crushed velvet, corduroy, leather, even fur (and who could forget about mohair) featured frequently and even simultaneously in mid-century decor. So go ahead and play with different textures but do so on a much more minimalist scale to maintain the mid-century modern vibe.

Image Credits: Jamie Bush

Keep it simple, opt for furniture pieces with minimal decoration, simple clean lines and easy to maintain. An alluring option especially for busy urban homes. Have a look at these options, it may just be what you’re looking for.