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Posts Tagged ‘mid-century interior design’

Mid-century Modern Home: Traditionally Fresh

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

The Stanley Furniture Home Entertainment Copa Colonial Media Console 678-15-30 blends mid-century modern and European Colonial designs.

Have you noticed how most Mid-century modern homes fit beautifully into any neighborhood? Most of these are single-story beauties complete with their simple low-pitch roofs and neutral color schemes yet you know that even contemporary households would find a refuge in this dwelling place.

Mid-century modern homes are often houses that seem the types that are begging for fixing but end up being keepers anyway. These could be structures that have been in existence for 40 or even more years and so the traditional details have been kept.

Mid-century Modern Architecture

You are likely to see iconic architectural details such as textured exterior walls. It is fairly common to find horizontal stone accent walls right next to the welcoming front door. Of course, very few materials could defeat stone in offering the needed architectural detail for any home.

Other features include the double-wide front doors (often painted with bright, fun colors), water features by the side of the front door, terrazzo flooring (often white), retro tiles, accent wall made with wood paneling, vintage pendant lighting fixtures, and vintage wallpaper designs.

It is also common to see oversized windows in living rooms and the family rooms. High ceilings are also common which all offer a view of the beautiful outdoors.

The Flexsteel Living Room Fabric Ottoman 1780-08 has a mid-century modern frame. 

Replicating the Mid-century Modern Look

You’re practically trying to recreate the mid-50’s look and onwards if you want to set up a Mid-century modern home. During this time, Desert Modernism came into existence and pretty soon, people started calling it by its popular name these days – mid-century modern.

The demand is still high in the interior design industry to recreate this simple yet fashionable retro look. Here are ways that you, too, can turn your home into a Mid-century modern beauty –

Dramatize the Roof Lines. There are numerous roof styles that can be used with any Mid-century modern home. First, there’s the butterfly. This can be made by having two gables dip right at the middle.

The second type is the gabled roof. Whether that’s long or narrow, your home will then have a side or front entrance. Slot windows are also a part of the two sloping roofs.

Another type is the flat roof on either the side or the front entrance. This area is also an elevated section right in the living room.

The single slope is also a flat roof but this section is right over the car port or the garage. It is located near the middle of the house where a taller, vertical wall rises with the roof which slopes downward to the exterior wall of the structure.

Lastly, you can choose the folded plate which is the V or W-shaped units that are attached to one another, thus, creating a zigzag profile.

Use concrete and steel. Mid-century modern homes often featured wood or natural stone interiors and exteriors. Concrete and steel offered the needed breaks for aesthetic purposes.

Exposed wood beams. Post or ceiling beams were quite popular during the 1950s. Most of the time, clerestory windows were also incorporated into homes to provide the best view of the mountainous areas.

Dramatic Outdoor Features. Mid-century modern homes also have the most dramatic outdoor living spaces. Some have a central interior atrium while others showcase the most beautiful outdoor patios. Swimming pools are also a wonderful addition.

Open space layout. It is also fairly common to find kitchens that open to the living room or the dining room. Some traditional Mid-century homes also have dens that open to the family room.

If you love homes that offer these characteristics then you’re likely to love Mid-century modern structures. Get in touch with us if you want us to set up lovely Mid-century modern interiors for you.

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Mid-Century Design Made Easy

Thursday, February 2nd, 2017

The clean lines of this American Leather Living Room Tristan-Sectional are the reasons why it fits perfectly in a Mid-century setting.

Baby boomers who were born in the late ‘50s are naturally drawn to the interior design of that time. But if you’re drawn towards cool, sleek, sophisticated, clean, colorful, curvy, functional and mod features, then you are similar to these people’s design preference. This style is known as the Mid-century design.

The term Mid-century design is a term that embraces the trends which influenced interior design and architecture in post-war America.

Modernism was a global movement that spanned five decades beginning in the ‘30s till the ‘70s. Mid-century modern, therefore, is linked to the period covering the ‘50s till the early ‘60s.

Mid-century Architecture 

Experts agree that Frank Floyd Wright popularized this movement with regard to American architecture. Though this is the case, you shouldn’t discredit the contributions of artists such as LeCorbusier and Ludwig Mies van de Rohe.

Residential architecture in this style was famous among the suburbs during the ‘50s. It remained famous for the next decades, even up to today. Thanks to developers and architects who provided amazing examples of Mid-century modern homes across a lot of cities. These days, modern architecture is avant-garde with sustainable materials and finishes. The overall designs, though, are still hinged to their origins.

Mid-century modern architecture offers angular details, flat roofs as well as asymmetrical features. They also come with clean lines, expansive glass walls, and open floor layouts. Bi-level structures are also common with this design.

Flexsteel Living Room Round Coffee Table W1400-034

The Mid-century Appeal 

The movement also approached the marriage of outside spaces to the indoors. This became extremely accepted on the West Coast. The best architects of our time built impressive, custom homes while also developing modern style houses for the masses.

California became the Mecca for Mid-century modern style. Renowned developer and builder, Joseph Eichler, and architect Richard Neutra immigrated to the U.S. and started building the geometric residences in Southern California. To this day, the design is quite popular in Palm Springs, San Diego, Beverly Hills and nearby areas.

A lot of homeowners are still looking for Mid-century modern units for a lot of good reasons. The reason for most is simple – a lot of homes are now mass-produced so they have a generic look and feel. Without a doubt, custom-made designs are being craved by many.

A lot of the real gems have already been bought, though. If you want to build from the ground up and bring back the look of Mid-century modern as if from a time capsule, then here are elements that you need to consider –

Use Wood. A lot of furniture these days is made of engineered, pressed wood. Instead of this option, use high quality furnishings with a Mid-century modern appeal. Masterpieces during that time come with clean lines and were made with walnut, teak, oak or rosewood.

Remodeling elements. If you want to bring back the marvels of Mid-century modern, then eliminate the walls. Embrace an open space concept with an airier setup. You can also hire someone to update the look of your fireplace. Have it turned to a floor-to-ceiling focal point.

Mirrors galore. You could also consider simpler accents such as a kitchen backsplash or a mirror. Fill your head with nostalgic ideas or you can get ideas here.

Redesign the Lights. Search for mid-century modern homes and see how dazzling lights make the difference. Pendant lighting is common just as they are functional and decorative. There are also artists who make their designs around architectural features of the home. Look for a piece that speaks to you and shows to the world who you really are. Remember, though, that you are setting up a mid-century modern home and not a contemporary one.

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Mid-Century Interior Design: Beauty in Simplicity

Wednesday, January 13th, 2016

 

American Leather Living Room Chair MSL-CHS-ST is perfect for any Mid-Century interior because of its clean lines and natural hue. John Mascheroni designed this beautiful piece giving emphasis to mid-century modern streamlined edges fused with a wooden cross base.

American Leather Living Room Chair MSL-CHS-ST is perfect for any Mid-Century interior because of its clean lines and natural hue. John Mascheroni designed this beautiful piece giving emphasis to mid-century modern streamlined edges fused with a wooden cross base.

If you are trying to achieve the mid-century interior design in your home, then it is best to understand what aspects to mix.

Furniture to be used under this category is characterized by simple, clean lines. Teak and other wood pieces are most welcome. Find mid-century tables and pair them with contemporary chairs. Have teal walls as bold backdrop and you have just attained the epitome of this design.

Never make the mistake of hiding wood details, instead, allow them to shine. Neutral-colored walls will look great with fabrics in soft hues. Find handcrafted furniture and accessories to complete the living room mid-century look.

Mid-Century Is Timeless

McCreery’s Home Furnishings provides furniture pieces that have been thoughtfully crafted by master artisans, hence, they are the perfect classic pieces if you are looking into creating the mid-century habitat.

Table lamps are the right lighting pieces for that low-slung furniture. The curvy base of the Maitland Maitland-Smith Lamps and Lighting Table Lamp 1700-427 will look great in a vintage-looking nightstand.

Maitland-Smith Lamps and Lighting Table Lamp 1700-427 is a spell-binding addition to your living room or bedroom.

Maitland-Smith Lamps and Lighting Table Lamp 1700-427 is a spell-binding addition to your living room or bedroom.

Natural lighting can also bathe your black and white-themed living room. Draw back any curtains to let in the sunlight. The black and white color scheme is best for the mid-century style as it keeps the areas looking clutter-free. This is achieved by highlighting space and light.

After considering lighting, it’s time to turn your attention to focal points. Retro lighting can be an effective focal point. Chandeliers can easily stand out against pinstripe walls. Take the retro vibe up another notch by also adding vintage art pieces. Search for striking wall hangings inspired by circles and squares.

Since mid-century spells timelessness, the use of vintage colors is also encouraged. It’s time to start loving avocado hues, also mustard, tangerine and other ‘60s colors. Just be careful in your use of these colors or your place would come across as a movie set.

For more ‘60s inspired pieces, decorate with a coffee table with a hint of gold. Add glass or sculptural accents, these will pop against white walls.

Mid-century also means showcasing superior pieces so, it is best to paint the walls white or any neutral palette. The rich, graphic patterns may appear on upholstered furniture pieces, throws, or on the textured wallpapers.

The Maitland-Smith Accessories Bamboo Cast Brass Bar Cart 3020-042 can carry your vintage glassware and cocktail shakers.

The Maitland-Smith Accessories Bamboo Cast Brass Bar Cart 3020-042 can carry your vintage glassware and cocktail shakers.

Emphasize the cocktail culture by making use of a bar cart while the rest of the room features streamlined seats and traditional lamps. If you are more traditional, then use a glass and bronze coffee table.

For those who embrace the contemporary culture more than retro, it is acceptable to have at least one mid-century piece to add warmth to the environment. For instance, the marriage of red and white inside a living room can have wood and glass table as a focal point.

Would you want to have contrasting seat cushions? Add these to a wood swivel and you can spice up your mid-century home office.

Mid-century interior design and modern styles, as opposed to common notion, can actually mix. The super clean lines of both styles can be the chief characteristics of mid-century modern furnishings. This is the right combination for those stark industrial pieces. This is the ideal style pairing for those people who prefer urban loft living.

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