Design Style Series: Mid Century Modern Design
Design by Alle Perry Design
Mid Century Modern style has been trending in recent years. With clean lines and organic shapes, this style can work well when mixed with other styles. This is one of my favorite design styles! Mid Century Modern design describes a design movement during the 1930s to the 1960s. I love to look at architecture and decor from this time period. You might recognize a Mid Century Modern piece of furniture by its tapered legs, which are one of the common elements. In this blog post, I’ll go into more detail about how to decorate in this design style and reference examples shown in the concept board below.
Design by Alle Perry Design
Medium Wood Tones
Furniture used in Mid Century Modern style is commonly made from wood in medium-tones. For example, you will see teak and walnut wood furniture in this style. This material brings warmth to a space. I prefer the look because it pairs nicely with many colors. Upholstered pieces are often raised up on legs, which can also be made of wood. In this example, you can see the wooden frame and tapered legs at the bottom of the gray sofa. Also, the Eames lounge chair has a frame made of gorgeous walnut wood.
Geometric and Abstract Patterns
Bold patterns are used in this design style but with restraint. Most furniture pieces tend to be one color, but you will see patterns used in accessories, rugs, wall art, and even wallpaper. In this design, I was inspired by the geometric rug. The rug works well with the pillows and art prints, and the space doesn’t feel overwhelmed by pattern.
Bring the Outdoors In
A key element of Mid Century Modern design is the concept of creating a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors. The architecture in this style has floor-to-ceiling windows that are typically left bare or with streamlined window coverings. In addition, a variety of live plants at different heights in a space can help bring the outdoors in. I love the planters used in this concept board as they have that open and airy feel being raised off of the floor, again with wooden legs.
Bold Colors
Mustard yellow, avocado green, orange - these are some of the bright colors you can find in a room designed with this style. The rug brought the mustard color to this design board, which inspired the color for the throw pillows. I love how this more golden yellow color contrasts with the dark blue in the art prints and works well with the medium wood tones. Bold colors are mixed with neutral colors and you will commonly see mid-century modern spaces with white walls.
Iconic Modern Pieces
One of the most exciting elements of this design style is the iconic modern furniture. The Eames Lounge Chair by Herman Miller makes a statement in this concept board and is an iconic piece in Mid Century Modern design. I learned a lot about this design style from my father who has always collected shelter magazines and shared images with me showing this particular design style. Other iconic furniture pieces that I love include the Noguchi Table by Herman Miller and the Eero Saarinen Womb Chair.
Could you see one of these iconic furniture pieces in your home? How about something in avocado green?
I hope you found this blog post interesting and learned something new! You can explore more design styles in the Design Style Blog Series.
If you would like a design concept like this one, but customized for your space, visit the design services page to learn more.