In response to people’s greater need for the safety, comfort, and warmth of a home environment following the shocks suffered, the mid-century modern style emerged after the Second World War. Midcentury set a new standard for global design by fusing the beautiful modernity of function with practicality in the first home design collections created for the general public.
Mid-2010s design luminaries once again brought attention to the fashion characteristics of the mid-twentieth century, both in the interior and ornamental direction, and this quickly led to a resurrection of the mid-century modern style. Light tables, cabinets, compact sofas on thin, widely spaced legs, armchairs with wooden armrests, wallpaper and décor with eye-catching patterns, rich pure colors, and a whole spectrum of colors have inundated the newfangled collections of top professionals in just a few years. natural hues in nature.
Global acceptance Mid-century contemporary
This design is actually the poster child for a new global trend in interior decoration that prioritizes serving the requirements of the general public over the interests of a small elite. Leading artisans from around the world developed a breakthrough idea that for the first time oriented world design to build “interiors for people,” capturing the aspirations of society not only in the Scandinavian and Asian countries but also in the post-crisis United States and post-war Europe. In addition to requiring little maintenance and giving individuals a sense of coziness and simplicity at the same time, their products were initially designed for mass manufacture and middle-class accessibility.
A revolution in interior design has begun with new forms and materials
Its price was certain to change as a result of globalization and the rise of the manufacture of affordable furniture and home décor. The most useful prototypes, whose aesthetic features were provided by inexpensive natural and synthetic materials, unique color combinations, and special attention to textures, were designed in order to produce really economical and high-quality goods. Later, several contemporary interior design styles and trends were developed using materials like plastic, plywood, useful textiles, paper wallpapers, and light, durable ornamental metal frames.
The rigid forms and straight lines that were inherent in the forerunners of the midcentury — the Bauhaus and modernism of the 1930s and 1940s — gradually disappeared from the interiors, and for the first time, a fundamental emphasis was placed on the ergonomics of furnishings, which was unusual at the time. They were replaced by wacky curving sofas, armchairs, and chairs with soft, comforting volumes that create balance and contrast with the straight, clean forms of cabinet furniture. A remarkable symbiosis of creativity and technology led to many prototypes, which signaled the start of mass production of mid-century modern objects that were later recognized as masterpieces of interior design of the 20th century. Designers started to personally apply techniques for working with different materials in their creation, use new means of processing and connecting parts, combine textures, and test their works for durability and functionality.
Interior design elements that are typical of the Mid-Century Modern style
In both the original and updated versions of the midcentury interior, you will undoubtedly notice:
- open areas that will highlight the abundance of fresh air, daylight, and space;
- rich colors – the decor can be created in both pastel and vibrant hues, and the walls can be painted either light or white or covered in vibrant wallpaper;
- an abundance of naturally occurring low-cost materials, such as wood, cork, stone, plywood, and paper wallpaper; free and open layouts using zoning with light partitions, such as open shelves and racks, light stationary and sliding partitions, and small pieces of furniture (such as a chest of drawers or sofa);
- the use of expressive textures, a blend of natural and synthetic materials, such as fabric, plastic, metal, glass, and textiles of various densities in one interior; light and comfortable furnishings, such as ergonomic soft shapes of chairs, armchairs, and sofas, straight lines of cabinets, thin, widely spaced legs of cabinetry, and upholstered furniture; eye-catching geometric and abstract prints on wallpaper and textiles, the use of such materials for decoration
- the employment of various lighting fixtures, including lamps, floor lamps, sconces, and the play of light to enhance the decorative effect in the interior; a profusion of large indoor trees and ficuses, as well as other dense domestic plants.
Modern designers offer many entirely new stylizations and solutions, many of which are more focused on making smaller interiors, in addition to the re-release of long-established trends, such as furniture and decor types, decorating patterns, and wallpaper. You will undoubtedly agree that the modern interpretation of midcentury has retained the key characteristics that made it popular around the world almost a century ago — functionality, reliability, and convenience — when you add to this variety the use of environmentally friendly and durable high-quality materials in modern production.
How can I design a mid-century modern space in my house?
It won’t be difficult to decorate a room, apartment, or home in this opulent yet sophisticated vintage style thanks to the abundance of furnishings and accessories produced in recent years, as well as finishing materials and lamps.
Selection and interior decoration
If at all feasible, select a space that is spacious, light, and has lots of windows. This design will appear best in a room with large windows that are best left open. If necessary, use Roman shades or thin translucent material in a neutral color instead of traditional side ornamental curtains.
The predominant tone of the wall decoration should be softer in smaller or darker spaces. Choose light tones of natural shades, such as white, sand, light gray, or beige, regardless of the medium, be it wallpaper, plaster, or paint. Wallpaper with a classic styled design or a vibrant print can be used to embellish the accent wall.
Furniture and accessories
How do you pick the appropriate furniture? There are only two requirements: convenience and appearance. It is best to choose tiny items because this design rejects clutter, as we have already explained. Small sofas and couches should have rounded, supple curves, and armchairs and sofas are frequently supported by tiny, beautiful legs. The most important thing is that it is comfortable to the touch, and the furniture itself is snug even from a visual standpoint. The upholstery can be made of eco-leather or textile. Eclecticism is actually encouraged in this design aesthetic; for example, pairing a vibrant armchair from a classic collection with a sofa with velor upholstery in a warm natural color would only enhance the beauty of the room.
Materials and accents for the home
Even the most subdued decor may be transformed with bold, eye-catching details. The intended effect can be achieved without overwhelming a tiny area using a panel or poster on the wall, vibrant curtains, sofa cushions, or carpet, shiny plastic in a decorative lamp, or a huge pattern on a chair’s fabric. Both intense pure tones like crimson, cherry, bright blue, and herbal greens, as well as saturated hues of natural colors like terracotta, dark brown, khaki, dark blue, tangerine, and lemon, can be used as accents.
Artificial lighting
It holds a prominent place in the room’s midcentury-inspired decor. The lone ceiling chandelier was replaced by a plethora of lamps, which could coexist in the same space and be utilized simultaneously as well as separately for decorative as well as functional purposes. This was where the style pioneered new, intriguing ways.