Mid century modern decor continue to interest homeowners for a variety of reasons. Homeowners desire homes that represent both timelessness and a feeling of life. Mid century modern decor was born in the years following World War II and developed a way of blending various element into the decor of their homes.
These elements included both a love of organic shapes and natural materials. The incorporation of these elements into the decor of homes ensured that the homes felt both optimistic and effortless. For these reasons, mid century modern decor continues to work for homeowners even many decade into the present due to the fact that the decor does not clutter the eyes and the mind of those that live within the homes.
The best decor examples of this style include the blending of original decor items with newer decor items to create homes that feel live in rather than decorated. You dont need to have a large budget to create a museum within your home. You do not need a perfect ranch style home built in the 1950s to enjoy the benefits of incorporating some of the features of mid century modern decor.
All you need to do is understand and apply the principles that were behind the success of this type of decor in its time. Once you understand these principles you will find that your decor choices become much easier and your homes will begin to feature rooms that feel correctly to you rather than rooms that were simply decorated. Some of the approaches to incorporating elements of mid century modern decor into your own home include the use of Eames lounge chairs, the use of teak wood furniture, the use of specific types of lighting, the incorporation of organic shapes into your home’s furnishings, the use of specific textiles, the addition of indoor plant, artwork that includes specific visual elements, the use of storage solutions that were manufactured during this time period, and the masterful use of negative space within the homes.
Each of these elements has a place within your home and they can continue to bring both beauty and function to your space for years to come.
Ways To Incorporate Mid Century Modern Decor
1. Eames Lounge Chairs
Some of the specific types of furniture to consider includes items like the Eames lounge chair and ottoman. Charles and Ray Eames designed the Eames lounge chair and ottoman in 1956.
These types of chairs feature elements like molded plywood, leather and aluminum. By placing one of these lounge chairs into a corner of your living room along with a floor lamp, you can instantly create a focal point for the room. By taking a few minutes to sit in this lounge chair, you will understand how people become enamored with original examples of such furniture.
For those on a budget, alternatives to these types of lounge chairs exist and they can be made of walnut and leather. Avoid any lounge chairs that has overly padded cushion, however, as these will negatively impact the silhouette of the chair which is one of the main features that makes the lounge chair so successful.
2. Teak Wood Furniture
Another option includes the use of teak wood furniture in your home.
Some of the best reason for the use of teak wood include the fact that the wood is naturaly durable and contains natural oils that enhance over time. Adding a long dining room table that is made of teak wood will not only warm the remainder of your living space but it will also help to minimize the visual impact of your room. Place molded plastic chair around the table to contrast with the teak wood table.
The teak will slowly age to a silvery hue that indicates the contrast between the wood and metals used in the construction of the table. However, do not cover this type of furniture with tablecloths as this will negate the benefit of the natural oils in the wood.
3. Mid Century Lighting
Lighting is another essential component of incorporating elements of mid century modern decor into your home. Tripod floor lamp, bubble chandeliers and pendant lights made of molded plastic, and angular table lamps with brass bases were all essential elements during this time period. Installing a sputnik chandelier over your dining room table will instantly transform your meals into special occasions within your home. Consider lighting elements as if they were furnishings within your home.
Do not neglect lighting within your home and always consider furnishings with strong silhouette so that the lighting of these elements continues to look good even in the off hours of your home.
4. Organic Shapes
In addition to incorporating lighting into your home, it is also important to incorporate organic shapes into your furnishings. Examples of items to consider include a kidney bean coffee table, amoeba side tables, and boomerang desks.
These types of furnishings will provide a softness to the remainder of your decor and exhibit the love for furnishings that contain honest form that were present during this time period. For example, placing a walnut coffee table with rounded edge within your living room will allow the curves to contrast with the straight lines of other furnishings yet still provide a visual pleasure to your homeowners.
5. Textiles and Patterns
Textiles are often more important within a home than many homeowners believe. Textiles such as nubby wool, woven linen, and textiles containing geometric prints in colors such as mustard, avocado, and rust are the best options for creating a home that reflects the decor of this time period. For instance, hanging a macrame decoration will not only add warmth to your living space but it will also act to soften the acoustics of the area. Many of the textiles produced during this period were created with materials that reacted to touch and time. Linen, for example, becomes soft if the individuals that reside within your home wash it. Wool gains character over time. Thus, textiles are not to be overlooked within the creation of your decor.
6. Indoor Plants
Another element to consider for your home includes the placement of indoor plants. Houses built during the time period featured plants such as the monstera deliciosa, the snake plant, and rubber trees all within ceramic pots. These plants contribute to the warmth of the home as they contain leaves that echo the organic shapes of the furnishings manufactured during such time periods.
These houseplants also contribute to the health of the indoor environment as they help to purify the air within your home. Additionally, their containers should be understated yet functional to your home. Maintain their ceramic appearance and allow the plants to become the major decoration of your home.
7. Abstract Artwork
Artwork that is incorporated into the homes during this time period may include abstract expressionist art, woodblock prints of landscapes, and illustrations that feature line drawings of various subjects. Additionally, you may find that one large work of art above your coffee table or credenza is more important than many works of art hung along a long gallery wall. Your artwork should echo the colors within the textiles of your home as well as the grain of the wood furnishings in your home.
Your art collection should grow over time to feature work that reflects who lives within your home. A vintage travel poster from the 1960s could be paired with a small ceramic sculpture to create an area within the home that exhibits depth yet does not include visual noise for the inhabitants of that dwelling.
8. Functional Storage Solutions
In addition to the art that may be present within the home, storage solutions produced during this time period will work better within your home than many of the storage solutions manufactured in the moddern day. For instance, consider utilizing a sideboard, a room divider, and a credenza to enhance functionality to your furnishings yet leave the main area of your home clear of visual noise. Items manufactured during this time were constructed with the idea that each home contained items of value that were to be displayed within these storage solutions. Thus, ensure that the storage solutions within your home are clear of visual clutter. This will permit the various decorative elements of your furnishings to remain the focus of your homeowners.
9. Masterful Use of Negative Space
Finally, among the most important elements to consider for your home are the ways in which you utilize negative space. Your homes will feel expansive due to the breathing space that exists between your furnishings and your walls. Even if your homes are small, using negative space will provide a sense of expansiveness and comfort to those who enter the homes. Allow room between your furnishings and allow your walls to remain as they are. Permit the sculptures within your home to create shadows on your walls instead of fully filling the space with your furnishings.
This use of negative space is the reason behind the authenticity of this style of decor and why it differ from the decor highlighted in many home decor magazines. These areas of your homes that remain empty create a portion of the décor of your home. These empty areas permit your homeowners to rest their eyes within your home while they are visiting and while they are spending time within your space. Additionally, these empty areas within your furnishings ensure that each object within your home has a purpose and that there is no waste of your design efforts.
These ideas for incorporating some of the features of mid century modern decor into your own home can be utilized for a variety of reasons. Each of these ideas was born during the time period and they continue to have a major impact upon individuals who design their homes today. You dont need to include each idea within your home. However, each of these elements has the potential to transform your home into an inviting space that features decor that was purposefully created to provide visual interest to your homeowners yet not to overwhelm such individuals. Thus, incorporate one or two of these ideas into your own home décor slowly and carefuly.
A single perfect chair within one of your rooms can make a world of difference in the décor of the remainder of the home. The importance of the decor of this time period is not based upon money or the size of your home but rather in the way in which you personally decorate your space. When you create your decor in the manner in which was described within these pages, your homes will feel confident and inviting to the individuals who live within those homes.
