The History of Mid-Century Modern Interior Design
Trends and styles come and go but some things are timeless. In the world of interior design- one particular style comes to mind for being timeless: Mid-Century Modern. Read on to find out how it came to be and how to incorporate the timeless look in your own home!
Vintage Mid-Century Living Room
History
Mid-Century Modern was an emerging style of design in America in the post-WWII era. It was a time where people had to be innovative with what materials and financial resources they had left after the war. There was also a housing boom for many of the middle-class, which architects and designers became aware of and knew they had to start accommodating. The period strayed from the previous times where furniture was custom/made-to-order and only for the wealthy or well-off. Mid-Century Modern (MCM). MCM design was mass-produced, accessible to everyone, yet also beautiful. It focused on minimalistic features such as peg legs, sleek silhouettes, and a mixof earthy tones vs. bold colors. MCM furniture was made through a combo of natural and artificial materials including wood, cork, resin, fiberglass, leather, suede, etc.
Vintage MCM dining room
Vintage Herman Miller Advertisement
Vintage MCM Living Room
Current Looks
The designers back then hinted at the MCM style sticking around for a while. If only they were all here today to see that its still alive and thriving! Mid century modern is still super popular in the design world. Lines from Crate and Barrel to Target carry MCM pieces of furniture. Not much has changed with the exception of a few subtle points. One of those would be color palette. Although both earthy tones and bold colors are still in-style, most mid-century modern pieces are sold in neutral colors. The other point would be materials. In the past, MCM pieces were usually crafted out of quality materials, albeit some cheaper materials. With modernization and even more increase of mass production, many more pieces are now made of cheaper materials. Check out the photos below for inspo on what current MCM design looks like!
How To Get The Look
Of course, nothing beats visiting your local thrift stores and markets to find actual vintage MCM pieces. But for now, here’s a list of our favorite brands for the best MCM finds without breaking the bank!
CB2
CB2 is a line of Crate & Barrel that offers modern/MCM designs at a more affordable price!
Article
Article is unique in that it provides direct-to-consumer sales from the manufacturer, which makes it less expensive and quicker to ship!
Wayfair
Wayfair is our go-to that is filled with all different styles, including MCM. You can find something here no matter what your price range!
Happy decorating! Don’t forget to follow us on social for more design tips and for home staging services!