Mid-century modern design has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in recent years. Architectural Digest reports that the years from 1933 through 1965 were when this movement was established as a significant influence in the creation of everything from architecture to furniture, art, and lighting.
This era celebrates designs that are both simple and practical. Prices and designs were strategically positioned so that the furniture and accessories were affordable and could be mass-produced for a hungry, post-war marketplace. The most notable mid-century designers are Charles Eames, Ray Eames, Harry Bertola, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Wassily, Arne Jacobsen, and Paul Evans.
Affordability Hacks for Buying Mid-Century Modern Pieces
The secret is out, and there is no disputing that mid-century modern is bigger than ever. That is both the good news and the bad news for shoppers. The popularity of this style means it is being sold everywhere. Big store chains are selling reproductions at affordable prices.
Finding the exact color you want or an original piece for a reasonable price can be trickier. Depending on your age and your family dynamic, you might want to offer to clean out your mother’s or grandmother’s attic to see what you can find. You might be surprised at the treasure that is collecting dust, lost, and unappreciated.
Estate sales and auctions are also an excellent way to find some interesting pieces. You will probably pay less for your finds if you go to estate sales run by the homeowner’s family instead of a company. Cutting out the middleman is always a good idea when you can.
Don’t forget to go to yard sales and to check out Craigslist. If you’re feeling lucky, you might want to visit your local Goodwill too. The deals you can find at thrift stores are amazing.
Be realistic. Don’t count on buying that perfect piece you’ve always wanted on the cheap with a twenty-dollar bill retrieved from your handbag. But if you have to put it on your platinum credit card, we won’t tell.
Mid-Century Modern Decor Elements
One of the most fundamental statements of this design style is that it celebrates the understated by featuring clean lines and focusing on practical elegance rather than elaborate and ornate flourishes. Often indistinguishable from what passes for retro or art deco, mid-century modern furniture and art designs leverage bright and bold patterns to complement the simple lines that define this era’s most recognizable trends.
Organic elements and geometric patterns are also a hallmark of mid-century modern furniture, accessories, and art. Materials from nature, such as leather, wood, and metal, are liberally used to produce distinctive designs unique to this period.
In a tribute to practicality, furniture was created that could be used for multiple purposes to conserve space. It is common to see popular pieces that can be stacked or folded.
During this design movement, materials once reserved for industrial use or commercial purposes found their way into home furnishings for the first time. Fiberglass and plexiglass arrived on the scene as preferred materials. Fiberglass was molded into interesting shapes. The idea of curving the material to fit the body became a recurring theme for chairs.
While using leather in furniture designs was not unheard of before mid-century modern designers arrived, the use of leather straps offered a new twist. Marcel Breuer’s famous Wassily chair still attracts a lot of attention even today as a go-go investment for collectors who buy mid-century modern collectibles. This chair is made with leather straps attached to a steel frame.
Certain colors are associated with this era. In the 1950s, bright hues were commonly embraced, changing eventually to earthy tones a decade later during the 1960s. Pale pink is another favorite option by mid-century modern designers.
There is a recognizable aesthetic inherent in all mid-century modern design, whether you’re shopping for a funky egg chair or a stylish Barcelona chair to add to an otherwise traditional room for a splash of modern cool. Metal art, plastic chairs, and sleek furniture that mimics the clean lines of Scandanavian designs are prime examples of the popular, mid-century modern design triumphs.
Don’t be left out. Let the treasure hunting begin.
This is a collaborative post. All views and text are my own.
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A former school teacher, Jocelyn Brown created Hip Mama’s Place in 2007. Her motto for this blog is: get inspired, create and share! Jocelyn loves sharing about food and recipes, crafts, DIY projects and her random travels with her family. She also loves all things social media, but her latest obsession is Instagram.
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I started off loving farmhouse and now I’m leaning toward mid century mod. I’m so drawn to the clean lines and simplicity of it. I still like some traditional elements though. It’s been fun playing around and finding my new look.
Too funny that I happened across your post. I have a mid century dining set that I almost listed for free on FB Marketplace; however, my friend told me that I could make some money off the set. I plan on cleaning it up and selling it so I can buy something a little more modern.
I feel like mid-century modern is one of the hippest looks that there is. So classic and chic!
Such a great classic look! Not the right style for our home which is more colonial revival, but I love looking at it in other ppl’s spaces!
Had no idea of this; so definitely a primer for me..
My husband and I are really into mid-century furniture and decoration! I’ll definitely check out Craiglist!
these are awesome designs. i need to change my house up, i just need some help.
It’s just such a pretty, classic look! I love it!
Mid-century modern design is something I would like to have in my home. I’m all for beautiful practical design.
I love how these styles mesh with other great styles. I would love to decorate this way.
I have to admit I love things from this time – I would be more than happy to have a home filled with older pieces picked up from different places.
Jocelyn, I love those green chairs. I am looking for some chairs to compliment my seating/reading room. Thank you for those tips!
Much of this reminds me of my grandparents’ house so many years ago. Haha, I didn’t realize how fashionable it was at the time! Beautiful designs!
I don’t know about you but I like the designs of that time. They were and are so simple but still looking elegant.
I love this look, with the pops of color. It looks so nice!
I love Mid-Century Modern Decor Elements! It gives a regal look. It’s a classic too!
You have fabulous taste in design! I love checking out the looks that you shared
I am very fond of such designs, looking to incorporate some at my new place, lovely post ?
Wow! I really love this room. It’s really pleasing in the eyes. I will definitely learn more about Mid-century modern design.
I really enjoyed reading this post. I love mid-century design concepts.
I’ve been loving mid century mod for decor lately. One of my best friends loves this style and her house looks awesome.
Love mid-century modern. These are some great tips to get the look and feeling of the aesthetic.
The room looks really beautiful. Not sure if I will have chosen that color but you can brought it all together well with a pop of color.
What a cool room. I am digging the colors. I need to re-do some rooms in the house!
We have several mid-century modern pieces that we inherited. Ours are a green/yellow combination.
I love the mid-centry designs! I feel like it’s always in style!
i love how you used a pop of color with the lime green. not the color i would have gone with but it looks really good. pops!
We love this kind of look and it can be difficult to recreate right, so there are some good pointers here for sure x
I love the mid-century design! There are so many amazing accent pieces you can add to a space, reminiscent of that era.
This style looks really cool. I’m think of fitting it into a condo. Would it be looking good in a small area?
I am such a fan of mid-century modern. I can’t wait until we buy a home so we can decorate!
The mid-century modern look is pretty cool. It is interesting it has seen a resurgence in the past years.
This was a great read. I’ve always heard about mid century modern, but I have never really known what it was. I’ll never be accused of having an eye for these things. LOL