9 Ways to Create a Midcentury Modern Mood in the Living Room
Browse some of these key elements to inspire a midcentury living room makeover
Karen Wilson
6 July 2015
UK based Houzz contributor and freelance property and interiors journalist with experience in both the regional press and national magazines. I've picked up loads of tips from homeowners and experts alike, having visited hundreds of gorgeous real homes across the North of England.
UK based Houzz contributor and freelance property and interiors journalist with experience... More
The 1950s and 1960s spawned so many enduring design classics that, coupled with the plethora of current designs influenced by the period, it’s easy to create a midcentury modern look in your living room. You don’t need to slavishly stick to a particular decade – mixing up original pieces and modern replicas can work just fine. Simply find your favourite elements and work a bit of midcentury magic into the mix.
Add a simple side table
Sleek and streamlined are the watchwords of midcentury furniture design, so opt for a simple, low-slung side table with three or four tapered legs that splay outwards. You’ll find plenty of replica midcentury modern side tables on the High Street and online.
Sleek and streamlined are the watchwords of midcentury furniture design, so opt for a simple, low-slung side table with three or four tapered legs that splay outwards. You’ll find plenty of replica midcentury modern side tables on the High Street and online.
Pick mass-market artwork
Artwork that had mass-market appeal during the midcentury period is still popular today. Go for classic prints, such as Vladimir Tretchikoff’s Miss Wong (pictured), which adorned many a living room in the 1950s, JH Lynch’s sultry Tina series, which characterised the early 1960s home, or Margaret Keane’s highly collectable portraits featuring over-sized eyes.
Artwork that had mass-market appeal during the midcentury period is still popular today. Go for classic prints, such as Vladimir Tretchikoff’s Miss Wong (pictured), which adorned many a living room in the 1950s, JH Lynch’s sultry Tina series, which characterised the early 1960s home, or Margaret Keane’s highly collectable portraits featuring over-sized eyes.
Acquire some German pottery
Post-war Germany saw a boom in creativity, particularly in pottery influenced by the Bauhaus movement. Playful, exuberant and colourful, the space-age bubble-shaped vases from the mid 1960s onwards tended to feature glazed reds, blues and earth tones, with designs by the likes of Scheurich, Jasba and Carstens now highly collectable.
Scour flea markets, auction sites and car-boot sales and you just might find enough to make a beautiful display like this.
Post-war Germany saw a boom in creativity, particularly in pottery influenced by the Bauhaus movement. Playful, exuberant and colourful, the space-age bubble-shaped vases from the mid 1960s onwards tended to feature glazed reds, blues and earth tones, with designs by the likes of Scheurich, Jasba and Carstens now highly collectable.
Scour flea markets, auction sites and car-boot sales and you just might find enough to make a beautiful display like this.
Opt for Danish modular units
The beauty of Danish modular furniture like this is its adjustable, multi-functional nature. With a mixture of hidden storage and open shelving, the modules can be fixed to the wall or used as a room divider with a multitude of functions, such as TV stand, work station, bookcase or display cabinet.
If you’re looking for authentic 1960s modular furniture, you can’t go far wrong with the Danish-inspired Ladderax system by Staples of London. Made from teak with black metal ladder supports, it’s become a design classic.
Discover more about midcentury modern style
The beauty of Danish modular furniture like this is its adjustable, multi-functional nature. With a mixture of hidden storage and open shelving, the modules can be fixed to the wall or used as a room divider with a multitude of functions, such as TV stand, work station, bookcase or display cabinet.
If you’re looking for authentic 1960s modular furniture, you can’t go far wrong with the Danish-inspired Ladderax system by Staples of London. Made from teak with black metal ladder supports, it’s become a design classic.
Discover more about midcentury modern style
Choose a classic coffee table
Many midcentury coffee tables were made from teak or walnut, with slim, tapered legs and sometimes a slatted magazine rack underneath. Some also featured a heavy glass top and curved legs, such as the distinctive Noguchi coffee table. Designed by Isamu Noguchi and produced by Herman Miller from 1947, these beautiful pieces are still in production today.
Another highly sought-after design is Knoll’s Risom collection, which featured innovative, amoeba-shaped tabletops. Also look out for G Plan designs (pictured).
Check out the backstory to Isamu Noguchi’s coffee table
Many midcentury coffee tables were made from teak or walnut, with slim, tapered legs and sometimes a slatted magazine rack underneath. Some also featured a heavy glass top and curved legs, such as the distinctive Noguchi coffee table. Designed by Isamu Noguchi and produced by Herman Miller from 1947, these beautiful pieces are still in production today.
Another highly sought-after design is Knoll’s Risom collection, which featured innovative, amoeba-shaped tabletops. Also look out for G Plan designs (pictured).
Check out the backstory to Isamu Noguchi’s coffee table
Buy a boxy sofa
A boxy shape with clean lines and tapered wooden legs is the way to go for a midcentury sofa, with a buttoned back for added interest.
If you want to keep your options open for changing wall colours and accessories in the future, stick to a neutral-coloured sofa and go bold with a vintage-style wallpaper behind, such as this Wayne Hemingway Carnival Zest design for Graham & Brown.
A boxy shape with clean lines and tapered wooden legs is the way to go for a midcentury sofa, with a buttoned back for added interest.
If you want to keep your options open for changing wall colours and accessories in the future, stick to a neutral-coloured sofa and go bold with a vintage-style wallpaper behind, such as this Wayne Hemingway Carnival Zest design for Graham & Brown.
Sink into a classic chair
If you’re looking to make a statement, opt for an iconic chair, such as the 1956 Eames lounge chair (pictured), which exudes style and comfort, or Arne Jacobsen’s Egg or Swan chairs, which were designed in 1958 for a hotel lobby. Or why not inject some fun with Eero Aarnio’s 1963 Ball chair?
For an accent piece, Bertoia’s sculptural Diamond chair is perfect for a reading nook or bay window, where its distinctive mesh shape will be bathed in light, or take a look at the cradle-like Womb chair, which was designed by Eero Saarinen for Florence Knoll in 1948 with utter relaxation in mind.
Find out more about Harry Bertoia’s Wire chairs
If you’re looking to make a statement, opt for an iconic chair, such as the 1956 Eames lounge chair (pictured), which exudes style and comfort, or Arne Jacobsen’s Egg or Swan chairs, which were designed in 1958 for a hotel lobby. Or why not inject some fun with Eero Aarnio’s 1963 Ball chair?
For an accent piece, Bertoia’s sculptural Diamond chair is perfect for a reading nook or bay window, where its distinctive mesh shape will be bathed in light, or take a look at the cradle-like Womb chair, which was designed by Eero Saarinen for Florence Knoll in 1948 with utter relaxation in mind.
Find out more about Harry Bertoia’s Wire chairs
Play with colour
From the kitsch brights of the late 1950s to the earthy hues of the early 1960s, experimenting with colour is a hallmark of midcentury design. Pick a rich wall colour, such as this sumptuous teal, and introduce bright accent colours, such as orange or yellow. Teal also makes the perfect backdrop for a statement retro sideboard in dark wood.
From the kitsch brights of the late 1950s to the earthy hues of the early 1960s, experimenting with colour is a hallmark of midcentury design. Pick a rich wall colour, such as this sumptuous teal, and introduce bright accent colours, such as orange or yellow. Teal also makes the perfect backdrop for a statement retro sideboard in dark wood.
Fall in love with the Arco lamp
One of the secrets to a successful room scheme is ensuring it feels multi-layered, with low, mid and high points for the eye to explore. So what better way to tie individual elements together than with the overarching shape of an Arco lamp?
It’s such a classic design there are countless replicas on the market, but the original, with its distinctive white Carrara marble base, was designed by architect brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962 as a clever way to create an overhead light without wiring in the ceiling.
Read the story behind the Arco lamp
TELL US…
Do you love the midcentury modern look? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
One of the secrets to a successful room scheme is ensuring it feels multi-layered, with low, mid and high points for the eye to explore. So what better way to tie individual elements together than with the overarching shape of an Arco lamp?
It’s such a classic design there are countless replicas on the market, but the original, with its distinctive white Carrara marble base, was designed by architect brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962 as a clever way to create an overhead light without wiring in the ceiling.
Read the story behind the Arco lamp
TELL US…
Do you love the midcentury modern look? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Being very much into up-cycling mid century chairs - in particular Parker Knoll I notice there is one just like mine in photo 2.
Absolutely right, just one mid century addition to the home can add some character and liven the room up. Great thing they are popular at the moment and can be bought at a affordable price.