Mid-Century Modern Furniture – Your Complete Guide

Mid-century furniture is the go-to choice for interior designers today due to its clean and sophisticated look with a touch of bold colors. Minimalistic designs are on the rise because of which mid-century furniture has become a millennial favorite. So if you are trying to jump on this bandwagon then you have come to the right place. Here, you can find a complete guide for mid-century modern furniture and learn everything you need to know about it; so keep on reading!

What Is Mid-Century Modern Furniture?

Mid-century modern furniture is one of the most popular interior design styles from the year 1933 to 1965. It usually has a very open-plan layout and consists of elegant furniture, a low ceiling, and a lot of windows for sunlight to creep in. Mid-century modern is a whole culture and is incredibly multifunctional since it was designed with a space-conserving concept. This concept allows it to fit into large homes as well as apartments and small houses with ease rather than taking up too much space.

At the end of World War II, wood was being used in many new ways and designers and architects used this to their advantage. They updated wooden furniture to make it functional, aesthetically pleasing, and incredibly comfortable without being very bold.

What Are The Main Features Of Mid-Century Modern Furniture?

If you want to start designing your house with the help of mid-century modern furniture, then you must know all about it. There are five main characteristics of mid-century furniture and these include the following:

• Color

First things first, let’s discuss the color palette for mid-century modern decor. Take note that the color palette for this trend combines saturated accent colors with darker shades of neutral tones. So it is a mix of both; bold colors are used with white, black, and grey to provide a minimalistic and elegant-looking decor. Moreover, the color picking rule followed is known as the 60-30-10 rules. This means that your room must have 60% dominant color, 30% secondary color along with 10% accent color to achieve the perfect mid-century modern color theme. The maximum number of colors must be 4 and no more than that.

• Geometric Shaped Carpets And Rugs

Now if you are looking for the ideal rugs to achieve the mid-century decor look, then you need to identify the right mid-century pattern. During the rise of this design, people opted for abstract patterns in geometric shapes and also asymmetrical patterns. However, a modern spin to mid-century homes has introduced the use of carpets with a solid color so you can choose whichever style brings out your home.

• Lighting

If you want your lights to reflect the mid-century theme, then minimalistic is what you need. Lights with curved contours or very straight lines can be a perfect choice. Furthermore, mid-century style places a strong emphasis on taking advantage of the sunlight which is why large windows are a plus. However, if this is not the case then round lights or very straight lines made with finished metal or even wood can be a great option.

• Minimal Accessories

Now minimalistic is another name for mid-century modern decor and you need to practice the 60-30-10 rules for it as well. It is okay to have bold statement pieces such as plants or large sculptures but with them, smaller accessories can get easily ignored. So placing your focus on a few simple and medium-sized accessories can make your house look less cluttered and a slight golden-colored detail can make them pop.

• Furniture Material

When it comes to furniture material the contrast of natural materials including concrete, steel, and wood with man-made material is the definition of mid-century modern style. The introduction of foam, aluminum, fiberglass, plywood, and other man-made materials added pop to furniture. They were molded to fit the furniture's body and give a sophisticated look.

What Is The Difference Between Mid-Century Modern And Mid-Century?

If you are confused between mid-century and mid-century modern then you can put this confusion away now. Both mid-century and mid-century modern are similar to each other but the difference is that mid-century defines an era whereas mid-century modern is a style. 

Mid-century became the talk of the town in the early 1930s and during this time, furniture was only designed based on practicality. This means that wood was only used on an “as needed” basis and colors were dull such as browns and deep shades of greens. However, after World War II mid-century modern came to being, and while functionality remains, the shape, color and fabric began to alter giving birth to a whole new style. 

Is Mid-Century Modern Furniture A Trend Today?

Mid-century modern furniture remains one of the most elegant and sophisticated interior design looks today. The reason why it is still appealing to today’s market is due to the fact that it is versatile and at the same time very sophisticated looking. You can balance comfort, functionality, and style together with timeless furniture pieces that can go with any decor you want.

Its gently curved and elegant outlook blends in with different styles and since it is space-saving, you can place it in apartments as well. The best part about these furniture statement pieces is that they are easy to find, whether you need to get originals or replicas. Lastly, their durability allows them to be by your side for years and entices everyone to jump on the mid-century bandwagon.

Other Tips To Achieve The Perfect Mid-Century Modern Decor

Even with all the information above, there are a few more tips you need to keep in mind when it comes to mid-century modern decor. These tips include the following:

• When choosing colors make sure your main piece is a bold color. For example, if the main piece is your dining table, then yellow is the quickest way to nail this decor. If bold is not your cup of tea, then you can opt for yellow bottles or vases while keeping other items neutral.
• Another tip to keep in mind is eye-catching and bold artwork. Colorful abstract art painting on a white or neutral wall is the perfect example of that.
• As mentioned above, geometric rugs are the face of mid-century modern furniture but don’t be afraid to play with texture as well. A warm and cozy rug under your coffee table will give your room a show-stopping look.
• Mix different woods such as mid-toned and dark to stick to an informal, muted theme.
• Just like rugs, geometrical prints on the wallpaper are considered the essence of mid-century designs. When opting for these wallpapers, keep minimal accessories so that your wall can fully stand out.
• Don’t be afraid to break boundaries with vases. Instead of choosing the plain basic ones for your flowers, use quicker styled vases especially ones with abstract prints or mixed colors.

Conclusion

Mid-century modern furniture is known for its excellent history and sophisticated outlook. It has laid the foundation for practicality and elegance at the same time and allows you to run your creative mind and make your home stand out.