Mid-century modern design was first introduced in the 1950s and regained popularity in the 90s. So, you might be thinking, isn't mid-century modern a little tired now?
Wrong! In 2022, mid-century modern design style is alive and well! You simply have to incorporate the key style elements like clean lines, organic forms, and timeless good looks in the right way!
Here are some tips on how to get mid-century modern style in your home:
Mid-Century Modern Hallmarks
First, we'll go over what mid-century modern design is and what key elements it incorporates. Mid-century modern design is all about clean lines and less clutter. Some key characteristics include:
- Minimalism: open and uncluttered spaces filled with modern furniture that feature sleek lines and are highly functional.
- Curved Shapes: consists of curved features like rounded armrests and curved legs.
- Mixing Materials: mixes manufactured materials like vinyl, plastic, lucite, and fiberglass and intersperses them with natural materials such as wood, leather, and stone.
- Wood: typically uses teak, walnut, rosewood, and other warm wood tones in the aesthetic.
- Color Scheme: blends neutral colors with pops of vibrant shades like burnt orange, muted yellows, forest green, etc.
- Indoor & Outdoor Elements: emphasis on man-made structures with nature, like incorporating plants into the décor.
There are many ways to achieve the mid-century modern look, but always keep the following tips in mind.
Go Vibrant
Some people might think that that mid-century modern style is all about neutral colors and will minimize any pop of vibrant colors — but they'd be wrong! You can add in some dashes of color with art, pillows, and other accessories. Just keep it balanced, so your space doesn't look too busy.
Wherever you can place colorful accents like orange, mustard yellow, red, or any shade of green can only help your overall design!
Scaling to Size
Another essential tip to mid-century design is to ensure the scale of your furniture fits the scale of the room. You might think that mid-century modern only features smaller-sized furniture, but those are just for smaller-sized rooms. So, if you have a larger space and have petite-sized furniture, they'll look even smaller and out of place.
Don't forget to consider the size of the pieces when they are next to each other. That way, you'll avoid having a larger sectional dwarfing a small chair.
Experiment
We mentioned before that there are certain hallmarks of mid-century modern design, but that doesn't mean you should feel constrained to just those things. While the design style is full of simple, timeless, and functional silhouettes, it's also about mixing in other elements!
In this way, mid-century modern complements other design styles really well. So, if you want to use some bold maximalist lines or traditional decorative touches, go nuts! If it works for you, then you nailed it.
Upkeep
The thing about mid-century modern design style is that it has been around for ages, so finding vintage pieces to incorporate into your home is easy. But with age and authenticity comes the need for a little TLC. Even if your furniture pieces are distinctly mid-century, you'll still need to do a little upkeep, so they don't detract from the overall design.
Make sure to repair or reupholster any part that looks a little worn as soon as you notice it to keep your design fresh!
Find the Balance
The great thing about mid-century modern furniture is that you can find all kinds for your home, so you might be tempted to pick every piece you see. But not all mid-century modern works together in a room; therefore, you'll need to mix it up until you find the right balance.
And remember, just because you're giving your home a mid-century modern makeover doesn't mean each room has to be in that style — you can incorporate other elements, too. Whether that means you have minimal retro furniture sprinkled throughout your décor, or incorporating small traditional or contemporary touches, it doesn’t matter. Find what works for you! So long as it's balanced, it'll make your design pop.
Use Natural Light
One of the hallmarks of mid-century modern design is the use of natural light. This is part of the fusion of outdoor and indoor aesthetics to bring more natural tones into your home. So, if you have large windows, use window treatments that emphasize them and make the continuity from outside to inside seamless.
You can also place mirrors near your windows to open up the space. And if you don't have that many windows in the room, you can look for lamps with clean lines and simple designs.
Get Started
With these tips, you can easily incorporate mid-century modern style into your home in 2022 and beyond! So don't wait — start shopping for your favorite classic furniture at Stucky's Furniture and Appliance!
Have any questions? Please don't hesitate to give us a call or stop by — our team will help with your dream design style!