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Mid Century Modern at Home


Mid Century Modern Style Board

Classic, Timeless and truly stunning, which is why Mid Century Modern Style is so iconic and a favorite to so many.

The low stream lines of the furniture just beckons to be sat on; and the rich bold colours will warm your soul. Design is feeling and I love the feeling I get from Mid Century Modern, today I will be sharing tips on different elements and principals and how easy it is to achieve this simple and practical look in your home without turning your space into a retro museum.

1. Finishes

2. Colour

3. Lines and Shapes

4. Texture and Pattern

5. Furniture Placement

Finishes [endif]

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Wood, teak, walnut, oak and rosewood stained in a rich inviting colours, the craftsmen how built these beautiful yet simple designs where inspired by the richness and quality of the product they were using. This quality plays a huge role in why Mid Century Modern is here to stay. Every piece was not only made to look stunning it had purpose and built to last. Wood can be used not only in the furniture but as a finish for the ceiling and walls usually running up or across making amazing lines throughout the space.

Metals, again we are seeing a strong finish that is built to last in brass and aluminum the two main metals used in this era. The shiny metals where used to accent and bring out the clean lines of the design or used as works of art in wall hangings and sculptures.

Textiles, leather and weaved upholstery where very popular. Most upholstered pieces had only one or two colours with no pattern. The textiles used really grasps the style as a whole, again we see clean, simple, natural and organic fibers.

Colour

To create the Modern look in your home colour will make or break the over all feel. Be sure to keep your wall colour simple, clean and don’t choose any saturated hues. The colours should feel like the time, saying this doesn't mean that your cant pick an orange or perhaps a navy. Just be sure that whatever colour you choose is warm vs. bright. You can bring those great saturated hues in with the accents you choose to decorate with.

MCM Colour Pallet

A great rule to follow when choosing colour for any room or style in your home is 60-30-10 . Your “base” or “dominate” colour should take 60% , 30% for your secondary colour and 10% for your accent. Its important to try to not pick more than 3-4 colours to achieve a pleasing space.

Lines and Shapes

The world of modern design was really started in the mid-1900's, it produced some of the most iconic pieces. They can be identified by their refined lines that stand out with smoothed curved angles, we see minimalist silhouettes, and natural shapes are used as well. These fascinating lines pull your eye though the space always guiding you on and on. This is very visually pleasing to the eye and creates a comfortable space. Shapes are made up of these lines and are largely varied, from cold clean lines of geometric shapes to the ease and playfulness of the organic ones,

Texture and Pattern

What we have discussed so far many betray Mid Century Modern as clean and simple; which it is but it is also fun at the same time. Texture and Pattern are where we really get to bring that element into the design. So how do we introduce it to the space? ACCENTS! The fun has begun. Texture is very important to any space in Mid Century Modern Design we introduce it in woven or hide rugs, embroidered pillows, wool wall hangings, a bold oil painting or a wonderful leafy plant. Pattern brings us back to lines and shape. We see a lot of geometric's and organic patterns being used in our soft home accents, pillows, throws, drapes etc.

Furniture Placement

After the War for the most part it was a one income home where Dad went out to work and Mom stayed home to take care of the house cleaning and cooking. Most homes didn't have a T.V and the way furniture was placed in a living room was far from our TV focal point of today. After everyone ate dinner together they would all retire into the living room for the evening put a record on and read or talk to each other. So naturally the furniture all faced each other, this is what we call a conversation layout. We can still copy this today by flanking chairs on either side of the TV so when its off you can have great conversations with your guest and get to look straight at them while you do it. This layout actually encourages great conversation and quality time spent together.

I hope that you have a better incite of this amazing style and how you can bring it into your home. If you have any questions or would like me to write about something in-particular please feel free to message me.

Thanks for stopping by and remember CREATE, DESIGN, LOVE, REPEAT until next time.

-- Jessica Lena

#InteriorDesign #MidCenturyModern #StyleBoard #JessicaLenaInteriorDesign #richcolours #TextureandPattern #LinesandShapes #FurniturePlacement #Colour

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