Style Spotlight: Mid-Century Modern Design Style Endures

The 1939 World’s Fair brought what would become the Mid-Century Modern (MCM) design style to America with the introduction of the Bauhaus and Danish Modernist movements. Although it didn’t really gain traction until the 1940’s, MCM’s simplistic, uncluttered, “form follows function” approach lasted well into the 1960’s (think Mad Men!). It evolved much over its lifetime and endures today.

Shape

Characterized by stripping down elements to their most basic forms, MCM also thrives on the juxtaposition of features like organic shapes atop skinny legs. It can be described as futuristic, but is really just a reimagining of old ideas.

Color

When it came about in the 1940’s, MCM began its journey with earth tones and grew to include a wide array of vibrant colors as pop culture came to influence design.

Materials

Often using contrasting materials in one piece, MCM never allows one material to pretend to be another. Plastic chairs were glorified. Plain front, wooden cabinets were designed for practicality instead of ornamentation. Non-traditional materials such as glass, vinyl, metal, plywood, Lucite and Plexiglass became much more common in furnishings, appliances, flooring and many other elements of home building and decor.

A Simple Foundation

It isn’t hard to achieve the MCM look with flooring. Whether you’re in the market for hardwood, tile, vinyl, cork, or laminate, choose a style that uses a simple, natural pattern in a neutral or monochromatic tones and it will accomplish the look with ease.

Flashy Lighting

Lighting styles are where MCM gets a bit more ornate. Chandeliers shine further with sleek bars and round balls. “Form follows function” still applies, as always, but some pieces tend to embrace a more futuristic look, as with the ceiling fans below.

A Modern Kitchen

There are many ways to incorporate MCM design into your kitchen.

Add a major appliance like a range in a bold color. Incorporate a sleek faucet over a stainless steel sink. For your cabinets, consider hardware that adheres to the “form follows function” rule.

Comfort Over Conventional

Perhaps the most recognizable pieces of MCM design are the iconic furniture. Designed for comfort instead of formality, these pieces were the first to adhere to the shape of a person, instead of the opposite. They also were made of non-traditional materials, whereas they had previously been mainly made of wood. Furniture began to appear more futuristic and in much more vibrant colors.

Minimal and Uncluttered

Decor from the MCM era is usually functional in some way, as was the point of the movement. But this is an opportunity, as always, to add some artistic license and originality to your own MCM home.