Following World War II, a new style of home furnishing hit the market: mid-century modern. This furniture style acted as a rebellion against the frillier and more ornate designs of the early 20th century by introducing designs that were based in functionality, simplicity and clean lines. Between 1940 and 1960, this style of furniture focused on the nuclear family unit and creating functional furniture that helped families to embrace a modern and organic way of living – it was a subset of modern design, a style that became popular in the early 1900s. However, the retro aesthetic and bright accent colors of mid-century modern furniture make this furniture style pop more than the traditional understated and utilitarian modern design.
Mid-century modern furniture pieces often differ from each other with some general matching styles and designs to create a complete look where each piece complements the other. A mid-century modern chair will differ from a mid-century coffee table in look and feel, but each piece will match the other with framework and wooden accents. Unlike other furniture styles of years past, mid-century modern furniture has remained a staple of the American home for decades due to its functional design, ease of expression and easily matched style.
Features of Mid-Century Modern Furniture
While mid-century modern furniture can vary greatly in appearance and style, there are some key characteristics that you’ll see from piece to piece. These elements are consistent, important design points that have lasted from original mid-century modern pieces to recreations produced today.
Construction
Most authentic mid-century modern furniture is made with teak wood. Seeing as teak boasts a rich color and long-lasting durability, teak was the optimal choice to match mid-century modern’s functional appeal. Rosewood and oak were also popular choices but were mainly used for storage options and case pieces like desks, cabinets and tables. Beyond wood, metal, glass and vinyl were used to add accents and create a unique look. These materials were used to create curved shapes and more.
Color
While the main designs of mid-century modern furniture often feature subdued and earthy tones due to their wooden construction, bright accent colors are popular in this style. These accent colors help this style of furniture to stand out and act as a centerpiece in a room.
Shape
As previously mentioned, round designs are popular with mid-century modern style, but the shapes of mid-century modern furniture are geometric in general to add a simple yet effective look to pieces placed in any room. The gentle curves of mid-century modern contrast with the otherwise geometric shapes to create a welcoming and family-oriented design.
Functionality
Above all else, mid-century modern furniture prioritizes functionality. Every room needed to have a purpose and everything unnecessary was removed. Multipurpose furniture is popular in mid-century modern designs as a result, as well as space-saving designs. You’ll also see a lot of clean lines and simplistic styles when browsing through mid-century modern styles in order to promote a minimalist look that prioritizes saving space and keeps things from feeling overstuffed.
So, when looking for mid-century modern pieces, you’ll want to keep these factors in mind. Is the design simple and practical? Do the furniture pieces serve a purpose and omit elements that don’t? Does the construction feature teak, rosewood or oak, and is glass or metal used to highlight these elements? Knowing what you’re looking for in mid-century modern furniture will help you narrow down what is authentic and what is not.
Designing with Mid-Century Modern Furniture
Above all else, when designing with mid-century modern furniture, you want to keep it simple and straightforward. While you might want to invest in many pieces that show off the style, try to keep it limited to the pieces that you need and the pieces that will serve a function in your home. Couches, coffee tables, shelving and chests are standard, as are mid-century modern dressers and bedstands. You won’t find mid-century modern furniture pieces that purely serve a decorative purpose, so prioritize the pieces that you can add to your home while maintaining a straightforward, simple appeal. Try to build your dream home slowly and steadily, focusing on individual pieces and how they work together.
One way to build a collection of mid-century modern furniture is to start with a few special pieces that show off what the style is capable of and work from there. A great piece to start with first is a mid-century modern sofa that features an accent color that’s appealing to your pre-existing pieces or your own interests. From there, you can add pieces that match the style of wood used in your sofa and build outwards – first with chairs, then a coffee table, an end stand and so on. While matching design elements in mid-century modern furniture might seem important, the relative simplicity and consistency of mid-century modern lends itself to furniture that can be easily paired. After all, this is a style that focuses on simplicity and functionality; you only need a couple pieces that are colorful or accented.
While modern recreations of mid-century modern furniture might sound appealing, vintage or antique pieces are still affordable and should be considered when shopping for a unified style. After all, mid-century modern furniture was designed to last, and due to its popularity, many furniture pieces are readily available on the market.
If you’re interested in investing in mid-century modern furniture, make sure to check out Chairish’s collection of mid-century modern sofas, end tables, dressers and so on. These authentic vintage and antique pieces have been collected from all over to help you find furniture that matches your needs and desires, and we make it easy to create the unified furniture set that you’ve always dreamed of. Get started with this elegant but simple furniture style today and enjoy a timeless aesthetic.
Shop Mid-Century Modern Furniture >>
Lead photo design by Jamie Bush + Co. / Photo by Roger Davies