We all know that interior design trends come and go, but style lasts forever, and mid century modern isn’t so much a furniture trend as a style!
In this article, we talk about what is mid century modern interior design and why we think it’s here to stay as one of the most loved styles of all times.
What Is Mid Century Modern Interior Design
The phrase “mid century modern design” was first coined by art historian and writer Cara Greenberg in 1983 and is perfectly phonetic to the style. It’s straightforward, simple and no-nonsense, exactly like the designs it encompasses.
The New York Times first noted the resurgence of mid century modern a style in 1998, when young New Yorkers turned towards space-aged fibreglass and organic wooden shapes and threw out their heavy iron furniture and saturated colours.
And here we are now, nearly 20 years later, and if anything, the style has become even more popular, so it’s no secret that at Pash Classics, we are also huge fans at Pash Classics.
The exact period that we refer to as mid century modern is debated and open to interpretation, which is how all great design movements should be! But most lovers of this style will agree that 1933 to 1965 is when the mid century modern style was pioneered.
This design style originated from the famous German Bauhaus movement and its pioneers, where the iconic Barcelona Chair could be stated as the first piece of mid-century modern furniture.
During the mid to late 1930’s many designers fled Germany and vulnerable areas of Europe due to changing beliefs in their home countries. Several of these designers emigrated to the United States, where their minds were nurtured by the rapid creation of new materials, such as fibreglass, and more effective production methods.
Just as the 30s and early 40s had pioneered new materials and increased the potential of furniture design, the late 40s and 50s were an equal blessing to any designer who embraced this new style. New houses were needed quickly and in vast quantities, which meant affordable furniture was required to fill these homes. To keep costs low, their function high, and their style simple, pieces were often created from only one or two types of materials and with as few colours as possible. From here, a large range of now iconic designs were created, which embraced new materials, often with artificial qualities and balanced perfectly with natural wood.
The 3 Types Of Mid Century Modern Interior Design Styles
But if you thought that mid century modern interior design was a movement stuck in its ways of one specific aesthetic, you’d be wrong! For example, the innovator and designer of the renowned Marshmallow Sofa determined three types of mid century modern:
Biomorphic
Characterised by its smooth surfaces, organic curves and natural flow, the biomorphic style was especially loved by the iconic duo in the world of modern design.
A perfect example would be the “The Eames La Chaise”, designed in 1948 for a Museum Of Modern Art competition. Its organic shape was inspired by “Floating Figure”, a sculpture by Gaston Lachaise.
Machine
Chances are, this is the most common style you think of when you think mid century modern interior design!
Originating strongly from the Bauhaus movement, the machine style uses space-aged geometric shapes combined with cutting-edge materials and focuses on form following function. In many ways, “machine” is the 1950s in a nutshell.
Handmade
Danish design has taken the world by storm over recent years for many of the same reasons as mid century modern. Their approach towards minimalism with sculptural lines and a focus on quality is refreshing in today’s fast-fashion world.
However, the Danish style we all love originated from the “handmade mid century”. This focus on low-key yet beautiful design and their affordable high quality that meant mid-century modern didn’t die out when the baby boom years ended.
So if you’re looking for a piece of furniture that will last as long as it looks stylish, mid century modern is the way to go!
Mid Century Modern Furniture Inspired By History
If you’re decking out your new house or apartment and want to keep it modern but classy, your first step should be to look at history and check out our mid-century modern design ideas for furniture!
Contemporary furniture is a large market, and you’ll have many places and styles to choose from, to suit every budget. Our particular speciality is exactly what you might be looking for – that tricky combination where modern furniture is designed with a nod to the past, and here are two of our best examples:
The Iconic Modern Chairs
A sought-after 50’s classic, the iconic modern chairs remain one of the most representative mid century modern furniture pieces of all time.
They were created with comfort in mind whilst looking like a fine designer item and succeeded on both fronts, hence their popularity. The original was designed to look like a well-worn glove with a flexible backrest and headrest, so it will look inviting to sit or lounge on, no matter the style of your room. It’s also a great conversational piece not found in an average furniture shop.
The original chairs are sought-after collectable items and are restricted to those who can afford them, but the modern versions are extremely similar and offer no difference in style and funk factor – except for the price.
In keeping with the tradition of this popular chair using new materials and incorporating them into the design, you can now get yours from Pash Classics!
Our iconic modern chairs are available in various colours and with different materials to easily suit the rest of your home decor. You can also check out other designs based on or inspired by similar designers on our website.
The Iconic Modern Longue Chairs
The iconic modern lounge chair is sometimes pronounced “Chaise Lounge”, enabling you to get your feet up, and who wouldn’t enjoy that?
Historically enjoyed by the French but going back to ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt, this chair is the most stylish and coolest way to lounge around. Whenever a chaise longue is in the room, you’ll fight everyone else to sit (or lie) on it!
Although chaise longues are often found in antique shops (with a price tag to match), modern, contemporary versions are being made, and we stock several of them. Built for modern-thinking but classically-minded home decor lovers, you can now have the glamour of ancient Rome or Greece updated to fit your style. Of course, you get to lie on it, too, so it’s no wonder that the alternative name for them is day beds.
Final Thoughts
These were just two brief examples of contemporary mid century modern interior design pieces, however, if you’re into retro furniture, we stock that too, as well as up-to-the-minute modern designer items to show off that part of your personality when it comes to furnishing your home!
If you can’t make up your mind or need advice on matching sets or colour ideas, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help you make your home part of your own mini-history!
