Mid-Century Modern furniture is characterized by its crisp lines, soft curves and organic designs. The style was first introduced in the mid-20th century, hence the name however, due to its elegant elegance and timeless style Mid-Century Modern furniture is still extremely popular in modern interior design.
What exactly is Mid Century Modern?
Mid-Century Modern, or MCM is a design concept which was born in the mid 20th century. It blends modern design with a variety of textures materials, colors, and textures.
Take note of how the smooth curves of the wood dining table and lounge chair legs blend effortlessly to the dark leather couch plastic chairs in white blue cushions, and a vibrant rug. This sort of variation in materials, colors, and design is an essential feature of mid-century style.
Today there are also Mid-Century Modern furniture labelled MCM for short. Some of the traits that define this style include:
Simple: Ornate elements are used only sparingly, if at all.
Functional: Involves the philosophy of architect Louis Sullivan. Form is the first thing to be considered.
Organic: Make use of shapes that can be found in nature which tend to create soft curves.
Geometric: Uses simple geometric shapes to create clean lines with smooth edges.
Diverse: Appreciates a broad variety of colors and materials
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The History of Mid-Century Modern
Although there is some disagreement regarding the exact year of its birth, the majority admit that this style is from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s. But it wasn’t until 1983 that the term Mid-Century Modern became a household term.
Writer and art historian, Cara Greenberg, coined the term as its title in her novel Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. Now, after more than the past 60 years and Mid-Century Modern is now well-known as a concept and a major design trend by people of all ages museum curators, scholars, and museums.
For the design itself, MCM was highly influenced by Danish Modernism and the German style or school of design, Bauhaus. The changes that World War II brought to Germany, America suddenly found it with immigrants who were educated and trained with this type of style. This in conjunction with the boom in baby births and the pressing requirement for modern housing furniture ushered in a new era of technological advancement and exploring new materials in design.
Materials like molded plywood glass, plastic and fiberglass became all the rage. These materials were used as the foundation of iconic furniture designs created by designers such as Charles as well as Ray Eames, George Nelson, Herman Miller, Arne Jacobsen and Eero Saarinen, to name but several.
Mid-Century Modern Vs. Modern Industrial
With both styles taking over the scene of interior design after World War II, modern with both names and their ubiquity in the present market there are certain similarities between Mid-Century Modern and Modern Industrial. But, there are certain key distinctions that must take note of.
Mid-Century Modern
Straight and smooth edges with a consistent appearance.
It comes in a variety of shades, including bold shades
Elegant style, without imperfections
Not too extravagantly ornate
Modern Industrial
Accepts raw materials and unfinished state.
A lot of times, neutral tones are used and colors that are monotone
A modern style that is edgier and embraces natural features such as live edges and burls
Accents are embellished with contrast material
When designed by skilled craftsmen, mid-century as well as contemporary industrial furniture is built to be durable for years to come.
Mid-Century Design Colors
Mid-Century style is recognized for its use in vibrant shades of color softening such as the mustard yellow color, aqua olive green, tangerine along with Fire engine red. But, these eye-catching colors aren’t enough on their own. Tons of brown, gray and white are required to create a calming effect and contrast with any bright accents, and create MCM’s unique style.
One easy way Mid-Century interior design makes use of earthier colors is by using wooden furniture and finishes. It is not just that wood can create the right balance in an area, but wood Mid-Century Modern furniture is available in a variety of hardwoods , each with unique style and benefits.