Living Room Decor Ideas for The Perfect Mid-Century Modern Look

Bringing Mid-Century to Modern

Clean lines. Natural hues. Pretty pastels.

Finding the happy medium between old-school, solid wood furniture and vibrant colors, mid-century modern design promises a home interior that is decidedly bold with ample contemporary appeal.

The mid-century modern aesthetic remains one of the most in-demand despite debuting over 70 years ago. In broad terms, the term ‘mid-century modern’ is used to define architecture, design and graphics from the middle of the 20th century (approximately 1933 to 1965). Author Cara Greenberg first used the phrase ‘mid-century modern’ in her 1984 book Midcentury Modern: Furniture of the 1950s.

Visually, mid-century modern design is characterized by simple designs, which includes contemporary pieces with organic shapes and furniture with tapered legs. Wood is a recurring element across mid-century modern furniture and often takes center stage. Colors are also an important element of the mid-century modern aesthetic with distinctive palettes including vibrant hues and plenty of pastels.

Excited about giving your living room a mid-century modern twist? We’ve put together some living room decor ideas that’ll transform your living room into something straight out of the set of Mad Men!

A Woody Affair

wooden furniture makes up for great living room ideas

Your living room is where you unwind after a long day at work. And there’s nothing more inviting and relaxing than solid wood furniture with calming colors. If mid-century modern is the ethos behind your design inspiration, you should ideally add a few wood-based pieces ( especially the ones made from teakwood), to your living room for that old-school yet modern vibe. To make your living space truly mid-century modern, add clean-lined contemporary chairs to your wooden coffee table.

When considering a wood-heavy living room, make sure to use neutral wall colors and soft-hued fabrics to let the wood furniture truly shine.


Mid-Century Subtlety

a comfortable sofa + wooden coffee table is one of the classic living room decor ideas

When you visualize furniture and designs from the mid 20th century, you’ll rightly picture subtle designs and thoughtful craftsmanship. The mid-century modern aesthetic is not about creating a big and splashy display but a space that’s warm, fresh and artistic. When planning your living room decor in mid-century modern style, remember, less is more. You don’t want to crowd your room with furniture and decor items that don’t belong. Instead, focus on creating a functional space without any extraneous paraphernalia.

Classic Colors

The 50s and 60s had very specific colors associated with them including seemingly offbeat ones including tangerine, avocado, and mustard. Your mid-century modern inspired living room can do with a dash of these strikingly mid-century colors. Apart from the walls, places you can incorporate classic colors from the 50s and 60s include the couch, rug and basically any other decor item in the room. Do remember to not add too many different colors and to match the colors if you’re using more than one.

If you’re having trouble working out the perfect color combination for your living room, you can always get a professional interior designer to help you out.

Of Patterns, Textures and Accessories

Another recurring element in mid-century modern design is the use of patterns and textures. From the wallpaper to the rug, you can play with different textures and patterns in your living room, given your room has a neutral palette. Accessories are also a big part of your living room decor and if you like to accessorize, the mid-century modern aesthetic is your friend. Sculptural vases, blown glass accents, chain-link bowls are just a few of the 60s inspired accessories you can include in your living room decor.

While giving your living room a mid-century modern look is an exciting prospect, sourcing and financing new furniture and accessories can be challenging. Rent mid-century modern furniture from CasaOne to avoid the hassle involved in furniture shopping and we’ll help you transform your living room into a #goals Pinterest board for the ages!

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