A Mid-Century Modern Home Tour: The Living Room

My work in Palm Springs continues, and so does my tour of the possibilities of a mid-century modern home.  In this post, I’d like to talk about how you can incorporate mid-century modern design into your living room. The living room is typically the social hub of the home for your family and friends, particularly when it’s also acting as the family room, den or TV room.  For these reasons, your mid-century modern living room must epitomize both comfort and style. Selecting the ideal furniture:  Low-slung chairs and couches in neutral colors keep the room feeling open and spacious while providing plenty of seating.  Incorporating a mixture of natural woods with steel and glass accents in your coffee table, end tables, lighting fixtures, and any shelves or cabinetry is a great way to preserve the mid-century modern mixture of natural elements with industrial influences.  Tapered legs are a common feature of the furniture of this design style, so look for pieces that incorporate this design.

Bring the Outdoors In:  Floor to ceiling windows allow light to stream into the living room and connect the indoor space to the beauty of the outdoors. Live plants are also a common feature of mid-century modern rooms, so having some live houseplants in decorative pots featuring a strong and colorful pattern makes great accent pieces for tabletops or room corners.

Color and Design: Mid-Century modern is all about simplicity and functionality, so choose a signature piece of art or furniture you want to display and don’t detract from its visual impact with extraneous clutter or distracting color.  Neutral tones should comprise the majority of the room.  A graphic rug, interesting piece of artwork, brightly colored chair, or unusual feature like a suspended fireplace will add color and interest to the space without making feel busy and cluttered.

For more ideas and tips for designing your home in mid-century modern style, contact me online at Interior Makeovers, Inc.or give me a call at 310-788-0990 for a design consultation.  

Image Credits:

1.) Decoist

2.) Modernica  Blog

3.) Casa da Arbitare