How To Capture Mid-Century Modern In A Breathtaking Living Room

Let me show you my wares.

You’ve entered what can only be described as the Star Trek Holodeck but-for-interior-design. Where dreams come true.

You find yourself at a digitized, yet very real, waiting room and sign your name in the ledger marking you down for the mid-century modern living room tour.

The receptionist smiles at you and explains how the Designdeck will to give you insight into how each mid-century furniture item fits with the next to make your living room look incredible.

You’re next.

“Mid-century modern is the way” – the flashing purple neon sign above the door struggles to say.

Initiating Designdeck

You walk up to the closed door of the living room. The butterflies in your stomach are fluttering right now.

Looking down you see the brass knob, it’s just crying out to be turned.

You oblige and the door creeks open revealing what can only be described as living room heaven.

Pupils dilate, palms are sweaty.

Mid Century Sofa Legs

You see the sofa and you make a beeline for it.

The first thing you notice are the thin legs. You ask me why they’re like that and I tell you.

“It’s not just the sofas. All furniture in the mid-century modern style has thin legs because it helps make make the room feel lighter and airy”.

You nod to me appreciatively and follow my lead as I invite you to sit down.

Although its legs are thin, the build is sturdy and it doesn’t move when you place your weight on it. Mid-century modern sofas are low profile, often sectionals which are independent chunks that can be rearranged in whatever order you desire.

You had a heavy night last night but the headache from your hangover drifts as soon as your body meets the cushions.

You sink further than expected – glorious comfort.

Something tells me you’re happy making yourself at home as you take your shoes off and stretch out to test its length.

Great. Long enough for an afternoon nap whenever necessary.

Always.

I urge you up, other clients are due at half past.

Next up is the coffee table.

Mid Century Modern Coffee Tables

I ask you to hold out your hands.

“Please hold out your hands”.

You do so and a glass of O’Shaughnessy Cabernet morphs into existence inside your pre-clutched paws.

You take a sip and can taste the rich red blend on your lips. As your shoulders relax and you forget about the task at hand, I remind you we must push forward.

You agree and gently place the glass, which has had plenty sampled from it already, down onto the mid-century colourful placemat sitting on the coffee table near you.

Aha!

A perfect segway into the next piece of furniture you need to examine.

I wave my hand in a dismissive way and both the wine and glass evaporate leaving only the complex grain of the wooden coffee table in focus.

You comment on its shape. Most mid-century styled furniture has organic form, rarely do you see a straight line. This has changed a bit with the evolution of the style but the aesthetics haven’t been abandoned.

“And the coffee table has thin legs like the sofa and everything else” – you confirm.

I look at you with an expressionless face, but stick my thumb up to reassure you I’m listening and that you’re correct.

Accent chairs are sleek and ergonomic

Much like a teenager, you’re incapable of staying vertical for very long and, before I know it, you’re sitting down again.

It’s time to use this moment to learn.

I click my fingers and a book falls into your lap. It’s not heavy, but has weight to it.

Mid-century Modern For The Uninitiated

Another wave of my hand opens the book to the page you need to read.

Bookcases.

They’re unique in their appearance. Rarely is each section of the bookcase a uniform size and shape, in fact, they appear to be more artistic than functional.

You raise your head towards me to acknowledge their impressive aesthetics and notice one sitting to your right that hadn’t been there before.

You walk over to it and I let you know it’s made of teak.

It’s a solid build with a very sleek design. It’s filled with books you couldn’t possible hope to read as well as pictures of your family strategically placed to make you feel nostalgic.

Elegant lighting design means you enjoy more living room

You’ve been in here a while now. The sun is going down.

You find your eyes readjusting for the light levels which are less than ideal. Cue the lamps turning on which puts a new spin on things.

A selection of lamps are laid out before you, from various size table lamps to floor lamps, ceiling fixtures to wall sconces.

They all have one thing in common, they’re thin with next to no ornament.

It makes sense, you think, the elegance is in being able to enjoy the rest of the room and not in a staring contest with a ceramic base.

Metallic construction helps to focus laser beams of adjacent light sources into areas of the room that have never been so lucky to receive brightness in their life before.

You step up to the floor lamp and gleefully flick the switch off and on, there’s a glint of manic excitement in your eyes as you flip back around to look at me in anticipation.

I’m a professional, my job is to show people the interior design of their dreams. However, this time I’m caught off guard and find your enthusiasm humorous and a grin lifts my cheeks into their rightful position.

And here’s how it’s all put together

And here’s another beautiful Mid-Century Modern living room.

Before you go…

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We can’t let this blossoming friendship fade away now, can we?