Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by SierraLivingConcepts

In today’s market, there are many designs that look like mid-century modern furniture. However, it’s essential to identify authentic mid-century modern pieces before purchasing.

Here’s a guide in which we discuss the history, characteristics, rise to popularity, and how to decorate your home with Midcentury Modern style, which is also popular as MCM furniture.

What Is Midcentury Modern Style?

The term “mid-century modern” referred to the style that originated as a result of a new home furnishing approach in the US after World War II. It reflects the marriage of 20th-century interior design with sleek and elegant modern style and features sensible lines and soft contours, a distinctive assortment of characteristics, and organic and inorganic materials.

Inspired by Danish Modernism and Bauhaus, the mid-century modern furniture is iconic for its blended usage of natural materials (like teak, rosewood, mahogany, and oak) and industrial materials (namely steel, glass, and metal) that were on the rise post the war.

Characteristics of Midcentury Modern Furniture

Clean Lines: Midcentury modern furniture typically features clean, straight lines with minimal ornamentation or embellishments.
Minimalist Design: The style embraces a minimalist approach, with an emphasis on simplicity and a “less is more” philosophy.
Use of Materials: Common materials include wood (especially teak and mango wood).
Bold, Contrasting Colors: Vibrant and bold colors, such as bright orange and mustard yellow
Geometric Patterns: Geometric patterns and shapes that are commonly used in textiles, rugs, and other decorative elements.

History

Midcentury Modern is a branch of modern design that became popular in the early 1900s. This design is similar to traditional modern designs, which were popular at that time. It incorporates vibrant accent colors to highlight its retro charm. In contrast, conventional modern design leans toward a more subtle, practical, and industrial aesthetic.

How did it become so popular?

With an extensive range of materials and colors to choose from, this style’s relatively simple anatomy with minimal ornamentation makes it very popular with designers today. Another unconventional feature of the mid-century modern decor is its uncommon approach to the combination of warm earthy tones and bright bold colors that give the home a burst of vibrancy and life as well as provide plenty of room for design flexibility and creativity.

MCM Furniture For Bedroom Decor

There are a plethora of reasons for sprucing up your bedroom in the mid-century modern style. It creates a simple yet sophisticated look with minimal effort. Moreover, it delivers a classical and perennial aesthetic to keep your living space looking inviting. Let us check how to decorate your bedroom furniture in a mid-century style.

1. Bed

Platform beds with sleek, splayed legs and little ornamentation are a part of the mid-century modern style of furnishing. Use bedsheets with geometric patterns in bold colors to add a splash of a retro vibe, and select duvets and pillow covers in checkers. Whether the bed is king-size or queen-size, select one that comes with a large headboard frame and hang abstract artwork over it to give a mid-century modern look. Choose a neutral to warm wood finish.

2. Dresser

If you are looking for a dresser or chest of drawers in mid-century modern style, opt for one that features a clean rectangular silhouette, smooth edges, a recessed base frame with long legs, and is hand-stained or painted in a warm tone and made of solid wood. To heighten the look, place a brass lamp on it or a porcelain vase with sprigs of poppies.

3. Nightstand

Complete your bedroom in mid-century modern style by opting for a nightstand or bedside table with long splayed legs and a naturally fine-grained pattern. Ornamentation of brass inlays or rattan panels complements the retro appeal. Put a nightstand on each side of the bed, an antique alarm clock on one, and your favorite magazines on the other.

4. Armoire

An armoire curated in mid-century modern style speaks of form and functionality with its linear design and space for organizing your clothes and linens.

MCM Furniture For Living Room Decor

Spruce up your living room with a mid-century modern look by going for wooden-legged furniture. Ensure that the living area gets sufficient sunlight and fresh air. An easy way is to use white, green, and tan colors in abundance along with some accent colors like golden and shades of blue—be it the furniture, curtains, upholstery, or accent pieces. The vintage look with modern flair calls for the use of plenty of houseplants in a naturally well-lit interior.

1. TV Stand

Add a media console or a TV stand with a simple and sleek design to flaunt a mid-century modern look in your living area. An entertainment unit designed in this style generally features a low-profile design with a no-hardware look. Selecting an entertainment center sporting a neutral to warm finish will allude to a natural warm look to your mid-century modern interior.

2. Sofa & Chair

Dress up your living space with a sofa set and accent chair in the look of the 50s to display your superior taste. Add a masterstroke by placing a leather loveseat and beautify it with heart-shaped cushions. For a cozy look, furnish your mid-century modern living room with an accent armchair with sleek splayed legs and plush upholstery in tan-colored leather or soft fabric in abstract colors and patterns.

3. Coffee Table

A coffee table with a slatted bottom shelf is a wonderful way to add a mid-century modern vibe to your living area. You can go for a round coffee table with a rustic look and place a small plant to exude a mid-century modern aura. If the rest of the furniture in your living room follows a retro look, you can balance the aesthetic by choosing an unconventionally shaped metal-base coffee table with a solid wood top.

4. End Table

Grace your living room with end tables and side tables in the mid-century modern style to catch the eye of your guests. One made of a metal frame in a barrel shape near an L-shaped sofa will add the right amount of sophistication.

5. Bookcase

Add mid-century modern aesthetics to your living room by selecting an open-back solid wood geometric bookcase and bookshelf that displays the organic grain pattern. You can choose either a minimal ladder bookcase or a vintage-styled arched bookcase with intricate woodwork to add some drama.

mid century modern black bookcase white doors

MCM Furniture For Dining Decor

Use warm stained furniture with upholstery in white and beige colors while decorating your dining room with the mid-century modern style to maintain a relaxed atmosphere and a feeling of lightness.

Enhance its appearance by beautifying it with retro accessories and adding homeyness to the space. Read on to find out more.

1. Dining Table & Chair Set

Go with a minimalist look by bedecking your dining room with a simple vintage-looking round or rectangular dining table and open-back or woven-back chairs to create a mid-century modern look. If you have a large family, a dining table for 8 people with leather upholstered chairs will help you bring out a stylish retro charm.

solid wood mid century table and chair set

2. Bar Furniture

Display your liquor collection with Elan by showcasing it in a mid-century modern bar cabinet and pairing it with counter stools and bar stools having beautiful metal legs. Having a bar cart in a mid-century modern setting will give you the desired freedom of mobility. If there is a crunch of space in your bar area, choose a tall bar cabinet and go for saddle stools for extra glitz.

solid wood bar cabinet mid century modern

3. Sideboard

A sideboard is the most elementary piece of furniture in a dining room. A teak wood buffet in dual tone will radiate a neat mid-century modern style or having a hutch with glass doors will also help you to achieve this. An elongated and low-profile credenza with sliding doors is perfect to add a warm and sophisticated atmosphere along with lots of convenient storage.

Aragon Two Tone Mid-Century Modern Solid Wood Large Sideboard Cabinet

MCM Furniture For Home Office Decor

An elegantly designed solid wood writing desk and chair with clean lines, airy design, and smooth surfaces will flaunt a mid-century modern look. Select mahogany wood office furniture to add depth, and match it with a vertical file cabinet with brass accents to complete the look.

solid wood mid century modern desk with one drawer

MCM Furniture For Entryway Decor

An entryway is incomplete without a console table or a bench. To welcome your guest in style, go for a mid-century modern console table with metal inlays and adorn it with a piece of art, a metal mirror frame, figurines, and collectibles. Place an entry table and cover it with a crochet doily to embrace a mid-century modern interior.

Make a Statement inside.

Mid-century modern design is dominated by wood, so grain patterns of solid wood are important. Bold, bright prints and monotone floral patterns follow. Chevron and herringbone patterns, geometric shapes, and neutral colors are used on walls, floors, tabletops, upholstery, and furniture accents. Best of all, mid-century modern style can be achieved with the right colors, silhouettes, shapes, and indoor plants. This interior décor style will stay in modern homes for years due to its easy mixing.