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Midcentury Modern Decor Ideas

Midcentury Modern Decor Ideas

What's old is new again. Incorporate retro furnishings, nostalgic color schemes, and classic silhouettes into your home for divine midcentury modern design.

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Wood Furnishings

Fresh Ideas for Decorating

Embrace the natural look of wood, especially teak. A neutral backdrop allows a clean-lined coffee table, modular console, and Danish modern chairs inspired by Hans Wegner to take center stage in this contemporary living room.

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Clean-Lined Design

Less is more when it comes to midcentury design. A marble top provides a modern twist to this classic Saarinen Tulip Table. Black Series 7 Chairs pop against a clean, monochromatic color scheme.

Casual Dining Room Ideas

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Texture Blend

Mix and match textures to create a space with visual interest. Here, a shag rug blends seamlessly with a velvet couch, glass surfaces, and wicker furnishings. Stick to a subdued color palette to prevent the midcentury modern design from overwhelming.

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Do the Math

Geometric shapes take vintage finds into mod territory. Metallic chevrons update this contemporary wooden console for a twist on classic midcentury modern design. Angular artwork mixed with a pop of primary color continues the look.

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Pop of Pattern

Add interest to a bedroom with a retro color scheme and blend of pretty patterns. Shades of brown and golden yellow provide an update to the burnt oranges of midcentury design's past. An oversize floral print on this room's bedding provides fresh juxtaposition to geometric diamond wallpaper.

Real-Life Bedrooms We Love

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Retro Silhouettes

Trade mass-produced furnishings for one-of-a-kind pieces with slim silhouettes. Thin furniture legs and couches with clean lines help a small space look light and airy. A midcentury couch and chairs combine with a contemporary coffee table and pendant light for a modern blend of past and present.

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Vintage Finds

Outfit your home office with flea market finds that showcase midcentury modern design: sharp lines, geometric shapes, and minimal adornment. A wire chair with hairpin legs adds industrial flair to a desk with a single vivid red drawer. Patterns on the wall and rug add subtle style to the neutral space.

Amazing Flea Market Makeovers

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Secrets for Finding Secondhand Decor

Spot the perfect secondhand midcentury decor with our tips for thrift store shopping.

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Sleek Seating

Molded plastic shell chairs, inspired by the designs of Ray and Charles Eames, look just as stylish in the kitchen as they do in an office, dining room, or otherwise. Metal Eiffel legs on this version accentuate a handcrafted wood island and complement stainless-steel finishes.

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Mix with Tradition

Feeling intimidated by midcentury modern decor? Ease into the trend by blending the minimalist style with more traditional pieces. Here, plush pillows update a tufted midcentury chair and couch. A bright blue vase and unique geometric surface modernize a wooden coffee table.

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Pendant Focal Point

Look to lighting for a quick and easy way to integrate midcentury modern decor. Funky pendant lights, like this retro wood design, create a fun focal point for an eat-in kitchen. Eames Chairs and a shag rug further this dining area's retro vibe.

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Rethink the Classics

Take iconic seating, like this pair of Bertoia Diamond Chairs, into the modern century with tiny tweaks. Fresh patterned pillows and plush faux-fur throws make a classic set of furniture feel new. A marble coffee table top paired with wooden legs continues the new-meets-old design scheme.

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Embrace the Eclectic

The simple shapes of midcentury modern furniture allow for hip color and pattern elsewhere. Here, wood-grain flooring, chevron wallpaper, and a floral headboard bring life to an unflashy writing desk and dresser.

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Neutral Notions

Create a midcentury modern design that doesn't feel forced by blending the style with vintage decor and classic silhouettes. Here, plenty of plush pillows soften a clean-lined sofa and simple wooden coffee table. Wall and woodwork strategically painted the same neutral color allow midcentury accessories, like an oversize sunburst sculpture, to shine.

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Divine Dining

Subtlety is essential to midcentury design. Small details, like geometric seat pads, elevate basic dining chairs with understated wishbone backs. An array of vintage artwork adds interest around the Saarinen-inspired tulip table.

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Pair Primary Shades

An unexpected mix of blue and yellow is the perfect complement to an otherwise neutral midcentury modern space. Little touches of luxury, like a modular table lamp and glass coffee table, complement the straight lines of this living room's wood-paneled walls.

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Modern Minimalism

Introduce richness into a modern kitchen with midcentury-style wood cabinetry. The natural material warms up minimalist hardware and stainless-steel finishes that fuse seamlessly with Bertoia-style barstools.

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Scaled for Style

Arrange a Room Like a Pro!

Midcentury modern furnishings are ideal for small spaces due to their pared-down silhouettes. A chair, couch, and coffee table, all with thin wood legs, can easily cozy up in a little living room while leaving the area with an airy appearance.

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Citrus Scene

Sweet shades of yellow and orange spice up a kitchen banquette outfitted with midcentury seating. Eames-inspired Eiffel Armchairs cozy up to a plush storage bench in this sunny high-contrast space. A unique pendant light fixture provides a swipe of icy white to take the edge off the surrounding sizzling colors.

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Orange Crush

Create a color blast from the past with an orange-and-brown color scheme. This geometric vinyl wallpaper lends groovy pattern to a children's bedroom. A simple wood-paneled bed with white lacquered drawers balance the bold palette and boasts the "less is more" attitude of classic midcentury modern furniture.

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