Friday, April 13, 2012

The buzz on MCM

Who would have thought the furnishings we bought when we first were married from DC store 'SCAN' is now called MID CENTURY MODERN?  That makes us sound like dinosaurs!

I have a lot of it scattered around my house, but I researched it the other day, and found out the core reasons why I still love it.  It boils down to these main points:

  • Iconic furniture designers: George Nelson, Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Naguchi, Milo Baughman, Bertoia, to name a few.  Im in love with this Barcelona chair (I want it in a caramel leather, please) by Mies Van der Rohe in 1929:
The Barcelona chair won the Museum of Modern Art award in 1977.

Lake District Residence
The Womb chair by Saarinen for Knoll

Isamu Naguchi table

  • Nature-inspired themes: bringing the outdoors in, earthy colors and neutrals with bright accents:
Mid-Century Modern Addition, Truro modern home office

                                                                         Hammer Architects

Gary Hutton Lagoon House contemporary exterior
                                                                      designer Gary Hutton
  • Graphic patterns: bold statements:
Baroque Wallpaper from Design Public modern home office
via Houzz
  • Sleek streamlined lines: as in these kitchens:

Fox Hills modern kitchen
                                                                   Vision Homes & Remodeling

Mid-Century Butlers Pantry eclectic kitchen
                                                                            Designs By Lisa

ECOblue kitchen eclectic kitchen
                                                                Brennan + Company Architects


  • Period art: from artists like Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollack, David Hockney :

                                                                      I love Calders mobiles.


  Roy Lichtenstein





The Sputnik by Gino Sarfatti

Nelson's bubble lights

My love for MCM marvels the simple lines, pure forms, organic style, ease of living, natural materials, lots of wood, and bold statements.  That is me! ( with the addition of blue and white porcelains, soft layers, a little shimmer...)

Pulp Design Studios contemporary living room
                                                                  Beth Dotolo, RID, ASID

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Nancy on Pinterest

I see so much of this style resurfacing these days.   Do you have some Mid Century Modern?
How do you feel about this style? I'd love to know your thoughts.

~Nancy


8 comments:

  1. Although my style is eclectic, I like to infuse MCM furniture in my house. My favorites are the tulip table and panton chair. I hope to own a barcelona daybed someday...sigh

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    1. Barcelona daybed...ohhhh, that would be on my wish list, too!

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  2. Love all these items and looks, seeing them together you see what an amazingly creative time it was. Fun to mix them into today's interiors, adds a layer of interest and timeless design.

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    1. Agreed! And some of those designers are household words..is that so true of designers today? hmmm....

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  3. Totally love MCM. Just classic.

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  4. I love mid-century furniture and a couple of my favorite pieces include my pair of Knoll Barcelona chairs and my Saarinen kitchen table and also a black marble Saarinen side table. I have a mix of styles and that's the way I'm most comfortable with it, but I do love it all.

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    Replies
    1. You have a pair of Knoll Barcelonas? Wow, I'm envious! It is like collecting art, for me. Im on the lookout for some of these, and a Saarinen piece. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Enjoy your weekend!

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  5. There was atime when I hated MCM but I am back on board. I have a pair of vintage Brno chairs and a knockoff tulip side table. I remember SCAN. My parents were young and just starting out and would just go to "look". They ended up with a few hand-me-down Scandinavian chairs that are long gone :(

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