When post-WWII prefab housing was becoming passe, in the ’50s, a new version of the prefab home emerged – the kind of upper-middle-class home with many mid-century modern design ideas that would become popular over the next decade.
mid-century modern
These retro yellow kitchens – in all their buttery, warm and sunny splendor – are here for the midcentury home decor enthusiast to appreciate!
Explore the vintage pink kitchen trend of the 1950s, from pastel cabinets to pink appliances. See what made this retro style such a mid-century favorite.
See how 1960s vacation homes were designed for easy living, affordability and style, from simple A-frames to cozy beach cabins and mid-century ranches.
See what was cookin’ in home design decades ago by checking out these kitchen islands from the 60s! They combined form, function, and fun, too.
Whether you’re a nostalgia buff or looking for Christmas door decorations for your mid century home (or both!), we have some fun and festive ideas!
This collection of vintage Pier 1 Christmas ads shows the great variety of gifts, home decor, and Christmas decorations they had available through the second half of the 20th century.
Years ago, old-fashioned clock radios like these were on pretty much every bedside table around America, both lulling us to sleep with music and radio shows, and getting us up for work in the morning.
From all these beautiful old-school Bigelow carpet styles, celebrities Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz chose their dream carpet to decorate their home.
Step into the past with this 1950s dream house — a nostalgic paradise featuring an indoor pool, spacious living areas and other comforts unique to the era!
With space-age design elements like starbursts and swooshes, and the large backplates, some of the most popular mid-century modern door knobs were absolutely iconic, and easy to recognize.
Take some time to peek back at these vintage clocks, in both traditional & mod designs – classic elements of retro and midcentury home decor styles of the 50s, 60s & 70s!
This 1950s office furniture checked all the boxes of business desk design of the era: modernist styles, contemporary materials, muted colors, and no-nonsense simplicity.
This unusual home in the hills of Oakland, California is tree house – with a modernist design – belonging to Dave Brubeck, known as ‘Mr. Jazz’ to his fans.
Hop in the time machine for a whirlwind tour of 20th-century hotel rooms that are like stepping into a living history book!
That characteristic mid-century modern flair — with an abundance of color, clean lines and geometric patterns — translated perfectly in these examples of 1950s Christmas wall decorations
Step back and time and enjoy these charmingly vintage Christmas scenes celebrations from the 1940s through the 1970s, showing holidays that were picture perfect.
Take a look at popular carpet options in the 1950s. Then scroll on for some modern-day mid-century modern carpet options you can buy right now!
These gorgeous vintage in-ground swimming pools go beyond the basic – with unusual shapes, specialty finishes, and other refreshingly retro ideas.
Back in the 1950s and 60s, the American Dream could be had – affordably and in style – if people wanted to buy mobile homes (trailers). Here’s a look at dozens of homes and parks!
1970s house plans weren’t just a collection of designs. They reflected a decade of radical change & innovation. Let’s take a look at these fascinating floor plans!
Check out these groovy vintage 70s couches – curved models, sectionals, modular couches and a whole lot more that just screams retro.
Light up your memory with some some great old home décor – more than 200 antique and vintage table lamps from the beginning of the twentieth century to its end!
It might feel like people in the 50s lived in black & white. But as you can see in this collection of colorful 1950s home decor photos, they lived with bright & bold hues, too.
This curated collection of vintage photographs invites you to explore the classic charm of screened-in porches, patios, lanais, and pool enclosures from bygone decades.
Here’s a look back at some authentically vintage 1950s bedroom decor, featuring fabulous mid-century elements like colorful retro carpets, modernist furniture, and old-fashioned bedspreads.
These cute build-it-yourself 1950s cabins exemplify midcentury architecture and design — in a mini format.
Looking at these 1950s bathroom color schemes, you’ll see that the look of white, stark home decor was quickly disappearing. In its wake was a trend toward colorful designs. Take a look!
The A-frame house design is a tried and true style, and was especially popular for second homes and vacation cabins in the ’60s. See several retro A-frames here!
We’ve collected photos of vintage brick fireplaces from the 1940s through the 1970s, showing these fireplaces have been integrated into decor over those inspiring mid-century decades – and still maintain their charm as the warming heart of any home.
Divide the spaces in your home with a colorful mid-century modern wood & glass dividing wall that gives a cheerful retro vibe!
Ever since the 80s, the iconic conversation pit has seemed hopelessly out-of-date. Could it be poised for a comeback?
Check out some of the ways home builders incorporated decorative concrete block designs into the walled terraces and indoor design features of mid-century modern homes.
If you love the mid-century style, or want to re-create that beautiful vintage backyard feel, get 47 of the best old-fashioned patio, deck & porch ideas here for a little retro inspo.
With clean lines and gentle curves, the minimalistic mid-century modern chair will never go out of style. Make a decor statement with one of these mid-century modern armchair styles you can buy now!
This large two-sided stone fireplace was perfect for its setting – the double-duty living room of a home in Lake Tahoe, seen here as it was back in the early 1960s.
This minimalist dining room’s furniture was designed by mid-century modern architect T H Robsjohn-Gibbings, one of the major influencers of the contemporary era.
A central feature of this impressive mid-century modern living room was the huge, two-story fireplace that reached right up into the very peak of the vaulted ceiling.
Near the very contemporary and quite airy white fireplace, there were charming bursts of bright color from the pair of yellow modern chairs and the royal blue stool.
Spirits soared as high as the tall ceiling when entering this spring-bright midcentury modern living room — the tall glass gables made it bright and airy all year round.
This cozy retro carpeted conversation pit with comfortable built-in sofas drew party guests irresistibly toward the hearth of this dramatic living room from the 60s.
This panoramic living room from the late 1960s included several creative elements, but the main focal point was the huge dramatic fireplace that was set in the middle of the room.
A piece of fabric, in the form of draperies, was the nucleus for this 1950s modern color scheme that was bright and smart.
With a wall of windows to take maximum advantage of attractive gardens and vistas, this open-plan living room-dining area from the mid-50s had a casual family-friendly atmosphere.
This 1970s conversation area – which could be part of a mod family room or contemporary living room – got the right vibe from a spirited mass of color.
What’s a conversation center? See one in a midcentury modern living room with built-in bench seating
The space dedicated to this cozy conversation center was defined by the shaggy beige rug laid on the wideboard pegged wooden floor.
Drapes, sheers and aluminum window blinds were the window treatment trends of the 60s and 70s, but some people got way more creative. Get some inspiration from this unique mid-century window decor.
One of the most beautiful features of this classic midcentury modern home was the tall brick fireplace that sat beneath the living room’s high cathedral ceilings.
As it appeared in this 1960s show home, the elegant modern master bedroom suite had an emphasis on relaxation, purposely making space for things like quiet conversations by the fireplace.
Open-beam construction of the ceiling gave extra height and a sense of spaciousness to this 1950s living room’s turquoise & orange décor.
You’ve seen brick fireplaces, tall fireplaces, freestanding fireplaces… but what about a mouth-shaped fireplace with scalloped inner edges that looked a lot like teeth?
The unique combination of purple grape and mountain blue used in this in this midcentury modern dining room decor created an atmosphere that was gentle on the eye, but still unique enough to draw positive attention.
Brown was considered a popular midcentury modern color, so Bloomingdale’s put together this contemporary 1960s living room decor that made the most of the rich tone.
This mid century modern dinette set was from around the time when mod design became widely available with a range of colors and shapes, and was much more affordable than before.
Here’s a gorgeous home from 1959 that featured a conversation pit by a fireplace – one example of a luxurious vintage midcentury modern home admired all these decades later.
More than just a place to sleep, this mid-century contemporary bedroom from 1967 had a wide view, thanks to a wall of glass that ran from floor to ceiling.
This cozy vintage living room decor from the late 1930s/early 1940s featured the kind of clean, crisp lines popular in early modern decor.
This minimalist midcentury modern living room, cheerful and welcoming in character, left plenty of room for hospitality.
See how little hand-painted paper was needed to endow this beautiful silver and blue vintage living room with the drama and importance of a mural.
If you were looking for some stereotypical midcentury modern kitchen decor, this little kitchen from 1959 pretty much had it all.
Decades ago, this rounded 1950s kitchen would have certainly been unique with its floor featuring a huge mid century modern graphic element.
This extraordinary living room features a stunning and soaring high curved wood ceiling that looks almost like the hulls of twin ships.
This post-war modern ranch home in Los Angeles was built in 1948, and the space – including the cozy midcentury modern living room – was decorated by the editorial staff of House Beautiful magazine.
Just a peek at this cute, cozy and colorful mid century modern living room will show you how easy it can be to reproduce this look from 1964.
Situated at the bottom of a staircase, this clean & elegant hallway decor featured both Colonial and classical Greek-style elements.
In 1950, a midcentury modern living room designer created a welcoming space that offered distinctive color, buoyant originality, and practicality.
In this 1950s home, the kitchen family room decor in grey and blue had a foundation of gray slate floors, and the fireplace brick was even painted gray for color harmony.
In a bid to make this 1950s tract house more functional – and help it to look a little less ordinary – a sunny living room makeover was in order.
Softly glowing textures of golden beige brick walls and silver-gray carpeting gave this large midcentury modern living room an intimate quality.
This beautiful mid-century modern curved mosaic tile bathroom was covered floor, countertops, walls and ceiling in an elegant light green and brown combo.
The walls of a 1950s buffet/bar area were finished with flat walnut paneling. Here’s how the designers created this dining area’s real midcentury modern look!
In this simple, budget-friendly midcentury modern living room from the 1950s, a range of colors and textures played together harmoniously.
This retro room’s imaginative midcentury modern luxury style decor was the complete package: simple but luxurious, unique but functional.
Flash back to 1960 with the Scholz Mark 60, a prefab mid-century modern home! From the blue bathroom to the wooden wall paneling, every inch of this house screams retro
From those using flamboyant fabrics to the more sedate styles, here you can peek inside houses from back to the sixties and check out these once-fashionable retro curtains & drapes!
We’ve rounded up 30 dramatically different examples of 1950s Christmas tree decorations — come be inspired by these lavishly decorated Christmas trees!
This gigantic collection of vintage wall paneling from mid-century (and beyond) makes for a surprisingly delightful scroll down nostalgia lane!
Take a look back at these vintage Hide-a-Bed sofa models – fold-out beds tucked into a couch to sleep guests – no spare bedroom needed.
Take a seat and look back at these vintage 1960s chairs that used to fill homes – with styles ranging from the minimalist mid-century modern styles to the living room chairs with bold colors and patterns.
This vintage mid-century modern model home – the House & Garden magazine Hallmark House for 1963 – offered nearly 5000 square feet of beautiful 60s style.
How were the most with-it interior design experts decorating kitchens back in the sixties? Here, see many different vintage 1960s kitchen tile designs, colors and styles.
If you look back at old home photos and these vintage sculptured and textured carpets were seen – three-dimensional carved or twisted patterns – you can pretty much bet you’re looking at decor from the middle of the 20th century.
What were popular ’50s floors like? They might have bold stripes, checkerboard squares, or many other classic and creative ideas. Take a look back!
Here, see 15 ways homeowners and interior designers back in the 1950s used colorful vintage vinyl floor tiles to create trendy square patterns using a variety of colors, sizes and styles.
Books in a home once signaled that the residents were intelligent, worldly, and could afford to collect their favorite volumes. Look back at some vintage bookshelves from the past!
In the sixties, homeowners loved using tile in the bathroom, as you can see here in this eclectic collection of vintage 1960s bathroom tile design ideas!
Although tile was available in a range of hues, when it came to creating the vintage 1950s bathroom tile design ideas homeowners wanted, the most popular colors were the ones shown here.
Explore the Scholz home story with a look at the Mark 58 design, prefab innovation, and how this model changed mid-century homebuilding.
From the middle of the 20th century, see some classic and some creative vintage 1950s kitchen tile design ideas that were popular decades ago!
If you were planning to get a new kitchen for your home in the 1950s, here are nine of the most popular mid-century kitchen remodels and floorplans you might have checked out!
From stylish room dividers to savvy storage to simple tips for making the most of a small home interior, get some ideas from the fifties for space-saving small home decor.
Flair ranges glorify your present kitchen without built-in expense! Combines twin, glass-fronted ovens and a slide-in drawer-style stove.
Make a ‘Lazy Susan’ wardrobe Four-season wardrobe selection at the touch of a finger Separate your wardrobe by season . . . by formal and
Get some retro decorating advice and see floors from 1950s homes featuring creatively striped and checkerboard flooring patterns with two or more colors.
Here’s how to make a retro DIY kitchen island with roll-away cart! This prep and serving center was designed to modernize a kitchen with ’60s style.
Fold-away dining corner A family-centered dining nook tucks away into warm wood paneling Here is an idea that will provide additional living space in your
Design-A-Wall units: Modular shelves, bookcases, cabinets and room dividers. What a wonderful world of beauty and utility is yours with new Design-A-Wall units! Handsome, without
