Even after all these years, midcentury-modern living rooms are still trending. The interior design style is popular today for its timeless, adaptable nature, but it actually rose to prominence in the middle of the 20th century. Known as an unfussy and minimalist-leaning design style, a midcentury-modern living room is a great option for anyone who wants to balance functionality with sleekness. Think geometric shapes, warm colors, natural materials, and clean lines that move the eye around the space. Here, you’ll find 17 midcentury-modern living rooms that will inspire you to makeover your own home as well as answers to common questions on the design period. So sit down and stay a while—you’re about to have an uncluttered living room that makes you feel calm and at ease.
What is a midcentury-modern living room?
Midcentury-modern design is rooted in simplicity and functionality. Because of this, you should keep a living room sleek and practical, according to Susan Klimala, principal designer and owner of TKS Design Group in Illinois and Florida. “Think low-slung oversized furniture with clean lines punctuated with streamlined wood details and geometric, colorful accents,” she says.
Principal designer Mary Lambrakos of Lambrakos Studio agrees: “A midcentury-modern living room is deep, storied, and moody, defined by stylistic clarity and streamlined forms where every piece is thoughtfully considered.” Opt for a base of warm colors such as rich browns and greens and raw, natural materials such as wool, solid wood, and leather. “[This] evokes a tawny elegance and casual sophistication,” adds Lambrakos.
How do I style a midcentury-modern living room?
Everything in midcentury-modern living room design has a purpose, whether to inspire gathering or relaxation. This simplicity sets the stage for endless styling opportunities.
“Midcentury styling is rooted in the natural,” says Lambrakos. Accent sleek lines and curved pieces with wood trim, stone surfaces, and metal frames paired with ovoid forms. It’s also about selecting the right color palette, she adds, such as “chartreuse over yellow, tan over khaki, forest green over jade, and brown over charcoal.”
Vintage pieces like unique lighting fixtures or period furniture can also help ground a midcentury-modern design plan. “These choices infuse the space with richness,” explains Lambrakos.
Why is midcentury-modern design so timeless?
Midcentury-modern furnishings, with their warm woods, sleek shapes, and retro patterns, look just as fresh now as they did in the 1940s and ’50s. One could argue that the design movement’s focus on functionality is even more welcome today, when we’re always looking for ways to make our busy lives a little simpler.
In addition to being comfortable and non-fussy, midcentury-modern design also feels timeless because it’s easily “updatable,” adds Klimala. You can make simple layout changes or add new pieces of art to infuse a midcentury-modern living room with a fresh perspective. Because of this, the design style has withheld the test of time and continues to be popular today.
