Make a stylish home interior with mid century décor on a budget
Mid century modern décor has been around for decades now, but its popularity is anything but dwindling. On the contrary, the high demand for mid century style furniture goes hand in hand with prevalence of MCM-inspired interior design in modern home and unwavering popularity of various décor elements and accessories. Regardless of whether you are an experienced interior design veteran or just a layman looking to add a bit of stylish elegance to your home, mid century modern décor is sure to spark some ideas and help you transform your home in a rather impressive masterpiece in MCM style. So, get ready to learn more about modern house accessories and the ways that you can use them to communicate your personality and sensibility through clever, yet economic design decisions.
Mid century home interior: Defining the basics
Mid century modern vibe is not something you can get with just a couple of specific statement pieces of furniture or a predefined colour scheme. On the contrary, the unique aesthetic of mid century modern style relies on the interaction of different pieces, on the balance of colours, clever lighting architecture and of course, subtle yet elegant and attention-grabbing décor elements. As the name implies, mid century style is a vintage décor movement, so it comes with a unique warm retro vibe. A bit of that retro aesthetic can come from the furniture itself and the way that it fits with your other elements, but a significant part will come from the décor elements themselves and the way that they change the feel of the space. Let’s explore those in more detail.
Mid century modern wall décor
Wall decorations are especially prominent in mid century modern style and they come in a variety of materials, shapes and forms. From art prints to high-end paintings and from wall stickers to everyday accessories such as shelves, clothes hangers or clocks with a stylish twist, mid century house interiors are rich in different wall accessories that catch the attention of the viewer and contribute to the unique warm and cosy retro vibe characteristic for this décor and design style.
Any functional pieces redesigned in starburst motifs (mirrors and clocks are arguably the most popular ones) can work as an outstanding additions to any home decorated in mid century style. Popular pop-art works and art prints are also exceptionally popular. For a more avant-garde look, you can always go for some sculptural additions such as wall plaques or wood carvings. But, another option that is perhaps more than décor is the use of various full wall covers. Classic wallpaper, wooden panels as well as floor-to-ceiling mirrors have all be commonly featured in mid century interiors over the years.
Mid century modern décor accessories
When applying your mid century wall art, as always with styles rooted in subtlety and minimalist appeal, you should be careful not to overdo it. You still want your colour choices to be prominent and walls should never become too cluttered. So, once you have certain attention-catching wall art pieces (in some stylish homes, it can be as little as one to two), you should focus your attention on other décor accessories. Here we will discuss some of the most common.
Curtains
Curtains and various window treatments are especially stylish and easy to use décor accessories. In mid century style, letting the light flow through the room is an important part of the overall aesthetic of the stylistic movement, but at the same time, some kind of window treatment is a practical necessity. So, what you should do is focus on curtains, drapes or blinds which can be easily retracted and put back in place when needed. Try to go for simpler designs in solid colour that will match your overarching colour scheme.
Carpets
Carpets, rugs and throws are commonly used in mid century modern interior décor. They can be subtle in colour, but some bolder designers do like to get multi-colour solutions that will still go along nicely with the preferred colour palette of the room. Geometric patterns are also a popular option as they combined minimalist appeal with significant visual interest and dynamic. Finally, wall-to-wall carpets can be used, but are not as common as those that will cover just selected parts of the floor, thus exposing the must-have wood floors in typical MCM style.
House plants
Often underestimated in their stylistic appeal and aesthetical character, house plants are still a quintessential element of any mid century modern interior. They will not only bring a bit of liveliness and dynamics into the room with their lush natural green, but will at the same time flawlessly match natural wood textures so commonly present in interiors decorated in this style. Combine them with some stylish plant stands and pots for highest aesthetic impact. And, if you are not that keen on taking care of your house plants, maybe because of the long working hours or business travels, you can always settle for a nice stylish vase with some flowers you can replace when you catch the time. And for the most hassle-free solution, you can always go for plastic reproduction of plants with big prominent leaves in natural green.
Pillows, throws, sheepskins
Another good way to bring a bit of dynamics and more often than not, a bit of saturated colour is through the use of pillows and throws that can easily transform the overall appear of your favourite seating solution. While subtlety is usually advised, alongside matching of the upholstery colour with the pillow colour, some truly amazing results can be achieved, for example, if you match the pillow colour to the wall colour, while at the same time contrasting it to the colour of the sofa. Another clever décor move is the use of throws or sheepskins. Both can work very well in numerous places in the interior, although the latter is a bit more common in interiors that match classic mid century style with Scandinavian twist on the design movement.
Books
Did you see this one coming? Maybe you’re a big literature fan or just an expert who has quite a formidable collection of specific topic books, or maybe you just prefer your PDFs instead. But, in either case, you have to agree that aside from all their values, books also look very good when placed in a stylish interior! In mid century modern style, books as a décor element are almost a necessity, although their connection to this interior design style was born out of completely different reasons – during the 1950s and 1960s when this style was developing, modern information technology was still decades away, so books were still a dominant way to pass the time and get your brain working.
Retro technology
Nothing will say mid century modern as loud and clear as a vintage typewriter, a decades-old radio transistor or a vinyl player to go with your cherished collection of records. Using vintage models of aged retro technology can be an amazing way to hit that nostalgic string and make your home vintage not just in looks but also in the feeling you get when you enter the room. As a very common décor element, retro technology still has to be used subtly and with care – after all, you don’t want your home to look like 20th century out-of-date technology museum.
Utilise surfaces
Coffee tables, side tables, end tables, cabinets, credenzas and shelves – all of these are commonly present in mid century interior design and despite the flair for minimalism, this style likes utilising the surfaces in a subtle and elegant manner. In other words, you don’t want the cabinet and table surfaces to be completely empty, but you definitely don’t want them overcrowded and cluttered by unnecessary things. Rather, focus on placing one to two small décor elements – house plants, vases, bowls with fruit or an occasional photograph should do the trick. And again, books, magazines or notebooks can again serve as stylish additions.
Mid century modern décor for sale
The final question remaining is – where to buy stylish mid century modern décor accessories. But just with many others, this question will also remain without a definite answer. On one hand, online stores and retailers specialising in mid century modern furniture will sometimes offer decorative elements too, but the offer is more commonly than not limited. So, what we wholeheartedly suggest you is to get acquainted with your local antique shops and thrift shops. Finding the right mid century décor elements is often a treasure hunt amongst the aged and vintage elements which just need the dust cleared of them to truly shine in your modern home.