Mid century modern sofa: A vintage couch in a modern home

Often considered to be the quintessential element of a stylish living room, a sofa is a piece of furniture that is synonymous with comfort, elegance and relaxation. It has been present in furniture design throughout much of history and is thought to originate from early benches some time during the Middle Ages. Throughout the centuries, different aesthetic traditions and, more recently, design movements reshaped and reimagined the sofa for the modern home. The famous and picturesque mid century era also left its mark on this type of furniture, leaving a strong legacy and numerous models of comfortable and elegant mid century modern sofas that are still popular and highly sought-after to this day.

What is mid century modern sofa

When we talk about sofas and couches in mid century modern style, we mostly think of those that are produced in line with the core design postulates of the era. Even if you are not familiar with design philosophy and train of thoughts that made these stylish couches what they are, you can still easily recognize them. With smoothly tapered legs, organic curves contrasted with clean simple straight lines, bolster pillows and shelter arms, these designs are as recognizable as they are stylish and comfortable.

Mid century modern sofa is a furniture piece that aims to perfectly blend exquisite comfort and unmatched functionality with unique style that relies not on heavy ornamentation or extravagant (uncomfortable) forms, but more on a minimalist and simple expression that is nevertheless rich in character.

Back when they first appeared during the 1950s and 1960s, the classic vintage mid century couches were often used to ‘break’ a large open floor plan into different spaces – like for example, living room and dining room – but in such a way that the room as a whole retains a sense of continuity. Because of this, many mid century style couches tend to be fully customizable sectionals, allowing you to easily reposition them and rearrange their constituent elements in order to fit your décor ideas.

Affordable mid century modern sofa

If you are looking for an affordable mid century sofa, you might be unpleasantly surprised by rather hefty price tags that come with these vintage designer furniture pieces. But, luckily, there is an easy solution for this – due to immense popularity of mid century modern sofas, there is a huge amount of reproductions available on the modern market that you can get your hands on. Of course, when making this decision, it is important to make sure that the reproduction you will be getting is of appropriate quality and can match that of the originals. Big furniture retailer such as Ikea might be high on your list, but when it comes to furniture reproductions, these large markets might not necessarily be the best option, although they will most commonly offer a guarantee of quality

The elements that you should pay attention to when shopping include the wooden frame of the sofa, the filling and the upholstery – be sure to consult with the seller about the exact materials used and their properties when it comes to questions of damage and stain resistance as well as sun-fading. Any mid century modern couch for sale in modern shops should be manufactured in such a way to make sure that it is worth its price. After all, a sofa is a long-term investment and you expect it to last.

Mid century style couches: Which one to get

Mid century modern sofas come in a variety of shapes and forms – from classic three-seaters to two-seat loveseats, from mid century modern sectional sofas to mid century sleeper sofas and even chaise lounge designs. And all these varieties are related only to the form. We can also mention mid century modern sofas and couches in leather, wool and a number of other upholsteries. And we won’t even begin discussing the variety of colors out there. But, all this comes with a question – which model to get.

This is a question that only you can truly answer. Of course, it will mostly depend on your personal preferences, your own style and what you wish to achieve in your home. All these different models have their pros and cons, so your needs will most likely be the primary criterion here. After all, why buy a sleeper sofa if you don’t expect to put it to good use? Or why get a sectional if you need one simple stationary piece of furniture in front of your TV? Always think about the intended function of your new couch because in mid century style form always follows function.