This large living room needed more than wall to wall carpet. It needed the style and design it had been lacking since the 60s. Midcentury Modern has made a big comeback in recent years with iconic traits making their way back into furniture and decor today. Before you had to go to vintage shops or thrift stores to find the Midcentury Modern furniture of your dreams, but today you can find pieces reminiscent of the time easily at places like Target or West Elm. This development has created a conflict for purists. I respect that, but I also believe that great design shouldn’t be expensive and all of these new Midcentury modern inspired pieces allows people to get the look without the cost.
Looking back at this boring living room, despite the floor to ceiling glass, there is very little that says “Hey! I’m Midcentury Modern!” It came to the furniture to make an impact. Something new. Something old. And something custom. A sofa from West Elm, a cocktail table and console from Amazon and the upholstered accent chair is from Living Spaces, all new but all with a mid mod vibe. The rug, the black accent chairs and the sewing table turned desk are all vintage finds. Mix them together, add a custom piece of artwork, and this boring living room became beautiful.
Got art? If not, make your own. Or if you lack all artist talents, find someone who doesn’t. This large painting is a custom creation by local Phoenician artist Dianne Nowicki using latex and acrylic over plywood. Midcentury Modern design is all about being unique. In the 50s and 60s people started embracing new design, something we should all focus on doing more of today too.
James Judge is a designer, flipper, blogger, future TV host and all-around house-a-holic. He strives to take ugly houses and make them into beautiful homes. He loves a collection of all styles but especially enjoys midcentury modern. James appreciates good design and thoughtful solutions to help get the look for less. To see more photos from this project and other transformations, check out James’s blog, Flipping Diaries, or follow him on Instagram or Twitter @flippingdiaries.
