My Favorite Ways to Update and Add Comfort to a Midcentury Modern Home

We recently completed an apartment remodel/refurnish outside San Francisco. As cool a style as it is, Midcentury Modern can feel a little cold and uncomfortable if not done right. Here are my favorite ways to update and add comfort to a midcentury modern home.

 

 

Via Visual Vamp

A Midcentury Modern Home for my Clients

The challenge of this particular project was finding ways to warm up the typically “cool” mid-century modern style of the architecture and make it more comfortable.

Sourcing Furnishings to go With Midcentury Modern

I spent a few hours at the San Francisco Design Center sitting on furniture, looking at woods and pulling fabric samples that would bring the scheme together with current colors and motifs. From those fabrics, I came up with four or five strong design schemes, presented the best two to the clients, and they chose the one that best represented their personal preferences.

We reupholstered an existing sofa and purchased new armchairs, an area rug, dining room set and dining room ceiling fixture. We did new window coverings and throw pillows; painted; added crown molding; designed and built a new mantel; and redesigned two pony walls.

 

 

 

The Windows and Views

The home has spectacular views. We took that into account when designing the window shades. Raising the shades reveals the entire expanse of glass.The fabrics consist of soft textures; subtle graphic prints.

The Sofa and Pillows

There is an amazingly soft, light mousy taupe colored “silk chenille” with a subtle damask imprint; a “MIssoni-esque” zigzag in taupes, grays, corals and terra cottas; a cream colored, faux reptile skin; a dark taupe “silk chenille” with a small, “wavy” imprint; a crisp linen with a graphic patterned, coral colored embroidery, and a black and cream “Ikat dot”.

The Rug

The area rug is Williamsburg design in caramel wool that has a repeating, scallop motif. In the living room we chose a beautiful, modern bookcase to act as a visual anchor to the room. Even small spaces such as these need some kind of anchoring piece to make the room feel complete.

The Chandelier

The small, gold-leaf chandelier we selected is both sleek and contemporary. In place of a chain, it hangs from unique, linked rods.

 

 

One of my favorite pieces is a sexy, modern cross leg bench covered in cream colored faux reptile. The wood finish coordinates nicely with the finish of the bookcase.

Midcentury interiors are not known for being cozy but adding livability and warmth isn’t as difficult as it seems. The main elements you want to add to your midcentury schemes are texture and scale.

Texture

Texture can be added via rugs in solid colors; heavy textures; and subtle, classic graphic prints. Midcentury florals are too busy for today’s home, with the exception of kids’ bedrooms. Moroccan style rugs are wonderful. Even faded, vintage Indian rugs work and imbue a bohemian style.

 

 

 

Fabrics add warmth and comfort and if correctly chosen will stay in keeping with the midcentury style. Like rugs, choose fabrics that are textured solids or subtle, classic prints. I love a great zigzag print too.

Adding Scale to Midcentury Modern

While midcentury homes were not typically characterized by large-scale furniture, I find that incorporating such elements adds stability to my projects, including those with a midcentury theme. Introducing a substantial piece can modernize the look effectively.

For midcentury modern homes, selecting large-scale items with straight, clean lines, such as Danish or French Modern, is advisable. I also enjoy enhancing the sense of scale with oversized mirrors and substantial modern art pieces.

 

 

 

Colors that Work with Midcentury Modern Homes

Burnt orange and brown are midcentury modern colors of course, but avocado green works well too, as do some golds. Brass is a great metal finish with these colors. Typical woods used were teak and walnut.  

Get Started with a Free Download

 

 

Feel healthy and get happy. Grab my complimentary design and wellness download, The Wellness Home, 5 Steps to a Beautiful, Restful Home for Women Who Value their Health and Wellness!

It’s a quick read with super easy design solutions that help you lead a beautiful, healthier lifestyle at home, plus my 3-to-5 Things Framework that gives you step by step actions to get started and stay on track. 

That’s it for today. Thank you for stopping by!

Shiree’

And if you’d like to dive deeper into this topic, check out my blog post, “Hiring an Interior Designer”.