Clean lines, tapered legs and warm wood from the 1950s and 60s.

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern is the design of the post-war decades: low furniture on tapered legs, teak and walnut, organic curves, graphic pattern and optimistic color. It is one of the easiest styles to mix with others and one of the hardest to overdo. It suits living rooms and dining rooms and almost any flat.

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A living room in the Mid-Century Modern style

What makes it Mid-Century Modern

The five things to get right. Everything else is taste.

Mid-Century Modern color palettes

Palette Walnut and teak with mustard, olive, teal, burnt orange and off-white.
Materials Walnut, teak, leather, moulded plywood, glass, brass, boucle and tweed.
Furniture Low sofas and sideboards on tapered legs, a lounge chair, a sunburst or starburst shape somewhere.
Textiles Geometric and atomic prints, tweed, a shag or flat-weave rug in a bold pattern.
Lighting Arc floor lamps, sputnik chandeliers, mushroom lamps, globe pendants.

Ordinary rooms, in Mid-Century Modern

Drag the handle. Every after keeps the before's walls, windows, doors and camera, which is what Room AI does to your photo too.

An ordinary family kitchen with honey-oak cabinets and a black fridge — Kitchen Try this on mine

The same kitchen in the Mid-Century Modern style — Kitchen Try this on mine

An ordinary living room with a gray sofa, a TV on a stand and net curtains — Living room Try this on mine

The same living room in the Mid-Century Modern style — Living room Try this on mine

An ordinary bedroom with a pine wardrobe, a dark headboard and a gray duvet — Bedroom Try this on mine

The same bedroom in the Mid-Century Modern style — Bedroom Try this on mine

An empty living room with a bay window and a fireplace — Empty room, staged Try this on mine

The same empty room, staged in the Mid-Century Modern style — Empty room, staged Try this on mine

Mid-Century Modern ideas, room by room

Pictures to save and borrow from. Pick a room to see all of its Mid-Century Modern ideas.

A serene guest bedroom with a low mid-century modern walnut bed centered against a white wall, paired with blush pink pillows and a small matching rug. Built-in wood closet doors, brass wall sconces, and warm wood flooring create a clean, airy, and inviting space.

A small guest bedroom with a low walnut platform bed tucked beneath a sloped ceiling. Cream bedding, an orange throw, a brass wall sconce, and a floating wood nightstand create a warm mid-century modern look.

A compact guest bedroom styled in mid-century modern design with a low wooden bed, white bedding, and a mustard patterned cushion. A matching wooden nightstand with a dark desk lamp sits beside the bed, while mustard patterned curtains frame a bright window on the right.

A mid-century modern guest bedroom with a walnut platform bed, white bedding, and an olive green throw centered in a bright room. A curved leather lounge chair, globe table lamp, framed abstract art, and a walnut dresser complete the calm, sunlit space.

A compact guest bedroom with a low wooden bed frame, beige bedding, and a turquoise throw and pillow. The room includes a wire accent chair, nested wooden side tables, a framed abstract artwork, and a slatted wood screen, all under high clerestory windows that fill the space with soft daylight.

A serene guest bedroom with a low walnut bed, a matching wood dresser, and an orange bench beside large floor-to-ceiling windows. Exposed ceiling beams, a small stone fireplace, and a single globe pendant create a warm mid-century modern atmosphere with natural light and expansive views.

A mid-century modern guest bedroom featuring a low walnut bed with white bedding and a green throw, a matching walnut wardrobe and credenza, and a starburst wall clock. Cream walls, a small frosted window, and a dark ceramic lamp with a white shade create a calm, warm, minimalist atmosphere.

A compact guest bedroom viewed through an open doorway, featuring a low walnut bed with tapered legs, beige bedding, and a mustard-yellow textile panel behind the headboard. A small matching wood nightstand and brass wall sconce sit to the right, while a framed abstract print hangs on the left white wall. Warm wood flooring and a soft neutral palette create a calm mid-century modern feel.

A Mid-Century Modern master bedroom with a low wood bed, creamy bedding, and a large mirror reflecting the room. In the foreground, an upholstered lounge chair with an ottoman, a black arched floor lamp, a potted plant, and a small glass side table sit on warm wood flooring in a calm neutral palette.

A master bedroom with a walnut platform bed centered against a white wall, flanked by matching mid-century nightstands. A turquoise throw adds color to the white bedding, while a black globe pendant hangs overhead and a slatted wood dresser anchors the right side of the room.

A bright master bedroom with a large walnut headboard wall, a low bed dressed in white pillows and an olive-green throw, and built-in white wardrobes along the left side. A simple globe pendant hangs from the ceiling, while a pale rug and light wood floors keep the room airy and calm.

A mid-century modern master bedroom with a low walnut bed, white bedding, and a matching wood dresser at the foot of the bed. Beige curtains frame two small windows, and an abstract framed artwork with yellow and red shapes hangs above the headboard. The room has a soft neutral palette, light wood floors, and a woven striped rug.

A mid-century modern master bedroom with a walnut platform bed, olive green upholstered headboard, cream bedding, and matching wooden nightstands. Brass wall sconces, ceramic pottery on a slim shelf, and a woven rug add warmth against soft beige walls and hardwood floors.

A serene master bedroom with a low walnut platform bed, cream bedding, and a mustard throw, centered beneath a sunburst wall clock. Matching walnut nightstands and a mid-century cabinet sit beside a large window with sheer beige curtains, all on a soft neutral carpet.

A spacious mid-century modern master bedroom with a low wooden platform bed dressed in light bedding and orange accent pillows. The room features floor-to-ceiling windows, a stone fireplace, exposed dark ceiling beams, a walnut dresser, and a leather lounge chair with ottoman on a black rug.

A serene master bedroom with a low walnut platform bed dressed in soft cream bedding, centered against a large olive-green accent panel. A mid-century style wood dresser sits to the left, a black wall-mounted reading lamp adds contrast, and a woven natural rug warms the light wood floor. White walls and minimal decor create a calm, airy atmosphere.

Try first

Cheapest first. Each is something you could do this weekend, or say to Room AI now.

1 One sideboard on tapered legs will carry the style for a whole room.
2 Add a single accent color from the palette, mustard is the classic, in a chair or a cushion.
3 Choose lighting with a strong shape; the lamp is a sculpture in this style.
4 Keep walls plain and let the furniture's lines show.

What spoils it

The three things that turn Mid-Century Modern into something else.

Furniture with skirts, bulk or ornate detail.
Everything in the same brown; mix walnut with white and one color.
Buying only reproductions; one real vintage piece anchors the fakes.

Say it to Room AI

Each of these starts a design in the app with that as the first message. Change any word.

“Make this living room mid-century: a walnut sideboard, a low mustard sofa, an arc lamp, a geometric rug. Keep the TV where it is.”

Try this

“Keep the bedroom layout; a walnut bed with tapered legs, a sputnik light and olive bedding.”

Try this

“Swap the dining set for a round table with moulded chairs and a globe pendant.”

Try this

If you like Mid-Century Modern

The styles next door, which share most of the ingredients and change one or two.

Scandinavian

Bright, pared-back and cosy at the same time.

Eclectic

Mixed eras and styles, held together on purpose.

Industrial

Brick, steel and the bones of a warehouse.

See your own room in Mid-Century Modern.

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