How Mid-Century Modern Came Roaring Back

There was a period in American history when if you walked into someone’s Mid-Century Modern home, it meant that they hadn’t decorated in over twenty years. Mid-Century Modern was in hiding, with dinette sets, chrome and glass bars, and vinyl couches stacked in garages, storage units, and warehouses.

But then, near the beginning of this century, it all came roaring back — only better. While the term Modern Mid-Century Modern is woefully awkward, the elevated, new version of Mid-Century Modern deserves to be distinguished from its vintage predecessor. But how did Mid-Century make such a strong comeback and so quickly?

Many Babyboomers and Generation X-ers grew up watching shows or reruns of shows that featured chic Mid-Century design — “Family Affair,” “The Brady Bunch,” and “Bewitched,” to name a few. However, in 2007, the ultimate tribute to Mid-Century life debuted on AMC to critical acclaim.

Among other things, “Mad Men” celebrates the design and décor of the 1960s. From sleek Madison Avenue offices to chic, upscale Upper East Side apartments, Mid-Century Modern décor saturates the sets of the show. And unlike the plastic and chrome furniture many of us recall from our youths, these sets feature high-quality, envy-inducing designer pieces.

Not only did the success of “Mad Men” inspire movies and tv shows set in the same period and genre, but it ignited the imaginations of many furniture designers. It doesn’t take too much imagination to picture a well-dressed ad executive relaxing with a cigarette and cocktail on the Elle Contemporary Sofa by Bernhardt while he reviews pitches from his creative team.

It’s impossible to ignore the fact that some furniture designs don’t make sense. Either they have so much ornamentation as to render them impractical, or they’re constructed from fragile materials. Mid-Century Modern furniture revolts against the impractical, and it does it beautifully.

Mid-Century Modern design keeps it simple, usually combining only two or three materials, like teak and leather, glass and metal, or wood and glass. Lines are either straight or have a slight curve in them. Cleaning and maintaining Mid-Century furniture is often easier due to its simplicity. 

Consider the simple beauty of this Six-Drawer Chest from Bernhardt’s Silhouette Collection: straight lines, smooth surfaces, white with silver-colored accents. Dust it occasionally with a damp cloth, and it will always look like the day you bought it. Superior drawer slides ensure that this piece will allow access to its ample storage whenever you need it.

Because today’s Mid-Century Modern is an homage to the older style, newer pieces are designed to look and feel like older ones — often with superior construction and materials. This means that you can easily pair newer and older pieces.

A piece like Artistica’s Long Mid-Century Console from their Monstuart Collection can easily be paired with the period lamp, mirror, or drink service you picked up at a local thrift store. Florida is teeming with these places, and weekend thrifting is a fun way to accessorize your gorgeous furniture.

One of the reasons that Mid-Century Modern took root in Florida is that a great deal of our state was built in the 1950s and 1960s. Whether you live in Sarasota, Naples, Fort Lauderdale, or elsewhere in the Sunshine State, it’s impossible not to notice how many of Florida’s older homes were built with Mid-Century Modern design aesthetics. Many people redecorated these vintage gems, but others embraced the pink or green ceramic bathroom tiles, terrazzo floors, and jalousie windows by creating a Mid-Century Modern interior. 

This is not only a stylish alternative but an economical one. Rather than spending tens of thousands of dollars on interior construction, you can invest in high-end Mid-Century pieces at a fraction of the price. 

Look at how well the Mid-Century inspired Tommy Bahama Home Ocean Club South Sea Round Glass Table goes against the terrazzo floor in this classic Florida home.

At Baer’s Furniture, we want our customers to know that their purchases will last for years, which means that you want the pieces you buy to stay current. So, the question is, does MCM have legs?

Our assessment is that Mid-Century Modern has joined the short but growing list of enduring decorative styles for the reasons outlined above. If you are in search of high-quality Mid-Century Modern designer pieces, Baer’s Furniture has 16 Florida showrooms with many display models of this trending style. Shop Baer’s today!