A bedroom inspired by mid-century modern design adopts features that define the room with firm natural woods, simple and sleek lines, and most significantly, a delicate and subdued colour scheme emit the vibe of functionality meeting aesthetics. Simply put, the mid-century modern style is an age-old decorating trend that’s often encountered on Instagram! Let’s delve further into what makes this style so unique!
Whether you’re looking for inspiration before redecorating your bedroom or just researching because you’re planning the interior design of your dream home, this article will highlight the mid-century modern framework and teach you all there is to know about the trendy movement.
What is Mid-Century Modern Design?
The mid-century modern bedroom decorating style soared to popularity around the 1950s & 60s and is still popular to this day!
Some people look at both “contemporary” and “modern” and get confused as they think the two words mean the same. However, that is far from true. Contemporary decorating styles are ones that are popular at the time of decorating.
On the other hand, modern design is a very specific decorating style. Therefore, it is understandable that those two words can be regarded as synonymous, as mid-century modern is currently very popular!
Does mid-century modern design work well in bedrooms?
Bedrooms designed with mid-century modernism in mind look timeless, and that’s what makes them appear so simple yet beautiful and stylish all at the same time.
The mid-century style is so easy to combine with interior design in existing rooms and other contrasting styles around the house. Therefore, it’s easy to see why the mid-century modern bedroom movement took off and is still popular today!
More recent mid-century designers have chosen to integrate more innovative materials into their bedroom designs, such as playing around with fiberglass, plywood, and tubular steel.
The most important thing to remember when trying to design your bedroom in a mid-century modern manner is to make sure your room is dynamic and full of contrast!
So, to put it bluntly, mid-century modern design works great in bedrooms!
To tell if a bedroom is inspired by the mid-century modern framework, look for these key giveaways;
- Clean, minimalist lines
- Organic natural forms
- Bold primary colors
- High furniture functionality
Essential Design Elements For Mid-Century Modern Bedrooms
Wood furniture
A central point of a mid-century modern bedroom is a natural wood grain finish. The majority of mid-century modern bedrooms celebrate the natural beauty of organic materials, so having a wooden bed frame is a great starting point for integrating natural materials into your bedroom design!
Try to opt for items that show off the natural grain of materials. It’s also vital not to mix and match different types of wood. Instead, find a wood finish you like, whether it be oak, mahogany, willow, or any other wood, and aim to stick to just the one type throughout the design of the bedroom.
The most popular choices of natural wood grain finishes within a mid-century modern bedroom are acorn, teak, and walnut. Although, it must be said that you should pick the finish that YOU like best and which design YOU think looks the best in YOUR bedroom!
Tasteful experimentation with color
Another key element essential for a mid-century bedroom is neutral primary colors. Considered a hallmark of the framework, these primary colors invite the idea of comfort and joy.
Many mid-century modern bedroom designers claim that the style is said to entice inviting spaces; this is where minimalism and colors pallets come in! The goal of the room is to make people feel like they want to set foot inside!
When choosing primary colors from your palette, think about using the likes of yellows, reds, and blues. Don’t be afraid to modernize these colors with neutral shades and earthy hues, too, as this can be an easier palette to work with when styling a mid-century modern bedroom!
Mid-century modern light fixtures
Most mid-century modern bedroom designs have a statement lighting fixture as the centerpiece of the room. These light fixtures offer an exciting opportunity to really show off the room’s mid-century decor.
Whether you go for a light fixture that highlights the classic mid-century style or go for something a little bit more unique, the light fixture is something not to be ignored!
Another approach to your light fixture could be integrating a fan within the lighting fixture. This style is very popular within the warmer states of America, such as Florida and Texas. Mid-century modern fan lighting fixtures can be a simple but effective way to make the room more inviting to enter!
Complimentary bed sets
It goes without saying that within a mid-century modern style bedroom, the bed sheets must also match the mid-century design! Whether you go for a matching pattern, primary color, or even earthier finishes, the sheets must compliment the style! So don’t go throwing on your favorite pink checkered sheets if they stick out like a sore thumb!
Bold wall items
Another way of designing your mid-century modern bedroom is with colorful posters and bold pieces of artwork. Many mid-century modern-style bedrooms integrate bold retro-style posters and art pieces to bring life and interest to the style.
A good rule of thumb is to try and stick to the mid-century modern design core elements, which are simple and clean lines. However, it must be said that geometric artwork or patterned pillows for the bedding also are an exciting way to finish off the mid-century modern bedroom as long as the colors match the room’s palette!
Don’t just think about the walls, though, as the mid-century modern style requires more than just form but also function!
When designing your bedroom, make sure that whatever you add is as practical as it is stylish! Whether you’re adding some bougie functional components like a small bench that matches the artwork or even a dresser table which is great for storing your clothes and keeping the room looking minimalist and clean!
Think about the space you’re filling and ensure you don’t forget about function in your bedroom designs!
Inclusion of house plants
The inclusion of plants is also a fantastic way to brighten up the space in your bedroom! Research suggests that having nature within the household, such as a small house plant, can drastically improve your mental health and mood! Therefore, finding the perfect plants for your bedroom is an easy and aesthetic way to improve upon the design. Moreover, the natural, earthy wooden finishes are often a great contrast to the bold and bright vibrant greens which plants provide!
Mid-Century Modern Style Bedroom Ideas
Sometimes, deciding on what to put in your mid-century modern design bedroom can be very difficult; it’s easy to get overwhelmed with ideas and other people’s opinions. So, to make your life harder, we are going to throw some more ideas and opinions at you to make sure you have considered absolutely everything! You’re welcome.
Vintage throwback
First things first, including vintage throwback items have proven very popular in recent mid-century modern bedroom designs. Their popularity stems from not just the functionality but also their unique design, the two key components of the mid-century modern framework!
Vintage furniture is the perfect option to show off a room and make it your own. Not only does the vintage furniture make the room stand out from others in the house, but more importantly, it plays the perfect role in tying together all the elements of the bedroom!
Luxurious and classy
Luxury and classy items are another excellent way to tie together all the elements of a mid-century modern bedroom. Including the likes of a luxury rug or throw can be the perfect finishing touches to a master bedroom.
Classy doesn’t always have to be expensive either! Often, including the likes of furniture with tapered legs or simply just raw natural textures can be all you need to finish off your mid-century modern bedroom!
Minimalist yet inviting
By now, you should have a better understanding of mid-century modern’s “less is more” approach to design. Often taking a minimalist approach to decorating your room can be a great way to let your focal point of the bedroom shine.
Whether it be your uncluttered vintage furniture, big exterior windows allowing for copious amounts of natural light to brighten up your bedroom, or maybe even if you have a muted color pallet that ties together all the elements of your bedroom.
Having a minimalist yet inviting mindset when designing your bedroom is critical to fully tying together your mid-century modern bedrooms. Having a minimalist approach makes the room feel spacious and inviting to enter, which by now you should know are key to a mid-century modern bedroom style.
Boho and creative
A slightly unconventional boho style is a great way to make your mid-century modern bedroom design stand out from others! Life doesn’t always have to be by the book, and often you can get a little creative and throw in a little hidden gem into your bedroom designs!
Having a minimalist bedroom with floral pillows or bedding is a great example of how you can get creative with interior design!
Comfortable and cozy
Arguably the most important thing when it comes to your mid-century design is that you don’t sacrifice coziness and comfort for the aesthetic of the bedroom. Unless you’re not planning on using the bedroom, that is!
The mid-century modern bedroom style you go for must still be comfortable! So, invest in furniture which is stylish but comfortable to use.
The key takeaways from the mid-century modern bedroom style are that the bedroom should cover both form and function, not just one or the other!
Remember to use as much natural wood where you can, as it provides a great contrast to the primary color palette, which the mid-century modern design calls for.
Try not to be too overwhelmed with all the tips and tricks you’ve read about in this article. Building and designing your mid-century modern bedroom takes time -it’s not something you should want to rush. Instead, remember to enjoy the struggle of finding those key bits of furniture which match your retro artwork!
Start your bedroom transformation with small steps, and remember to ask yourself if whatever you’re buying ties in with the critical elements of the mid-century design: simplicity, modernity, and functionality!
Whether you start your journey with a simple piece of clean-line artwork or a retro dressing table, enjoy the journey, and who knows, maybe once you’re done with your bedroom, you’ll take on the entire house!
FAQs
Where can I buy original mid-century modern furniture online?
Etsy and eBay are always good places to start when purchasing your mid-century modern bedroom furniture. Often, the best mid-century modern bedroom furniture isn’t found on mainstream wholesale furniture websites! Another great place to start looking for mid-century modern style items could be vintage furniture stores. Keep your options open, and always check online and in-store.
How to decorate mid-century modern on a budget?
If you’re looking for mid-century modern style but on a budget, we definitely recommend second-hand websites such as Etsy or eBay. Sometimes the final piece you’ve been looking for to finish off your mid-century bedroom is second-hand!
How do you decorate a minimalist mid-century bedroom?
Stick to modern, clean lines, functional furniture, and natural finishes; these will really make your mid-century bedroom stand out!
