Eeny meeny miny moe. Mid-Century it is!

Eeny meeny miny moe. Pick a style by the toe.

I didn't think I would have a hard time trying to choose design styles to "dissect" in my blog. As I mentioned in my last post, there are literally hundreds of design styles to chose from. I have my personal favourites of course, but part of the reason I chose to do this blog, was to learn about styles that I don't normally gravitate towards. After much deliberation, I have settled on "Mid-Century Modern" for my first post. It is my personal favourite... the style that inspires me the most (and makes me want to throw out every piece of furniture I own and start over)! Although I know quite a bit about this style, I am always excited to learn more. 

What is Mid-Century Modern design?

It is design from, well, the middle of the century. The 20th century to be exact. According to Wikipedia, it describes design from 1933-1965, but is typically used to describe design from the 1950's. It's style is "recognized world wide as a significant design movement". 

Mid-century modern design is known for spaces with many windows and open concept floor plans. Sounds like modern homes today, but in 1950, using posts and beams to eliminate bulky support walls had never been done before. 

So what makes mid-century modern different from modern?

Mid-century modern has a very distinct look that, once you know what you are looking for, is easily recognizable. Furniture and spaces from this era were designed for function. Many furniture pieces had angular legs and lacked detail. Spaces typically used wood in some form... wood ceilings, wood panelling, wood furniture, etc. The apparent simplicity of these pieces and spaces are what makes them beautiful. 

I particularly love the chairs in this photo. 

They are undoubtedly mid-century modern and were built to last.

An original Florence Knoll sofa ($9969 from Design Within Reach).

Reminds me of something I saw at IKEA last week... ;)

Who doesn't love floor-to-ceiling windows?

Mid-century in Movies

I am a mother of two small kids, and kids love to watch movies over and over... One of my son's favourite's from a few years ago was "The Incredibles". Have you ever paid attention to the interior of their family home? It is an absolutely perfect example of mid-century modern design. How had I never noticed?! I came across this tid-bit of information on midcenturymodernist.com. Here are a few of the pictures I nabbed from the site. The kitchen may not be so dreamy, but check out the exterior of the house. I happen to think it's pretty fantastic (even if it is an animation).

Blast from the past...

If you were born before 1985, you may recognize this house.

 If you guessed it was from "Ferris Buhler's Day Off" (1986), you would be correct!

Mid-century modern design is known for it's ample windows...

If a picture is worth a thousand words....

One of the greatest design teams of mid-century furniture is Charles and Ray Eames. You may not know who they are, but if you have ever flipped through a design magazine, I'm sure you will recognize their furniture. These are but a few of their many iconic pieces...

Last but not least, the office chair I've been coveting...

This little beauty will set you back about $2000 from Design Within Reach. 

If you are a fan of the band "Maroon 5" and their front man, Adam Levine, you will appreciate him even more after clicking on this video link. Adam's Hollywood Hills home was featured in the March 2012 issue of Architectural Digest. His home is an incredible example of mid-century design, including furniture pieces designed by Florence Knoll and George Nelson, two of the most influential designers of their time. 

That is one seriously gorgeous man coffee table!

One of the greatest things about Interior Design is that it's constantly changing and is always up for interpretation. One designer's vision for mid-century modern design may be quite different from another's. I hope my blog will inspire you, and help you discover your favourite style. 

On a side note... 

I am open for suggestions for upcoming posts. If there is a style that you love and want me to dig up information for, or maybe you've heard of a style and would like to know more, please leave a comment and I would be more than happy to check it out!


List of links used in this post:

http://www.designshuffle.com/blog/files/2011/07/mid-century-modern-wabi-sabi.jpg

http://dwr.scene7.com/is/image/DWR/PD_12943_MAIN?$main$

http://inthralld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Rich-Mid-Century-Retro-Home-In-Los-Angeles-1.jpeg

http://midcenturymodernist.com/2009/culture/film-tv/the-incredibles-mid-century-ideal/

http://www.designattractor.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

http://jetsetmag.com/newsroom/give-your-home-the-mad-men-look-with-charles-eames-furniture/

http://www.rexkelly.com/images/products/lcw.jpg

http://www.conranshop.co.uk/conrancatalog/product/xlarge/global/images/main/600767.png

http://www.tippycustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Eames-Low-Back-Ribbed-Office-Chair1-e1346094282312.png

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/video/2012/02/1439150270001

Defining Design

Design has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, one of the things I looked forward to the most was the semi-annual room exchange at my best friend's house. You see... she had two sisters and there were only two rooms to share between the three girls. So every six months, they would rotate to keep it fair: one full year of sharing with a sibling and then six months of peaceful bliss. I didn't care if Jill had to share or not... I was ecstatic for the opportunity to help her re-invent her new space. Somedays, when I was all alone, I would sketch imaginary house plans (to scale I might add) in my secret binder. My friends were drawing horses and unicorns and I'm sure I would have been looked down upon, lol! Looking back, it is obvious that my path would eventually lead me to where I am: a full-time interior design student at the school of my dreams. I have never felt more fulfilled.

Few things in life get me as excited as flipping through an Interior Design magazine and finding a "room of my dreams". Or seeing an old house and knowing exactly what I could do to make it perfect. For me, a great interior designer can not only make a space beautiful and functional, but can do it to suit their client's style, not necessarily their own.

This blog is intended to be a break down of different styles... a sort of "Design Style For Dummies". I will be defining design as I see it. I promise you, I will be learning along with you. There are literally hundreds of different design styles and I know nothing about many of them. I am on the hunt for inspiring blogs, pictures, videos... you name it, to help me (and you) discover design together. Enjoy!