Consumer demand for 'green' and organic design and construction, the marketplace focus on product design and the movement to simplify lifestyle and home, have all brought the mid century modernist style to the forefront of design focus as of late.The aging of the baby boomer moves the design focus towards a sense of nostalgia, while modern lifestyle changes demand versatile, attractive and clutter free living spaces.
While not relevant for every home buyer, as a designer it is important to be familiar with components and roots of this design movement. It is especially important to reflect a bit of this decor in your design center or model homes if your target market includes active adult, urban, move up, & mixed use/live/work developments.
While not relevant for every home buyer, as a designer it is important to be familiar with components and roots of this design movement. It is especially important to reflect a bit of this decor in your design center or model homes if your target market includes active adult, urban, move up, & mixed use/live/work developments.
At market this year, we noticed a trend to incorporate one or two 'statement' pieces in an otherwise transitional decor setting. (Read: a Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn room setting with one exciting mid-century statement piece.)
Mid-Century Modern
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes post-war developments in modern design from roughly 1945 to 1965. Mid-century architecture was a further development of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles of organic architecture combined with many elements reflected in the International and Bauhaus movements. Mid-century modernism, however, was much organic in form and in-formal. Scandinavian designers and architects were very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Like many of Wright's designs, Mid-Century architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor-plans with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century homes utilized then groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes post-war developments in modern design from roughly 1945 to 1965. Mid-century architecture was a further development of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles of organic architecture combined with many elements reflected in the International and Bauhaus movements. Mid-century modernism, however, was much organic in form and in-formal. Scandinavian designers and architects were very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Like many of Wright's designs, Mid-Century architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor-plans with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century homes utilized then groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form.
While in Europe this month, I was on the trail of new design trends we could apply in our Hearth and Home product lines as well as pass onto the design center manager audience. Consistently, in Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris and Nice, the buzz, shop windows and even the high end antique markets were showcasing pieces from this period. Sotheby's in London hosted a highly publicized auction of mid-century decorative arts pieces, including plexi side tables and original issue Eames chairs.
A New York Times article recently highlighted the visibility of the Eames aluminum group chair in everything from a Justin Timberlake video to furnishing the new IAC headquarters designed by Frank Gehry.
At the heart of this movement was the appreciation of design, and designer. Design Within Reach carries licensed originals of key pieces from Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Eames and Breuer, as well as biographies and product showcases of the design world's 'heavy hitters'.
Hearth and Home offers a wide range of fireplaces and hearth systems that fit perfectly in the form and function focus of this movement. The clean lines of the Heat & Glo 'Modern Collection' fireplaces complement the home consumer's interior design, while satisfying the need for the highest indoor air quality with our direct vent fireplace systems.
Well-known designers of the mid-century modern era include: Alvar Aalto, Al Beadle, Harry Bertoia, Chris Choate, Thomas Scott Dean, Charles and Ray Eames, Craig Ellwood, Max Gottschalk, Ralph Haver, Edith Heath, Arne Jacobsen, A. Quincy Jones, Louis Kahn, Denys Lasdun, Cliff May, Paul McCobb, George Nelson, Richard Neutra, Isamu Noguchi, Harvey Probber, Jens Risom, Eero Saarinen, Rudolf Schindler, Avriel Shull, Alison and Peter Smithson, Raphael Soriano, Hans Wegner, Russel Wright, and Eva Zeisel
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The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for the upcoming decor trends.
Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems. Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heatilator, Heat & Glo and Quadra-Fire Hearth Systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537
