Decorating
Try These 5 Colour Palettes for a Mid-Century Modern Look
Combinations such as vibrant orange with brown and chartreuse with grey channel the mid-century era
Since its debut almost 70 years ago, mid-century modern architecture and design have stood the test of time. This beautiful, streamlined aesthetic still has an allure today, as well as a strong presence in interior design. You find this style’s clean and simple lines, including furniture with tapered legs as well as curved, organic shapes, in many contemporary pieces.
But mid-century style is not just about shapes – its markers also include distinctive colour palettes. If you’re drawn to mid-century style, you might consider decorating with one of these five quintessential mid-century modern palettes, ranging from vibrant hues to pretty pastels. These notable colours can be found in textiles and accessories, and you can always imbue your room with them by painting the walls. Do any of these five palettes strike your fancy?
But mid-century style is not just about shapes – its markers also include distinctive colour palettes. If you’re drawn to mid-century style, you might consider decorating with one of these five quintessential mid-century modern palettes, ranging from vibrant hues to pretty pastels. These notable colours can be found in textiles and accessories, and you can always imbue your room with them by painting the walls. Do any of these five palettes strike your fancy?
Channel the look: If painting a wall or getting an orange sofa isn’t in your comfort zone, you can choose a more subtle approach. For example, this orange swan-type chair – an iconic mid-century silhouette – forms a lovely vignette with a streamlined wood credenza. The colour and forms of just these two pieces set a decidedly mid-century mood for this room.
Note: While it’s easy to find pieces on the market in this and the other four colour schemes highlighted, decorating with colour alone won’t make a room feel mid-century. If your furniture shapes are, say British Colonial or traditional, your room will feel like those styles even with these colour palettes. I recommend combining the colours with mid-century shapes to channel the cool style in your home.
Which Mid-Century Modern Chair Are You?
Note: While it’s easy to find pieces on the market in this and the other four colour schemes highlighted, decorating with colour alone won’t make a room feel mid-century. If your furniture shapes are, say British Colonial or traditional, your room will feel like those styles even with these colour palettes. I recommend combining the colours with mid-century shapes to channel the cool style in your home.
Which Mid-Century Modern Chair Are You?
2. Chartreuse and grey
This is a cool, fresh duo that will instantly add mid-century chic to your decor. In this photo, the bright yellowish-green sofa forms a cheerful counterpart to the serene grey wall. When brought together in a room with architectural details such as an angled ceiling and glass window walls, the style is unmistakably mid-century modern.
This is a cool, fresh duo that will instantly add mid-century chic to your decor. In this photo, the bright yellowish-green sofa forms a cheerful counterpart to the serene grey wall. When brought together in a room with architectural details such as an angled ceiling and glass window walls, the style is unmistakably mid-century modern.
Channel the look: Not everyone wants to invest in a chartreuse sofa. Once again, look for smaller accents to make a big mid-century modern statement. Bright green accent furniture in organic shapes, and accessories in this bright colour, can play well with grey furniture or a grey-painted wall.
3. Teal, brown and white
This sophisticated palette can impart a rich mid-century look in a room with the right furniture shapes. Here, teal throw pillows create a striking contrast on an ivory sofa. An accent chair with a more vibrant teal colour adds another dose of blue, giving the room even more visual interest. Don’t be afraid to layer your accents by using different shades of the same colour. Wood panelling rounds out the tri-colour palette and amps up the room’s quintessential mid-century style.
Browse more bold-toned living rooms
This sophisticated palette can impart a rich mid-century look in a room with the right furniture shapes. Here, teal throw pillows create a striking contrast on an ivory sofa. An accent chair with a more vibrant teal colour adds another dose of blue, giving the room even more visual interest. Don’t be afraid to layer your accents by using different shades of the same colour. Wood panelling rounds out the tri-colour palette and amps up the room’s quintessential mid-century style.
Browse more bold-toned living rooms
Channel the look: Accessories can go a long way in pulling together a mid-century-inspired room. Look for simple lines in wood, black or gold. The Sputnik-style light fixture in the previous photo and the furniture legs here are good examples. You might also select organic shapes such as the kidney-shaped cowhide rug in the prior photo or the round mirror in this one.
4. Pink and brown
Mid-century decor often uses various shades of pink throughout the home, and this room follows that inspiration. Hues ranging from pastel to deep pink pop up in playful patterns or textured fabrics. These pinks tend to combine well with neutral brown or wood tones.
Mid-century decor often uses various shades of pink throughout the home, and this room follows that inspiration. Hues ranging from pastel to deep pink pop up in playful patterns or textured fabrics. These pinks tend to combine well with neutral brown or wood tones.
Channel the look: You might accent wooden or white mid-century furnishings with pink throw pillows. If you have just one or two pink accents on your brown furniture pieces, you can place vases of pink flowers to punctuate your pleasing pink accents.
Millennial Pink: Popular, Perennial or Passé?
Millennial Pink: Popular, Perennial or Passé?
5. Wood and white
As I mentioned earlier, wood is often a featured element in mid-century modern decor, reflecting this style’s simple, earthy flavour. Especially when combined with large glass windows, wood brings the feeling of the outside natural elements indoors. This stylish living room takes its cues from the mid-century era, with a harmonious, neutral palette of wood tones, brown leather and whites.
As I mentioned earlier, wood is often a featured element in mid-century modern decor, reflecting this style’s simple, earthy flavour. Especially when combined with large glass windows, wood brings the feeling of the outside natural elements indoors. This stylish living room takes its cues from the mid-century era, with a harmonious, neutral palette of wood tones, brown leather and whites.
Channel the look: When pairing wood and white for a mid-century look, try to combine woods with similar undertones. Here, the brick wall features a dark, ashy brown colour, which is complemented by the dark brown leather bench and the wood-and-black accent chair. In contrast, consider how disjointed the room might feel if a red-toned wood was added.
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Browse more mid-century-style spaces
Tell us
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
More
Browse more mid-century-style spaces
Vibrant and earthy at the same time, orange and brown is a classic mid-century modern colour combination. In this room, the bold orange wall helps highlight the dramatic wood ceiling and glass windows, features that are both typical of this era. Brown – even in the form of wood – tones down the vibrancy of orange. Also, the pairing underscores the warm nature of each colour, making this mid-century space (an addition to an original mid-century home, according to architect Risa Boyer) stylish and inviting.