This artistic and design-forward family approached us at the beginning of the pandemic with a design prompt to blend their love of midcentury modern design with their Caribbean roots. With her parents originating from Trinidad & Tobago and his parents from Jamaica, they wanted their home to be an authentic representation of their heritage, with a midcentury modern twist. We found inspiration from a colorful Trinidad & Tobago tourism poster that they already owned and carried the tropical colors throughout the house — rich blues in the main bathroom, deep greens and oranges in the powder bathroom, mustard yellow in the dining room and guest bathroom, and sage green in the kitchen. This project was featured on Dwell in January 2022.

Mid Century Modern

Re:Placement Design

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury open concept family room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Fairview

Chris Nguyen, Analog|Dialog

Photo of a midcentury living room in Houston.

Mid Century Makeover

Zieba Builders, Inc.

Built in the 1960’s, this 1,566 sq. ft. single story home needed updating and visual interests. The clients love to entertain and wanted to create a welcoming, fun atmosphere. Their wish lists were to have an enclosed courtyard to utilize the outdoor space, an open floor plan providing a bigger kitchen and better flow, and to incorporate a mid-century modern style. The goal of this project was to create an open floor plan that would allow for better flow and function, thereby providing a more usable workspace and room for entertaining. We also incorporate the mid-century modern feel throughout the entire home from the inside to the out, bringing elements of design to all the spaces resulting in a completely uniform home. Opening-up the space and removing any visual barriers resulted in the interior and exterior spaces appearing much larger. This allowed a much better flow into the space, and a flood of natural sunlight from the windows into the living area. We were able to enclose the outside front space with a rock wall and a gate providing additional square footage and a private outdoor living space. We also introduced materials such as IPE wood, stacked stone, and metal to incorporate into the exterior which created a warm, aesthetically pleasing, and mid-century modern courtyard.

boston hilltop

Audio Visual Design Group

Design ideas for a midcentury home theatre in San Francisco.

Mid-Century Modern Remodel

GMI Design Group

This 1950's home was chopped up with the segmented rooms of the period. The front of the house had two living spaces, separated by a wall with a door opening, and the long-skinny hearth area was difficult to arrange. The kitchen had been remodeled at some point, but was still dated. The homeowners wanted more space, more light, and more MODERN. So we delivered. We knocked out the walls and added a beam to open up the three spaces. Luxury vinyl tile in a warm, matte black set the base for the space, with light grey walls and a mid-grey ceiling. The fireplace was totally revamped and clad in cut-face black stone. Cabinetry and built-ins in clear-coated maple add the mid-century vibe, as does the furnishings. And the geometric backsplash was the starting inspiration for everything. We'll let you just peruse the photos, with before photos at the end, to see just how dramatic the results were!

MidCentury Gem

User

Debra Del Toro-Phillips
Midcentury living room in New York.

Trinity-Bellwoods Townhouse

Andrew Snow Photography

Photo: Andrew Snow © 2013 Houzz
Photo of a midcentury living room in Toronto with white walls, no fireplace and no tv.

Modern Ranch

Norman Design Group, Inc.

Photo of a midcentury home theatre in Los Angeles.

Iconic Midcentury Modern Residence

User

Design ideas for a midcentury living room in Sacramento.

Sunny Hills Residence

Hsu McCullough

Living Room with tall vaulted ceilings and wood burning fireplace looking towards the street and entry atrium. Photo by Clark Dugger
Inspiration for a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Built In Bookshelves

Trim Tech Designs

Do you thrive in the sunshine or love the colder months? Make sure to ask yourself this question when planning your home layout! Natural light has a huge impact & helps set the tone for a space. Drop a ☀️ for summer and a ❄️ for winter in the comments below!

Peckham Townhouse

Zoe Willis Design

This townhouse in East Dulwich was newly built in sympathy with its Georgian neighbours. An imposing building set over four stories, the owners described their home as a ‘white box’, requiring full design and dressing. The brief was to create defined spaces on each floor that reflected the owner’s bold tastes and appreciation of the Soho House aesthetic. A ‘club’ style den was created on the raised ground floor with a ‘speakeasy pub’ in the basement off the main entertaining space. The master suite in the eaves, housed a walk in wardrobe, ensuite with double sinks and shower. Throughout the home bold colour, varied textures and playful art were abundant.

Basement Theater Renovation

North & Madison

This is an example of a midcentury home theatre in Chicago.

Living Room

Christina Van Blake at HOME

Moody mid-century modern living room space with linen slipcover sofa made in the USA and pottery decor from Four Hands furniture
Small midcentury enclosed living room in Boston with a library, green walls, no fireplace, no tv and beige floor.

Dorchester Original Handcrafted Art Deco Wall Mirror

Mirror Mania

Photo of a midcentury living room in Other.

Media / Music Room

HouseLift Design

A bland bonus room transformed into a fun and functional media/music room.
Photo of a large midcentury enclosed family room in Atlanta with a music area, blue walls, carpet, no fireplace and a built-in media wall.

Mid-century Inspired City Living

Lauren M. Levine Interiors

Lauren Levine
This is an example of a small midcentury living room in Baltimore.

Napa-Style Modern Farmhouse

AW Construction

Inspiration for a midcentury living room in San Francisco with a music area and grey walls.

Lakeside Modern #2

Cannarsa Structure and Design

This is an example of a midcentury open concept family room with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a wall-mounted tv, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and brick walls.

Midcentury Black Living Design Ideas

The best room for gathering with your family and friends in a cosy environment is your living room or family room. You want to hang out where the lounge furniture is the most comfortable and sofas or chairs create a sense of homeliness. Filling this important space with cheap furniture is unlikely to bring you the same long-lasting comfort as a quality chaise lounge or a couch. These choices will directly affect the quality of your evenings as you wind down from the daily grind. While planning a renovation or redesign, weigh up the priorities of seating, heating, an entertainment unit and bookcases. Identify your main activity in the room and and design around that. Many midcentury living rooms aren't complete without a fireplace, but if you can't accommodate that, invest in built-in or furniture that suits your home. Common trends include Danish furniture and other kinds of Scandinavian furniture. Plush sofas, recliner chairs and sofa beds will always be popular. Finally, when the big components are planned out, think about what colour scheme and decor will best suit you and your family. If needed, an interior designer can help here.

Should I include a fireplace in my living room or family room?

Depending on your climate, a fireplace might be a great way to add warmth and interest to your living space. Even if your location is warm year-round, you can always add a faux fireplace or nonfunctioning fireplace as part of your decor. There are many options to choose from, so be sure to check them out. A wood-burning fireplace gives an authentic experience, though a gas one still emits heat without the mess. A double-sided or corner unit strays from the ordinary, or you can go with a wood stove fireplace if you're looking for a piece of art. If you want a contemporary touch, veer away from the traditional wood or tile mantel by going with stone, concrete or metal instead.

What kind of built-ins should I add to my living room?

Although it might not seem glamorous, having enough storage is instrumental when it comes to keeping the room organised and practical. Built-in bookcases, shelves and cabinets are a great way to add hidden, functional storage for all the knickknacks you accumulate. Movie and gaming buffs will love a custom entertainment centre, with enough cabinets for movies, speakers and electronic accessories; you can even create a media room with a projector and lounge chairs! If you still have room to spare, include a booth for homework or craft projects.

How do I decorate my home interiors?

When it comes to decorating, neutrals are always the safe option because they look good and never go out of style. They also give any artwork you hang enough breathing space. If you do want to try out a bolder colour scheme, add colour with walls and midcentury accessories. That way, if you get sick of a colour, you can quickly repaint the walls and find new knickknacks, instead of having to replace your sofas every time trends change. Popular colours include blue, green and grey, but don't be afraid to try bright colours like red or yellow, even if it's just on an accent wall. Finally, make sure there is plenty of light. Recessed or track lighting are great ways to hit every corner — better yet, add more natural light by installing additional windows or a skylight.