Give your bedroom a midcentury style makeover! If you have a bedroom made up of odd bit’s of furniture and your failing to combine things into a cohesive look midcentury is a style perfect for you. With the addition of a few iconic mid century elements you gain the timeless characterful space you’ve dreamt about.
Learn how to mix and match elements to create a classic look that feels modern yet timeless. Enhance with accents, colour, soft furnishing and lighting. Find out what design choices you need for the perfect midcentury bedroom.
Lightest Touch, Midcentury Lamps
One of the simplest additions is a midcentury bedside lamp, this simple change brings a bright new energy to the space giving a nod to the styles of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s Incidentally midcentury was so called as it summarised the popular looks of the middle of the century.
Retro Bedside Lamps, Timeless Appeal
Mid century lamps varied from the simple spot light styled angle lamps to the boldly colour saturated ceramic lamps in ochre yellow, burnt orange, reds, greens in essence the bolder and brighter the better.
Retro Standards, Floor Lamps
Midcentury floor lamps will have been task lamps again featuring spotlights but nowadays we prefer slightly more shaded standard lamps for bedrooms. Lampshades give a soft diffused light which more conducive to relaxation. Think tripod lamps with fabric drum shaped lampshades. Standard lamps are used in larger bedrooms next to a chair, However if you have limited space, a bedside table top lamp in a retro vibe may be the better option.
Incorporate Essential Midcentury-Style Furniture Pieces.
If you have midcentury furniture or any brown or blond wood within your bedroom design, it’s a great start. When adding new elements, it’s important to choose additional pieces that reflect a retro vibe.
Follow the style’s guiding principles where possible to meld the look together. Midcentury often features simple lines and silhouettes, natural materials like wood and leather, and sometimes vibrant colours, pattern or colourful lamp designs.
Geometric Patterns, brighter accents.
Mid century utilises patterns, bold strong geometrics are a signature of the decades. As is the bold colour pops. This burst of colour punctuates, you’ll see some contrasting accents of solid colour in table lamps and vases. The solid self coloured items are perfect when set against a heavily patterned back drop.
Everyone can accommodate a little mid century glam in the bedroom.
If however, you don’t splash pattern easily within your space or feel cautious about bring patterns together, adding smaller bits of pattern is the best option. Maybe the way to embrace pattern could be by investing in perhaps a cushion or two for the bed or a throw.
The key to colour and accents is you need to echo the colour of the pattern in the accent colour pops you use elsewhere within the space. Having a little pattern gives you the chance to pick out a single colour from the pattern and use that as you accent colour.
Bring in Micro Patterns for an Unexpected Pop of Colour.
To lend a modern twist to the classic midcentury look, opt for patterns with a delicate, micro scale. Tiny geometric or by introducing colour in unexpected yet subtle ways. For instance, a paint effect on the walls, simple effects make big impact.
Shapes and Lines Throughout the Room.
You can add pattern in unexpected ways very easily, you may need to have a little restraint it’s not a case of throwing lots of pattern, more patterns in a few places. In you love the interest a patterned room brings and are eager to pump up the pattern without bringing in to much colour, we know how! Here’s the genius idea, we call it between the lines. Black lined pendant lamps do a fabulous job by bringing pattern without colour. Team these with edition light bulbs for the most authentic iconic mid-century edge.
The showcased light bulbs have the look of incandescent light bulbs but are in fact LED. We’d strongly suggest using LED in your light fixtures to bring brightness to the room helping to emphasise the distinctly vintage style but also led features energy saving tech.
Add Retro Decor and Accessories.
Complete the classic midcentury look by adding small but meaningful decor items. Choose retro and vintage accessories like iconic wall clocks, art pieces that honour famous midcentury designers, or other one-of-a-kind mementos to tie your space together. Wall hanging rugs was a big trend as plants were and are still popular.
Rugs should be rattan, striped or abstract. Throws can be a solid colour, rust, ochre, green work well.
While classic lighting fixtures offer a finishing touch with a distinctly modern retro flair you should avoid them being too matching. Ensure your bedside lamps match each other lamps for example ceiling and floor lamps don’t need to be from the same range. Your ceiling lamp could be a factory styled metal pendant and the bedside lamps ceramic with softer fabric shades. The key is not the commonality of materials it’s more colour combinations. Putting it all together for an inviting yet timeless bedroom space is simple when you select colours and shapes of the middle century!
In summary
Vintage Retro Lamps are a must
Don’t go to for sets of lighting – Mix it up.
Pattern is Geometric
Accents bold and Colour Pops