Mid Century Living Room Design Ideas

A mid-century modern living room layout is characterized by its uncluttered design and clean lines. This iconic style blends comfort with modern design elements and a retro aesthetic. There’s something nostalgic about mid-century modern design—which makes sense since it first came on the scene after WWII. This modernist design movement, which was revolutionary at the time, has now become a mainstream design look. Many furniture manufacturers create replicas or iconic pieces for modern day use at affordable price points. When it comes to mid-century living room design, functionality is important; this is a design style where form follows function. This design style is all about uncluttered and sleek lines, with both organic and geometric forms. You’ll notice that mid-century modern furniture has minimal ornamentation—it’s all about simplicity.This look is perfect for those who appreciate the nostalgia and highly recognizable style of mid-century modern design. There’s also a lot of flexibility in this design style, allowing you to personalize it. You can take a pure mid-century modern approach, or blend it with other styles, like rustic or minimalist for a modern rustic or mod visionary space. A mid-century living room design is also perfect for people who want a stylized look in their main living area. Pure mid-century design offers a very distinct look that’s not your typical living design. But, when blended with other design styles, it can also create quite a cozy living room, that’s both kid-friendly and very sophisticated.If you’re looking for mid-century living room design ideas, there are many approaches you can take. There are the classic, vintage mid-century pieces that you can incorporate into your living room, like molded plywood chairs, the Eames lounge chair, the Nelson pretzel chair, a Noguchi coffee table, or a Barcelona chair. But authentic mid-century modern pieces, as collectibles, can be very expensive. However, brands like West Elm, CB2, and Article create new, modern furniture designed in mid-century modern style.When thinking through mid-century living room ideas, know that you can pick furniture and designs in all colors—from neutral to bold; pastels to jewel tones; simple designs and color schemes to vibrants colors or graphic black and white palettes. But, in all this, start with a sofa, which will set the tone for the space. We love the idea of going for a bold-colored or leather sofa—but you could also go for a more neutral grey sofa. Wooden-framed chairs are perfect accompaniments to a mid-century living room layout, along with a sculptural coffee table. And mid-century living rooms are very conducive to symmetrical layouts, which complements the clean, angular lines of the furniture—though you can certainly take a more casual layout approach.Mid-century spaces tend to use a lot of natural wood, in walnut or birch finishes. Balance this out with solid colors in the furniture and graphic prints in the decor like pillows and art. And don’t forget to use plants as decor—which will add organic contrast to all the clean-lined furniture and go nicely with the natural wood finishes.Looking for more mid-century living room design inspiration? Scroll through our feed for some of our favorite mid-century living room designs!