Mid-Century Modern Architecture/Interiors

 

07.01.09

Motel Room Postcards of the 1950s and '60s

Amid some ill-considered carpets and drapes , the motel interiors pictured in Roadsidepictures’ glorious set of postcards do feature a few bright spots. To wit, clockwise from top left: Saarinen-esque table and chairs bring sophistication to an otherwise banal space; a daring color scheme contrasts warm wood paneling with cool blue; a homey, modern sitting area transforms a motel room into a living room; and simple wall-mounted lighting is a tasteful alternative to bulky bedside lamps.

Read on »
 

13.12.08

Ideas for Vacationland Homes

Victor Underhill shares with the Mid-Century Illustrated group this vacation house plan booklet from the ’60s. No fantastic illustrator isn’t credited other than “Orbeck” on the cover.

Read on »
 

10.12.08

Filip's Flat: A Living Showroom of Design Classics

But there are less expected pieces too, like his extensive collection of Artemide lighting, including a Tizio, Tolomeo, and the avant garde Boalum which coils like a luminescent snake on the floor. The Rosendahl monkey with the prankster's look and the light colored belly has transformed kids' rooms into jungles and sparked dreams of far-away places since 1951 when it was designed by Kay Bojesen.

Read on »
 

05.12.08

1950s California Modern by Julius Shulman

Usually there would be a grey brick fireplace and evidence of robin egg blue palette or chrome and blond furniture around for the fifties. ...That’s what I’m getting at when I say mid-century modernism is “both a historical milestone and a living, breathing ideal, reflected in much of today’s best design and architecture.”

Read on »
 

22.11.08

Appartement de Maxime Clair

I’ve been following Maxime Clair’s Flickr stream for several weeks as gorgeous pieces of European modern design flow by. ... Pictured here (names in French): Chair on left: Fauteuil Diamant, Harry Bertoia, Knoll, 1952 Eames Segmented table et DSX chairs Chair in rear on left: Chaise Anthony, Jean Prouvé, Atelier Jean Prouvé, 1948 - Vitra, 2000 Black pendant: ferruccio laviani, FL/Y Lamp Table lamp: Lampe Nesso, Gruppo Architetti Urbanista Citta Nuova, Artemide, 1965 Sculpture on mantle: Bougeoirs Nagel, Allemagne, Circa 1970

Read on »
 

19.11.08

Richard Powers and the Reflecting Pool

Remember when I said that a reflecting pool is what takes a beautiful home exterior shot to another level of beauty? ... Much of it captures homes with water features, and all of it is wall art worthy.

Read on »
 

13.10.08

The Retrofuturism of Woody Allen's "Sleeper"

Woody Allen’s “ Sleeper ” (1973) had such elaborate sets and costumes that the film ran behind schedule and came in over budget, even though the final cost was still only $2 million. ...An amusing bit of trivia from Sleeper’s IMDB page: after the movie was released in one country outside the USA as “Woody and the Robots”, Woody Allen inserted a clause in all of his subsequent contracts that his movies’ titles could not be changed by other parties.

Read on »
 

03.10.08

Mid-Century Furniture (and Playmate Delores Wells)

Surrounded by the plush blue rug, brick fireplace, and wall unit shelving is Delores Wells , playmate of the month for June 1960 as photographed by Don Bronstein. Please pardon my censorship (thanks to Picnik for the shapes), but I thought it would be hasty to assume all my readers are appreciative of nudity, however tasteful.

Read on »
 

23.09.08

Anna Weiss House, St. Louis

Fellow mid-century modernist Anna Weiss is a newcomer on the blog scene and her site promises to be a daily stop. ...The house has a very open floor plan, so the living room opens to the sitting room which is also the dining area.

Read on »
 

09.09.08

Kitchen Illustrations from the '50s

This stuff comes from the period before modernism matured, but these illustrations from magazines like Better Homes & Gardens and Good Housekeeping at See Saw are too charming to ignore.

Read on »
 

27.08.08

Dave Cuzner’s Oakland Townhouse

A fellow Oakland blogger Leah Hennen toured the home of another fellow Oakland blogger Dave Cruzner . Having run into Dave at various sample sales and museum exhibitions I expected to see a lot of mid-century modern charm in his place, but the beauty and style in these photos is still a bit shocking.

Read on »
 

10.08.08

Tulip Table and Panton Chairs

“ new dining table ”, recently submitted to our photo group by m.bibelot .

Read on »