Mid-Century Modern Bedroom Furniture

How To Make The Perfect Mid-Century Modern Bedroom

Mid-Century Modern style is not a passing trend. Popularised in the 1940s and still popular today, this design style is defined by clean lines, high functionality, organic forms (think rounded and often asymmetrical), and bold primary colours to contrast a neutral palette. With timeless appeal, it’s easy to work this style into your home, particularly into your bedroom.

After learning about what defines this design style, where it comes from and our bedroom style guide, you’ll be well on your way to creating the perfect Mid-Century Modern bedroom - an oasis from the world.

Mid-Century Modern Style Explained

Originally influenced by new manufacturing techniques, a post-war lifestyle and new materials, Mid-Century Modern has stood the test of time. Why are these designs so resilient some 70 years later? The furniture was (and still is) designed for a way of living that is still relevant. People still want chairs to curl up in, storage which is accessible and stylish, and everything on a smaller scale making it more mobile.

Originally influenced by new manufacturing techniques, a post-war lifestyle and new materials, Mid-Century Modern has stood the test of time. Why are these designs so resilient some 70 years later? The furniture was (and still is) designed for a way of living that is still relevant. People still want chairs to curl up in, storage which is accessible and stylish, and everything on a smaller scale making it more mobile.

What Defines Mid-Century Modern Style

Mid-Century Modern is a style defined by an understated and classic look with clean/sleek lines, limited ornamentation and minimal fuss. The curves are subtle, gentle and organic.

The furniture is all about functionality - form follows function - and that form is organic and often geometric. Featuring a discovery of traditional and non-traditional, often contrasting materials, this is a style all about being as simple and practical as it is beautiful.

Other features of Mid-Century Modern design include low streamlined seating, plastic shell chairs, cocooning lounges, hairpin/tapered legs on tables and dressers, matte finishes, and plain surfaces showing personality via design flourishes.

Mid-Century Modern is fresh, tinged with a retro vibe, dedicated to comfort and functionality, in a design that is beautiful and seemingless timeless. Streamlines in design, form follows function, highlighting the materials the pieces are made from rather than pretending to be something they aren’t.

Where Does Mid-Century Modern Style Come From

While American modernists were loving the industrial materials and the ability to mass produce, their Scandinavian counterparts were staying with the longstanding traditions of crafting furniture from the natural elements of leather and timber - handmade over mechanical processes. The result was beautifully crafted pieces loved as much for the quality as the simple, modern forms and curves. And, many of the exact pieces designed in the 1950s and 1960s are reproduced today.

Cara Greenbery who coined the phrase ‘Mid-Century Modern Style’ in 1984 is unsurprised that the style has stood the test of time, “it seems to appeal anew to each rising generation of young people. Mid-Century design hasn’t been bested by any other movement since, so it remains the style of our own time, not of some antique pasts. And it still looks cool!”

Mid-Century Modern Bedroom Style Guide

Overall, the perfect Mid-Century Modern bedroom design can be created by:

Foundational furniture - bed frames, bed bases, bedside tables, chest of drawers, console tables with tapered legs - provide simple elegance to substantial pieces and yet, in small spaces, create an open flow and the illusion of more space.
Showing off natural timber tones - select furniture where the grain is highlighted (not hidden) and stick to a single timber finish/hue such as oak or walnut to create cohesiveness.
This is design that is as practical as stylish - pieces are function first such as those containing drawers.
Organic/geometric forms and retro shapes. The starburst or boomerang are very popular and classic examples however select one, not both to style a room. These forms and shapes can be incorporated in accessories such as mirrors and lamps.
A mix of materials such as timber, leather, fiberglass, molded plywood, bent tubular steel, and metals. The more materials the merrier.
Embracing natural textures such as jute and seagrass - think baskets and rugs.
A minimal approach to styling - less is more. This design is defined by uncluttered surfaces and clean lines to create a sense of more space.
Combines a neutral palette with bold primary colours - yellows, reds, blues to infuse spaces with a sense of fun. Earthy hues also work.
Playful patterns such as bold, geometris, organic, abstract in bright colours to create contrast and interest. Patterns can be introduced through wall art, rugs, cushions and throws.

The Jolanda Collection

The Jolanda collection of furniture is perfectly suited to creating a comfortable and stylish bedroom in the Mid-Century Modern design.

The Icon By Design Jolanda furniture is crafted in solid oak or solid walnut and includes:

Bed Frames - single, king single, double, queen and king sizes
Bedside Table - with one or two drawers
4 Drawer Chest
Console Table

You can also add a Jolanda desk if your bedroom needs to be a dual-purpose space.

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The Bruno Collection

The Bruno collection of furniture is available in both solid oak and solid walnut allowing you to easily determine the amount of wooden tone and warmth you bring to your Mid-Century Modern bedroom design.

The Icon By Design Bruno furniture is crafted in solid timber and includes: