Sleek lines, innovative design, and a focus on stylish usability make Retro Modern furniture styles true classics.
Inspired by the designs of the 1950s and 60s, Retro Modern furniture works beautifully in today's home. Its clean, unfussy look is amazingly versatile, making it a perfect choice for a chic urban apartment or a kid-friendly family room.
The Spirit of the Post War Years
The designs of the fifties were a reflection of the times. The post-war years were filled with a sense of enthusiastic optimism about the future, breaking with the past and embracing all things new. The overall aesthetic of the period was one of informality and simplicity, a radical departure from the heavy, ornate formality and traditionalism of the pre-war period.
The Retro Modern furniture style reflects the best of the mid century era, creating a unique combination of sophisticated style and sensible comfort.
Characteristics of Retro Modern Style
- Clean lines: The hallmark of Retro Modern style is a sleek and streamlined look. The simple yet polished lines create a sense of airiness and visual space that really epitomize the modern aesthetic.
- Minimum of embellishment: Retro Modern furniture design is spare and uncluttered, with none of the overstuffed cushions, carved trim, fringe, deeply draped fabrics and other elaborate embellishments typical of traditional pre-war decor. The less-is-more sensibility of retro modern emphasizes shapes and materials, highlighting design rather than decoration.
- Innovative use of materials: The designs of the fifties and sixties celebrated the new materials and technologies that were transforming everyday life. Fiberglass, plastics, and gleaming metal were shaped, molded, and sculpted into bold new forms impossible to achieve with traditional materials and construction. Even the use of wood changed radically, moving away from dark tones to lighter, more neutral shades. Retro modern furniture accentuates the grain of woods like teak, showcasing their natural beauty.
- Curves and asymmetry: The juxtaposition of sharp angles and sensuous curves creates an exciting dynamic in retro modern furniture, as does the use of asymmetrical shapes.
- Clear, bright colors: Non-traditional shades like aqua, pink, tangerine, turquoise, and sunny yellow were extremely popular during the mid century period. Cheerful, high-energy colors with black and/or white accents were used in everything from wallpaper to upholstery, both as solids and combined in abstract prints.
- Usability-focused design: One of the factors that make retro modern furniture design an enduring classic is its focus on usability. The feel is smart and sophisticated without look-but-don't-touch formality, and the clean, simple lines make both calming and friendly. Retro modern furniture offers a combination of high performance and low maintenance that's ideal for today's busy lifestyle.
Inspired by the designs of the 1950s and 60s, Retro Modern furniture works beautifully in today's home. Its clean, unfussy look is amazingly versatile, making it a perfect choice for a chic urban apartment or a kid-friendly family room.
The Spirit of the Post War Years
The designs of the fifties were a reflection of the times. The post-war years were filled with a sense of enthusiastic optimism about the future, breaking with the past and embracing all things new. The overall aesthetic of the period was one of informality and simplicity, a radical departure from the heavy, ornate formality and traditionalism of the pre-war period.
The Retro Modern furniture style reflects the best of the mid century era, creating a unique combination of sophisticated style and sensible comfort.
Characteristics of Retro Modern Style
- Clean lines: The hallmark of Retro Modern style is a sleek and streamlined look. The simple yet polished lines create a sense of airiness and visual space that really epitomize the modern aesthetic.
- Minimum of embellishment: Retro Modern furniture design is spare and uncluttered, with none of the overstuffed cushions, carved trim, fringe, deeply draped fabrics and other elaborate embellishments typical of traditional pre-war decor. The less-is-more sensibility of retro modern emphasizes shapes and materials, highlighting design rather than decoration.
- Innovative use of materials: The designs of the fifties and sixties celebrated the new materials and technologies that were transforming everyday life. Fiberglass, plastics, and gleaming metal were shaped, molded, and sculpted into bold new forms impossible to achieve with traditional materials and construction. Even the use of wood changed radically, moving away from dark tones to lighter, more neutral shades. Retro modern furniture accentuates the grain of woods like teak, showcasing their natural beauty.
- Curves and asymmetry: The juxtaposition of sharp angles and sensuous curves creates an exciting dynamic in retro modern furniture, as does the use of asymmetrical shapes.
- Clear, bright colors: Non-traditional shades like aqua, pink, tangerine, turquoise, and sunny yellow were extremely popular during the mid century period. Cheerful, high-energy colors with black and/or white accents were used in everything from wallpaper to upholstery, both as solids and combined in abstract prints.
- Usability-focused design: One of the factors that make retro modern furniture design an enduring classic is its focus on usability. The feel is smart and sophisticated without look-but-don't-touch formality, and the clean, simple lines make both calming and friendly. Retro modern furniture offers a combination of high performance and low maintenance that's ideal for today's busy lifestyle.
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