It’s a perfect blend of retro and modern design features – and the end results are stunning. Mid-century modern is one of the most popular styles for those who don’t want to commit to a fully retro look but still want something different from the stock-standard contemporary style that every home seems to have.
It’s a safe bet between timeless and trendy, which has withstood the test of time. Even when the retro features are considered ‘out of style’, the modern touches carry it through. With the rise of curved furniture predicted in 2022, mid-century modern will get stronger and stronger.
What Is Mid-Century Modern
It’s like the ’60s but cooler! Put broadly, it’s retro, but not quite. Mid-century modern borrows just enough new and old styles to create a perfect blend of personality. When done well, we strongly believe that mid-century modern creates a unique look that knocks other styles out of the park.
The best but most daunting part of this look is its broad definition. The style borrows inspiration from architecture and furniture from between the 1940s to the 1960s. When bringing this look to your patio, you have three whole decades of inspiration to look at!
It’s an interesting look with several resurgences since the style was first established. While it may not be considered timeless, the look certainly has more legs to stand on than some other trends. Now that people are moving away from minimalist, geometric shapes, the soft slopes of mid-century modern is sure to be popular for some time.
Elements of mid-century modern include fun natural colours, a combination of natural and man-made materials and an integrated indoor and outdoor motif, which is why it marries so well with patio designs.
Bringing It Outdoors
Like most outdoor styles, the mid-century modern look started inside and worked its way out. With a focus on lounge spaces and resistant, long-lasting materials, the move to alfresco locations was a sure thing.
Think of rooftop decks looking over the Hollywood Hills. Coloured lounges or vinyl chairs may come to mind on concrete or wooden floors with an orange-brown rug to add warmth to the space. That’s the kind of outdoor feeling you want to capture.
A big part of nailing this look is blending indoor and outdoor spaces with the same style. A mid-century modern patio design is the perfect place to start since natural light is all but guaranteed.
Fast Tips To Nail The Look
Mixing Materials And Aesthetics: The mid-century was when natural materials like wood or marble furniture were being integrated with new plastic technology and other man-made materials like fibreglass and vinyl. With this combination of natural and inorganic materials, contrasting textures also became a staple of the look.
Fusion Of Indoor And Outdoor: A mid-century modern patio should merge with your interior style. To avoid making your patio feel isolated, we recommend bringing some features into your living room or whatever space neighbours your patio. The spirit of the design is the fusion of artificial structures and nature. As such, your patio is the perfect place to capture that style.
Bright But Natural Colours With Muted Tones: Mid-century modern decor utilises bright, but natural colours to accent key pieces of furniture or accessories. Neutral tones like white, black or brown will ground your design and should take up most of the space, so the few pops of colour provide a nice contrast.
The most popular mid-century inspired colours to draw inspiration from are: Tangerine orange, sage green, dusty purples or pinks, clay reds, coral blues and other vibrant colours that could be found naturally. Stay clear of bright gem colours or neon colours, or you risk clashing aesthetics.
Positioning That Promotes Social Interaction: The modern aspect of this design is to steer away from closed-off areas. Your patio layout should promote social engagement with chairs and tables that all face each other, so guests always feel like they’re part of the conversation.
Mid-century modern promotes social engagement and should have social spaces as the area’s focus. The central point of your patio should be chairs or tables that are accessible as soon as you enter, so no walls are made.
Don’t Go Retro Overboard: Like we said earlier, this isn’t a retro look; it’s inspired. Retro furniture will do a great job at establishing the style, but we recommend limiting it to a few things. For example, if you have your heart set on an egg chair, or marshmallow sofa, maybe balance it out with some other modern seating options.
Combine With Your Personality: The best mid-century modern patio designs are the ones that show a little bit of your personality. Don’t just pick things you think will look good; pick things you love and make the rest that works around them.
The Best Mid-Century Modern Patio Furnishings
- Curved Furniture
This is what really captures the mid-century style. Clean, sloping edges on couches and lounge chairs are a staple look. Pinterest Predicts 2022 documented a huge rise in similar searches, so needless to say, the world is all in on this funky look.
Knoll furniture is the face of mid-century designs. Browse their catalogue for great ideas on mid-century modern patio furniture. Overall, it’s about sleek silhouettes and slender shapes.
- Chandelier
A patio chandelier is a great way to add a mid-century aesthetic without taking up any space on the floor. Mid-century chandeliers were a staple of the look and are sure to boost the authenticity of your alfresco area.
- Lots Of Texture
Visible textures were the most important part of the mid-century look. Suede couches, textured wallpaper and velvet, velvet, velvet.
- Pot Plants
Mid-century modern brings fun shapes and textures and marries them with natural touches in the form of wood features or plants. A nice combination of leafy flora will balance out your mid-century tones and ensure they’re not overwhelming.
- Vintage Pieces
If you don’t want to go the route of full vintage furniture, there’s still plenty of space to accessorise with mid-century features. Table ornaments or conversation pieces will give your patio a real authentic look.
need a patio first?
Are you already planning out your dream patio to use all these design tips on? Well, wait no more! SEQ Patio Group can set you up with the patio of your dreams right away. Don’t worry about saving up, we offer several no-interest payment deals that help you pay off your patio in manageable bite-sized increments. If that sounds good to you, contact us today and start decorating your perfect patio sooner rather than later.
