Mid-Century Modern Furniture

Mid-Century Modern and the contemporary period, generally describes furniture, architectural, and interior design that appeared in the span of time between the early 50's to late 70's. The movement, often described as irrational, humorous and ironic, also reflected a sense of optimism , and still holds a special place in our collective imagination. Many mid-century designs are viewed as works of art, on exhibition at many of the world's finest museums. The trend is brought to the forefront by today's designers, making mid century modern popular once again. Every year, more commercials and print ads employ modern furniture; this in turn influences the consumer and results in a contagious mindset (especially among young buyers discovering the trend for the first time).

Driving this movement existed designers, who, at the time, may have been misunderstood as too avant gard. The list includes such names as Eero Aarnio, Joe Colombo, Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, Frank Gehry, Florence Knoll, and Hans Wegner (amongst others). Their desire to deviate from the dourness of minimalism towards a more playful aesthetic was occasionally looked down upon by their peers. Many of them also had a hand in influencing architecture during that period, as organic design encompassed not only the structure itself, but also the items therein (the earliest pioneer of this method was Frank Lloyd Wright).

With the dawn of the 70's, the Pop Culture era evolved, along with the trend to embrace intense colors and the utilization of new materials. Plastic and fiberglass especially allowed for greater liberty to create new shapes by virtue of their simple manufacturing processes. Once considered 'throw away' or disposable designs, these whimsical pieces drew us out of the pessimistic decade of Vietnam and Watergate, rendering daylight on the future. Today, much of the furniture and accessories of this period are highly coveted by a new generation of collectors.

Fortunately, many of the most revered mid-century designs never went out of production. In most cases, the estate family members have authorized companies such as Vitra and Adelta to re-issue items to their original specifications. Additionally, showrooms such as Mod Livin, the Rocky Mountain regions largest mid-century retailer, are keeping the dream alive by representing the products from the likes of Adelta, Cherner, Magis, Vitra, Kartell, Blu Dot, Heller and Emeco. Mod Livin also has a vintage showroom featuring the designs of such renowned designers as Ray and Charles Eames, Florence Knoll, George Nelson, Rons John Gibbings, and Charles Widdicomb.