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This year seems to be the year of fashion-to-furniture crossovers, and the latest trend making that leap is the 1950s aesthetic. When we think of ’50s clothing, our minds immediately go to poodle skirts and saddle shoes, but what does that mean in interior design?
While the '50s weren't perfect, the time certainly had a distinctive aesthetic. It was an era that simultaneously balanced a rapidly modernizing and globalizing society and a yearning for nostalgia, which can be seen in the type of decor that people were drawn to.
Implementation meant the combination of the sleek mass production of midcentury modern decor and European-inspired design juxtaposed with a slightly kitschy take on Americana.
Can you possibly reconcile those two seemingly disconnected aesthetics andmerge them into your contemporary home without it looking like a chaotic mash-up? Yes, and it’s easier than you think. We spoke to an expert about what makes 1950s design unique and how it can merge seamlessly into today’s style.
“The 1950s design aesthetic is casually referred to as midcentury modern. While that is a very correct definition, it’s also a little limited.” Explains Hank Reinhart, founder and president of Sabâvi Home.
“Most of the objects that made it into our homes in the ’50s were inspired largely by events from the ’40s. The post-WWII mass production revolution, blending of European and American design ideologies, the philosophy of function, and a good old-fashioned dose of optimism and Americanism influenced more than most people know,” he added.
Those living in the 1950s were grappling with the aftermath of WWII; today, we’re still coming to terms with the aftereffects of a global pandemic. Although different, both
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