The 1950s were an incredibly joyful decade. Despite the nuclear menace of the Cold War, the United States prospered in its post-war recovery. Science, space travel, and cutting-edge technology all inspired today’s dynamic aesthetic. The interior and furniture styles of the time were ahead of their time, yet 1950s home decor has stood the test of time thanks to their timeless elegance. The popularity of other ’50s design ideas that faded away is on the rise again. Read this post for in-depth advice on how to join this ongoing movement.
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How were homes popularly decorated in the 1950s?
Furniture, textiles, apparel, and tableware were all exposed to utility rationing during World War II, although these limits were beginning to be lifted by the early 1950s. Many of Britain’s largest cities had bomb sites and slums demolished and replaced with new residences, and the building of new towns coincided with significant developments in interior design and household technology. Once the bright colours of the 1950s home decor were introduced to the world, the gloomy postwar era was a thing of the past.
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1950s retro home decorating style elements
Overall look of 1950s home decor
Mid-Century Modern, influenced by Scandinavian minimalism, the space and atomic age, was a hallmark of the 1950s. This now-classic look is as popular as ever, but it’s made possible by modern techniques and materials.
The Western aesthetic, as well as cowboy TV stars like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and western films, were also immensely popular. Even back then, though, Western-style decorations were typically only found in children’s bedrooms and the family den.
Read more: TOP 6 Nordic style small bedroom furniture models
Color
The 1950s home decors saw a rise in the popularity of pastel hues, as well as those associated with modernism and the Scandinavian aesthetic. Pink, turquoise, mint green, soft yellow, and blue were some of the most well-liked pastels. Colors like electric blue, orange, red, black, and white were used to create a modern aesthetic.
The aesthetic of the Scandinavian countries was refined, drawing inspiration from the natural world. Colors like brown, milk, gray, and green were common in Scandinavian design. In the 1950s, consumers could buy paint in virtually any color for the first time. The popularity of the combination of black, white, and red was unprecedented. The color turquoise was all the rage when mentioning the 1950s home decor.
Read more: Interior decoration in French style
Fabric
Bold designs such as stars, stripes, checks, and polka dots came into vogue. As did atomic graphics inspired by space and science like planets, galaxies and the famous “Boomerang” pattern, which were all used on wallpaper, tablecloths, curtains, and furniture fabrics.
Fabrics with fruit, flowers, and abstract designs were everywhere. A heavy, tight-woven cotton fabric called “bark cloth” became available in a range of modern designs (like the atomic prints, but also in floral and tropical prints), and was used for furnishings like curtains, drapery, and upholstery.
Read more: What is Scandinavian style and why is Scandinavian style so popular?
Flooring
Despite its widespread use, linoleum has always been derided as a boring and unimaginative flooring option in the 1950s home decor. The linoleum tiles were arranged in designs with the use of alternating color placement. Floors with black-and-white or red-and-white checkers were extremely popular.
Even after its popularity had waned, hardwood flooring was still widely used. While carpets have been in style for quite some time, only recently have they been laid wall-to-wall and come in a broad variety of colors and patterns.
1950s home decor for wallpapers
In the past, wallpaper was frequently employed as an ornamental element in living areas such as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. Traditional dining rooms often included damask or other formal wallpaper patterns, as well as pastoral wallpaper murals hung over the chair rail.
Pink was for girls and blue was for boys, thus it makes sense that themes like trains and sports were reserved for boys’ rooms while themes like flowers and butterflies were used in girls’ rooms.
Read more: Top 10 beautiful bedroom interior paint colors leading the trend
The style of furniture is 1950s home decor
The prominent furniture styles of the 1950s provided a wide variety of options for interior design. With regards to upholstered pieces, the classic styles were the most popular:
- Chairs and sofas with floral designs and plenty of padding were readily available in a wide range of styles.
- Modernists and minimalists of the 1950s flocked to the distinctive style of Scandinavian furniture.
- Heavy fabrics in the sand, forest, and tan colors were commonly used for the upholstery.
Some home decor style in 1950s
Retro home decor style
Curved or angular pieces of 1950s home decor is often identified with retro design, as well as bright colors or metals like chrome. Colors, such as “avocado green” or “psychedelic colors,” are also synonymous with the retro aesthetic. Cherry red, orange, and mustard yellow are also very trendy right now. The style also emphasizes the need of using a lot of pattern and texture, pointing to the use of vibrant wallpaper and shaggy rugs.
Mid-century home decor style
The term “mid-century modern” (or “mod” for short) refers to a specific subset of “modern” design, which is generally understood to refer to the aesthetic that emerged in the early 1900s. Mid-century modern design, on the other hand, is frequently unabashedly retro and uses vibrant accent colours to drive home the idea that it predates the modernist canon.
1950s home decor style tips
- In the 1950s, many homes installed bars complete with bar stools. This sectional is perfect for a den or study nook.
- Invest in a coffee table and matching end tables in a Scandinavian design to complete your living room’s minimalist aesthetic.
- Decorate with blankets, wall hangings, and wallpaper that feature iconic atomic and boomerang designs.
- To bring a touch of yesteryear to your bedroom, consider purchasing a sliding-door bookcase headboard in the style of the 1950s.
- Pick either a single or matching pair of mid-century contemporary lamps for your bedside tables or sofa end tables.
1950s home decor ideas
Adding 1950s accessories to your bathroom
Bath mats, shower curtains, towels, decorations, and wall art may all be utilized to achieve this retro style in the bathroom. Bathrooms can benefit from the addition of pastel wall tiles, which should be installed to a height of at least three-quarters of the wall. You can also use shell soaps and other nautical accessories to complement your retro 1950s bathroom wallpaper.
Taking advantage of 1950s dominant color schemes
In the 1950s, bathrooms were generally a pastel paradise with bolder accents. Pink and blue tiles were the most common choices for bathrooms. White pedestal sinks and tiled walls and floors in the bathroom have long been seen as symbols of wealth and luxury, as a means of creating contrast and depth, darker bathroom decorations were commonly used.
1950s home decor for kitchen appliance colors
In the past, kitchen wallpaper included designs inspired by food, such as fruit and vegetable prints or gingham patterns. All of the kitchen fixtures, utensils, cabinets, furniture, and even the flooring were painted in soft pastel tones. The black-and-white checkerboard floor design was common in restaurants and cafes, so it wasn’t surprising to see it in homes, too.
Considering alternative color palettes
Cherry red isn’t the only bright hue gaining popularity among those who want to integrate a more extreme contrast notion into their interior design. Colors like electric blue, citrus green, and the ever-popular checkerboard pattern of the 1920s and 1930s were among these.
Adopting various hues of home cooking equipment
Many people in the 1950s thought that a properly styled kitchen needed pastel-colored appliances. Chrome accents and smooth curves, like those found on the appliance’s handles, are also a big part of their attractiveness.
Using a retro-futuristic color scheme for the kitchen
Maybe you just want to add a little bit of that ’70s flair to your modern kitchen to adopt the 1950s home decor. A kitchen set in chrome and your preferred retro hue will do the trick here. Soft curves and pastel color palettes characterize 1950s appliance reproductions updated with current conveniences.
Last words
To summarize, the popularity of other ’50s design trends that drifted away is reappearing. The interior and furniture styles of the time were avant-garde, but 1950s home decor has withstood the test of time due to its timeless elegance. The following are some major points from this article:
- The 1950s style is reflected not just in color but also in interior design, fabric, and flooring. The overall appearance is reminiscent of 1950s house decor.
- While there are other styles that resemble 1950s design, retro and mid-century appear to be much more popular in today’s globe.
