Living in Palm Springs can be like living in a bubble. The sunshine, The mountain ranges, the privilege, and the midcentury modern design that has become a hallmark and a draw for modern enthusiasts from around the world. Every year they come, architecture and design lovers, to view, experience and buy a piece of the midcentury dream.
The question that I continually ask myself and my clients is, how do we get it right? How do we keep from falling into the midcentury cliché? How do we pay homage to the incredible design of the movement and celebrate its highlights, without becoming commonplace or repetitive? The question I ask myself as a design professional is, how can I help clients find themselves and their personalities in the style?
As always in design, the answer is simple. You must be true to yourself. You have to know who you are and what makes you happy. You must make decisions and choices based on your love a midcentury and not because it’s what everyone else is buying. Don’t allow yourself to led, be inspired.
I have a favorite saying when dealing with any vintage house or style, ”You can live with the past, without living in the past.” What I am really saying is to find and infuse your own style into the way you live. Forget about mimicking midcentury style; make it yours. I remind those devotees of midcentury design that the movement was a fresh new way of thinking and living. There were new materials, new colors, new patterns. Midcentury design was the new generations rebuttal of what came before.
How does a movement that was so original become cliché over time? We have a tendency, to boil everything down to its most common elements. We do it in design and in life. It is a natural response to a more complicated world. Today we like to define everyone and everything. And so, even midcentury modern’s revolutionary take on life and lifestyle has become just more platitudes.
There is a solution. You knew I was getting there, didn’t you? I can offer you some advice on claiming this style or any style for yourself, instead of being ruled by it. The following are some thoughts on making it your own.
· Remember that midcentury modern materials were plentiful. You do not have to settle. From the comfort of your own home, try the internet. Do your research. Nothing makes a choice stronger than knowing your options.
· Remember that midcentury style is more than just orange or aqua front doors. There is an entire palette of colors and an unlimited number of patterns to choose from. Some of those patterns are even specific to the desert. To find really terrific vintage décor fabric try, www.middecco.com
· Remember that the simple approach is usually the best approach. Try searching www.wayfair.com for midcentury and vintage inspired tiles and flooring.
· Remember that embracing a style is the not the same as replicating it. If you are looking for inspiration try, www.atomic-ranch.com Search the website and subscribe to the magazine. There you will find an almost endless amount of information.
· Remember that some of the freshest versions of midcentury décor today includes contemporary pieces from the 70s. Classic contemporary pieces like Parson’s tables or the Eero Arnio Ball chair may not have been designed in the 70s but, they were staples of modern design for the time.
What is most important is that you buy what you love, when it comes to clean modern interiors, often times less is more, you must use a critical eye to assure that every piece is meaningful. When you fill a midcentury house with things that you think you should have, you eliminate your personal style. You lose purposeful design to decorating.
One thing that enlivened midcentury décor and is often times forgotten in today’s rush for everything midcentury, is mixing in something to create a strong contrast. And antique mirror or table can create conversation. Some very personal items or heirlooms are not out of the question when creating your midcentury home.
Personalizing your home, is about listening to your gut. Forget what others say you should do. Do your homework, do the research, be mindful of every choice. Living with midcentury design is most interesting and beautiful when it tells a story of the homeowner’s love for the period and not just an accumulation of things from the period.
As always, I want you to live well!
Designer Dann
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