What Comes After Mid Century Modern?

As the pendulum of interior design inevitably swings, we hold our breath to see what will replace the clean, beautiful lines of the last Mid-Century Modern rebirth. This trend has dominated for so long that it has created a design fatigue, of sorts. Too much of a good thing is still too much.

Of course, the principles of Mid-Century Modern design are still relevant. Beautiful materials and simple, functional shapes are timeless. Retailers are still in overdrive selling reproductions of the original Eames, Florence Knoll, and Heywood-Wakefield pieces. However, consumers are leaning towards more bespoke environments.

No longer will we commit to a one-dimensional design, creating a space that feels like a time capsule. We long for a more curated home.

RETRO ECHOS is the inevitable evolution of MCM. It is a hybrid design that intersects modern aesthetics with softer, more eclectic aspects to create a look that is more customized and personal. It is a reimagining of MCM through an ultimately more sophisticated lens.

While its overall style is defined by clean spaces, RETRO ECHOS offers up personality with patterned floors, stylized fixtures, and trending metallic tones. Updated colors and lush textures help to complete the facelift. Layers of eclecticism and modern bohemian can be found everywhere.

Gone are the orange and brown tweeds of the original MCM movement. They have long been replaced with cooler colors and softer finishing. With this latest iteration, we see updates that include the hottest trending pastels – mint green walls and millennial pink cushions. Parquet and/or ornately tiled floors coupled with cozy rugs are options that give this trend a touch of interest and Victorian drama.

The tulip tables that were once staples of the original trend are being replaced with larger, more solid colonial tables yet paired with Eames chairs. The opposite is also happening. Tulip Tables are found with Queen Anne chairs to create a more elegant setting. Both ideas give the space a more timeless feel, rather than a strictly retro one.

Saying “goodbye” to the nearly kitschy “Mad Men” look, RETRO ECHOS is a nod to the styles of the past-reborn with fresh colors and an elegant mix of period pieces redesigned for today.