i grew up in the 1960s, in the burgeoning san fernando valley, no less, so mid-century modern was a daily part of my home life. i didn’t really have an appreciation for it then — not in the least. i recall despising our because those awkward slats made it next to impossible to do any proper crayon coloring on it without the paper and crayons falling through the cracks. i have another painfully vivid memory of being overly curious about the neighbor’s and dropping it onto their kitchen floor into a million little pieces — i can’t even look at one of those things now without that humiliation haunting me. harumph! so much for embracing the modernist design heroes of my childhood.
now, it’s a whole different story. i can’t go strictly modern, per se, but boy, what i’d do now with some of my parents’ old classics. the mid-century modern that i prefer is a mix of old beautiful icons like a hans wegner chair paired with a moroccan pouf. or a with a mismatched, eclectic blend of dining chairs from different eras. add a bit more layered texture, ceramics, books, and some color, and it tends to warm up the space-age vibe for me. an interesting juxsdaposition is what i love, so in a sense, it’s a brand new modern take on the 1960s aesthetic, and perhaps just a little bit more inviting than a traditional, purist modernist’s take on the look — unique and unexpected spaces like these. if this is your jam, look no further than shops like , , , , , , and of course and your local flea markets.
clockwise, l to r: built-in paneled shelving by ; dining nook via ; fotografie via ; bed on floor by ; bedroom via ; mid-century bookcase via ; ‘78 artwork via ; dining space via ; modern manners book by ; luis barragan home via ; glassware and tray by ; cocktail bar by ; stained aqua glass by ; mid century chair by .
clockwise, l to r: collectibles via ; banquette by ; artwork via ; bedroom by pablo enriquez via ; chair via ; living room via the ; rattan ribbon chair via ; kitchen via ; living room via ; swimming pool by ; vintage saturn print via ; bedroom by ; agave plant by ; vintage mid-century collections from .
• photography credits: click on the image, which will take you to its original source. in the case of my collages, the links are listed just below, clockwise from left to right.