Mexico City Inspired: A Mid-Century Modern Living Room

On the heels of a trip to Mexico City, I came back fresh with inspiration. We’re talking a lot more design on the blog these days as it plays a big role in our travels and at home. It’s has been really fun to incorporate what we see on the road in our own space.

Mexico City is one of those destinations that exudes mid-century modern. If you haven’t checked out the design-lovers guide to the city, be sure to head over there to see. From architecture to interior spaces, Mexico City demonstrates design in ways I hadn’t seen before. With Mexican Modernist architect, Luis Barragán at the forefront, his work made a lasting impact on the city.

So after a week of bouncing through art galleries, museums, and Barragán’s work, I wanted to take a look at how to incorporate mid-century modern into my own home. Though many staples of the house are already set in place, I’m always looking for ways to refresh the house. Our house tends to run more neutral in colors (see here), so I’m interested in ways to bring a few more geometric shapes and pops of color.

Mid-Century Modern Living Room

What is Mid-Century Modern?

A term that is often used loosely, mid-century modern captures a style of design that has stood the test of time. Often, it represents bold colors that pop in a space against a set of neutrals. With it, sharper lines and geometrical features. The time period it comes from is roughly around 1933-1965.

A few key components:

The function is always important. There’s a clear use for it.
The furniture should get rid of the clutter and be minimal. It provides a clean space.
The materials are natural, hence why a lot of mid-century modern furniture uses walnut or oak wood.
Pops of color make the space, hence why you’ll find more natural tones as the underlying area, with one or two other colors to jump out.

Ideas for a Mid-Century Modern Living Room

A neutral take on mid-century modern:
Browsing through AllModern, I put together selects for what I’d love to refresh in my own living room. I decided to keep the bigger pieces more neutral since we love a natural palette for our space. One key thing I really like is bringing in more metals, so you’ll see pops of brass throughout. The one way I’m thinking of bringing in more color is through art, like the piece down below. That way the bigger pieces like the sofa and table can stay neutral.

Take a look here:

Emma Chesterfield Sofa // More Mid-Century Sofas	Ramsey Coffee Table // More Mid-Century Modern Furniture	Stina Lounge Chair // More Mid-Century Armchairs
Annabel Desk Lamp // More Modern Table Lamps	Coventia Framed Canvas Art // More Modern Wall Art	Crete Bar Cart // More Bar Carts
Manhart Iron Pot Planter Set // More Planters	Utica 3-Light Chandelier // More Chandeliers	Eleanor End Table // More End + Side Tables