My life changed for the better once I started to fall in love with the midcentury modern aesthetic. While I’ve always been infatuated with vintage things, midcentury modern is a specific era of aesthetic that has that vintage charm, but it also encompasses sleek utility, elegant simplicity, and timeless style.
Once you start to notice that things are midcentury modern, you’ll very quickly start to seek them out. Now, my entire house is led by the MCM aesthetic. This involves furniture pieces that are minimally designed using textured fabrics, usually neutral tones, teak wood (or similarly stained wood), and are usually lower set to the ground.
Another aspect of midcentury modern aesthetics is understated fun. You’ll often find interesting and unique shapes, unexpected pops of colors and patterns, and an unwavering dedication to style. I’m more than just a fan of midcentury modern inspirations, I’m a converted-obsessed person.
So, this is why we’ve created a collection of midcentury modern-inspired living rooms. While not all of us can create rooms quite as extravagant as these, there are so many little details and aspects you can pick up to start turning your living room into a midcentury modern dreamland.
1. The Wide Open Spaces MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: We’re starting off this fantastic collection with an open-concept living space. We get some industrial flare with cement floors and gorgeous exposed wood beams in the ceiling, which feel super opened up thanks to the skylights set right above it.
White-painted walls really let the gorgeous wood framing around the windows shine and help keep the room feeling bright, especially with that incredible brick fireplace set in the center of the room. Everything put together is homey and rustic but with a really warm minimal style (which is what MCM is all about!).
Furniture: The furniture in this space is really what makes it feel midcentury modern inspired. Each piece is super low set with wooden framing and warmly textured upholstery, and it comes in either a neutral or poppy color. The accent chairs are loungy but still elegant, while the sectional sofa is utile but still gorgeous.
Decor: Something that I really love about the midcentury modern style is that the foundation of the room and the furniture pieces are so gorgeous all by themselves that you really don’t need that much decoration in order to make a room feel complete. A cream-colored shag rug accentuates this room to bring texture and warmth, while a simple low-set circular coffee table is a nice rounded contrast to the other squared pieces.
Redfin sourced this beautiful room, and you can see the rest of the home design here.
2. The Big Window Big Sofa MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This room feels expansive and fresh with more modern sand color-stained wood for the floors, clean white walls with recessed lighting, and vaulted ceilings for some serious openness. The fact that the entire back wall is purely made of windows to show off the gorgeous green space really sends this room to another level.
Furniture: This room is more on the modern decor side of the midcentury modern style. While the Eames chair is a classic design, having it in black leather really modernizes the room and matches the black credenza in the back. This incredible modular sofa is a super retro shape, but the type of upholstery and color is also bringing it into a more contemporary place.
Decor: Again, we see that midcentury modern aesthetics involve visual simplicity and avoid decorative clutter. All we have accenting this room is a light gray textured area rug and a happy and healthy plant. The huge windows almost act as decoration, allowing you to marvel at the gorgeous scenery outside.
This amazing space was sourced from Redfin, and you can check out the rest of the home design here.
3. The Fireplace Nook MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This super loungey living room starts with a set of stunning limestone floor tiles that bring warmth to the white walls. The incredible corner fireplace feature painted white stone and teak wood for the lining is quite the statement piece.
Furniture: When I think of midcentury modern, I often think of shapes that are rather wide and long. Even just the shape of this room really screams MCM to me, and I love how the furniture pieces mimic that shape. A super low-set sectional sofa upholstered with gorgeous tan leather is the focal point of the room, while super comfy lounging chairs with metal framing are the perfect counterpart.
Decor: The color scheme of this space is really sending me. I adore how we have a tan base, found in the floor, furniture, and shaggy area rug, while we have water blue accents found in the glass coffee table, throw pillows, and the painting in the back of the room as well. It feels like the designer had a sandy beach in mind when designing this space.
Yet another fantastic room from Redfin. You can gander at the rest of the home by clicking here.
4. The Funky Fresh MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: It’s always so striking to find a completely white room, especially since it allows you to use so much color in the rest of the space. This gorgeous room starts with white floors, white walls, a white facade for the fireplace, and white beams, but we have beautiful wooden ceilings to bring that robust warmth that’s always necessary for an MCM room.
Furniture: We see the classic low-set furniture in this space with two incredible white leather loungers and a really fun but comfortable-looking L-shaped sofa in a beautiful orange color. Several low-set coffee tables in various styles like white and metal, black wood, and a checkerboard surface really tie the room together.
Decor: Using so much white in a room really gives you permission to play around with color in the rest of the space, and we see that with the fun patterned throw pillows and the super bright and poppy pieces of artwork on the walls.
Redfin designed this gorgeous room, and you can peek at the rest of the house here.
5. The Artwork Corner MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Here, we have a super interesting concept with an open space, but only one portion of the room is being used as the living space. I adore the nook feeling of the room that is accomplished by covering the tiled floor with a textured area rug that’s just the length of the sofa and filling the room only the width of the stone wall. Angled ceilings are gorgeously painted white.
Furniture: The furniture pieces in this room are on the more modern side of midcentury modern, with a deep set black leather sofa but a super quirky accent chair with bold metal legs. Low-set coffee tables go along with the MCM aesthetic.
Decor: The decoration in this room is really what makes it special. An entire wall absolutely jam-packed with paintings and prints feels super fun, but the aesthetic of them is keeping it MCM even if it doesn’t feel super minimal. I also adore how the room faces the set of huge windows that reveals an enticing-looking pool outside and some gorgeous palms.
This is another amazing room by Redfin; check out the rest of the space here.
6. The Poolside MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Here, we have an incredible room design with an open concept that’s set off of the kitchen. Cement floors feel more modern, while white walls really allow for the incredible stone fireplace to speak volumes, as well as the entire wall made from colored glass. Truly incredible to see.
Furniture: The furniture in this space feels a bit more subdued and modest, with white neutral-colored sofas and light blue accent chairs with metal legs. Coffee tables are very classically midcentury modern, while all of the other pieces are a bit more traditionally modern!
Decor: Pops of color throughout the room really elevate the space, while more neutral tones throughout help the feeling of being grounded. This is another room where the foundation and main features of it are the stars of the show — a very classic midcentury modern approach.
This stunning space is courtesy of Redfin. Look at the rest of the home by clicking here.
7. The White & Wood MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This open and airy MCM living room starts with beautiful pearl-colored tiling that blends up towards white walls. A contrast is received with dark hardwood beams in the ceiling, while the rest of it is wooden beams that have been painted white to keep the color scheme in check.
Furniture: The furniture in the room really screams midcentury modern design in the best way. We have a small sofa and two accent chairs in a set with lovely faded red upholstery with gorgeous teak framing and angled legs. The ottoman and coffee tables match perfectly, though the coffee tables have rounded glass tops, and the ottoman has clean white upholstery.
Decor: The decor in this room comes in the form of statement light fixtures, with one huge metal piece hanging over the center of the living room and a warm-colored hanging light over the eating area. A nice cozy fluffy rug is a nice compliment to the sleek floors, while gorgeous art pieces on the wall elevate the plain walls.
This lovely room was sourced from Redfin. You can see the rest of the home here.
8. The Arched MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This gorgeous room starts with a really incredible floor. It’s not often you see pattern work being done with wood panels, but we see that here with a geometric pattern in varying shades of wood that turn the floor into a work of art.
Where things get even more special is in the vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden beams and this gorgeous wall made from purple glass to separate the rooms. All in all, you could put anything in this room , and it would still look incredible just because of the foundation.
Furniture: Simple and sleek are the two qualities carrying the furniture pieces in the room. We have the classic MCM inspiration with wooden framing and neutral-colored upholstery. One room boasts lovely gray accent chairs with a matching ottoman on the purple side of the room, while the other side uses color boosts in the furniture.
Decor: Minimal decorations are present in this midcentury modern living room, while the piece of decoration there really makes a statement. A huge collection of framed photos on the walls brings color to the space as well as that lovely bit of personality we love to see.
This stunning space is courtesy of Redfin, and you can check out the rest of the room design here.
9. The Cozy Corner MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: While many of the rooms we’ve seen so far are using lighter colors for the walls and floors and darker tones for the furniture, here we see the opposite, and it is oh-so delicious. Dark tiled floors create a dark foundation, while wood-paneled walls provide that warmth we know and love. Mosaic stone is used for the fireplace, really turning it into an incredible statement piece.
Furniture: Only the most gorgeous furniture has been used for the interior design of this midcentury modern living room. A cream-colored leather sofa that is super wide and low set to the ground really entices you into the room, and a cream-colored leather lounger accompanies it. An Eames chair covered in sheepskin brings the luxury in, while dark hardwood credenzas and tables are the perfect accompaniment to the lighter pieces.
Decor: This room is adorned with lovely pieces of decoration, from framed artwork, paper lanterns, potted plants, area rugs, and beautiful light fixtures. The overall feel of the room is jazzy, classy, relaxed, and incredibly stylish.
If you’re keen, you can check out the rest of this beautiful home here.
10. The Stone MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Here, we have an incredibly luxurious living room complete with black stone flooring that bleeds up into concrete walls and a beautiful stone mosaic fireplace. Having the foundation of the room made entirely from stone really allows you to use some warmer features in the rest of the space, which we see done here.
Furniture: I love how the seats of this furniture are midcentury modern with their soft upholstery, but the framing of the pieces is more boho chic since they’re made of wicker. A combination I’d never really imagine, but they’re lovely to see.
Decor: The decoration of this room comes in several forms. We have a super plush area rug to help soften the starkness of the dark floors, a classic MCM floor lamp with a great heaving lampshade, some lovely patterned throw pillows that are being used as extra seating, and a rustic vase filled with bright pink tulips.
Do yourself a favor and check out the rest of this gorgeous home right over here.
11. The Simple & Sultry MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Yet another room that uses a combination of industrial basics and midcentury modern flare to create something exceptional. Black tiling looks gorgeous against a wooden panel accent wall, while a concrete wall gives us that industrial starkness. Another wall made entirely of windows makes the room feel expansive, and the wood framing tying it all together is proper and elegant.
Furniture: Varying pieces all work together to create a very lovely living area. Bright yellow stools provide a pop of color, metal framing for surfaces really brightens the space, a white fabric sectional brings a comfortable softness, and black leather accent chairs are elegant and luxurious.
Decor: Dramatic artwork on the walls brings a certain level of stature to the space, while a super interesting floor lamp with white shades brings brightness and a funky feel. All in all, there are so many different concepts going on, coming together to create something lovely.
If you’re in love with these midcentury modern living room ideas, you can see the rest of the home right over here.
12. The Library Room MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: I think this has to be my favorite room in the collection. We see so much of the house from this angle thanks to the open concept, and throughout, we see gorgeous antique flooring, wood shelving built right into the foundation, and vaulted ceilings with exposed wood beams. White is the best choice of color for the wall paint to let all of this incredible woodwork shine its brightest.
Furniture: There is nothing but exceptional furniture in this space. A rounded sofa with neutral upholstery creates the shape of the sitting area, and a rounded stone coffee table supports that. Two gorgeous leather loungers in the library area are incredible pieces that exude luxury. And we can’t get away without mentioning the simply amazing dining table in the back.
Decor: This room is decorated with the best things. Sheepskin, plush throw pillows, beautiful light fixtures, and, best of all, an absolutely amazing collection of books all set in their own personal library. I could spend every day of my life in this home and be perfectly happy about it.
This stunning home was designed by Trulia.
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13. The Window MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: On the simpler side of the already simple midcentury modern aesthetic, this gorgeous room is adorned with a linen-colored carpet and cream-colored walls. This acts as a lovely foundation to host one of the most incredible window walls I’ve ever seen, with an incredible view of an infinity pool outside.
Furniture: This space has a very serene and simple design to it. A very plush, classic-shaped sofa adorns one wall, while a very uniquely shaped accent chair in a calming color matches the color scheme of the room. A glass coffee table provides a dramatic effect in reflecting the beautiful view outdoors.
Decor: Probably the most minimally decorated of the collection, this room is accessorized only through an interesting wall light with multiple arms. While the view outside provides an incredible thing to look at, I think I would fill this room with sun-loving plants.
This amazing and serene room was designed by Heusch Inc.
14. The Low-Set MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Another low set room here that starts with some dark tiling that’s lightened up by a cream-colored area rug. white walls make way for a built-in cove fireplace and some built-in wooden shelving as well, while the ceiling keeps things interesting with metal beams and wooden paneling.
Furniture: The most incredible thing about this room is the furniture. We have a custom piece to the right. A room divider has been turned into a sofa and a set of side tables as one huge gorgeous piece that is surely one of a kind. Two incredible lounging chairs with modern shaping and metal legs are a nice and fresh addition.
Decor: The decoration in this room is one of my personal favorite ways to decorate: with nothing but plants. A very happy orchid and potted flowers are the perfect way to incorporate both color and some fresh life — a beautiful room from top to bottom.
This amazing space was designed by: Hughes Umbanhowar Architects.
15. The Fuzzy Rug MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This room almost feels like an elevated log cabin since both the floors and walls are made from gorgeous hardwood. Using different stains of wood prevent it from feeling a bit like an enclosed sauna, while tons of huge windows make it feel expansive and bright.
Furniture: This room has more modern furniture in it, with a Chesterman sofa in gray upholstery and a leather and metal accent chair. I personally love this live-edge coffee table with metal legs. Though not the most midcentury of the bunch, it definitely has its obvious inspirations.
Decor: The space is very minimally decorated with a fun hanging light fixture over the dining table, while a pop of color is found in the yellow throw pillow, yellow vases, and yellow paint used for the front door. A love the matchy-matchy approach!
16. The Airy MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This is a rather incredible room that uses a house that was clearly built in the 1950s but with more modern furniture to elevate the space. Antique floors have been gorgeously maintained, accompanied by a stone pillar in the center of the room that hosts a fireplace. One wall is completely window, while the other has a fogged sliding glass door that separates this lounge from the rest of the house. Amazing.
Furniture: More modern furniture has been used in this room. A velour gray sofa feels rather contemporary and chic, as well, as the rounded coffee table and bright yellow accent chair in a contemporary shape. Though not my favorite choices for this particular space, they do provide a nice fresh aspect to the space.
Decor: With a foundation as gorgeous as this, you really don’t need all that much in terms of decoration, but that huge pot filled with flowering branches brings some movement and life to the room, which is much appreciated.
This incredible space was designed by Trulia.
17. The Cathedral Ceiling MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Here, we have another incredible room that is made incredible by the foundation of the space. Something as simple as having diagonally arranged wood floors really elevate, while using stone for the walls is a unique approach. Incredible cathedral ceilings frame the space, while floor-to-ceiling windows make it feel even more expansive than it already is.
Furniture: Super simple furniture pieces really allow the amazing construction of the room to shine. An ivory-colored furniture set containing a sofa and two matching accent chairs maintain the subdued neutral tones of the room, while two low-set coffee tables can double as ottomans.
Decor: We see nothing but very classy decorations in the space, from a statue to cool light fixtures, wall art to decorative pedestals. A very nicely designed living area that is inviting and stylish.
This beautiful room was designed by Trulia.
18. The Corner Courtyard MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: The overall construction of this room is really something incredible to see. A popular feature of more upscale MCM homes featured a central courtyard from which the rest of the house encompasses. Having that central atrium surrounded by windowed walls allows you to see throughout the rest of the house.
The home has been updated since its original construction, adorning the floors with simple concrete and the walls with gorgeous wood panels. The original stone fireplace was luckily left, which is so cool because of its open edge and can be used in either room.
Furniture: With one of the most beautiful home designs I’ve ever seen, I must say that I’m a little bit disappointed by the furniture in this room. While the coffee table is lovely and midcentury modern inspired, the seating furniture just feels too traditional and classic. A home like this deserves statement furniture pieces.
Decor: This room is decorated with plain accent pillows, but again, I feel as though the decorations don’t properly accentuate the mastery that is the construction of the home.
This amazing space was designed by Trulia.
19. The Sitting Room MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Yet another beautiful room with an open concept that uses dark hardwood floors, white walls, and a wall made entirely out of windows to create something really stunning. A white-painted ceiling reveals exposed beams and wood paneling. A beautifully textured rug helps soften up the shining dark hardwood found on the floor.
Furniture: This room boasts some really exceptional furniture, from a forest green velour sofa (which is more on the modern side of midcentury modern), two gorgeous black leather loungers (very MCM), and a low-set, clear glass coffee table with metal framing (very MCM inspired). Wooden shelving found on either side of the room act as both a splash of rustic warmth and color.
Decor: The decoration is kept simple but fun in this space, with beautiful lamps, strange decorative items, and of course, a huge and happy potted plant. I would load this room with plants if I had a window that big!
This amazing space has been designed by Trulia.
20. The Limestone MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: They really just don’t make them like this anymore. While some of the space has been updated, the stone feature fireplace that shares an outdoor wall is a magnificent feature that you really just don’t see very often. Gorgeous limestone floors step up to black framed windows, and white ceilings and beams make sure the room doesn’t feel too busy.
Furniture: This room is really playing around with strange statement furniture, from a faced stool, a strange black shining accent chair, a huge wire butterfly chair, leather ottomans, and a patterned sofa – nothing in this room is standard. I also just can’t get over the giant stone planter hosting a collection of cacti. And is that a record planter built right into the floor?
Decor: This room is really cool because the furniture is the decoration. That’s when you know that something is a statement piece: when it would become too much if you put something else with it — a truly unique and incredible room from top to bottom.
This remarkable room was designed by Trulia as well.
21. The Perfect MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Wow. Another incredibly constructed space that is perfectly designed and decorated. This has to be another one of my favorites. White shining floors and white brick walls make for some incredible wooden features with an entirely dark hardwood ceiling. The construction of the room is impeccable and elegant.
Furniture: We see some truly incredible furniture choices in this room. The sofa is the epitome of midcentury modern luxury with gorgeous upholstery and a teak frame, with a matching credenza and an understated coffee table.
We have more modern accent chairs with gray upholstery and metal framing, but another orange MCM masterpiece to offset the modernity. This tri-leg coffee table with a glass top is a work of art, but then again, the entire room is a work of art.
Decor: This room is perfectly decorated, in my opinion, and really sticks to the midcentury modern aesthetic, with gorgeous green potted plants that act as a stunning contrast to the wooden features in the room. Some beautiful table lamps adorn the credenza, while really the rest of the decoration comes from the impeccable design of the furniture pieces and the room.
This work of art was designed by Tindall Architecture Workshop.
22. The White & Tan MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: To me, this is the perfect combination of midcentury and modern. While it’s not entirely midcentury and not entirely modern, they’re combining the old with the new in a remarkably stylish way. Clean and shining white floors are the perfect foundation to hold a white brick accent wall, another gorgeous teak wood accent wall, and some stunning corner windows.
Furniture: The furniture choices in this room are pieces of art. A caramel-colored sectional sofa is a perfect choice for the room, while a wooden block coffee table is robust and elegant. The funky accent chair provides the right splash of eccentricity, while the minimal dining set ensures the room doesn’t feel crowded. Simply beautiful.
Decor: I love the decorations in this room. From the beautifully delicate and textured light fixture, the arrangement of plush throw pillows and sheepskin throw, to the candles and elegant vase of super tall calla lilies – this room is everything and more.
This enthralling living room was designed by Studio Schicketanz.
23. The Open Window MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Though more modest than the others, this is still a room that provides a living space that is elegant, stylish, beautiful, yet inviting. Shined concrete floors start us off, while white walls and a white vaulted ceiling allow room to play in the center. I love the choice of keeping the window frames wooden for that bit of rustic warmth.
Furniture: While the sofa is more on the classic traditional side, the lounging chairs are midcentury modern pieces through and through with the gorgeous wood color, angled legs, and exposed framing. The cream-colored pillows are a lovely choice to compliment this style of wood.
Additionally, the side tables are perfectly utile but perfectly stylish with the matching wood stain and little drawers, while using a glass-topped coffee table is a great way to make sure that a smaller room doesn’t feel too cramped since you can see right through it!
Decor: The decoration in this room is really lovely, with an incredibly healthy potted snake plant by the window and two gorgeous framed pieces of art that provide a gentle pop of color.
This amazing space was designed by Woodhull of Maine.
24. The Sunroom MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: Yet another stunning room that is stunning starting from the very bottom with neutral-colored tiles that match the etched metal facade found around the fireplace. The main feature wall, made entirely from windows and wood framing, is truly a work of art, while sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains really soften up the edges.
Furniture: The furniture is simple but interesting in this room, starting with a gorgeous pistachio-colored accent chair, three caramel leather ottomans for seating, and a red, gently faded plush sofa. Simple coffee tables help tie everything together to create a really welcoming sitting area.
Decor: I adore how this room is decorated with nothing but ceramic vases and varying potted plants, one of which with incredible stature that really feels like the outside is being brought inside. Yet another room where the furniture is making the statement, not the decor.
This incredible room was expertly designed by Architectural Designs.
25. The Mad Men MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: This retro room is the best kind of retro. It hosts those styles that will stay cool forever, starting with a speckled floor that’s decorated with a patterned rug. The fireplace wall is adorned with tan colored bricks, while everything else is a window. Perfection.
Furniture: The furniture in this space just screams midcentury modern aesthetic but with modern expert execution. I love the gentle pattern found on the vintage-shaped sofa, while the orange velour accent chairs are a bit more elevated but feel retro in their color and fabric. This coffee table is really stunning both in the wood stain and rounded shape.
Decor: I find that this room bears host to some really expertly chosen decorative pieces, from the golden floor lamp and uniquely shaped vases, to the super happy and healthy fig leaf ficus in the corner. This is a really special room.
This impeccable room was designed by: Mark Odom Studio.
26. The Modern MCM Living Room
Floors & Walls: We’re finishing off the collection with a room that is really encompassing a more contemporary take on midcentury modern aesthetics. We see the standard MCM features with a central fireplace, wooden panels on the walls, huge windows on another, and gorgeous wood paneling on the ceiling.
Where we get a more contemporary feel is in the white floors and modern design patterned area rug, the type of beechwood used for the wood-paneled wall, the fact that the wood ceiling was painted white, and the central entertainment feature is a new but welcome addition.
Furniture: The furniture in this space is also on the more modern side, with a plush and gorgeous white sectional and two matching accent chairs that look like they’re made out of teddy bears. A glass coffee table holds true to MCM, while a cement bench built into the center feature wall is both industrial, modern, and MCM. So cool!
Decor: This space comes with lovely decorations, from the woven baskets hosting throw blankets and decorative branches and the MCM golden light feature in the center. The gorgeous view on the other side of the impressive windows is really doing the rest of the work for us.
Do yourself a favor and check out the rest of this home here.
