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Interior Design vocabulary · Interior Styles

Mid-century modern

Meaning in interior design, with examples

/ˌmɪd ˌsentʃəri ˈmɒdən/nounCommon term

In interior design, mid-century modern means: A style of furniture and interiors from roughly the 1940s to the 1960s, known for clean lines, tapered legs, warm woods like teak and walnut, and organic shapes.

In Turkish: mid-century modern, yüzyıl ortası modern

How it is used

Very popular again, both as original vintage pieces and modern reproductions; online listings often shorten it to MCM. Designers mix it with contemporary pieces, because a whole room of it can feel like a film set.

Example sentences

  1. The client collects mid-century modern furniture, so we designed the flat around her teak sideboard.

  2. A mid-century modern armchair works beautifully with the contemporary sofa.

Common collocations

  • mid-century modern furniture
  • mid-century style
  • vintage mid-century
  • mid-century sideboard
  • contemporaryDescribes the style of design that is current now, usually with clean lines, neutral colours and a mix of materials; it changes as trends change.
  • Scandinavian styleAn interior style from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, known for light wood, white or pale walls, simple functional furniture and a cosy, natural feel.
  • eclecticMixing furniture, objects and ideas from different periods, styles and places in one room, held together by a shared colour, material or mood.
  • statement pieceA bold, eye-catching item of furniture, lighting or art that gives a room its personality and is meant to be noticed.

More terms: Interior Styles

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