Home > Decorating & Design > Article Archives: Mod Goes Mainstream 
Bottoni sofa and chair
come in a range of fabrics
and colors. Sofas cost
from $900 to $3,000.
The Swan Chair is an
Arne Jacobsen design. You
can buy a licensed version
made from the 1958 original. 
The Noguchi table
features smoothly shaped
interlocked pieces that form
a tripod supporting a glass
slab top. 
Ludwig
Mies van
der Rohe’s
Barcelona
Chair and Stool
were designed
in 1929 and
epitomize
modern design.
The timing is perfect. Just as consumer demand for fashionquality design in everything for the home is reaching the level of near-obsession, hip styles, colorful features and low prices are becoming widely available. Although it may seem sudden, the change actually has been brewing since the mid-1950s. Much of what’s currently hot has its roots in the design of that time, called “mid-century modern.”
MASS MARKET MODERN In recent years, architects have brought their creative visions to the
mass market (think Michael Graves’ Target tea kettle), and TV is
bursting with design-oriented home shows. We can find the coolest
stuff at national retailers such as IKEA, Crate and Barrel, Pottery
Barn, Restoration Hardware and Design Within Reach.
Recalling the masters of modern and the iconic designs they
created can be enormously helpful to anyone seeking to personalize
their home with this colorful style. Here are some of the best.
MASTERS OF MOD Artful designs made to fit everyday lives were on the minds of famous mid-century architects and designers such as Le Corbusier, Eames, Gio Ponti, Saarinen, and Mies van der Rohe. They worked in a new era, when homes were moving to more open floor plans and informality and flexibility were coming to the fore. New materials and mass production were beginning to transform the way we live.
Le Corbusier One of the most influential architects of the 20th century, Le Corbusier referred to the house as a “machine for living.” He believed that such a machine should include functional furniture, which he framed in an industrial way with tubular steel. His furniture came to epitomize International Style. Signature contribution: The Le Corbusier chaise lounge.
Eero Saarinen Known for the strong sculptural quality of his buildings (he designed the TWA terminal at Kennedy Airport in New York City), Saarinen brought the same style to furniture. He created a famous line of pedestal chairs using molded fiberglass, latex foam and tubular steel. Signature contribution: The Tulip Chair.
Charles and Ray Eames This husband-and-wife team symbolized “organic design.” The sleek, lean, modern furniture they created was intended to fulfill the practical needs of ordinary people. The Eameses used bent plywood and molded fiberglass, which could be massproduced, making it readily available and affordable. Signature contribution: The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Famous both for towers of glass and steel and his daring furniture designs, Mies van der Rohe collaborated with Lilly Reich to produce a chair for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition made of black leather on an X-shaped frame. This simple chair became his most well-known creation. Signature contribution: The Barcelona Chair.
Gone are the days when contemporary modern furniture was hard to find or too expensive for most people to have in their homes. Consumers can find all sorts of modern-inspired pieces at retail stores or seek out licensed classics from specialty outlets.
One of the trendsetters in new modern is the home decorating store IKEA. Started in Sweden in 1943, IKEA has stores in more than 44 countries, including 30 in the U.S. Solutions at Hand interviewed IKEA design spokesperson Janice Simonsen and creative director Mats Nilsson for their take on modern.
How would you describe modern design for contemporary tastes?
Modern design mostly means form follows function, often realized as less is more—but that does not mean “bore.” Colors, materials and textures are more important than ornate details. It’s the beauty of simplicity, for an easier life.
How do designers interpret classic modern for today?
IKEA is trying to fully develop the modernistic idea by providing good functional pieces, and by that we mean beautiful things that most people can afford—democratic design, really. We work with about 100 designers, not to defend a high price but to create value for more people to enjoy.
I’m new to modern design. How can I get started adding a few pieces to my home?
Ask yourself what you really need for how you use your home. Then look for solutions that work for that life rather than just collecting status symbols. A mix of old and new, maybe something more costly accessorized with a few shells from the beach, makes a real home so much more interesting. Dare to express yourself!
