Simply super! The interior trends of the 1950s
Progressive, light-hearted, sociable, full of colour and oh-so-modern - the 1950s were the decade that finally swept away our wartime doom and gloom, ended 14 years of rationing and promised the arrival of the new atomic age.
Wherever you went, rock n’ roll blasted out from a nearby transistor radio, most weekends were reserved for fun prom nights, cars flashed by in the street with gleaming silver chrome and no living room wall would dare be seen without the analogue classic of a sunburst clock. We were determined to look to the future and we were determined to have jolly good fun as we did so.
Brits eagerly swapped the rubbled remains of the Industrial Revolution and cramped Victorian tenements for clean and spacious postwar housing that came with expansive double-glazed windows, bright splashes of colour and an angular quirkiness all of their own.
Over a dozen New Towns sprung up across the UK to rehome those who had been displaced by the war, motorways began to be laid down to facilitate the growing accessibility of the motorcar and Queen Elizabeth II was coronated in a glorious ceremony that was celebrated by millions with tea, cake, bunting and that new fangled invention; the television. Or at least your neighbour’s television, if you didn’t yet have one of your own.
While the 1950s were some time ago, you might be surprised just how modern and chic this decade turned out to be. Even as we move two decades beyond the millenium, if you hanker after an uplifting change in decorative style, you can’t do much better than taking a cue from 1950s mid-century modernism.
If you seek something that feels strangely familiar yet is able to add a fresh, cheerful aesthetic to your home, the 1950s may serve as your perfect source of inspiration. Within our homes, the fifties were the years that would pave the way for all that was to come.
Here are our top 1950s trends and how they continue to influence home interiors today …
Vibrant wall colours - Painting over wartime drudgery
Before the 1950s, giving your walls a new lick of paint was, frankly, a bit of a pain.
Going from one shade to another was usually only undertaken by those particularly set on a change in hue, because obtaining the means to do so was a laborious task. Consequently, many households simply contented themselves with the same muted shades that had seen them through the entirety of the war.
You couldn’t just pull up at your nearest hardware store and conveniently gather up many new tins of paint. And even if you could have, you would likely first need a motorcar and maybe a motorway to get there.
No, no. To switch from one wall colour to another equaled acquiring an assortment of ingredients and a man who knew what he was doing. Quantities had to be carefully measured out and care had to be taken as most of what was blended together was either toxic, combustible or both.
However, as the number of motorcars and our demand for fuel increased, so too grew the petrochemical industry. Developments came in separating crude oil and the availability of polyvinyl acetate - the very same PVA used in art class at school - would soon influence 1950s homes in an unexpected way. Substituting PVA into paint created a non-toxic synthetic emulsion that could deliver consistent colour across every wall.
Most crucially, and unlike before, each colour was the same price so you could paint your home in any bright and cheerful shade you so desired. All you needed was to roll up your sleeves and get to work with a roller. You no longer needed a man to redecorate, you could simply do it yourself with a room that would be dry, complete with a new look, in just a couple of hours.
Prewar drab was eagerly pushed aside for primary shades of blue, red and yellow alongside bubblegum pink, coral and pistachio green. In the 1950s, the DIY revolution had well and truly begun!
Increased leisure: A more sociable home
As affluence began to oust postwar austerity, families found they had more leisure time on their hands than ever before. A home was no longer simply a means of accommodation within close proximity of work. Home was now a place to come back to, a space of one’s own, a retreat. As 1950s families took the opportunity to relax and on their own terms, a home with a good proportion of interior space and a large garden, ideally in a quiet estate, seemed to be on everyone’s wishlist.
Suddenly, it was fashionable to host dinner parties or offer guests a drink from your swish cocktail table or impressive home bar. The under stairs cupboard never seemed so handy for storing all those extra supplies of gin, martini and colourful cocktail umbrellas.
Down with the room divider: Embracing open-plan living
As increased leisure time became a more prominent feature of day-to-day life, the 1950s swapped formal entertaining of days of old for spontaneous and casual at-home gatherings.
To make space for the many guests that might pop around later, the structure of 1950s homes changed in tandem with how we were choosing to spend our down time. We were swapping a lavish night at the theatre for informal drinks with a spot of music in the lounge. We were catching up over a coffee in the kitchen rather than making a booking at a fancy restaurant.
Now, instead of the different facets of life remaining neatly compartmentalised in different rooms, the 1950s focus was on a much more communal, flowing arrangement when it came to interiors.
Where bricks and boundaries had once been, natural light and ventilation flooded in. Where ceilings had divided floors and halted conversation, a mezzanine allowed the dialogue to go on.
This architectural shift was termed ‘open-living’ and its adventurous spirit knew no bounds. After all, why only sit in front of the fireplace when you could also sit behind it? Having a discussion through a space where once there had been a wall was oh-so-modern and incredibly desirable to those keen to relax with friends.
Acting as a homely counterbalance to the blurring of one room and another, a few carefully-positioned patterned rugs were welcome additions within the open-plan home. Sporting zesty colours and bold geometric patterns, 1950s rugs visually divided the living space while putting up no barrier to free movement throughout the home.
Television: The revolutionary new focus of the home
In the 1950s, people suddenly spent much more time in either their own or their neighbour’s living room. And for good reason …
Instead of gathering in front of a dirty, ash-laden fireplace, there was now an exciting new device to sit in front of. It was so good at entertaining, we rarely wanted to leave!
As wavelengths were found to transmit images as well as sound, the BBC had periodically broadcast television programmes since the mid-1930s. However, it would take a national event to transform television into a staple of daily life.
The event that would propel television sales and viewing figures was the pending coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. As the eagerly-anticipated ceremony approached in June 1953, purchases or rental of television sets skyrocketed.
If you didn’t have a television, you made sure to find a television among your neighbours. As Queen Elizabeth II took to the throne, 27 million people watched the splendour and significance of the moment through either their own or someone else’s television set.
The coronation proved a joyous occasion that brought the nation together. For many, it was a first glimpse at an invention that would significantly influence our lives and culture.
While we may take television for granted now, being able to see live pictures that were being broadcast from elsewhere in the world was initially a wondrous thing to behold. Many couldn’t quite take in that it was possible!
The layout of 1950s living rooms quickly fitted around this strange device with its box-shaped screen, usually some 14 inches across, with a few dials to hand for making adjustments.
As the fifties progressed, over 10 million British homes installed a television set and watching ‘telly’ became the new national pastime.
Mid-century modern: Where form follows function
As clean lines and a modern aesthetic significantly influenced the 1950s perspective of the ideal home, no-one wanted to muddy the effect with overly fussy furniture and dusty relics of the past.
The 1950s was a decade of looking to the future - modern was in, old was out. We wanted uncluttered, functional items that enhanced the spaciousness of our living space, that impressed with their simplicity rather than cluttered and oppressive ornamentation..
Furniture, art and utensils all took their cues from modernist architecture, science, geometry, industry, minimalism and the modernist wave that had its roots in 1920s and 1930s Bauhaus design. Pieces were intended to be timeless yet intriguingly stylish and form followed function.
The 1950s cast aside the floral cushions and doilies in favour of a gently curved sofa in a bright colour. Tables stood on slender, tapered peg legs. Chairs were invitingly curvaceous, colourful and finished in sumptuously comfortable leather, fleece or velour. Cabinets came with panels that gently slid sideways while delightfully finished with all the detail of the wood grain.
Shelving units and lamps often took inspiration from geometry. Usually there was no shade around your light at all but instead a geometric frame surrounding the bulb. 1950s rooms luxuriated in natural light that flooded in from vast windows and a highly fashionable skylight or two.
To slightly soften a room’s modern take, decorative pieces came in organic shapes inspired by nature, enhancing both our view and sense of connection to the outdoor world.
1950s interior design is now generally termed mid-century modern. The look is clean, functional, stylish and, thanks to its timeless elegance, comes with no expiry date.
The Atomic age: How science inspired vibrant colours and shapes
Beyond our eagerness to move on from memories of the war, another reason why the ‘modern look’ in the home had become so desirable during the 1950s was the rapid development and promise that science offered during this time.
The words ‘atomic’ and ‘nuclear’ quickly became part of everyday 1950s vocabulary. With it, imagery of the atom - most commonly represented with a simplified ball-and-stick representation - summed up our enthusiasm for this new movement.
It wasn’t uncommon to see a wall clock, light fitting or mirror upon a wall at home that looked just about right in a scientific laboratory. Even dishware, cushions, wallpaper and cabinet handles adopted the new decorative trend.
As society began to embrace the promise of nuclear power, harnessing the symbol of the atom within the home reflected our hopes that science and technology would make the world a cleaner and better place.
A touch of kitsch: Add something fun to the room
As life became more affluent, relaxed and sociable, 1950s households tended to add the occasional feature to home decor that had no purpose other than to be fun.
From nodding dogs, humorous prints, a set of porcelain ducks flying across the wall or a pineapple ice bucket taking pride of place upon the corner of your home bar, these decorative knick-knacks served to remind us that we were able again to embrace being more carefree.
The awful days of war were over, science and technology were shaping a new world and we were allowed to enjoy ourselves again. So, as the mood of the nation lightened, 1950s households added a touch of kitsch.
Whether regarded as a dignified item or not, you could always guarantee the designated knick-knack had been placed there with a sense of humour and always had the canny ability to get guests talking.