Today we bring you a smattering of inspiring illustrations from ads from the 50s, also known as the mid-century modern era in architecture and design. I’m a huge fan of this particular style. The house I grew up in was from this period so perhaps that is where my obsession began. This style of interior design and illustration is very unique and inspiring, as we can see in the work of a handful of amazing designers and illustrators out there.
Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior, product and graphic design that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture, and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965. The term, employed as a style descriptor as early as the mid-1950s, was reaffirmed in 1983 by Cara Greenberg in the title of her book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s (Random House), celebrating the style which is now recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement.
Azrock advertisement 1954 crop
porcelain enamel walls
snark
board room
The Connecticut General Life Insurance Company headquarters was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1957. This is a view of the Board of Directors’ conference room planned and furnished by Knoll Associates, Inc
1956 advertisement on bakelite vinyl resins
“makes copies in 4 seconds”
THONET
furamic styling 1959
Roberts House Living Room
Oklahoma City, OK Sears 1955
Bakelite Brand Vinyl Resins advertisement 1955 crop
