About 1950s Home Decor
Curves, waves, Formica, chrome, swivel chairs and barstools, neon clocks and princess phones. America never ventured far from the retro furnishings and stylings of the 1950s. It was a time of temptation and trying new things. A glimpse into the past gives us a nostalgic look back when "think outside the box" was first invented and classical and traditional nearly disappeared from the landscape of the average American home.
Shapes
Until the 1950s, nearly every piece of furniture that could be found was mostly square and rectangular ("boxy") or circular (round). During the 50s, squares, rectangles and circles took on different expressions; and triangles, diamonds, ovals and ellipticals found their way into the minds of designers and home décor specialists.
Comfort
Much of the 1950s home décor was not exactly made for comfort. Each piece was nearly an attention-getter (conversation piece) in and of itself. Plastics, leather, velveteen, hard woods, sharp edges and rough finishes defined that era.
Style Features
The times were known overall as "funky" and modernist. It was the age of etageres and tall bookcases filled with what-nots, doo-dads and other showcase pieces made for mantels and coffee tables, including Big Ben clocks. Faux flooring (called linoleum, which was either solid or had the appearance of tiles) was popular; as was shag carpeting.
Upscale Lifestyles
Those who could afford it were more likely to have an RCA or Quasar console television set, often with combination AM/FM radios and record players for vinyl 45s and 78s. Booth-style and box window seatings were also very popular.
Outdoor Decor
Metal shellback lawn chairs and gliders and Adirondack chairs and tables made wonderful additions to home porches and lawns.
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