midcentury modern

or mid-cen·tu·ry mod·ern

[ mid-sen-chuh-ree mod-ern ]

noun

1. a style of architecture, furniture, home decor, etc., that peaked in the middle of the 20th century, characterized by simple, sleek lines and minimal ornamentation: : MCM

   a midcentury modern Eames lounge chair.

Word History and Origins

Origin of midcentury modern¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Rogen’s collection was amassed over the last two and a half decades and is heavy on colorful Midcentury Modern ashtrays.

From Los Angeles Times

And it’s at that cottage-style space, part showroom and part Midcentury Modern VIP party pad, with a turntable near the fireplace and Houseplant accouterments and ashtrays dotting every available surface, that Rogen met me on a recent summer afternoon to highlight a handful of his favorite pieces and talk about how to share the collection more widely with the world.

From Los Angeles Times

“And that’s why all the ashtrays I was buying were Midcentury Modern — because they’re from a time when people put a lot more creative thought and energy into smoking, because smoking cigarettes used to be much more in fashion and people didn’t know it was bad for you.”

From Los Angeles Times

The power shut-off will impact a large swath of Seaview, a Midcentury Modern tract designed by master architect Paul Williams in 1960 that features touches such as stone fireplaces, space-age light fixtures and eye-popping bursts of color atop an ocean bluff.

From Los Angeles Times

He must rip out portions of his walls and flooring and may need to replace the kitchen, although he bristles at the idea of overhauling his 1961 Midcentury Modern home, which he purchased precisely because so many of its original features were in good condition.

From Los Angeles Times