Design Through The Decades

Posted on August 10th, 2020 by smithefurniture.

Design Through The Decades

Never a dull moment at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design these past 75 years and furniture design trends have held one constant- they are always changing! We have watched countless trends flow through our showrooms and clients’ homes and it’s always fun to speculate “what’s next?!”

 

1940’s

The 40’s began with World War II just about halting production and design as the country focused its manufacturing on war efforts. When the war ended in 1945, also the year the Walter E. Smithe Furniture came to be, there was a much-needed reemergence in design. With a baby boom and homes in the suburbs springing up, people were more excited about design than they had been in a very long time, however styles for the most part remained sensible and functional. Wood was heavily used- in dark and blond tones- to go with the linoleum floors or wall to wall carpet in the home!

 

1950’s

Furniture design began to get more exciting in the 1950’s, as a postwar America embraced a new decade. This was the beginning of Mid-Century Modern design- a design concept that embraced clean lines, minimalism, comfort and sit, simple color and pattern, as well as thoughtful design.

 

1960’s

With creativity and self-expression flowing, the 1960’s saw no limits to furniture design using shapes and materials never seen in furniture. Plastic, metal, PVC, glass, and wood were used to create modern and unique designs. With space exploration at the top of everyone’s minds, some modern designs were inspired by space. Vibrant colors and patterns were also swinging as Mid-Century Modern continued to evolve.

 

1970’s

Things got groovy in the 1970’s as color was embraced, but perhaps not in the best ways. Burnt orange, avocado green, harvest gold, and brown were the “it” colors and used everywhere- beyond the upholstery and on other items in the home, such as appliances, bathrooms, window treatments, and floor to ceiling carpets.

 

1980’s

If there is one thing everyone can agree on about 80’s style, it’s that it was memorable! There was a broad range of trends- anything from super sleek and modern Memphis Design to over-the-top florals inspired by Laura Ashley. Who could forget the color trends of the 80’s- mauve, seafoam green, and coral as well as pastels and neons.

 

1990’s

The 90’s were not about minimalism. If it was not blond wood, it was a painted wood- quite often with sponge paint! If it was upholstered, it had a skirt and quite often heavy fringe and collaged fabrics.  The late 90’s welcomed a whole new style with a transitional look that was very matchy. This transitional look paired clean-lined, heavy wood pieces with more simple upholstered items.

 

2000’s

Tuscany was all the rage in the 2000’s! Think dark, oversized and carved with curved iron designs. Colors were dark- maroons, golds, and hunter greens. Americans were moved and inspired by the book “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes and they wanted to turn their homes into Tuscan villas.

 

2010’s

Industrial designs with woods and metals, most notably iron, were all the rage in the 2010’s. It was also the beginning of the curated look- mixing different styles and pieces together to build an eclectic look that is unique to each home rather than using a matching furniture collection.

 

Today

The curated look of the 2010’s has absolutely spilled into today’s design trends. Rooms are being curated a bit differently now as organic and natural pieces are coveted and give the room texture as well as a connection to our natural environments. Clean, bright white upholstery works as an easy back drop to this modern-organic look.

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