The 1950s and 1960s were a golden age for American architecture, with architects working in a variety of styles to create homes that were very much of the moment. Some have become iconic enough to feature in movies and photo shoots; some are now museums, while others remain low-profile private residences. For fans of mid-century modern design, these houses offer an immersive experience. Read part 1 of this two-part story here.

Fallingwater

Perhaps the most iconic of all modernist homes, Fallingwater is a National Historic Landmark managed by the Western Pennsylvania Conservatory. The legendary Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1936 as a weekend house for the wealthy and prominent Kaufman family, whose forward-looking tastes complemented Wright’s outré ideas.

Fallingwater is built directly over a 30-foot waterfall, a unique choice that made the sound of the falls an integral feature of life there. Its strong horizontal lines and cantilevered structure make it a quintessential example of modern architecture. Visitors to Fallingwater can choose to join a daily tour of the house, or obtain a ground pass.

Light up the outdoors: Even if your house isn’t on a waterfall, there’s no reason why you can’t set the tone in your backyard oasis with a portable UMA Sound Lantern.

Farnsworth House

Farnsworth House was designed by Mies Van Der Rohe in 1949, for Dr. Edith Farnsworth. A flat roofed, single storey house raised 5’ 3” above the ground, its most striking feature are the glass exterior walls on all sides. The house is devoid of what Mies considered extraneous elements, including most interior walls. It sits parallel to a river and is surrounded by greenery, making the striking white house stand out all the more. Farnsworth House is open for tours between April and November, and can even be rented for events.

Let nature do the work: Greenery will enhance any space, making it feel fresh and light. Consider a vase like the Lingo that brings character. It can house a plant in a compelling way without dominating the flow of the room.

Lovell Health House

Lovell Health House was designed in 1927-1928 by Richard Neutra, and was one of the first steel frame houses built in the USA. Its sprayed concrete exterior was also unusual for its time. The owner was a naturopath who wanted his house to facilitate healthy living, while the architect saw himself as a type of psychologist who could cure his clients’ neuroses. The result was an unusual home that housed a fitness suite and sunbathing rooms, with details that included two Model A Ford headlights in the stairwell. The building can be viewed in the movie L.A. Confidential.

Include “health” in design: Texture can nourish our health and our décor. The Ripplewater area rug breathes new life into your space.

Let’s play “What’s inside your house?” featuring the homes of the most esteemed contemporary interior designers. The best way to understand an interior designer’s style, or at least try and grasp it, is to explore where he or she lives. At home, interior designers have no boundaries; they’re not capped by budgets or limited with restraints. Let’s explore what happens when imagination runs wild in a designer’s house.

Victoria Hagan is an award-winning interior designer whose work reflects elegance and versatility. At her getaway luxury residence, Victoria filled the living space with a soft palette of neutrals and pale blues. Sound a little bland? Neutrals don’t mean tasteless. Consider a neutral space provides the opportunity for iconic, stand out features like chandeliers. A stunning lighting piece like the Bulles Chandelier will attract attention ­with a muted backdrop.

Rose Tarlow used her home in California as a case study to prove to herself that she could create an ageless space. Designing a room that not only stands the test of time, but also maintains a modern sense, is the ultimate interior designer test. “But the key”, she reveals, “is to include signature design elements.” A leather sofa in timeless décor is the equivalent of canned goods in the pantry: a staple. Though unlike the can of garbanzo beans that expire, leather—such as the American Leather Luxe—is enduring. A classic, durable textile, leather is an ageless essential.

And to those who are committed to their beloved antiques, consider the castle of Axel Vervoordt. Like wine, Axel believes design is better with age and specializes in creating warm, layered spaces using priceless, relic goods.Rugs, such as the captivating Zion, are essential for bringing rooms together; giving the space context and purpose. Even if the space is new and modern, consider adding pieces that are appear distressed and mature. This gives the space depth and antiquity.

Every home is unique with different spaces and tastes. This is why our design team is committed in helping you modernize your home into a space that speaks to your character and interior design.

The 1950s and 1960s were a golden age for American architecture, with architects working in a variety of styles to create homes that were very much of the moment. Some have become iconic enough to feature in movies and photo shoots; some are now museums, while others remain low-profile private residences. For fans of mid-century modern design, these houses offer an immersive experience.

The Case Study Houses

In 1945 the magazine Arts and Architecture commissioned eight architects to design houses to suit Southern Californian living conditions. They were each given a budget but had a great deal of freedom over style and materials. The Case Study project, initially projected to last eight months, ultimately lasted until 1966 and resulted in the design of 36 houses, by architects including Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Pierre Koenig.

Eames House

One of these Case Study Houses was designed and built by the Eameses for themselves. Eames House, in the Pacific Palisades, was originally called Case Study House 8, and was completed in 1949. The couple lived and worked in the house for the rest of their lives. It comprises two rectangular glass and steel sections and features a geometric facade with carefully balanced colored sections. Tours of Eames House are available by arrangement; reservations are required.

Get The Look – Sklar offers a variety of dressers that streamline the Eames design. Explore how you can add this landmark architecture inside your space.

Chemosphere

Once described as “the most modern house in the world”, the modernist Chemosphere was designed by John Lautner in 1960. Its one-of-a-kind appearance is in part a response to its 45-degree building site in the Hollywood Hills, which led the architect to balance the octagonal structure on a monolithic concrete pedestal and install a funicular for access. The result is a fantastic oddity that bears more than a passing resemblance to a UFO. Chemosphere is privately owned by publisher Benedikt Taschen.

Expand Your Space – While your home might not be an octagon of windows standing 200m in the air, the best way to expand your space–making it feel bigger–is with mirrors. Experiment with the illusion of depth in your space.

Stahl House

Stahl House was another Case Study House, designed by Pierre Koenig and completed in 1960. As with Chemosphere, architectural ingenuity turned a badly sloping site into an opportunity for a unique design. This highly recognizable property boasts a boldly cantilevered foundation and glass walls on three sides, to say nothing of its spectacular views of LA. Stahl House is open for tours; reservations are required.

The Conversation Piece – A tulip shaped table or vibrant teal armchair may be the contemporary accent your space needs to reflect the Mid-Century modern movement. Browse our modern home accents to match every style.

Looking to rehabilitate a space that feels a little too smooth and glossy? Reconnect with texture and get back to basics with an industrial aesthetic.

The industrial look calls for designers to embrace those aspects of a space that are normally concealed – the parts that make it work. It’s about celebrating the functional and purposeful. Play with wood, concrete and metal as primary elements when creating this stylish, unpretentious and highly liveable look. Showcasing the raw, the unfinished, and the richly textured is part of the fun.

While it’s a strong look, industrial doesn’t have to mean cool or impersonal – it’s completely possible to combine industrial style with a warm and welcoming vibe. Combine modern and vintage pieces. A classic tufted sofa makes a spectacular counterpoint to a gleaming metal side table or light fixture. Anything metal fits industrial style well. Opt for metal light fixtures, especially those with a seemingly aged patina. It’s okay to mix polished and matte metals, but limit yourself on the amount of shine. Furnishings that combine wood and metal elements are pure warm industrial. The Yoda Dining Table is a perfect example.

If you’re planning to paint, select color samples on the warmer side, such as mushroom-like grays. Stick with “rocky” neutrals as your foundation — any hue that you’d expect to see in a dusty warehouse or funky urban loft.

They’re an enormous potential canvas on which to express your style, yet flooring is often treated as an afterthought when homeowners set out to design a room. The exciting news is that the range of available options in terms of materials, treatment and coverings have never been wider. Before settling for the everyday, consider taking your floors in an inspiring new direction.

Durable rugs

Area rugs offer an easy, reversible transformation. But are they strong enough to withstand the rigors of life in your home? Enter durable rugs for indoors and out. New York-based textile designer Liora Manné creates hand-crafted rugs for home, public and hospitality settings. Her Lamontage range is made from felted polyester with antimicrobial nano silver particles, and can endure between 30,000 and 60,000 double rubs in a Wyzenbeck test. Several performance fabric producers, including Sunbrella, create rugs that boast the good looks of indoor rugs, yet are completely fine on the patio.

Painted wood floorboards

Painted wood floors are a classic Scandinavian style statement. Keep it low key by opting for a soft neutral or whitewash; go bold with a full-strength red, yellow, green or black; or take the painted look to a whole new level by painting in stripes or geometric patterns. Painted floors naturally coordinate perfectly with Danish Modern furnishings; but they’re also an option with fantastic potential for transitional and industrial spaces.

Stained or polished cement

On the subject of industrial style, no roundup of contemporary flooring would be complete without a mention of concrete treatments. Concrete is polished using extremely fine grinding tools, which create a glossy effect on the surface. The result is good looking, low maintenance, and has a minimal environmental impact. But if simple polished concrete doesn’t offer quite the amount of drama you desire, there’s always acid staining. In contrast to paint or polish, concrete staining produces interesting mottled effects that are unique to every floor. Color options range from sophisticated walnut browns to fun and fearless aqua blue.

Every home has its awkward spaces. Whether it’s an office, a guest bedroom or a half-bath, tiny rooms present challenges in terms of both decor and intelligent use of space. Our design experts have assembled a few tips and tricks to help you make the most of what you’ve got.

Clear the floor

One essential trick for making small rooms feel larger is to free up the floor. When the eye is able to roam freely across the whole floor, without running up against lots of solid objects, it creates an impression of extra space. Tables and chairs with pedestal bases take up less floor space than those with the standard four legs, clearing the area underneath. For examples of classic pedestal furnishings, consider Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Chair and coordinating SA69/6 Pedestal Table. The same trick can be applied to a small bathroom, by opting for a pedestal sink rather than a full vanity.

Wall-mounted   offer a storage and display solution that takes up no floor space. In a small bedroom or guest room, forgo conventional nightstands in favor of small wall-mounted shelves at the bedside, with hanging pendant lights in place of lamps. Small-space shelving options we love include the virtually invisible Press Bookshelves.

Furnishings

Choose a tall, slender étagère or vitrine for a freestanding storage solution that looks great on a small footprint. Our space-maximizing picks include the Italian-made Cubic Shelves Vitrine, the steel Joker Bookcase, and the 59-inch Dappertutto Exhibitor Bookcase, which stands on casters for easy movement.

Whether glass or acrylic, transparent is a great solution for small rooms, because it looks far less bulky than it is. Light travels right through it, and sightlines are virtually uninterrupted. Large mirrors, whether mounted or leaning against the wall, are another time-tested way to create the illusion of extra space, by reflecting a large part of the room and bouncing light around it.

On the subject of light, never underestimate its power to expand a room. Chase away the shadows with good lighting design – ideally, you’ll want a mix of ambient, task and accent light sources to keep your tiny space bright and versatile enough for multiple uses. Sconces and pendant lights are essential, and, unlike lamps, occupy no floor area.

Color

We’ve all heard that light colors are best for small spaces, and it’s true that white walls and ceilings can help create visual space. However, if you’re feeling bold, consider taking the exact opposite tack. After all, making the room seem larger isn’t the only option at your disposal! Embrace your tiny room and make it exciting with boldly painted walls or heavily patterned, super-dramatic wallpaper. Take advantage of the fact that a small room is less risky to experiment in than your main living spaces, and easier to re-decorate if things don’t work out.

Southwestern is a relaxed interior design style that can be dressed up or down, and expressed traditionally or with a contemporary twist. It originated in Arizona and New Mexico, and draws its cues from both the region’s desert surroundings and its rich indigenous heritage. The versatility of Southwestern style is part of its appeal; its proudly American roots and homely charm also help explain why Southwestern furniture and decor keep cycling back into fashion.

The typical Southwestern color palette combines shades of brown and terracotta with turquoise, orange and perhaps a hit of peach or green. Colorful fabrics in striped or geometric patterns are an essential element; think area rugs, throw pillows, serapes and tapestries. Textures are rich and lived in, rather than sleek and shiny; handwoven baskets, leather, and raw wood cut in a way that showcases its natural shape are all fantastic Southwestern elements. Harking back to the days of ranching, animal hides, sheepskins, antlers and cow skulls will lend a kind of earthy authenticity to your Southwestern space. A dose of Mexican influence shines through in hammered metal and pressed tin accents, inlaid wood, handpainted talavera tiles, and wrought iron railings, chandeliers and candelabras.

All of this may suggest that Southwestern style is tied to the region’s past more than the present, but mid-century modern furniture fits beautifully into this look. Leather-upholstered modern seating is a winner, especially in desert tones like brown, tan or orange.

It’s possible to introduce elements of Southwestern style into any room in the house; it’s also an ideal look for the patio, thanks to its relaxed vibe. Bring those geometric fabrics outdoors, introduce wrought iron elements, and scatter a few poufs and floor cushions for those long, hot evenings. Complete the look by adding an array of cactuses and succulents; they’re robust, they rarely get thirsty, and they effortlessly evoke the desert landscape like no other plants.

The right lighting is an essential part of creating a truly enjoyable outdoor living space. But there is far more to it than installing lights on the patio — and far more opportunities for creativity than you may realize.

Lighting paths: Use path lighting to give guests a clear idea of where to walk, but remember that it’s not necessary to light every foot of the way. It’s unlikely that your garden will ever be completely sunk in darkness, even late at night, so use path lights sparingly at wide intervals and enjoy the contrast between light and shadow. It’s worth noting here that cool or white light is closer in appearance to moonlight while standard, somewhat yellowish light bears more resemblance to daylight.

Lighting plants and trees: Garden lights can be used to highlight interesting shapes and textures among your plants, and uplighting a favorite tree turns it into a feature that you can enjoy 24 hours a day. Concealed lights within the upper branches of a tree create a whole new effect, almost as though the tree itself is glowing. A blue gel or filter on your lights will give green foliage extra pop.

Lighting manmade features: Depth is important. If only the facade of a house is lit, for example, leaving the garden in darkness, you’re sacrificing an opportunity to showcase the entire property and leaving the house floating sadly in space. Use outdoor LED tape or a string of LEDs concealed under ledges, bench seating or planters to create a glowing effect. Lighting at an acute angle creates stronger shadows, which is worth considering when lighting a stone wall or any other with an interesting texture.

Lighting water features: Uplight running water or fountains for a dramatic effect that draws attention to the movement of the water and the textures surrounding it. Alternatively, use soft downlighting for a calmer, more Zen feel. Underwater lighting lets you transform any ponds on the property into quietly spectacular living works of art.

When people are decorating their homes, the ceilings are frequently treated as an afterthought, which is a sad waste of a space with enormous creative potential. The classic white ceiling is well and good – as everybody knows, it’s a simple way to make a room feel taller and airier. But when it comes to your ceilings, turning conventional wisdom on its head can produce effects that range from the subtly unexpected to absolutely show stopping.

Dark, moody walls are very chic, but consider a total reversal by pairing lighter walls with a dark ceiling. Surprisingly, this creates a warm yet elegant effect and causes your light fixtures to really pop. Trade in conventional matt finished ceiling for high gloss or metallic paint in a shade that complements or contrasts with the walls. Be aware that light colored gloss paint will tend to highlight any imperfections in the ceiling, so if the surface isn’t quite as smooth as you would like, go darker or brighter.

Another option, especially effective in sunrooms and enclosed porches, is to paint the ceiling a beautiful shade of sky blue. This look creates a wonderful sense of openness and has an amazing pedigree; in the old south, ‘haint blue’ ceilings were considered an effective protection against ghosts.

Take patterned wallpaper from the walls up to the ceiling for a look that’s completely over the top, or paint walls and ceilings (and wainscoting and trim, if you have them) for a 360 degree wash of color that, depending on the shade you choose, can be surprisingly relaxing. Can’t settle on one or the other? Try a striped ceiling paired with solid color walls in either a matching or a totally contrasting color — this fun style is especially suitable for nurseries and children’s playrooms.

Finally, if you’d rather stick with the white ceilings, at least for the most part, consider creating a three-dimensional effect with a cluster of tiles in your choice of color, texture or shape. Like a contemporary take on old-world ceiling medallions, the right tile pattern is sure to intrigue.

Forget pink for girls and blue for boys; the contemporary child’s room can be based around any colors you desire, whether it’s a subtle neutral theme or riotously bright. Combine a dose of whimsy with grown-up sophistication for a bedroom or playroom that will grow with your child.

Seating
For the sake of both parents and children, comfortable seating is a must. The colorful and welcoming Cart Armchair by DiTre Italia is ideal for feedings or storytime. Contemporary updates on the classic rocking chair include the Guapa by Midj and the Comeback by Patricia Urquiola, both available in a range of gentle colors and sure to soothe fussy little ones. For seating that’s more readily moveable by the kids themselves, consider adding a scattering of poufs or ottomans to the playroom; Solar, Henry and Bon Bon all offer fun, colorful options, while Uno by American Leather has castors for easy moving and built-in storage under the seat.

Creative lighting
Add instant interest to your child’s bedroom or playroom with lighting that’s as individual as they are. Flamenca and Coral are two flamboyant options for bedside lamps. Aqua Creations are specialists in unique light fixtures; their Mimosa and Zooid ceiling lights are hand-sculpted statement pieces. Shaped to resemble a fluffy cloud, Nuvola looks charming alone or in a cluster.

Kid-proof tables
Depending on the age of the children in question, you may need to baby-proof by opting for tables with rounded corners. Consider a pair of curvy side tables like Oly’s Twin set or a completely circular piece like Tia. Even older children can benefit from durable furnishings that can be knocked around a little without showing damage. All Kartell products, including the Stone Side Table are made from colored or clear polycarbonate that will survive years of playdates.

Area rugs
Texture, color and fun patterns are yours for the asking with the right area rug. Molten and Plasma both seem to burst with movement and energy, and both are available in your choice of over 200 colors. As an added bonus, a busily patterned rug like Dellarobbia’s Vertigo or Rubix will effectively hide the evidence of many a spilled juicebox.

Shelving and storage
Toys and books need homes, too. Keep bedrooms and playrooms a little more organized with shelving that’s large and versatile enough to keep up with your child’s ever-evolving needs. Press floats a column of books on the wall as if by magic. Fifty is a modular shelving system that can be added to and re-oriented any way you please. Finally, wall-mounted Demi can be positioned horizontally or vertically, and mounted high enough to keep breakables out of reach of little hands.