Mid-Century Modern is one of the most popular and enduring designs of the last one hundred years. There’s no arguing about it; the style has almost never gone out of fashion, and classic Mid-Century Modern pieces like the Eames chair have never gone out of production.

However, that doesn't mean the style hasn’t grown and been adapted as the years have passed. While Mid-Century Modern design’s clean lines, lack of embellishments, and focus on construction persist in contemporary versions of the style, each era and generation has brought in their own touch to the style.

Keep it Classic

Classic Mid-Century Modern was about bringing in modern design to suburbia post-war. It featured clean rounded or straight lines, and a use of new materials now that factories had new capabilities. It was influenced heavily by Scandinavian design, as well as Brazillian influences, and ranged from architecture to clothing to home goods. One classic design feature included the Mid-Century Modern accent chair, such as the previously mentioned Eames chair, whimsical egg chairs, or versatile fiberglass shell chairs.

New Century Mid-Century

The turn of the century has brought new design influence to mid-century modern, including what is now dubbed as Millennial Mid-Century Modern. This design features more minimalist, pared down spaces. It uses classic, Mid-Century Modern pieces while veering away from the Mad Men aesthetic to a lighter, more youthful design. Pastels play a big role in Millennial Mid-Century, especially pinks, greens, and yellows. These designs will often use large, standout pieces to ground the room, like a rounded Mid-Century Modern sofa or statement lighting.

Bohemian Meets Modern

Another popular design with the younger generations includes boho design, which can be married nicely with Mid-Century style. Mid-Century Boho designs focus strongly on the material choice, showcases organic materials such as woods and ceramics. It leans more towards rustic, comfortable designs, which is why you frequently see Mid-Century Modern bedroom furniture used in a more boho way. Mid-Century Boho often features an eclectic mix of different designs, offering a more maximalist style than it’s Millennial Mid-Century Modern predecessor. Patterns, bright colors, and rugs bring the varying design styles together.

Organically Modern

If boho isn’t earthy enough for you, Organic Modernism combined with the Mid-Century Modern look has created a newer, more natural version of the design. This style focuses on natural materials, rustic browns and other earthy tones, and leans more towards the organic, rounder edges of mid-century style. This is where you might see a rich mid-century modern leather sofa or even stone architectural work.

Modern Farmhouse

For those who enjoy more of a rustic look, Modern Rustic is Mid-Century Modern meets Farmhouse. Modern Rustic design brings in the strong lines and the commitment to interesting materials of Mid-Century Modern, while marrying it with the raw wood, strong natural elements, and rustic materials of Farmhouse style. This style features comforting textures like wool, linen, and cotton to bring a cozy livability to the modern looks.

Industrial Looks for All Generations

On the opposite end of earthy and organic lives Industrial Mid-Century Modern, a style that thrives off of both influences’ tendency towards modern clean looks and raw materials. Industrial Mid-Century Modern uses exposed industrial material like concrete, pipework, and studs to showcase the beauty in the design. It tends to feature sharp and clean lines, neutral color palettes, and well-crafted pieces.

These are just a few of the plethora of design styles to come out of Mid-Century Modern, and there is likely a future ahead with plenty more. Mid-Century Modern’s enduring style influences many homes as a way to connect everyday people with modern design at all price points and places of entry.