The furniture of the 1950s varied, from traditional upholstered furniture to space-age pieces with futuristic shapes. Vinyl dining chairs and tables with chrome legs with formica tops were considered fashionable accessories for kitchens and dining rooms. Several chairs manufactured during this period of time were made with molded plastic, perfect for busy housewives, as they were easily cleaned with a cloth. Charles and Ray Eames were known for these styles, and their work was widely copied.
Upholstered furniture in the shape of a square, popular during this time, featured very durable fabrics that were also designed for family use. Cape Cod-style homes, equipped with gnarled pine chairs and spindle-backed chairs, were one of the new styles that post-war families were quick to move to in the early 1950s. Knoll International also manufactured furniture from the 1950s designed by Harry Bertoia that has been very popular with collectors, as have Paul Evans' designs made for Directional Furniture. It seems that the prices of furniture and accessories made by lesser-known designers from the 1950s and of unnamed pieces will continue to rise as more and more people are attracted to mid-century modern styles.
While those styles definitely had a strong presence during the decade, there were a lot of decorating styles that co-existed side by side, often even in the same room. Vintage merchants and decorators use the phrase Mid-Century Modern wildly when referring to styles that have now become modern and fashionable classics.
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