The 1950s - a decade of transition
I love all mid century furniture (well nearly all!) but I have a particular fondness for the 1950s. It was a time of innovation and excitement, when science and the space race influenced everything from coat racks to table legs, and when the glamour of Art Deco still influenced the designs we placed in our living rooms. But it was also a time when the austerity of the war years had left its mark and some furniture had kept the simple utilitarian look that we would later associate with Mid Century Modern, and still be drawing on for inspiration in the 2020s.
Art Deco
Art Deco is generally associated with the inter-war years, reaching a peak in the 1930s, but it remained a strong influence in the 1950s. Art Deco was a response to the technology coming out of the first world war, so it makes sense that it retained popularity into the post world-war two era. It moved in the opposite direction to the naturalistic themes of the preceding decades, with highly refined materials and finishes, smooth shapes and straight lines, and an obsession with futuristic technology. Whereas Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts were a challenge to the dehumanising industrialisation that had seen such progress during the 19th century, Art Deco celebrated a return to invention and technology. It had a lot in common with another theme of the 1950s.... space.
Space & Science
Starbursts and sunbursts, atomic coloured spheres and satellites, depicted in bright primary colours contrasting with the black and white of space; these are the motifs we associate with 1950s design, from wallpaper to fabrics to interior design. Coming out of the dreary war years, as rations lifted in 1954, the British public craved glamour.
Rebuilding gave opportunities for new ideas in architecture and interior design, and the growing interest in the space race, with the satellite Sputnik 1 launched by the USSR in 1957, meant that futuristic themes flowed through into new design.
We can see it in the furniture and decor - splayed legs with metal feet, coloured balls on the end of white and black metal poles, and radiating spokes. Gone are the heavy legs and plinths of a previous generation; furniture looks as if it's ready to lift off the floor, and accessories are delicate and ethereal.
Rockets were, not surprisingly, a common theme, with rocket lamps a particular favourite, although the famous 'Astro' lava lamp wasn't invented until 1963. The spun fibreglass shades made by Novoplast, often paired with a tripod of teak legs (see left) were, and continue to be, synonymous with the 50s/60s.
Minimalist Utilitarianism
Alongside these themes of science and invention, we also see a continuing trend for simplicity and utility, launched during WWII through necessity to save precious materials. Both coming from E Gomme Ltd. under the newly invented banner of 'G Plan', the Brandon range in light oak, with clean lines, wooden handles and very little ornamentation, is in contrast to the darker colours and metallic finishes of the Tola and Black range. Both have similar splayed legs, but the oak Brandon is reminiscent of the earlier Arts and Crafts style, whereas the Tola has more of the glamour of 1950s Hollywood with Art Deco influences.
Mid Century Modern
Mid Century Modern is a movement which began with Danish Modern in the 1940s and had a huge influence on British design from the1950s onwards. Prioritising function over ornamentation, Denmark saw furniture exports grow massively during the 2nd half of the decade, and by the 1960s it was the dominant style in the UK, with British manufacturers producing designs in teak, walnut and rosewood heavily influenced by the Scandinavian style. We have never really fallen out of love with it, with many modern designs almost indistinguishable from the vintage pieces that have graced British homes for the past 70 years.
