Edmonton Design Week: Design Through Time
1950s Living Room Design Influence

In just a few weeks, during Edmonton Design Week, we will debut the Design Through Time by Jostar Interiors installation at the Enterprise Square Gallery. On September 21, join us on a trip to the past and discover the eras that shaped the interior design styles of today.

In our last post, we explored kitchens of the 1920s, which leads us into the third week of our journey through time. Now, turn your attention to the 1950s! This was a time of soda pop, the rise of the suburbs, and some stellar interior design trends.

About the Era

Let’s think back to a time before the internet, microwaves, and cell phones. This is what was going on at the time:

• Credit Cards are invented in 1950

• The first Teflon pan is produced in 1954

• Planet earth meets hula hoops (1958) and Barbie (1959)

• Televisions become commonplace in living rooms across the country

Style and Trends

We’ve settled that life was very different in the 1950s, so let’s take a look at some of the biggest living room design trends that may not make this era feel so far away after all.

The entire decade is defined by something we now refer to as Mid-Century Modern design. This movement is influenced by a Scandinavian aesthetic, but also infused with a culture of embracing the new, the modern and the advanced. Even if a tulip chair doesn’t raise too many eyebrows these days, the 1950s marked a time in Canada in which homes became canvases. These were some of the biggest trends of the 50s:

1. Colour everywhere

Ever seen a robin egg blue sink? How about pink flooring? This all-over colour trend was huge in the 50s – from bold couches to intense patterns on textiles, bright and beautiful colours were all over the living room. Pastel colours were also building popularity, way before millennial pink was in centre stage.

2. More than a place to sit

One of the key areas in which 1950s living room design came to life is furniture. Categorized by experimentation with new shapes, clean lines, and potentially questionable fabric choices, no one can deny that furniture in the 50s had style. Vinyl covered chairs were all the rage, and living rooms began to see home bars change house parties forever.

3. Décor galore

This was also a time when televisions and record players became standard in most living rooms, but beyond that, we started to see the rise of decorating as we know it today. It was no longer enough for a lamp to just light the room; the shades and shapes of the bases became stylized and eye catching. Formica tables were a must-have, and even clocks took on a quirky, playful motif.

Cover Photo Credit: Bygone Theatre

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