Continuing the theme of the week, another great interior to scrutinize and learn from.
This 1952 living room dining room comes courtesy the interior designers at Armstrong Flooring. To be sure, this company had a massive influence via their advertising in establishing the postwar look. Seems like they were among the first to figure out that if you employed interior designers to finish a whole room — especially as it was a new look for America — it would be lots easier to sell the pieces — starting with the floor.
There is so much to love about this room, including:
- The floor, of course – interesting how the neutral grey works just fine with the orange and chartreuse paint, fabric and accessories
- The fireplace wall is cork, the ad says. Very cool
- The wall-to-floor pinch-pleat draperies are retro necessities
- I love the built in just left of the chartreuse slipper chair, foreground left
- The plants are very modern – remember, a Monsterosa is a must for any god fearing mid century interior!
- That’s a paneled room behind the drapery to the left.
- And check out the headless statue in the extreme foreground at the right. Freaky!
Freaky head aside – how could you NOT be happy in this room? Banish the beige, guys!
Man, I would KILL for a set of split-back upholstered dining chairs like those.
BTW, I don’t think that’s a Monstera Deliciosa on the mantel in the photo; believe it’s a fiddleleaf fig (ficus). And for my money, the must-have plant for an MCM home is a big pot of Sanseveria, aka “mother-in-law’s tongue”. The vertical-striped, architectural look of them is so perfect.
I like it! It has alot of my favourite colours.
Hi,
The dining table, chairs, coffee table, etc. are cork and dark mahogany designed by Paul Frankl in the 40′s. You can see some of the real pieces in my friend and customer’s home “Kim” in the “Home and Decor of FUTURES Customers and Friends” Gallery on the “Shop” page of my web site. She had the surfaces restored. The fabric is original. The chair are REALLY comfortable with that split in the back for your spine. Wonderful idea.
I’ll write back in a minute and give you the direct link.
Ronn Ives/FUTURES Antiques
Hi again,
Yeh, here it is:
http://futuresantiques.com/items/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=6354
Just click “Next” for each photo.
Ronn.
Ronn, I loved the photo tour of your house! You’ve done a brilliant job of it, it’s just beautiful! Thank you for posting this – it gives me some encouragement, too.
Oh – and I ran right to Amazon and bought the book! I can’t wait to see it.
I love this room! So functional and yet so warm and welcoming! The headless statue IS a bit freaky! So many textures working together. . it is really nice. What I like most is that this is not a gigantic room by any means, yet easily serves a family for all it’s day to day functions. I am drawn more and more to the “less is more” attitude. . .Awesome room!
I have recently stumbled on your blog and it is <3!
This room in particular gets me excited. I am in the midst of a remodel in my living room, and my colors are gray, chartruese and burnt orange. Not easy colors to find these days, but colors that I love more than any others. Thanks for celebrating these time periods instead of making them a running joke!