It's an effortless cool look which has boomed in recent years. But what is Mid-Century design and how can you make it work in your home? 

Well, Mid-Century Modern is a design movement spanning the 40s, 50s and 60s that embraces clean lines, natural materials and the use of lots of lovely colour and pattern 🌈

It's a timeless style which is here to stay, so how do you get in on the Mid-Century Modern action? Just have a gander at our guide to bringing a bit of MCM inspo into your home. 

Check out our on-trend Mid-Century paint colours My Island, The Old Corset Factory and Mr Clifton

CREATE A NEUTRAL BACKDROP

If you're trying to bring a Mid-Century vibe into your home, our high grade, super durable paints are a great place to start. Warm neutral colours with grey tones such as Sweatpants or Mindful create the perfect backdrop for this retro trend. 

Once you've got your beautifully pale blank canvas sorted, then you can pick out a few Mid-Century classics such as a teak sideboard, a sunburst clock or an Ercol sofa. The combo of neutral backdrop and characterful statement pieces is a winner 👌

Take a look at Toby's lovely flat @theroomatthetop and you'll get the idea. He's nailing the Mid-Century vibe with his Fifties-style furniture set against a calming Sunday Soul backdrop. 

Or why not consider fresh white on the walls to really make your Mid-Century Modern furniture sing? @two.men.and.a.semi have got this look licked in their Manchester home with lots of characterful pieces set against pale walls painted in our pure white Screenshot. 

Find your perfect warm neutral paint colour

GO BIG ON COLOUR & PATTERN

They were big on pattern back in the 60s. But you don't have to go full-on psychedelic to replicate Mid-Century Modern decor. Instead, it's about going for bold, geometric prints (Orla Kiely and Mini Moderns are great for this) and choosing strong accent colours such as burnt orange and turquoise. Bright peach My Island and deep teal Pool House are the perfect choices here. You'll want to dive right in! 💦

If you find the idea of full-on colour too much, then why not just paint the ceiling? @design_at_52 gives us all the Mid-Century feels with her amazing up and over ceiling effect using My Island. Looks great, right?

Another way to add colour without the overwhelm is to upcycle vintage pieces with a couple of coats of our Eggshell paint. It's perfectly formulated for use on interior wood or metal and comes in our full range of on-trend, highly pigmented colours. 

Why not transform a scruffy old sideboard with deep plum Oh Boysenberry or dark navy 2AM? Both of these are a great match for a Mid-Century colour palette, bringing a bold pop of colour along with a retro vibe. 

INTRODUCE MID-CENTURY ACCENTS

OK, so we've mentioned Mid-Century Modern furniture. Pieces made from teak, elm and walnut are key here, featuring elegant shapes influenced by 20th Century designers such as Jacobsen, Eames or Wegner (he designed our favourite wishbone chair back in 1949. Fair play to you, Hans 👍).

But to really nail the MCM look you need to add retro accessories in a variety of natural materials. Think bamboo and rattan plus enamelware and patterned ceramics. You also want to bring in lots and we mean LOTS of house plants 🌱 Ideally in a teak planter or a macramé hanging pot. It's all about creating an earthy, grounded feel inspired by nature. Super cool ✌️

NATURAL TEXTURES AND STRAIGHT LINES GIVING US ALL THE MID-CENTURY MODERN VIBES AT @VICTORIAN_HOME_28

PLAY WITH CLASSIC COLOUR COMBOS

When it comes to Mid-Century paint colours, there are some classic pairings that are made for each other. Stick with these combos and they'll give you a shortcut to an instantly glamorous retro look 😎

Burnt orange and sage green, for example, love nothing better than snuggling up together with a Cinzano and lemonade. Try My Island and Home Grown to recreate this vibe in your home. 

Another combo that was big news back in the day was the bold pairing of burgundy and yellow. You can embrace this daring duo by going for our dark rusty red The Old Corset Factory along with mustard-coloured Moritz. This look is NOT for the faint hearted, but boy does it pack a punch 👊

Pro Tip: Limit the colour palette to just two or three shades to create an authentic, cohesive Mid-Century look

So that's it, really. All your Mid-Century inspo done and dusted. I don't know about you, but we reckon it's time to pull on a comfy pair of slacks and pour ourselves a Dry Martini 🍸

A guide from COAT Paints to Mid-Century Modern design and how to bring it into your home via bold paint colours, retro furniture and natural materials.