I love the 1950s Modernist revival. Lucienne Day fabrics, Danish furniture, muted autumnal shades. It's not saccharin like the chintzy Cath Kidston style but it's a lot easier to live with than 1960s space age modernism. I simply can't watch an episode of Mad Men, the hit series that shows us the lives of NY's Ad men in the 1950s and 60s, without drooling over the wonderful interiors. With this in mind I have decided to set about re-designing my own living room to pay homage to this great era. The only problem is that I have a very limited budget and I can't be bothered to redecorate again! Fortunately, it won't be necessary. I already have the perfect blank canvas: hardwood strip flooring soft grey walls and a modern neutral sofa. All I need to do is change a few textiles, add some accessories and wall stickers the look will be achieved without major upheaval.
So, where to start? Ikea! The Stockholm Blad curtains in brown are a perfect fit; autumn leaves are a nod to the textiles of Lucienne Day that are key to this look. At only £59 a pair these are a real bargain. So down with the modern blinds and up go the fabulous 50s inspired fabric. They also stock a lovely easy chair in the same fabric but at £229 I'm going to have to add this at a later date.
Time to add a bit of the real thing. A good search on eBay and I sourced a teak sideboard and a 1950s desk lamp. I also found some studio pottery from the era that I really love. All for under £400 - amazing! Besides, I was dying to get rid of the boring white gloss storage unit that they have replaced.
I have been eying up Sanderson's Dandelion Clock wallpaper for ages. I chose the Chaffinch colour option which is bold blue-green and yellow - very 50s retro. Instead of wallpapering a whole wall I decided to make some "Art". Using different sized art frames I simply stapled the wallpaper around the frames and hung them on the wall. Very effective! I then found some matching cushions which tie the look together.
Finally I felt it was still looking a bit bland so I decided to add a modern twist in the form of wall stickers. Some beautiful Trees with Falling Leaves in Grey with Lime green birds gave the room a real wow factor. They were so easy to apply and at such a reasonable price I was really pleased with the huge impact they made. My new living room looks like a set from Mad Men, there was no hard work involved and all this for well under my £700 budget. A huge success!
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