Vibrantly mid-mod

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

Mid-century modern design was first made popular in the post-war Western world after designers sought to shift away from the fussy looks of the Edwardian era.

The style is defined by a combination of playfulness and utility – clean lines and stripped back forms paired with eye-catching colour palettes in red, orange, teal, blue, yellow, brown and black while materials such as brick, metal, glass, wood, stone, leather, and ply were combined and contrasted to reflect the height of the ‘space race’.

This contemporary space draws upon those same major elements of mid-mod style brought to life with a vibrant and cheerful colour palette.

Neutral walls in Resene Black White have been completely recharged with a colour blocks of Resene Turbo and a few splashes of Resene Roadster and Resene Party Zone accessories. But it’s not just the high energy colours that make this room shine – it’s also the repetition of shapes and finishes. The floating shelf and flooring have been coated in high gloss Resene Noir to play off the marble coffee table, and the round circles appearing in the artwork, plant pots, table, tray and cushions bring it all together.

To bring a high gloss finish to colourfully painted floors, use Resene Polythane, a solventborne moisture-curing polyurethane, or Resene Aquaclear for a waterborne finish.

The tan leather Berkeley two-seater sofa from Cintesi has a decidedly masculine feel – another element that’s common in mid-century modern design. Kate balanced this out with hints of pink, including the Paragon Rug from The Ivy House, a vase painted Resene Sorbet, and the organic shapes in the artwork. The smaller art print on the Resene Noir floating shelf is titled ‘Morning Sun’ by Inaluxe.

To link the palette together further, the bold statement painting was created using Resene testpots in the same colours used throughout the room – Resene Noir, Resene Sorbet, Resene Party Zone, Resene Turbo and Resene Roadster. The frame around it is painted Resene Sorbet.

Paint: Walls: Resene Black White colour blocks in Resene Turbo. Floor: Resene Noir (in gloss finish). Picture frame: Resene Sorbet. Plant pots: Resene Havoc and Resene Party Zone. Tall pillar vase: Resene Havoc. Medium diamond vase: Resene Roadster. Short diamond vase: Resene Sorbet. Shelf: Resene Noir (in gloss finish). DIY artwork: Resene Noir, Resene Roadster, Resene Turbo, Resene Party Zone and Resene Sorbet.

Accessories: Berkeley Tan two-seater sofa from Cintesi; Elle Pillar coffee table in matte black marble from SorenLiv; Paragon rug in Primrose from The Ivy House; Inaluxe Morning Sun art print from Endemicworld; Cinquanta floor lamp from Mr Bigglesworthy; Cushions from Bolt of Cloth; Orange suede shoes from Gorman; Yellow platter, pink mug and horse statue, stylist’s own.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2019