Get the look: Mid-century modern furniture and retro decor of the 1950s

On this week's episode of Back In Time For Winter, the Carlson family goes back in time to the 1950s, an era of relative affluence and suburban growth in Canada. There's foraging and games in the snow, ice skating lessons, plenty of housework to do, and the introduction of electronic appliances like a vacuum cleaner and record player.   

For this episode, their Northern Ontario home has been transformed to reflect the era's distinctive decor sensibilities: mid-century modern furniture, colourful appliances, materials such as formica, vinyl and teak, and hits of pastel colours throughout. Even today, many elements of the "mid-century modern" look continue to have great appeal, and there's high collector demand for original, vintage furniture and decorative objects from this era. Plus, it's possible to find well-priced reproductions and new designs that evoke the decade's optimistic, retro-modern spirit.  

Here are the essential decor finds to help you get that 1950s-inspired look at home: 

Teak & More

Teak and other wood furniture, particularly streamlined styles inspired by Danish modern design, was very popular in the 1950s and continues to be favoured today. A mid-century modern dining set or sideboard, for example, can look great even in a more modern or contemporary setting. 

Teak Dining Table, $595, Guff

Folding Bar Cart, $345, Inabstracto

Atomic Age

Incorporating newly available (for the '50s) materials such as vinyl and formica, Atomic Age designs often feature freeform, organic shapes and can include science-inspired visual elements like atoms and starbursts. In the Carlson family's 1950s living room, the kidney-shaped coffee table is a prominent example of the trend.  

Amoeba Wild Walnut Coffee Table, $299, Article

Echt Vintage Mid-Century Formica Side Table, $75.65, Etsy

Pastel Fever

Hits of pastel colours in the home, including on the countertops and walls, were popular during this decade; the Carlson family home for this episode featured fabulous pale-yellow appliances and charming pink walls, for example. While a new, 1950s-style refrigerator by Smeg can run in the mid-four figures, there are other ways to incorporate the sunny look more affordably.  

Smeg 2-Slice Toaster, $229, Hudson's Bay

Round Seat Cushion, $19.99, H&M Home

1950s Vintage Wallpaper, about $163 a roll, Rosie's Vintage Wallpaper

Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.