How To Give Worn Out Bedding A Trendy Mid-Century Modern Upgrade

Mid-century modern decor and design is known for its clean and simple lines, retro feel, and abundance of rich neutrals mixed with bolder colors like orange, avocado green, and mustard. Many mid-century modern homes allow this beautiful style to dominate all their rooms, including the bedroom, where the spareness of mid-century modern aesthetics and retro charm sets the stage for beds in gorgeous wood tones, sleek-lined bureaus, and fun textural elements like wallpaper and wood accent walls. Styling just the right bedding for a mid-century modern room may seem like a challenge in carefully balancing softness and simplicity. But it can actually be quite easy if you keep elements like lines, color, and pattern in mind.

The right style of mid-century modern bedding will perfectly complement the style's architectural details like large windows, horizontal lines, statement lighting, and the mixing of woods.  Styling your bed with similar geometric shapes and light, natural textures can give you the chance to mix newer bedding focused on comfort with vintage decor.

The lines of mid-century modern style are usually crisp and simple, whether appearing in furniture pieces or softer elements like bedding and textiles. Avoid things like ruffles, frills, and pleats, which are usually a nod to more ornate and older eras of design. Since the lines of a headboard or footboard are usually simpler and geometric in this design scheme, augment them with timeless classics like bright white sheets and cozy blankets that are soft but not too voluminous. Since the bedding is relatively simple and basic, this is an excellent chance to splurge on more luxe or high-thread count sheets that remain crisp and wrinkle-free on the bed.

This is not the place to use lots of fluffy pillows, so limit yourself to standard-size sleep pillows with one or two retro style fabric pillows as accents. Choose thinner quilts and blankets to keep the look sleek and minimalist. To soften the appearance of your bed, you could also drape a vintage afghan or color-blocked handmade quilt across the end of the bed, in a nod to the mid-century craze for folk art. Since the bedding remains simple, use texture to add additional interest. Great fabrics for mid-century bedding include tweeds, linens, and flannels. Other options for small doses of texture include woven materials like nubby boucle, velvet, and touches of subtle (not over-the-top) fringe. Don't forget to add a soft rug, either a simple mat in a natural color or a natural woven rug in an organic material like jute.

There are many colors, including neutrals like dark brown and ochre, that are typically associated with mid-century modern palettes. For a neutral look, combine multiple shades of brown, tan, and cream in your room to warm it up. For brighter accents, retro-friendly colors like olive green, turquoise, mustard, and burnt orange can add a pop of interest or can mix well together in a bolder mid-century palette.

Pattern can also be an important element for a timeless mid-century modern design. Look for coverings, pillows, and sheets in patterns like classic pin stripe and plaids. Or combine more staid patterns with bolder retro florals in the colors mentioned above. There are also fun mid-century novelty patterns you can bring in, including atomic imagery, geometric or abstract symbols, and tropical Tiki-style prints.