50s Couches

Major Influences

• A line of furniture called utility furniture was produced during World War II and continued into the 50s. It was plain and functional, with styles that reflected modern designs, but it was all the same. When furniture makers in the 50s realized consumers did not want to buy furniture with 1940s designs, they took the utility furniture concept and embellished it with colors, fabrics and angles that were reflected in couches, chairs and bedroom furniture of the 50s.

Styles

• Factories that had dedicated their production to wartime materials were freed in the 1950s to resume producing household goods. Furniture combining old and new styles was produced, but manufacturers found that consumers wanted products different from what their parents had. The style that emerged in furniture was called "50s Mid Century Modern" or shortened to "Mid Century." Conventional overstuffed couches and armchairs were replaced with Scandinavian-influenced casual furniture with definitive angles and simple designs. The era of space exploration was just taking off and influenced the preference for sleek, pioneering styles and shapes. Couches sprouted spindly legs instead of sitting flush with the floor and had minimalist designs rather than looking like overstuffed pillows.

Materials

• Before the 50s, synthetic materials were scarce in American households as textile factories supported the war effort. In the 1950s, synthetic fiber and material production boomed. The upholstery on couches and chairs was transformed from delicate, hard-to-clean materials to Dacron, Orlon and nylon blends that were superior in durability, shape retention, stain resistance and ease of cleaning. The upholstery colors were light, bright and included colors such as pink, blue, aqua, lavender, green and yellow. These hues were rarely seen in furniture upholstery in previous decades, which tended toward muted earth tones or rich deep conservative shades such as forest green or burgundy. Materials in bold patterns such as large plaids, stripes and artistic designs covered couches. The exposed wooden parts of couches, which were minimal, went from dark and rich to pale shades of oak.

Transitional Trends

• As the 50s came to an end, furniture styles started to change again. The angular, colorful upholstered couches and chairs were replaced by dark, wooden designs with brass accessories and heavy dark upholstery such as leather, fake leather, corduroy and solid colored synthetic blends. As the 60s began, the trend toward teak furniture gained strength and couches and chairs sported thin cushions in muted shades supported by artistically curved wooden legs.