1930s to 1940s Furniture

Bedroom

• Large, heavy wood furniture could be found in bedrooms during this time period. The vanity, a dressing table with mirrors, was commonplace. Molded plywood furniture that employed curved or rounded horizontal edges came into fashion; the style was called "Waterfall." Dressers, chests of drawers, nightstands and beds were formed in Waterfall designs. Bentwood rocking and sitting chairs were found in the bedroom as well as other rooms. Art Deco lamps, hope chests and animal fur rugs completed the setup.

Living Rooms and Dens

• In the living areas of a home, you would find curved overstuffed couches and over-large radio sets. Huge sculpted pile chairs made on curved wooden frames added color. In some homes, the jigsaw played a part, showing up in the puzzle chair and or geometrically cut chairs and stools. Name brands included Thonet, J & J Kohn and Windsor. Lighting ranged from hurricane lamps that used oil to electric floor and table lamps.

Kitchens and Dining Rooms

• Bent metal-legged tables and chairs were popular in the '30s and '40s. Some of these were called tubular chairs. Designer names included Anton Lorenz, Werner Max Moser and Marcel Breuer. The ice chest had evolved into the refrigerator and pantries or root cellars were important elements. Armstrong, Nairn, Crane and Americana kitchen designs showed up in magazine ads regularly with favored colors in black, white, green, red and pink. Checkered cloths, floral wall papers, patterned linoleum tiles and bar stools prevailed.

Details

• Smoking stands were placed beside couches or large chairs for the comfort of both male and female smokers. These often featured a built-in cigar lighter. Wooden or metal and sculpted personal bars held glassware and alcohol serving items. Porches were adorned with wicker chairs, and wide two-person swings hung from overhead beams. Virtually every family had an ironing board and iron.