1950’s Modernism: A guide for the clueless.

What is characteristic of Modernist architecture? Do the major design features involve steel and glass? Was the design machine-inspired? (does it look somewhat like a machine?) Do the upholstery’s and fabrics look like those found at www.maharam.com? Does the design lack unnecessary details? Does its form follow its function? Does the design emphasize linear qualities? Are there a lot of horizontal and vertical lines? So, when exactly did Modernism develop as an architectural style? Modernism

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Retro Roadtrip: The Blue Swallow, Tucumcari, NM

We have had the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM in our Motel Directory for a long time.It’s as much of an icon along Route 66 as the WigWam Motels. Owner Lillian Redman, a legend along Route 66 ran the motel from 1958 to 1997.  By a stroke of luck, owners over the years after she sold the motel managed to restore instead of modifying (and thus destroying the charm) the old motel.  The rooms

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Top Trendy Mid-Century Landscaping Styles for 2025

Mid-century design isn’t just about interiors; it also extends to outdoor spaces with striking landscaping styles that marry function, simplicity, and natural beauty. Drawing inspiration from the 1940s to 1960s, today’s mid-century landscaping trends blend timeless features with contemporary updates to create harmonious and inviting outdoor spaces. Here are the top trendy mid-century landscaping styles gaining popularity right now. Geometric HardscapingMid-century landscaping is characterized by clean, geometric lines that complement the home’s architecture.What’s Trending: Modern

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Modernism Week in Palm Springs: A Celebration of Design and Style

Every February, Palm Springs comes alive with a vibrant celebration of mid-century modern design, art, architecture, and culture during Modernism Week. This highly anticipated event draws design enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious visitors from around the globe to experience the city’s unique architectural heritage and embrace the glamour of a bygone era. With its dazzling lineup of home tours, exhibitions, lectures, and parties, Modernism Week showcases the best of Palm Springs’ retro-chic allure. At the

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Interior Design

1950's Bathroom Inspiration

Something I think most folks forget about the 50’s are the garish and horrible colors! Some might like them, but eek! The “toned down” versions of 50’s bathrooms you see now are not what most were pushing in those days and these pictures prove it – I like the duckie design on the wallpaper on this one! This room is almost like something out of Hollywood…good heavens, the colors tho!For folks who really really really

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Decorating the kid’s rooms with Mid-Century Style!

Mid-century is a design style that may seem boring to your kids because it’s all about simplicity and minimalism. However, there are many interactive furniture additions that can help you stick with the mid-century motif while keeping your children’s rooms fun. When designing children’s rooms, you must take safety and durability into consideration. What might work for your master bedroom might not work for your kids’ space. Instead of using glass, stick to plastic and

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Preservation

Best renovation strategies – or how to start a controversy

Based on this article which ran a while ago (although it was published in February so it’s even older than that) –  this makes for a fantastic discussion among re-modelers and preservationists. If you read the article in the link, they did research and then tried to make the remodel look progressive. In preservation, we’ve certainly run into a lot of this on the road with mid-century motels where they have to keep it looking

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Las Vegas and Mid-Century Icon The Sahara closes today

The Sahara Hotel closes tomorrow, Monday, May 16th at 2:00 pm.  Having gone from big plans of restoration to succumbing to the bad economy, they just couldn’t keep it afloat any longer and it’s closing it’s doors. The Sahara has a colorful history and it was here the Beatles stayed when they played the Convention Center back in 1964.  From its inception the list of major acts that performed on property is truly staggering and

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Mid-Century Photo Friday: Apache Motel

This photo, taken by a friend of mine (Studio Whimsy) – is of the Apache Motel in Moab Utah – great sign and apparently a fantastic 50’s motel! Be sure to check on older Mid-Century Photo Friday posts to see other photos posted in the comments! (and be sure to link here to any of your mid-century photos you want to share!)  

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