Home - Mid-Century Style Magazine

From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Los Angeles Potteries: A Whimsical Walk Through Mid-Century Ceramic Dreams

From our retro coffee table to yours comes a great book – an awesome gift or something to pour over in our own home! Suppose you’ve ever spotted a cookie jar shaped like a hamburger or a canister set with tropical fruit motifs and thought, “I remember that design!” or “I have to have that design!”. In that case, you’ll want to get your hands on Los Angeles Potteries: A Collector’s Journey through Artistry, Craft,

El Cortez Hotel: Where Vintage Vegas Still Lives

Opened in 1941, the El Cortez Hotel & Casino is one of Las Vegas’s oldest operating casinos — and one of its most authentic. In a city obsessed with reinvention, the El Cortez is a rare survivor, maintaining its vintage spirit while still feeling alive and relevant. Preservation That Matters In 2013, the El Cortez earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why. The building’s Spanish Colonial

The iconic Charles Eames DAR Chair

When you think of iconic furniture designers, for most people, one of the first names that will spring to mind is that of Charles Eames. The American designer, born in 1907, was one of the 20th century’s most celebrated and revered designers of furniture and he was responsible for crafting some of the most recognisable and sought after pieces of designer furniture of his generation. Charles Eames was responsible for countless pieces of designer furniture

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

Googie and neon sign preservation and museums

One of our favorite mid-century things are Googie signs. There are plenty of photos out there, but one thing is certain and it’s that they’re a dying breed and ripe for preservation efforts. In case you’re not familiar with the term, “Googie” architecture, approximately from 1950-1970, is a futuristic or ultramodern derivative of art moderne and International Style architecture, originating in California in the late 1940s. While using the materials and design vocabulary of other

Indiana Landmarks to recognize MCM

Baz over at Atomic Indy, has all the info necessary to become one of the first time ever Mods to be awarded in these two awards categories. The Indiana Modern “Stewardship Award” (for preserving an MCM) The Indiana Modern “Rescue Award” (for restoring/saving an MCM) Visit his post to check out all the information and to get info on how to enter Entries are due on April 29th, 2011. Winners will be chosen and announced