ReTRo HouSeWiFe

RETRO-SPECTIVE - HOME DECOR

1950s The Housewife's Domain

Typical 1950's Style Living Room...So typical in fact, it is in a museum...

The classic 1950s style of furniture design is still popular, and usually is called "retro" (although retro can just as easily be the 60s, 70s ...). 50s style furniture appears solid and sturdy, with simple, clean lines.
1950s Florence Knoll Bench in Pink  (Left).

1950s Living Room

If you had money in the 1950s, and were particularly stylish, then you may have chosen to purchase designer furniture.

On the cutting edge of furniture design were men such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Harry Bertoia and the couple Florence and her husband Hans Knoll.

Here are a few examples of modern furniture design of the 1950s:

1950s Nelson Sunburst Clock. George Nelson's clocks were very successful both as popular consumer products and icons of high design. Nelson is one of the most original American designers. The Sunburst clock is one of my favorites! It has '50s written all over! (not literally). If you look up at the museum picture (top) on this page, you will see a Sunburst clock! (probably fake)

1951 Eames Elliptical Coffee Table aka "the Surfboard Table"...weren't the beach boys around about this time? Oops nope, wrong decade. The Beach Boys were a '60s phenomena.

TRIPOD TABLE STYLE LAMP Complete flexible table lighting. Black base with white, linen-type shade. Moves easily in any position. $15.95. (1954)

2007 Tripod Oil Rubbed Bronze Table Lamp - This stylish table lamp is finished in oil rubbed bronze and accented with a cream fabric shade. This lamp has a hi/low switch.

2007 Lightweights Tripod Table Lamp - This tripod table lamp has a bold, straightforward style. Its satin aluminum finish is complemented by a silver spandex shade. White, red, blue, yellow, and black shades are also available. It has a high-low line cord switch.

2007 Tripod 2007 Tripod Chrome Table Lamp - Give your room a unique look with this table lamp finished in chrome and accented with a red fabric shade. This lamp has a hi/low switch.

1950s Clocks

Is this not the very same clock that hangs in school rooms? How many hours have I spent watching this clock! It comes complete with the minute hand that will actually jump backwards just before the bell is supposed to ring!

50s Style Neon Clock. They loved Neon in the 50s.

The Princess Phone was introduced in 1959 and quickly became very popular.

The Princess Phone came in lovely pastel colors, like the powder blue phone shown above that I found here at VermontCountryStore.com.

State of the Art Black and White Television!

1950s Style Love Seat. Found at www.homedecorators.com.

Cool Retro Furniture Sites

• Jazze Junque.com

Coat Rack Anyone? (Boing!) This is a Eames Hang-It-All - 1953 Beginning in the mid-1940s and continuing throughout their careers, Charles and Ray Eames designed a variety of whimsical toys and furniture pieces specifically for children, including this 1953 piece for Tigrett Enterprises Playhouse Division.

Is it me, or were they a bit silly in the 50s? - It's me...

Herman Miller - (Nelson Design) Marshmallow Sofa (1954/1955)
 Herman Miller made only 200 of the original Marshmallow Sofas. Each of the 18 Marshmallow circles had to be made by hand...a very time consuming and expensive process.