21 early 1940s interior designs by Hazel Del Brown of Armstrong Floors

Table Of Content

• Years of Interior Design Trends that Transformed Our Homes
• Influence of 1940s Furniture Trends on Modern Designs
• Enhancing Room Atmosphere Through Strategic Color Use
• Defining Materials of the 1940s Interior Style
• Recovering and rebuilding after World War II dramatically affected 1940s interior design and the size of 1940s homes
• Patriotic 1940s decorating style:

At the time, hats, still a somewhat mandatory accouterment for a woman, shrunk in size. They were worn askew at an angle and crafted from a variety of materials, from felt to straw. Snoods and turbans also fell into fashion, prized for their practicality—they kept women’s hair out of the way in factories and looked superb with a dress. Mid-century modern became a style not only of architecture, but also of furniture and other design. This guide to single-family homes describes an American middle class as it struggled, grew, moved, and built.

Years of Interior Design Trends that Transformed Our Homes

In my journey as an interior designer, studying the significance of furniture design from different eras has been an enlightening experience. It carries an emotional weight, influencing moods and creating a visual melody of the living space. This can be attributed to the psychological impact of color on our perception.

Influence of 1940s Furniture Trends on Modern Designs

Suburban growth contributed not only to the rise of middle class American consumerism, but also the rise of suburban sprawl. Many people also suggest that the Civil Rights Movement was advanced by the struggle to integrate the all-white neighborhoods built by Levitt & Sons. As the middle class became wealthier, ornamentation returned in a restrained way. The Minimal Tudor Cottage is more elaborate than the Minimal Traditional house style, but not nearly as elaborate as the "Medieval Revival" Tudor house style of the late 1800s and early 20th century. By the 2010s, America had climbed out of the Great Recession and into a new decade. Technology had so thoroughly pervaded our lives that you could get furniture equipped with USB ports.

Enhancing Room Atmosphere Through Strategic Color Use

Like placing large French doors or windows that overlook gardens and courtyards, this approach mirrors the essential feature of arab house designs. It not only enhances the visual appeal but also creates a feeling of expansive, integrated living space that’s consistent with my design philosophy. A home should be a sanctuary that embodies one’s personality and lifestyle, combining comfort, beauty, and practicality.

The idea of prefabricated housing — factory-made mass-produced parts shipped like self-contained Erector Sets to a construction site — was not a new idea in the 1940s or 1950s. In fact, many cast-iron buildings were produced this way in the late 1800s and shipped all over the world. Later, in the mid-twentieth century, factory-built mobile homes gave rise to entire communities of steel housing. But the Lustron Corporation in Columbus, Ohio put a modern spin on the idea of prefab metal homes, and orders for these affordable houses poured in.

Ruby Ross Wood

Floor plans included the first open kitchens designed for family living, merging dining and family rooms with the cooking area. Kids could do homework at the counter while parents cooked, watched Designing Women, and chatted with a friend or two. Maximalism replaced the clean lines of modernist furniture and finishes that had reigned for generations. Houseplants, woven textiles, and macramé owls—many handmade—filled homes.

During the start of the 1940s, men’s suits followed the trend of slim fits (the product of clothing rations). Double-breasted suits popular during the 1920s and 1930s became single-breasted, and the waistcoat was all but abolished, seen as an unnecessary element. Turn-ups on the hems of pants were also 86’d under certain rationing protocols. For a variety of reasons, the company could not keep pace with the demand.

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Colors reflected the era's sense of optimism, with deep reds, yellows, blues, and purples often paired with high-shine silver, chrome, or black accents. Strong color contrasts appeared on Art Deco items, inspired by the plush decor of jazz clubs and Fauvism, an early 20th painting movement that emphasized bright colors. "Art Deco is a pastiche of different styles united by a desire to be modern," says Dr. Anna Ruth Gatlin, assistant professor of interior design at Auburn University. Better Homes and Gardens has covered interior design since the dawn of the Jazz Age. Walking into the Finleys’ home, the transformation is evident and it proudly shows the harmonious blend of the past and modernity. The remodeled 1940s haven is a testament to the finesse of arab house interior design with a touch of creativity and innovation.

The design company Knoll formed in the late 1930s and Frank Lloyd Wright created his masterwork, Fallingwater, in 1939. Their arrival set the stage for a revolution in American interior design. As new technology became available in the 1940s after the war, a blend of new and old design elements began to emerge in the kitchen. Familiar, nostalgic items from this time era sat alongside new advancements, such as the toaster, electric stove, and electric tea kettle. Applying my knowledge of materials and patterns from my university days, I recommend starting any 1940s home transformation project with the selection of these characteristic materials.

Unexpected materials continued to proliferate in fashion; in 1947 Guccio Gucci famously gave us the curved bamboo-handle bag. In Southern California, George and Robert Alexander's construction company helped define the modern style, especially in Palm Springs. Alexander Construction worked with several architects, including Donald Wexler, to develop prefabricated, modern home styles constructed with steel. Other developers adopted the idea of tract housing, and suburbia was born.

Natural elements like stone finishes and organic shapes and materials are especially in demand, and we've doubled down on spa bathrooms, installing rainfall showerheads and jet spray systems. Trendy colors of the era included sandy beiges, blue-greens, soft golds, chocolate browns, and deep reds. After watershed moments like Y2K and 9/11, Americans looked for warmth and calm at home. Our desire for comfort got even more urgent when the Great Recession struck in 2007, sending many of the aforementioned McMansions into foreclosure.

In addition to these deep hues, pastel colors also appeared in 1940s interior design. With the rise of cinema and movie stars becoming household names, many people looked to recreate the luxurious lifestyles depicted on screen in their homes. Art Deco emphasized bold geometric shapes, lavish materials such as marble and brass, and an overall sense of luxury. A time when elegance and sophistication were at their peak, and interior design was an art form that exuded charm and allure. Another driving force behind modernism was exuberance over the triumph of democracy.

Often seen in white, enameled appliances in the 1930s and 1940s were also found in bright colors such as red, blue, and green. Besides appliances, enameled metal tables, sinks, and other kitchen fixtures were also popular. In the 1940s, providers of arabic house interior design would undoubtedly have a fondness for untreated knotted pine. This generous utilization of pine, especially in the kitchens and bathrooms, projected an image of the comfort and functionality that the era prioritized.

Seeking respite amid uncertain times, some homeowners found comfort in spa bathrooms with deep garden tubs and steam showers. To fill vast rooms in huge houses, furniture got the super-size treatment. Living rooms were furnished with oversized leather sofas and armchairs called chair-and-a-halfs that were big enough to accommodate two kids and the golden retriever. King-size sleigh beds made of dark wood or covered in leather were also popular, as were enormous entertainment centers that could accommodate your 48-inch TV, DVD player, and cable box. Modernism (now often referenced as midcentury modern) went mainstream in the 1950s, and the chairs created by Bauhaus designers in pre-WWII Europe made their way into the homes of middle America.

Americans fell out of love with machines and the future, instead embracing nature and a romanticized past. "Instead of solid walls, you see screens or shelves used to divide spaces," Gomez-Lanier says. "The effect is to make houses more transparent, more open to the outdoors." American wages soared, unemployment fell, and there was money to spend again.

Ralph Lauren Home debuted in 1983, and blue and white palettes showed up in striped curtains, wallpaper, and upholstery in rooms with traditional furniture. Monograms on pillows and chinoiserie lamps completed a look that took its inspiration from old money. Country style, another microtrend, featured oak furniture, glazed tile, canisters embellished with country ducks, and rooms swathed in light blue and, yes, mauve.