Mad Men: Interior Inspiration

Ever since the very first episode was aired, Mad Men has inspired everything from fashion to interior design with its lavish and beautiful set design. Although set in 1960’s New York, there are plenty of ways to make those rich colors, striking patterns and teak furniture work for your own home.

Here are the key elements that are staples of the Mad Men offices and homes:

Color
While colors do become brighter in season 6 as the 1960’s draws to a close, there is a theme of rich, deep jewel tones and autumnal shades throughout all episodes of the show. Burnt orange, golden yellows and browns, maroon and purples can be seen in both the home and office, and could work wonderfully to cozy up your home for Autumn/Winter 2013.

Pattern
Great pattern reigns supreme throughout the seasons in Mad Men. The elegant zebra print walls in a sumptuous dining room where Don and Rachel Menken eat could so easily be tacky, but a small quantity of the wallpaper combined with understated ivory and chocolate browns work perfectly.

The Draper’s home is much more cutesy and traditional than the slick and stylish offices. I love the plaid pattern wallpaper of the kitchen, cheerily combined with a fresh blue-green paint. If you want to go for a 1960s look without the slick Danish style of the Sterling Cooper offices, Betty’s homely look could be just the inspiration you need.

By season 6 we see the more brash and psychedelic patterns come in, with a wall of Ted’s office papered in this fashion. This is quite a bold and over-the-top look for a modern home, but the addition of a vase, lamp shade or rug in a fun retro pattern could brighten up your home nicely.

Futuristic
Some very 1960’s, futuristic style furniture starts to creep in by season 4, most notably in the office space Roger’s young wife Jane designed for him. While this look would probably be a little laughable in a home or office today, a Saarinen-style dining table and chairs can still work and look fresh for the home. Mix it up with more eclectic and modern-day additions, such as up-cycled pieces and bright ornaments.

Clean lines
The sofa styles in the offices are similar throughout all of the seasons; boxy with clean simple and stylish lines that will still look fresh and modern in a home or office today. They are inspired mainly by Danish designers of the 1960’s, such as Jydsk Mobelvaerk.

While the Mad Men versions are covered by fabrics like boucle which are very of the time, you could take inspiration yet modernise with a sofa in a similar style in leather or simple cotton.

Emily Bradbury is writing on behalf of Antiques to Vintage, a great new concept bringing antiques dealers and buyers from all over the world together in one place.

Image Credit: eldestandonly.com