![]() “In the 2000s, the terms ‘atomic age,’ ‘midcentury modern,’ ‘Space Age,’ and ‘minimalism’ all started to be used interchangeably as descriptions of the postwar period, but there are clear distinctions,” Howard says. There was also a trend in home furnishings Alessandra describes as “things you wouldn’t expect to be made of metal,” including, for example, a chair with a powder-coated steel finish where you’d typically find upholstery. Along with these vibrant hues, white was often incorporated into home decor, representing “the idea of a clean, bright future” people hoped was ahead, Alessandra notes.įrom light fixtures and doorknobs to decorative trim along the edge of a table or countertop, metallic finishes-especially chrome and powder-coated steel-featured prominently in atomic age design. One notable exception was the pairing of pink with different greens, ranging from mint to forest, which Howard says was a particularly popular choice for bathrooms. Overall, the atomic age color palette “leaned toward primary colors, with shades of blue or teal, orange, red, and yellow,” Alessandra explains. ![]() These atomic-era figures were incorporated throughout the home, including on kitchen and bathroom hardware, doorbell covers, and in repeating patterns embellishing flooring, upholstery, and wall coverings. Interestingly, so were shapes like diamonds and amoebas, which Howard says “plugged into more of an organic vibe,” embracing a different branch of science. Though it can read like the outline of Saturn, halos encircling other figures-meant to show electrons spinning around an atom-are another hallmark of atomic age design. According to Howard, the motif also made its way outdoors in the form of boomerang-shaped swimming pools. “It was considered futuristic at the time and looped into high-tech pieces like refrigerators and automobiles,” Alessandra adds. It popped up everywhere from wallpaper and textiles, to other home furnishings, though most notably, in the Franciscan Ceramics Starburst pattern, which was introduced in 1954 and adorns dishware and decorative tiles.Īlong with the starburst and representation of the atom, the boomerang shape was also an atomic-era favorite, showing up in furniture and decor, as well as in patterns and prints. Gradually, starburst shapes joined the interpretations of a model of an atom-possibly as a representation of an atomic reaction. Other examples of iconic atomic decor include George Nelson’s Ball Wall Clock, introduced in 1949, and the Eames Hang-It-All, which came out in 1953. While the modern chandeliers have been around since at least 1939, their resemblance to the Soviet satellite launched in 1957 resulted in their enduring nickname. What we recognize today as Sputnik-style light fixtures are probably the best-known example of atomic age design. “It was something that was really scary for people, but seeing the symbol of the atom was a way for people to start to feel more comfortable with the nuclear world.” “At that time, there was a lot of focus on the atom because of what was happening with the nuclear arms race-especially the atomic bomb,” Alessandra explains. “Stylistic devices of streamline design-like aeronautical shapes of a torpedo, airplane, or train-also became synonymous with this notion of futuristic design during the atomic era,” she explains, noting that atomic age design is considered part of the midcentury-modern movement.Īs was the case during the introduction of electricity, the unprecedented might of nuclear energy simultaneously instilled fear and hope in Americans, and atomic age design spoke to that duality. In addition to flat-roof, asymmetrical, curvilinear residential and commercial buildings, designers and manufacturers created indoors spaces-and products to fill them-with similar shapes: everything from lounge chairs and table fans, to garbage pails and juicers.Īfter World War II, atomic age design picked up where Streamline Moderne left off, according to Alessandra Wood, PhD, design historian and author of Designed to Sell: The Evolution of Modern Merchandising and Display, which focuses on American department stores from the 1930s through the 1960s. Unlike some of the period’s more opulent and ornate flourishes, Streamline Moderne design, as its name suggests, was all about the stripped-down, efficient functionality of the ongoing Machine Age, also drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus and International Style coming out of Europe.Ĭentered on emerging technologies and the seemingly limitless possibilities of human innovation, Streamline Moderne style overly referenced the aerodynamic shapes of modes of transportation like airplanes, automobiles, ships, and streamliner trains. By the 1930s, a style within the Art Deco movement known as Streamline Moderne was gaining momentum. ![]()
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