A central feature of this impressive mid-century modern living room was the huge, two-story fireplace that reached right up into the very peak of the vaulted ceiling.
With its stylishly retro decor — seen here as it looked back in the late 1950s — the front of the dramatic double-height fireplace and chimney breast were clad in 18″ brown and beige marble tiles that had a bold contrast from natural veining.
The massive feature was flanked on either side by high window walls — leaving just about six inches of the structure inside the house, while the rest was outside. There, it was enveloped in grey concrete block with white mortar, which matched the exterior walls on that side of the home.
ALSO SEE: Don’t miss this dramatic retro living room with a high curved wood ceiling
Inside the rest of the living room, warm and mellow colors continued to dominate. The minimalist mod sofa had simple lines and golden orange couch cushions that blended well with the marble, the flooring, as well as the honey-colored wood stain on the door in the background. (Don’t miss the Sunday comics section draped over the chaise at the end of the sofa!)
Up high, the wood beams and trim in the room had a traditional dark stain that allowed for visible grain. The ceiling’s white sound-dampening ceiling tile (vintage Armstrong Cushiontone) brought a vista of bright white into the mix.
In the center of the room was a contemporary coffee table with a unique sculptural design. It was round and black, with one set of antler- or spider-like legs holding up the top, and another keeping it off the floor. The dark tone was shared with several decorative objects displayed on the far bookshelf wall.
In the photographer’s immediate foreground, hanging from the ceiling, was a surprisingly whimsical feature: a mobile with simple geometric shapes in blue, black and orange that spun and turned with every movement of air. (Here, see a similar mobile you can get today.)
