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The 1950s were a time of unbridled confidence. The war was over. TVs had just come out. Jets were opening up the world.
The chaos and misery of the 1940s had given way to new wealth and a desire to return to luxurious lifestyles that were sidelined by global conflict.
This optimism gave birth to a design trend that is now seeing a resurgence: mid-century modern. A style famous for sleek, curvaceous lines, light wood tones, subtle metal accents and mono-tone upholstery colours. The blocky aesthetic of late nineteenth and early twentieth century furniture was replaced by slim, bold designs inspired by the world's obsession with getting to space.
The Eames chair is a perfect example: artfully sculpted wood, thin and wiry metal structure elements and delicate yet strong design components (see how thin the back pieces are). Outfitting interiors with furniture of this style opened up spaces both literally and visually.
It was particularly well suited for integrating the era's home electronic inventions into one's living room. The enormous new amplifiers could be hidden in cabinets, or built into the sides of credenzas. The twelve-inch square television screen was integrated into wide sideboards that masked the screen's tiny size but the soft curves and minimalist nature of the design.
Though at the time, it most certainly didn't feel tiny.
But like any style, it eventually found itself replaced. Silver became the dominant colour for electronics, wild patterns grooved their way in, and solid pastels flowered from the sixties well into the early eighties.
So what does this have to do with cars? Well, we're now seeing a resurgence of this design style. Both for furniture and automotive interior design. And it's the perfect time.
Screen maximalism, design minimalism
Screens are not just in vogue, they rule car interior design in 2022. New designs are built around integrating a screen into the dash, and old designs are spruced up with screens literally stuck onto them. They're both the nerve center of infotainment and/or car settings, and a focal point of dashboard real estate.
This has led to three common car interior design directions - 1) massive screen that dominates the dash (EQS, Model S/3/X/Y), 2) screen integrated into dash design so it's large but not always visible (A8, LS) and 3) tablet screens with a minimalist dashboard (GV70/80, Mazda3, Navigator).
Mid-century modern is the perfect accompaniment to the latter. It allows for ample screen sizes, but doesn't overwhelm the driver with flashing lights, glare or a "look at how futuristic we are!" feel.
In essence, the antithesis to the mega screen. Technology for technology sake, not style sake.
Retro futuristic
Mid-century style gives designers the freedom to fill the dashboard real estate that would otherwise be taken up by a screen with artful lines, not space fillers. Take the Genesis GV70 as an example:
Genesis has artfully designed an interior that's packed with technology yet incredibly clean. There's a remarkably wide screen, yes, but it isn't the only thing you have to look at. The visual harmony between the line of vents, the thin metallic accent inside and the pointed oval bezel around the climate controls is stunning.
No expanses of piano black trim. No slabs of aluminum or carbon fibre. No one element stands out in particular.
It's just airy, inviting, warm and indulgent. A breathtaking cocktail of feelings one gets sitting in a Bentley; and now a high-end Hyundai. And on the GV80, you can get a version in green. Drool.
Lincoln ran with this concept in the latest Navigator. I would argue that it's less successful in it's subtlety compared to the Genesis, though impressive in it's own right.
Overall, a well-done take on mid-century design. They were particularly successful at making the dashboard less visually imposing and feeling like it has a lower height. This is a challenge with enormous SUVs where the designer has to fill considerable width and not make each design piece look like a large square.
Both companies took this design style in stride, pairing them with classic, thoroughly retro colour combinations. Lincoln has a nautical theme with grey-blue leather and a light wood pairing. Genesis has the all-burgundy above and a green leather version paired with chunky oak. Tasty.
Back to basics
The continued use of wood in automotive interiors has remained a topic of conversation for gearheads for the last two decades. Will people still want wood when screens become dominant? Won't wood look out of place on a car with the internet and that can hover off of the ground? Will it endure in the eco-friendly future?
Mid-century modern means that it absolutely can, and will judging by upcoming luxury designs. Maximum minimalism like the Model S is tough to pull off and lacks differentiation between brands. Or at least EASY differentiation. Any carmaker that slaps an enormous screen with nothing else on there will be accused of copying Tesla - just look at the Mustang Mach-E.
Combining retro elements with this minimalism lets designers eat their cake and have it too. They can differentiate interiors in their company's own way, while not cluttering the interior and allowing more car controls to be integrated into the center screen.
Really it's about simplifying cars that are becoming exponentially more complicated and advanced. It takes the human interface of cars back to a time when materials mattered. There really isn't a substitute for a gorgeous, supple piece of leather (or increasingly realistic faux-leather), or a thin line of metal artfully woven around a set of controls.
In the next few years, I predict that we'll see most companies fall into one of those three design camps. While not an exhaustive list, this split immediately falls to mind:
Minimalism: BMW, Tesla, Mazda, Honda, Ferrari, Volvo.
Futurism: Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, VW, Cadillac.
Mid-century modern: Maserati, Genesis, Lincoln.
At any rate, mid-century modern is beautiful, adaptable and timeless.
It's like we get to enjoy the simple pleasures of the 1950s with an iPhone, wifi, navigation, self-parking and over 8 mpg. A winning combination in my books.
