In spite its great popularity since the rise of Mid Century Modern in the 1990s, there are some people that still has comments about the convenience of buying furniture replicas.

Topics like quality, loyalty to the original mark or status emerge from time to time. But what is the reality of furniture replicas? Is it the Barcelona Chair Replica a good choice? Over what base we qualify the value of a replica? 

Let’s exchange some thoughts about it. But its convenient to establish about the term replica.

What is a replica?

In furniture, a replica is a exact rendering of a design piece, by a manufacturer different than the original. This reproduction has to met the original standards of the first design, not only in its aesthetics, but in its functionality.

So, its important how careful is the manufacturer with the selection of materials and its process of assembling and quality ends. A Barcelona Chair Replica, to be considered like that, must look as the original, but not only look, but it has to feel the same and has a quality standard to last for years, just like the original piece. 

Keep this in mind: A replica is not cheap furniture. A piece of low cost furniture has so many low ends details and deficiency issues, that is notoriously identified as a simple copy or bad quality piece.

But if a replica is almost an exact copy of the original piece, what’s the difference between a replica and original? what’s the buzz about?
Price, of course. Replicas manufacturers don’t pay for original license or brand copyrights for the exclusive use of the brand, logo and other marketing tools. That allow them to present a pretty decent product for a broader public (without infringe any owner’s right).

Mid Century Modern and Replicas

Since the mid 1990s, Mid Century Modern Style rise steadily in the taste of American consumers, practically without interruptions to this day. The clean cut, functional and beautiful designs of pieces like the Barcelona Chair has sink deeply into the American mainstream, to the point that a market of replicas born to satisfy a hungry demand.

The result is evident in prestigious dealers like Barcelona Designs, committed to render the best possible replica of classic Mid Century Modern pieces like the Barcelona Chair. 

Replicas Vs The Original. What is best for you?

Usually you should expect for someone with enough budget and enthusiast of design and Mid Century Modern investing in a original piece. But not all the cases are the same and there are several good reasons where a replica is no your second, but your best choice. Let’s see:

Reasons to buy a replica furniture

Use it as a “proxy”

Do you like a certain piece of furniture but you don’t want to spend a great amount of your budget? Still not sure if this piece really fir in your place?. A replica may help you. With an affordable price and a high quality presentation, a replica may tell you accurately is this piece is made for your space. 

Real State

Its common practice in the Real State sector to use replicas in houses for rent, to create a great effect without recurring to a big investment. It brings the benefit of fill the place with style, and get the most of it. This is appreciated both for owners and clients so they see how beautiful may become your space with design pieces. 

Family

Do you have children, pets, but you are at the same time an avid enthusiast for the Barcelona Collection?…In that case, replicas can work right for you. Original design pieces are really expensive to be damaged or deteriorated. Using replicas you have the opportunity of keeping in style while your budget is wisely managed. 

Quality at affordable prices

At last but not least. Real replicas are true to design and have high standards of quality. Without false dogmatism, you can trust in well established replicas manufacturers to create the space of your dreams. Replicas is often called like the smart decision. You get a high quality solutions, without paying for a seal or brand. 

The Barcelona Chair 

The Barcelona Chair is one of the most popular and iconic chairs ever made. It was created in 1928 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as a part of the Barcelona Collection, a series of furniture items, where a Sofa, a Loveseat, a Bench, a Table and an Ottoman are the other elements.

The Barcelona Chair has an “X”chromed frame of stainless steel that provide its iconic image, and supports a squared comfortable black leather cushion. The Barcelona Chair is the primal item of the collection and the design of all the elements (sofa, loveseat and an the benches) are elicited of the Barcelona Chair.

Since its release in 1928, the Barcelona Chair was regarded as breakthrough in the field of furniture and Interior Design, due to its experimental approaching to materials, the priority of function, and its minimalist shape.

The result of this principles was depurated, elegant and sober. 
The Barcelona Chair ReplicaThe rendering of the Barcelona Chair, by Barcelona Designs is made being faithful to the original indications of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. A great quality choice to make the difference in your space as an accent chair. 

If you want to enjoy the experience of a great replica of any of this master pieces, don’t loose the opportunity and go to Barcelona Designs, the best alternative in the market of replicas of Mid Century Modern Style.

The coffee table is one of these perennial furniture items we never want to miss in our decor. Useful, beautiful, and even graceful, is along with us in our daily routine providing us of our favorite beverages or magazines while gathered with our family and guests. When we gather around a beautiful coffee table, like the Barcelona Table, automatically we tend to relax and feel pleased to keep our interesting talk. 

Let’s share some lines about the Coffee table and its trends in 2020.

What is exactly a coffee table?

What we now call a coffee table is by general a low profile surface used to serve beverages or used as a support to store some daily routine objects. We can find it mostly in the living room, though is not its exclusive commonplace. We can find coffee tables in our office, professional halls, or even our backyard.  

 While there are no written rules about it, is considered that a coffee table should have enough height to allow you reach your hand and grab your favorite drink effortlessly when you are seated in your sofa; but at the same time, no that high to allow you to watch TV without interference. 

There are endless designs and different models of coffee tables, but they all tend to assume the same principles: Compact, small size fitted to the dimensions of a standard living room. The coffee table is located mostly in front of a couch, sofa or sectional, and in front of the TV. 

Where was originated the coffee table?

In spite of being considered today one of the most extended pieces of furniture, there is not a long account of the coffee table in history, until recent times.

It was only in the Victorian era where English sources first recorded the use of the term coffee table, though in a different sense, referring to a big size table, just made for serve coffee.

It’s believed that the Ottoman Empire furniture contributed with the adaptation of the concept coffee table, taking it from the traditional Ottoman. 

Ancient exotic furniture pieces like the Japanese or Hindu tables, though they influenced the concept of a coffee table, can’t be considered as coffee table themselves, because they lied directly on the ground, without legs, for people sitting on the floor.

Trends in 2020: Coffee tables.  

In 2020, coffee tables keep with their endless models and designs, with some common factors:

Coffee tables: Shapes

Most of the coffee table keep a squared or a rounded shape. They both have advantages and disadvantages. A squared table allows you to get most of the surface for serve drinks and keep your stuff.

A rounded table makes easier for people in the living to move around, in and out of the sofa. Of course, there are non geometric tables with irregular patterns, like the Noguchi table, that are very popular; but as it happens with furniture, classic options have a longer expectancy of life and relevance.

Coffee tables: Tops

The top of your table becomes relevant when you have to choose which model you want. The classic choices are tables entirely made of wood, or with a glass top, as the case of the Barcelona Table. Do you have kids? glass tops are more recommended for grown-ups home.

On the other hand, glass tops are very elegant and they fill your place with light giving you a sense of light through its transparencies. There are more options, like marble or even mirror tops, to create optical effects. One classic Mid Century Modern style table, like the Tulip Table, has a stainless steel body with a marble top that is very appreciated for its endurance and beauty.

Coffee Tables: Function

Though the main use of a coffee tables is very obvious, lots of designs are made to add some extra functionality.

While the classic option has generally one surface, their table sets, too, designed to provide more storage spaces for everyday stuff: your phone, throws, magazines and so on.

Table sets, as most of the coffee tables are portable and detachable, so you can separate the element that you want to use.

There are directly storage tables designed with several drawers or inserts. They can be useful, but you should take care of not overcharge your space and not occlude or obstruct your view. 

The Barcelona Table: A classic of classics

Created as part of the Barcelona Collection, the Barcelona Table is the essence of a classic coffee table, or center table. With its low profile glass top; elegant and sleek and with a dynamic stainless steel frame, its the cherry of the cake in a classic set up.

It is a very good choice when your furniture is solid or heavy, and you need to lighten it a bit. Its glass top reflects light , so works as a tool in dark places. The sober design of the Barcelona Table make it great too in office rooms or professional spaces. 

The Barcelona Collection

The Barcelona Collection is a line of furniture representative of Mid Century Modern Style. It was created in 1929 for the International Exposition of Barcelona, by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Originally manufactured first in Germany, after a brief interruption is manufactured in America to this day, conquering new markets and users from all over the world. The rise of the Barcelona Collection made it so popular, that now there is a vibrant market of replicas all around America and Europe. 

If you want to experience all the comfort and beauty of the exceptional Barcelona Table, don’t miss the chance in Barcelona Designs, the authorized and trusted store for high-quality replicas of Mid Century Modern Style. In Barcelona Designs there is a true commitment to the original standard of design and excellent support service.

Let’s take a look at the market of sofas, and how is it evolving in 2020. What are the main trends? Materials? Surfaces? Styles? Is the Barcelona Sofa still fashionable?

Where is the market of sofas going?

We are in the second half of 2020, and nowadays the preference of the public for sofas keeps the prior features of 2019 and the first semester of this year: Rounded surfaces, microfiber, smaller sizes. But let’s take a closer look:

Trends in shapes

Like prior years, rounded sofas are making it big. Not only with rounded ends, but with rounded frames and designs. This kind of sofa tends to be more expensive, due to the manufacture costs required to produce different frames, beyond the classic forms.

Definitely, rounded sofas and loveseats are great to create a refreshing impression in your room, and to show a different focal point, through color and shape, but its good to keep in mind that this kind of shapes are very fancy, but they fade quickly.

If this happens, you will stay with a flamboyant pink sofa for more years that you wish. When it comes to classic choices, nothing beats the iconic Barcelona Sofa with its leather upholstery and its distinctive “X” silhouette. 

Trends in materials

Microfiber, velvet, and pecan are among the most popular choices in materials. They are sure great options when it comes to texture, style, and fashion. Microfiber, velvet, are textures that provide warmth and comfort, hence, they are more requested in cool, cold weather. Classic options, like leather, are still trending and are welcomed in warmer temperatures, where leather shows its freshness. 

Trends in color

Back at the beginning of 2020 Pantone announced that classic blue was the color of the year. This COVID 19 suddenly appeared in the world, and 2020 was smashed in two pieces. Is blue still the reference color for 2020? We don’t know for sure, but what is really happening when it comes to sofas, is the offer of color choices, to complement the traditional grey or black leather versions. Blue, purple, orange, are some of the notes that bold consumers are taking home to make joyful, creative places to share with friends. 

Trends in Sizes

Due to the progressive trend of buying smaller homes for individuals or small families, is natural to observe a demand for smaller sofas, or for loveseats instead of sofas. Certainly, in a reduced space, is better to observe the golden rule of enough space to walk around the furniture with ease (As many designers set between 3.5′ and 10′). So, the trend is to observe loveseats or sofas of medium size, like the Barcelona Sofa or the Barcelona Loveseat. 

Trends in Style

As its a trend for more than two decades, Mid Century Modern continues to be the favorite style when it comes to furniture. Its clean-cut designs and elegant lines combined with a wood frame are still very popular, only with variations of color and experimental materials.   

Are the Barcelona Sofa and Loveseat still fashionable?

The Barcelona Sofa meet with many of the expectations of the current demand of sofas: Elegant, sleek, with its classic furniture upholstery, the Barcelona Sofa, and the Barcelona Loveseat, both part of the Barcelona Collection, are the options for timeless pieces adapted at the modern constraints of this dynamic times. Easy to play with it in the layout and with the charm of the classics, is more than a safe bet, a winner option.     

What is The Barcelona Collection?

The Barcelona Collection is the entire sum of the set of furniture designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the Barcelona International Exposition of 1929. This collection has a great impact on the world of Interior Design and furniture, due to the revolutionary changes that it brought in an early date like 1929.

The Barcelona Collection, by that time, was formed by the Barcelona Chair, the Barcelona Sofa, the Barcelona Loveseat, the Barcelona Ottoman, the Barcelona Table, and the Barcelona Bench. The Barcelona Daybed, a modification of the Barcelona Bench, was added in 1930, and it’s one of the most popular elements in the collection right now.

If you want to experience the beauty and functionality of Barcelona Sofa, don’t miss the opportunity and go to Barcelona Designs, the best Online store in the replica’s market, where you can get a piece of design of high quality at really affordable prices.

As traditional as any element of furniture, the Ottoman is without a doubt, one of the most versatile and demanded items of décor. Storage, comfort seating, aesthetic object, the Ottoman has as many uses as styles of décor are around the world, being the Barcelona Ottoman one of its most finest expressions. Let’s find out a little more about it. As traditional as any element of furniture, the Ottoman is without a doubt, one of the most versatile and demanded items of décor. Storage, comfort seating, aesthetic object, the Ottoman has as many uses as styles of décor are around the world, being the Barcelona Ottoman one of its most finest expressions. Let’s find out a little more about it. 

What is an Ottoman?

We call an Ottoman a small piece of furniture used mostly for relaxing out feet at the end of a sofa or chair. Generally, the Ottoman is like a backless seat or like a paddled bench, upholstered to provide comfort and softness for our tired feet. But with time it has evolved to many other uses, as a storage piece or simply as a decorative object. 

When it comes to shapes there are square, rounded, rectangular Ottomans. When it comes to sizes, there are endless combinations of sizes and measures, but generally, they tend to be at the same height as one sofa seat.

The same occurs with its upholstery, which can be of any fabric or leather. Ottomans are one of the most fertile fields of creativity for furniture creators.

Where is the Ottoman coming from?

The easy answer is from the Ottoman Empire, but it looks that its not that simple. According to some specialists, the Ottoman was introduced in Europe in the 1800s, by the Turkish empire. Originally, the Ottoman consisted of a big upholstered surface, wrapped into three walls; but with time the concept was adapting to smaller and portable sizes, till the current version. It used to be assembled as a sectional, and it has received alternative names as Poufee or footstool, mainly in Europe and Latin America.

Other sources point out that the Ottoman is the exotic adaptation of a piece of furniture, the puff, created in what is now Morocco.

Nowadays, though, the most common denomination in America is Ottoman, and is considered as a standard element of every set of living room and bedroom furniture, along with the sofa, chair, and table, just as it happens with the Barcelona Collection.

If you are a decor enthusiast, you know that a Barcelona Ottoman is the perfect ally for your decor. As a part of the Barcelona Collection,  it will bring you style, quality and functionality. But the Ottoman itself has some great advantages for your spaces. Let’s talk about 3 of them.

What can you do with your Barcelona Ottoman?  

1. Versatile in functionality. An Ottoman works for you to relax. At the end of a hard workday, get a moment for you in your favorite chair, and chill your thoughts while your Ottoman supports your feet. Don’t you deserve it?. But this is not all of it. A Barcelona Ottoman is a perfect sidekick for a living room. As a little surface storage spot ( for a couple of magazines), or just as a decorative object, to fill an empty spot.
2. Versatile in space. Who said that a Barcelona Ottoman belongs only to a living room?. Certainly, it fits very well as a point of relaxation, but the Ottomans are very popular at the side of your bed as a support point for your feet. Living room, Bedroom, and even outdoor are all spaces where the Barcelona Ottoman has the potential to complement your space. 
3. Versatile in decor. Do you have a room too dark? with a lot of wood panels, leather furniture, and a heavy environment?  Take a white Barcelona Ottoman and place it in the middle of the room. It will bring you a lighter vibe with elegance and style. But you can do it otherwise. If your room is excessively clear, or it has a lot of white tones due to curtains, white walls, or clear furniture, you can use your Barcelona Ottoman to make an accent statement. With colors as white, black, or yellow a dark Barcelona Ottoman against white surroundings, is a good tool to get your room balanced. 

The Barcelona Collection and Mid Century Modern

The Barcelona Collection is one of the most representative setups in Interior Design from the Mid Century Modern Design period. 

With its sleek design and beautiful shapes, the collection is formed by the iconic Barcelona Chair, the Barcelona Sofa, the Barcelona Loveseat, the Barcelona Ottoman, and Barcelona Table.

The Barcelona Collection was an authentic breakthrough in the world of design back in 1929 when it was released in the German Pavilion of the International Exposition of Barcelona, by its principal creator Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

With innovations like an experimental use of industrial materials (Steel), a minimalist design, stripped of any ornamentalism, and portraying the functionality before the design, the items of the Barcelona Collection (just like another famous collection, the LC from Le Corbusier) set a standard for many years when it comes to beauty and functionality. 

The Barcelona Collection works very well as a whole set up, but the best combination of its elements depends on the needs of the particular space we are willing to decor. Nevertheless, the elements of the Barcelona Collection have enough beauty and value to stand up each one for its selves.

With a commitment for achievement, excellence, and being true to the original design of the original author, Barcelona Designs is one of the most successful online stores of Mid Century Modern renditions. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to have an experience of high-class furniture, taking the smart choice. Barcelona Designs is the leading store of replicas for Mid Century Modern Style, like the Barcelona Collection.  With Barcelona Designs, you will get an exceptional quality product for an affordable price. 

Sectionals and Sofas are always competing for the preference of the consumer when it comes to taking the role of the focal point of the room. Some people are die-hard enthusiasts of sectionals, while others can’t just imagine their room without their beloved sofa. But what is really the best choice? Let’s find out.

To decide between a sectional or a sofa can be a tricky question sometimes, but there are some principles of Interior Design that may help us, as a guide. Just take into consideration that in the end, you take the decision. It’s your living room.

What’s a Sectional, in the first place? 

Sectional is a type of sofa. They are generally made with sleek lines and have a rectangular or square form. From it’s name we can assume that are modular sofas, with several “sections”. What is convenient about sectionals, and makes them so popular, are the different combinations that can be made with them, base on your needs. Aligning several sections, you can create “L” sectionals, or “U” sectionals, but there are many options. 

Pros and cons of a Sectional and a Sofa

Pros of the sectionals

• They can adapt to the layout of your room
• They provide several seats and can generate more seats available with the addition of more sections. 
• When displayed as “L”, the long limb of the sectional is used automatically as a bed.
• Sectionals doing better in medium to small spaces (with the proper measure), because generate the bigger number of sits available per space. 
• Sectionals are comfortable and cozy. They are preferred when it comes to gathering several people in the same spot. 

Cons of the sectionals

• Sectionals are space suckers. Due to its rectangular or squared design, tend to absorb all the visual of the room.
• Enthusiasts of decor are not very fans of sectionals, due to the monotony of its design (most of the times big solid squared, rectangular cushions)
• Sectionals require very conscious maintenance.
• A damaged cushion is easily recognizable from all points of the room. 
• Sectionals are not suitable for very small or very large spaces. In a very small room, a sectional take a lot of space and overcharge the room, while in a very large space a sectional makes no sense. You can subdivide your space into several spots. 

Pros of the Sofas

• Sofas are the classic furniture piece. They are beautiful in their own essence, beyond its particular design
• Sofas has a wide variety of designs and shapes: squared, rounded, rectangular. They have more identity.
• Sofas adapt to every space: small, medium, or large, with the correct addition of sidekicks: Loveseats and single chairs.
• A sofa has a more proportioned measure. They only will overcharge a room in extreme circumstances (A large sofa in a very small room) 

Cons of the Sofas

• Sofas has by definition a more rigid structure: 3 or 4 seats.
• To adapt at one layout you have to play with loveseats and chairs that not always have the same design.
• They offer less seats than a regular sectional
• In order to gain a bed space with a sofa, you must buy a sofa bed, or a sleeper sofa. Some people find it annoying to fold/unfold a sofa bed.

How do I know what’s better for my house?

Keeping in mind that your choice is personal, there are some logic rules to prefer sofas over sectionals in some spaces, and vicecersa.

Space, its the Space

A sectional is the adaptation of a sofa with the main purpose of maximizing comfortable seat surface, this model of furniture is perfect for medium space rooms. But you need to measure your room always before buying a sofa or sectional. And need to find out the measures of the item you want to buy:

Usually, the most common full sectionals measure about 95″ by 95″ or 98″ by 98″ and the depth typically measures 36 “to 40. Usually, an average 3 seat sofa measures 78” width (without arms)Distance between seating furniture: Aim to provide between 3.5′ and 10′ between seating options to help the conversation flow without crowding a room remember that these numbers are estimates, you should play with them depending on what you’re planning with your room, but the message should be always clear: don’t overcharge your living. Is one of the worst mistakes. 

What are you looking for, comfort seats, or an elegant beautiful place?

It’s not a futile discussion. A numerous family, filled with friends or pets will get the most of a great sectional; but if you are a grown-up in the middle of a grown-up circle of friends, your priority is to create a place for a great chat and cool encounters.

What do you like? 

And most important, what do you find more interesting? What would you like to see in your living? A comfortable gorgeous seat or a pool of cushions? In the end, you have the last word. But if you think about a sofa, never miss the chance of a Barcelona Sofa, part of the Barcelona Collection. 

What is the Barcelona Collection?

The Barcelona Collection is the entire sum of the set of furniture designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for the Barcelona International Exposition of 1929. This collection has a great impact on the world of Interior Design and furniture, due to the revolutionary changes that it brought in an early date like 1929.

The Barcelona Collection, by that time, was formed by the Barcelona Chair, the Barcelona Sofa, the Barcelona Loveseat, the Barcelona Ottoman, the Barcelona Table, and the Barcelona Bench.

The Barcelona Daybed, a modification of the Barcelona Bench, was added in 1930, and its one of the most popular elements in the collection right now.

If you want to experience the beauty and functionality of Barcelona Sofa, don’t miss the opportunity and go to Barcelona Designs, the best Online store in the replica’s market, where you can get a piece of design of high quality at really affordable prices.

It can’t be denied that the Arco lamp is iconic for several reasons, but one of the most important is the impressive piece of solid marble that makes up its base. This so recognized and popular design of the Castiglioni brothers weighs in its entirety around 65 Kg, and around 80% of that weight is all concentrated in the base. This base is not like the base of an average floor lamp in its category, and this is obvious. Broadly speaking, it’s a parallelepiped made entirely of a solid piece of white Carrara marble. Some very select replicas also use black marble.

The reasons why this type of marble was chosen precisely for the base of this artifact are several, all very important and considerable: firstly, a sufficiently heavy material was needed to provide stability to the design, since having that characteristic curved shape, it needed a counterweight that would allow it to maintain its balance. Concrete was too rustic and unsightly material. Then, Carrara marble was soon chosen, not only because each piece of marble is a specimen extracted directly from nature but because it’s unmatched and irreplaceable, giving it amazing added value. 

As if that were not enough, this type of marble is the same that was used in many architectural works from ancient Greece and the Roman Empire and in many works by the sculptor Michelangelo, including David. Having an Arco lamp in your living room is a symbol of greatness, status, and good taste.

If you are thinking to improve or renovate your room, the first thought that has to cross your mind is “Keep calm and watch”. There are a lot of resources and actions to do, before going wildly shopping furniture or art wall. And the Barcelona Collection may help you.

It’s important to notice from the start what is the extent of your work: do you want just to improve, or you want to make a total shakeup? Depending on the case you can allocate your resources better. Let’s see:

Case 1: Decluttering and Organize

It’s amazing how can a room improve, just by a good, deep cleaning and decluttering. And it can be very obvious to you. Accumulation and hoarding may really get out of control very fast, and the results of prolonged hoarding are disastrous, not only damaging the aesthetics of your room but with the hazards associated with grime, junk and insects, among others. 

So, apart from a nice habit, decluttering and organizing may be good for your room. Rediscovering your place and seeing it clean and organized it will always be pleasant to your eye. And it will only require your individual work and low budget for cleaning articles and maybe some file boxes (hopefully).

Case 2: low impact redo. 

There are specific, single actions that may have a significant effect in your room. The classic example is to paint it. Once painted, every room is born again, like a blank canvas. you can take the opportunity to introduce some accents with the help of painting to create particular effects. For example, you can get an accent wall just painting a very well delimited wall, with a strong color. This creates tension and remarks on the limits of the room. If your ceiling is too high, you can paint it with a solid color, too, and you’ll create a more intimate place.

But painting your walls is not the only low impact thing you can do. Getting getting rid of furniture you don’t use and bringing in furniture from other spaces in your house, is an alternative, for sure. Don’t be afraid of go hunting in your own space. Maybe that nightstand in the bedroom is exactly what you need in your living room. 
You may consider bringing home some minor furniture items, or some decore article. Once your bedroom is clean and painted of immaculate white, you realize that the only thing missing is a Barcelona Ottoman at the right side of the bed.` This strategy has a low budget impact a requires some personal effort, too.

Case 3: Renovation

But if you consider that a simple rearrangement is not enough, and your room requires a total renovation, go for it. You should assign a budget, and keep in mind that buying furniture and replacement will be your first priority. Take it with calm and do it with love. Look over the style you want, and figure out your trend before buying that desired Barcelona Sofa you always wanted, for example. Measure, go step by step, and you will have the room that you deserve. Here are some basic tips:

Discover your style.

Look on the internet for the styles you like to go to specialized blogs, architecture, and furniture stores. They all have information for you to get inspo. What is your style? Mid Century Modern? Coastal Living? There are lots of styles and combinations. You will find for sure something to turn you on.

Measure your space properly.

Keep always in mind that the worst mistake in decor is to overcrowd your space. You need to be free to move and enjoy your space and furniture. Wide, long, deep, and height of your space is something you really need to be clear. You’ll need to contrast your measures with your chosen furniture, to see if they’re right for your space.

Kids, Cats, Dogs, Alligators?

It sounds a little intimidating, but it really has to do with your conditions. Your choice of furniture can be affected by your personal situation: How many people live with you? Do you have any kids? Do you have any pets?. There is a big risk of spills and scratches, for example. Materials as glass are not safe with children. Microfiber sofas will suffer a lot with the daily spill of sodas and food.

Ask for a sample of the fabric you chose

Every time is more frequent to buy in online stores. Even in items we never in the past thought, like furniture. Online stores are very aware of the limits of online trading, so they work really hard to sell quality and provide a good post-sale service. So, many of them provide you little samples of fabrics for you to taste and feel directly. If your store offers the service, ask for it. It will allow you to make a better decision.  

Purchase

Once you have all the information required, go on ! buy in the best store you find, the furniture that makes you dream. The Barcelona Collection is one of your better choices for an integral, beautiful, and coherent renovation to set an elegant Mid Century Modern living room.

The Barcelona Collection

The Barcelona Collection is a line of furniture representative of Mid Century Modern Style. It was created in 1929 for the International Exposition of Barcelona, by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Originally manufactured first in Germany, after a brief interruption is manufactured in America to this day, conquering new markets and users from all over the world. The rise of the Barcelona Collection made it so popular, that now there is a vibrant market of replicas all around America and Europe. 

With its iconic “X” Frame and its squared leather cushions, the Barcelona Chair, Sofa, and Loveseat remains as popular and beautiful collection pieces. Its minimalist design and modern shapes are spotted many times in popular TV series or movies when it comes to style.
If you want to experience all the comfort and beauty of the exceptional Barcelona Collection, don’t miss the chance in

Barcelona Designs, the authorized and trusted store for high-quality replicas of Mid Century Modern Style. In Barcelona Designs there is a true commitment to the original standard of design and excellent support service.

One recurring question of the Barcelona Collection has to do with the correct style label of this masterwork. As a general comment, always is assumed that the Barcelona Collection is a Mid Century Modern piece. But from time to time, some doubts may emerge. The Barcelona Collection was released in 1929. Is it really Modernism? Art Noveau?.

What was the Barcelona Collection? Formed by the iconic Barcelona Chair; and the Barcelona Sofa, Loveseat, Ottoman, Table and Benches, the Barcelona Collection was an authentic breakthrough in the world of design back in 1929.

All the elements of the Barcelona Collection have the same concept: An “X” chromed stainless steel frame that gives the Barcelona Chair this characteristic shape, stylish and sleek. It’s comfortable squared leather cushion, as soft as elegant, is replicated in the rest of the pieces, keeping the beauty and sense of sobriety of the Chair.

Who created the Barcelona Collection?

The Barcelona Collection was created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. One of the pioneers of Modernism and the Mid Century Modern, van der Rohe has in its pocket creations like the Barcelona Chair and the Barcelona Daybed, all part of the Barcelona Collection. Architect of definitive works of the modern urban landscape of Chicago, like the Seagram Buiding and the IBM Plaza, van der Rohe coined several quotes that had a profound impact in the Architecture and reached even the popular mainstream, like “Less is more” or “God is in the details”. Born in what was prior known as Aquisgran, Prusiam in 1886, he died in Chicago Illinois as an American Citizen with a brand new name.

What is exactly Mid Century Modern?

What we now call Mid Century Modern was a movement originated in the 1950s and 1960s, after the end of the WWII, in the society that emerged after the war, especially in America, that was recovering at a fast pace. More and more Americans were looking for new homes, and these homes had to be built quickly.

Coincidentally the devastation of war and the end of the Bauhaus era brought many Europeans Architects and Designers to America. This European figures, some of them outstanding renovators of Architecture and Design, were at the core of the Mid Century Modern trend. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the creator of the Barcelona Collection in 1929, was among them, when settled in Chicago since the end of the 1940s, and developed a revolutionary work in the field of Architecture. Van der Rohe was, by the way, the last Director of the Bauhaus before its definitive closing.

Among van der Rohe, there are several great names associated with Mid Century Modern too. Le Corbusier; Charles and Roy Eames; Eero Saarinen, George Nelson, and Isamu Noguchi are a few names. And in the meantime, related trends, like Scandinavian Style were developing, with figures like

Arne Jacobsen that are sometimes considered as part of Mid Century Modern, too.

Why are we using the term “Mid Century Modern”?

Actually, while today the term Mid Century Modern is widely recognized all over the world, this wasn’t the case in the 1950s when the main figures of Interior Design and Architecture see themselves as modernists or renovators.

The current label appeared very much later. It was in 1983 when the author Cara Greenberg publishes its title: Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s, that the term started to be used and gained increasing popularity. In the decade of the 1990s, scholars took interest in MCM, and it grew steadily until MCM became a popular trend again at the end of the 1990s. 

How does Mid Century Modern look?

Mid Century Modern is characterized by a classic, sober, and understated look, of clean lines with minimal fuss and ornaments. Functionality is important, as form follows function. According to the words of Le Corbusier, furniture must be like extensions of the human limbs. 

Uncluttered and sleek lines with both organic and geometric forms minimal ornamentation, always following function, An exploration of different traditional as well as non-traditional materials; This means to abandon the search of exotic, expensive materials, and replace them for industrial sources, affordable and sustainable. The juxtaposition of different, and sometimes contrasting materials (plastic fibers and leather, for example, or wood and steel)
And beyond the aesthetic element, the sustainable request is always present. Mid Century Modern brings the American home a furniture choice equal for every family; affordable and pleasant for everyone, due to its enthusiasm for new materials and industrial procedures.

Does the Barcelona Collection look Mid Century Modern? 
It does. In spite of being released quite early in 1929, as part of the European Modernism back then, the Barcelona Collection shared all the features and principles that made so widely recognized MCM since the 1960s.

1. Functionality over design. The whole design of the Barcelona Collection is sober, clean-cut, and sleek without resigning to show its elegant and sophisticated silhouette. 
2. Minimal ornament. An element of hard confrontation with the classical order, where ornaments were considered an important aspect of any design. The Barcelona Collection doesn’t have ornaments per se. It sticks to its functional design. 
3. Experimental materials. The criteria to choose good materials whether for a building or a piece of furniture has to be its convenience, cost, and beauty, in that order, and not otherwise. Without leaving aside quality, the Materials used by the Barcelona Collection are are thee classic elements of Mid Century Modern Style: Leather, Steel, Fiber plastics, and polymers. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to have an experience of high-class furniture. Barcelona Designs is the leading store of replicas for Mid Century Modern Style, like the Barcelona Daybed and so much more.