If you are a careful enthusiast of Design, you will notice that there are some similarities and coincidences between Scandi and Mid Century Modern Style, at the point to make us think if aren’t we talking about a single movement instead.

Mid Century Modern and Scandinavian are two of the major trends in interior design in America and Europe, with iconic creations like the Barcelona Chair (van de Rohe) and the Shell Chair (Wegner) as its achievements.
You can say that Scandinavian and Mid Century Modern are related movements. Just from a visual point of view, its very common to appreciate that Mid Century Modern pieces look Scandi, and viceversa.

Mid Century Modern made its appearance in the 1950s, when the Scandi movement already had at least 10 years in the making. The greater minds behind what we call the Scandi movement, like Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Eero Arnio, and Ingvar Kamprad (the famous founder of Ikea), are names considered both part of Mid Century Modern inheritance, and Scandinavian as well, by each group of scholars and designers.

Though there are some particular differences between this two trends.
For starters, we have to be clear about where did they come. MCM and Scandi originated in the middle of Modernism, a movement generated in the 1920s along with the fever of Art Noveau. Modernism defended a new order, where ornamentation, luxury and the exoticism of past times resulted outdated and undesirable. Instead of that, Modernism looked for a Design approach that works for a greater amount of people, with the use of cheaper ans simple materials to create a more balanced space.

Arne Jacobsen, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Hans Wegner, Eero Saarinen, were among the figures that shared that postulate, but they took different approaches to make it real. Scandi looks inside the tradition and Scandinavian nature, where long winters forced to extreme precautions about the use of natural light, the convenience of wood for furniture, and the need for simple, functional designs. This is why Scandinavian is mostly associated with white walls, clear wood furniture, and wooden floors. Just like Mid Century Modern, they share the taste for minimalism and functionalism over ornaments but looking at the answers mainly in their master and craftsmanship with wood. One fine example of this approach is the Shell Chair, of Hans Wegner.

On the other hand, Mid Century Modern looked for quality design to be at the reach of most of the people, but differing with the naturalist approach of Scandinavian, MCM masterminds prefer to use the giant resources of American industries, where metals, polymers, and plastic fiber made cheaper work to get any furniture. One great example of this is the Barcelona Chair, created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich.
Come to Manhattan Home Design, to know more about Mid Century Modern, classic furniture like the Barcelona Chair

and the Shell Chair and the great designers of all time.

The benefits of decorating your home with neutral colors are still very popular, and if you haven’t thought about the reasons you may have for this, it’s never too late to consider them. Neutral colors convey elegance, a classic sense, and it can be said that they’re always in style. Sometimes, it becomes a difficult point to define what’s a neutral color or not, and that’s directly related to lighting. Therefore, an object of great value, such as the Arco lamp, can be a vital component in helping to define a color style. A color scheme can vary dramatically with different lighting designs.

Some specialists have debated for years about what exactly a neutral color is, but the most acceptable is that there are three neutral colors: black, white, and gray, the latter a combination of the first two. Thus, neutral colors are a safe bet for elegance and formality. They are easily combined with practically any other tone, transmitting serenity and peace. An Arco lamp replica like the one from Manhattan Home Design will work very well in an environment with neutral colors because it’s a minimalist piece, designed precisely to fit successfully with these types of decorating styles.

Add an Arco lamp reproduction to your layout with neutral colors, and you’ll be making a quick and safe choice.

Back in 1929, when the Barcelona Chair and the Barcelona Collection were introduced in the International Exposition of Barcelona, the landscape in Architecture and Interior Design was in the middle of some winds of change. Art Noveau and Modernism brake against a world of classic rules that shape Architecture and Arts for many years. But already the Barcelona Chair portrayed some key features that made it a standard of design:

• Minimalism
• Experimental materials
• Functionalism over Ornaments

With a design that rests in a sober shape, without ornaments, the iconic X frame of the Barcelona Chair, and its comfortable cushions, the Barcelona Chair offers a great piece of furniture that avoids any useless detail. Build with a stainless steel frame, and a set of stuffed cushions of premium leather, the Barcelona Chair has nothing to offer, but not less, than a great seat experience.

From the original pig skin model of 1929, till the day of today, with high-end replicas of premium leather, the Barcelona Chair has the permanency of classics. Don’t miss the opportunity in Manhattan Home Designs to get the experience of an exceptional piece, at an affordable price.

One word that easily could be used to describe the Barcelona Chair is Singular.  With its relaxed shape, and that iconic “X” Stainless Steel frame, the Barcelona stands among most of the current landscape of the market, as an innovative piece of design. Why?

Its one-piece stainless steel frame is unmatched still. The association with the model of the Barcelona Chair is unique

It has no arms, so it can be placed among other ones without overload your space. Due to its singular ax of reclination, it looks beautiful in pairs at a 45 degrees angle.

And as an accent chair, the Barcelona Chair has the main feature you demand of this piece of design, in the middle of the living-room: Its singular beauty. With enough presence to be placed by itself, the Barcelona Chair may bring sobriety, elegance, and beauty to complement any room, especially with leather lovers.

From the original pig skin model of 1929, till the day of today, with high-end replicas of premium leather, the Barcelona Chair has the permanency of classics. Don’t miss the opportunity in Manhattan Home Designs to get the experience of an exceptional piece, at affordable price.

The centertable, or coffee table, is one of the most popular items in decor. There are almost endless designs and models of coffee tables, with different sizes, shapes, materials, and with several functionalities. One classic centertable is the Barcelona Table, though labeled just as a Table when it was released in 1929. The Barcelona table is rectangular, with a glass top and a characteristic “X” metal frame. But you will find rounded, oval, and nongeometrical, irregular tables that combine the most dissimilar elements, to provide you with good support when you are seated along with your friends.

Do I need a coffee table?

Yes. In every living room, your coffee table will bring you facilities that you can get from another item or device around. Is a matter of convenience. To share and chat with your relatives or guests in your living room implies drinks, being coffee one of the most popular options, to place your smartphones, magazines, or the TV/audio console remote. So, definitely you will need a coffee table from one way to another.

What do I need to know before purchasing a coffee table?

Size and Style. You want a coffee table that fits in your place, physically and stylish. For starters, measure. Sofa and coffee table are a match made in heaven, so there are some basic checks.
The height of your coffee table must be the same as your sofa’s seat height. In a good set Sofa – Table, you should be talking with your friends and easy to reach your beverages. Take into consideration the length of the sofa. Is recommendable that the length of your table doesn’t be higher than 3/4 of your sofa.
You should take into consideration, too, that its shape and place should always favor the easy movement of people between the sofa and table. For large spaces, all shapes may work, but in restricted, small spaces, rounded or oval tables work better.

How should I style my coffee table?

There are a million ways how to arrange a coffee table, just like coffee table designs. Just take into consideration that in every decor, balance rules. Though, there are some classic tricks to keep in mind:

1.  Is your coffee table rectangular, just like a Barcelona Table? Apply the rule of three. This is an eye-catcher. In rectangular tables three objects make a coffee table look very much alive than two.

2. Follow the season. If season changes, your table may notice it. Use flowers of the seasons, even changing the topic of your magazines and books, Its fun and interesting.

3. High and lows. Set your table with different elements to create variety. A flower, a book, and a plate are different elements with different textures, that brings life.

4. Be practical. Don’t overload your table with decor. You and your guests need the coffee table to drink coffee, place the smartphone, and take a magazine.

5. Be personal. One little personal detail is good enough to create a nice effect. A magazine you enjoy, a flower of your garden. Is your house and your story!

At a very competitive price and with dedicated customer service, you can be sure that you are making the right decision with your Barcelona Table at Manhattan Home Design.

Task lighting is an aspect of interior lighting that involves adequately lighting all the major visual activities that take place within the home. In other words, lighting based eminently on functionality. In this sense, the living room, kitchen, study, and dining room tend to have special importance, taking into account that these are places where people normally carry out various important activities and require focused lighting. For this, there’s nothing more convenient than to have a design like the Arco lamp, a modern masterpiece that stands out for its technical and aesthetic attributes in a surprising way.

What kinds of visual tasks might require particularly careful lighting? The most common are reading, sewing, cooking, dressing, grooming, doing homework, working from the home office, playing board games, or doing manual work. Wide lighting is not much help if the most intensive use areas don’t have one sufficient light source. An Arco lamp can emit overhead light even when the base is up to two meters away from the reflector head, and you can direct the light to the specific point you need it.

Get an Arco lamp replica from Manhattan Home Design and develop comfortable and efficient task lighting. The Arco lamp reproduction can be easily moved from one place to another and will give a unique modern look to your decor.

Bad quality leather chairs make you sweat in excess since they are made with mixes with plastic and fibers. This happens with faux leather and all the poor quality imitations. Plastic and polymers are solid structures that don’t allow the upholstery to breathe. So, if you are seated in an allegedly leather chair, and you start to sweat profusely, you can be sure that’s fake.

Of course, leather can be warm, too. It has little porosity compared to some other fabrics, so it won’t absorb your sweat on a sunny day, the same way as a cotton couch does.

But, you can see it the other way around. Leather texture reacts quickly to changes in temperature, and if it refreshes, its own temperature will descend quickly, too. Nevertheless, the touch and feel sensation of leather has no comparison in furniture, and is the preferred material, especially when it comes to the luxury market. That’s what happens with the Barcelona Sofa, its premium leather, along with its selection of cushion materials make it one of the most comfortable options for seating.

Trust in Manhattan Home Designs, with the best options in Mid Century Modern furniture, like the Barcelona Sofa.

To make a significant purchase buying an accent chair, and then find that is peeling and flaking is one justified fear of some people. In the market of leather furniture, there are lots of misinformation and false ads to manipulate you while you are purchasing something valuable for you.

With Manhattan Home Design you don’t need to worry about the possible flaking of the Barcelona Chair. That is not possible. since Manhattan Home Design uses only the best Full Grain Leather for the Barcelona Chair.

Full-grain leather is the use of several layers of leather, preserving the last external layer. This provides you with the distinctive features of pure leather: The winkles and texture, the differences of color through its wrinkles, and its malleability.

Our expert hands pick the best samples of leather to use it in the Barcelona Chair and the Barcelona Collection, and they are dyed with Aniline. This process allows extracts all the moisture of the samples while leaving all the texture feelings.

This process is the guarantee of the best experience for the owner of a Barcelona Chair. Only the best leather to enjoy the best sit with a chair of exceptional design in Manhattan Home Design.

Sober, elegant, and minimalist, the Barcelona Table has made its way in the world of Interior Design by its own merits, but as part of the Barcelona Collection, too.

From a classic squared shape, the Barcelona Table has a solid, but stylish cross frame, made of one stainless steel piece, of mirror finish,  for long durability. Upon this frame, the glass top of  3/4″ thick with a polished 1/8″ beveled edge. The glass is held in place on the frame by 4 clear rubber bumpers that support it. Its a simple, but powerful design, easily recognizable.

As a single piece, the Barcelona Table remains as one of the most popular designs in its field around the world. But when it comes to style, the Barcelona Table is part of the Barcelona Collection.

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.
As a part of the Barcelona Collection, The Barcelona Table has a very elegant view when its surrounded by the rest of the line:  The Barcelona Sofa, Love seat, and Chair. The view of its squared shape against the upper side of the Barcelona chairs gives you a neat, clean cut view.

The Barcelona Collection, a Glass Center table

The Barcelona Table was never listed as a “coffee table” in the Barcelona Collection. Nevertheless is naturally considered as one coffee table or center table.  Its dimensions are very similar to any regular coffee table:  Width 39″; Height 18″; Depth 39’’. But beyond that, the Barcelona Table has a glass top. What has a glass top table to stand over other models?

A glass top table
Some people are enthusiasts of glass top tables, while others are enthusiasts of wood or other materials. Leaving apart design details, glass top tables have some strong points on their side.

First of all: the crystal neutral view is fine with almost any color palette you use in the home. Second: by its properties with light, a glass top table reflects it, and is great to get a room clear and light. And you can even use the properties of the Barcelona Table to let some detail shows over the rest, like for example, to let some pattern of your rug to be more visible.
Any disadvantage? Of course, even a Barcelona Table has some minor disadvantages, like, for example, the presence of kids and pets over there.  The cristal thick of a Barcelona Table is quite strong, with a tempered glass top of 1/2 inch, but prevention is never enough when it comes to our loved ones.
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 makes it great too in office rooms or professional spaces.
At a very competitive price and with dedicated customer service, you can be sure that you are making the right decision with Manhattan Home Design.

Note: we recommend you to read the first article of inspiring ideas from Pinterest to decorate your room, before reading the second part.

Bid for mixing styles designs

You can play and enjoy the process of designing a room because you can mix with the current variety of items and elements. For example, you can try to match rough and soft textures because they will blend perfectly or you can try to add boho detail such a table or basket. It’s up to your taste.

Plus! Remember to add different contrasts and play with the textures.

Add frameless mirrors 

A frameless mirror is a perfect accessory or complement to create a focal point and create the illusion of having a larger space. If you like this idea you should try adding frameless mirrors because they are modern and currently a trend that would help you create the complete concept you want.

Source: Offset 

Use modern materials such as steel and glass

The great thing about the Barcelona chair replica is that it includes the specific appearance of modern furnishing, so guiding you through this iconic piece would help you choose the metallic detail you need. 

Click here to check the third part of inspiring ideas!