20.05.12

Whether it’s because of Mad Men or simply the natural cycle of changing tastes, midcentury modern design — architecture, furniture and accessories that date from 1935 to 1965 — is back in fashion.

For many years, Vancouver’s main source of mid-century furniture was Metropolitan Home, owned by Dana Coburn and Mary Watson since 1990. With increased demand has come increased supply, which Coburn, who began collecting in the 1980s, applauds: “We’ve got more competition now, so it makes it more healthy.”

Jennifer Brash, who opened Fullhouse Modern in 2006, sees two types of customer. “Both audiences are using it for statement pieces, but one is revisiting it and the other is discovering it,” she says.

Older customers in their mid to late 50s are adding to or upgrading their collection. “They’re rediscovering it and appreciating the hardwoods and the beautiful graining which you can’t really get from some of the furniture that’s made today,” she says. They might have modern furniture like a new sectional sofa and are looking for accent pieces to warm up the space: maybe a sideboard to use as media centre with a flatscreen TV above it. The other group, in their late 30s or early 40s, want to bring character to an ubermodern space with a piece that has some provenance and craftsmanship.

Source: Vancouver Sun