Are you a fan of mid-century modern design? Why not bring your love of the 1950s and early 60s era into your bridal shower? This ultra-cool minimalist style is full of bright vibrant colors, sleek lines and a chic retro vibe. You'll love how easy it is to bring eclectic mid-century modern design elements into your shower thanks to its mix-and-match nature. You can recreate this Mad Men era mid-century modern look with my easy DIYs and tips on mixing vintage elements, architectural lines and metallics to create bold and vibrant decor.
Set the tone for your minimalist, yet vibrant, shower with this bright yellow, orange and blue color palette.
The Table
I started with a white table to highlight the array of vivid colors and metallic tones of this retro tablescape. Apart from the table settings I kept additional decor elements to a minimum. A single floral centerpiece which doubles as a table number. You can learn how to create this bold box vase centerpiece here.
I used quirky, yet fun mid-century mod design elements, like this partial sputnik accent.
Place Settings
For the place settings I started with Gold Round Die-Cut Placemats. These have a contemporary repeating pattern design. Adding to this metallic element, White Plastic Dinner Plates with Gold Edging followed by color blocked orange and white plates that really pop against the white table.
On top of each place setting I placed a favor box. I painted DIY Unfinished Hexagon Box blue and added a stick-on yellow sputnik design I cut on my Cricut. An alternative to this is painting half of the box with a bold yellow pattern.
One of my favorite finds for this shower were these Gold Geometric Luncheon Napkins. I loved the design of these so much I used it as the basis for the shapes I used on both the centerpiece and the backdrop. I used Gold Round Napkin Rings on these so only the retro pattern was visible.
At each setting I used a trio of glassware. A retro yellow water glass of my own, cut crystal wine glasses and of course Clear Plastic Martini Glasses. No Mad Men-era party would be complete without a classic martini. Find out how to make yours here.
If you prefer cocktails before being seated for dinner, serve your martinis on a Gold Round Plastic Serving Tray. Don't forget to throw in sputnik style drink stirrers and coasters from Atomic Kraft Works.
Dessert Table
The dessert table is pure minimalist that uses vibrant color blocking and classic retro shapes within shapes for a big statement.
Modern metallic details are captured via quirky, unexpected decor. I found a fun, vintage sputnik style knick-knack from a thrift store that was the perfect accent on the dessert table.
I paired this with Metallic Silver Vases Set I sprayed to match my color palette of yellow, blue and orange.
The centerpiece of the dessert table is a plain white cake on an orange cake stand. I used Bulk DIY Unfinished Wood Shapes painted in the same palette to make cake decorations. To attach to the cake and ensure food safety, use gum paste.
The table is full of bold pops of color and I wanted the backdrop to tie into the palette and theme. I created a simple geometric backdrop using DIY Unfinished Wood Square Cut-Outs and created a colorful pattern that compliments the color scheme and creates designs within the overall design. Clever geometrics common in mid century modern design. Find out how to make your own here.
I tied this design pattern back to the centerpiece and settings on the table.
I hope you enjoy recreating your own mid century modern bridal shower. Chic design doesn't have to be costly with these bold yet chic combinations and easy DIYs.
Photography: Photography Hill
