Mid2Mod: November 2015

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Lucite grapes and lavabos

A couple of decorator items were de rigueur in middle class mid-century homes, at least all the ones I remember. One was a cluster of Lucite grapes on a driftwood stem. The other was an inexplicable nod to more traditional styling: the lavabo, consisting of a wall-mounted water tank with spigot and bowl, usually non-working and used as a wall pocket for artificial flowers or fruit.

While the Lucite grapes were rather modern in appearance, with their exaggerated size and leafless stems, the lavabos definitely were not. No matter how sleek and low-slung a home's sofa, chairs and coffee table, the curlicued planter, reminiscent of ornate French or Italian design, somehow crept into the entryway.

Today we'd call it eclectic. Back then, it was merely incongruous.

etsy.com - KaeidoscopeModern

etsy.com - EuroFair

If I were ever tempted to revisit the lavabo, I might consider one like this atypical Italian ceramic set, with its stylized leaves and fruit. I would fill it with herbs and hang it on an exterior wall or fence.

etsy.com - lookonmytreasures

Monday, November 16, 2015

Horns of Plenty

With Thanksgiving almost upon us, here's a look back at the cornucopia, also known as the horn of plenty, which was a popular mid-century design element. While frequently seen as a vase or candy dish made of ceramic or glass, wire and rattan were also popular materials for larger fruit bowls. It was often found in the jewelry box as well, filled with pearls or multi-colored rhinestones.