I Guess I’m Not A Traditional American Kind of Gal Anymore

Glam Pack member Lisa S. was kind enough to send me a copy the Ladies’ Home Journal Book of Interior Decoration by Elizabeth T. Halsey that was published in 1954.  Since I check my post office box during my lunch break on Fridays, the girls in the office “oohed and ahhed” over the images in it when I returned to work that afternoon.  In this post, I decided to share four of my favorite images that highlight glamorous mid-century decor.

When The Mister and I lived in New Jersey, we spent a lot of time visiting historic houses and museums.  We would discuss how we would incorporate an American traditional decor into our home.  Since he grew up in a Civil War era farm house, I guess we always just assumed that we would end up in one of those big old traditional houses, too.  Our historic neighborhood is almost all 19th century mansions (remember, we live in a cottage) that are ideal for this style of decorating.  But it doesn’t hold the appeal for me like it once did.  Now it just seems kind of fussy and stuffy.

The American Contemporary decor is what you see in the television shows and movies from the 1950s.  Of course, it makes sense for the shows portraying middle class families in that era would have fashionable furnishings.  It draws me in but it is still a little too fussy for me.

Now, I can see myself decorating a room similar to this one.  The “living room” was carved out of an L-shaped space that also serves as a dining area (on the left with the wooden chairs) and a home office (not seen in this picture).  Ms. Halsey shows us how two people can live in smaller space without it feeling cramped and confined.  It is interesting without having too many visual details that would make the room seem smaller.

But this image, of a family room with a modern decor is calling out to me.  I want to spend hours on the chaise with a good book.  The red chair and table to the right seem like they would be perfect as a writing space where I could create all sorts of witty posts that go viral because everyone would want to be just as glamorous as the Glam Pack members!  And, the native Californian in me is always drawn by the notion of “outdoor living” being just a few steps away.

The book that Lisa sent to me is chock full of goodness and I can’t wait to share some of it with you!  Thank you, Lisa!  I love it!

What about you?  Which of these four images calls out to you the most?