The 1950s hold a special place in America 's collective imagination.

The things that are attractive are not particularly stylistic but have more to do with values. It's a broader issue, that for lack of a better word we say the 50's because the closest we can relate to it are feelings that we haven't had since then. The mythology of the time looms so large that even the generations that didn't live through the era yearn for it today.




A fusion of nostalgic design and up-to-the-minute functionality often referred to as retro modernism is the strongest trend in all of the creative industries at the moment. Retro designs are also a rejection of the 15 minute shelf life of most trends. The interest in minimalism toward a maximalist, joyful aesthetic. These backward glances help to ground us and they're there when we need to be reassured that technology can never replace human beings. Nostalgia is important to the process of style and design. Without nostalgia, there is no closure and no way to move forward.

As the 20 th century has ended, objects from the postwar years to the 70's have joined pieces from the 20's and 30's as coveted furnishings and collectibles. They are the new antiques, according to New York City antiques dealer, Alan Moss. For the last 20 years, we've been in a retro phase that started with things from earlier in the century and has finally crept up to the 60's. Though nostalgia contributes to the appeal, design is the main attraction. The best examples tend to be sculptural and whimsical or deliberately plain.

'The look is comfortable and approachable, yet elegant in its simplicity.'

-- Chicago based furniture designer Holly Hunt

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