I gathered all the baby cribs from various stores, such as Etsy, Amazon, and Wayfair. You’ll definitely find the best mid-century modern crib for you on this list.
The mid-century modern style is amazingly popular, even for a kid’s bedroom or nursery.
I first fell in love with mid-century decor by watching the “Brady Bunch,” where the house was filled with fantastic mid-century modern furniture. But it all came back in popularity when AMC brought the Mad Men series. What a mid-century modern dream!
Therefore, I had to satisfy my love for mid-century by getting a danish teak wood dinner table, the Wassily chair, and other decor elements. But what about mid-century nursery decor? I would go for one of those cribs if I had to redecorate my baby’s room with a mid-century style.
Most mid-century inspired cribs are made of wood, but this one is different. The Monarch Hill Hawken from Little Seeds is a 3-in-1 Convertible Crib with gold metal railing and a fantastic look.
Here’s a unique crib design for modern bedroom decor. The bars are composed of white iron, and the base is made of beech wood. The contrast between the material and the colors is lovely.
This mid-century baby crib is a stunning contemporary centerpiece for your baby’s room. Built to last, that baby crib has an adjustable height of the mattress and the possibility to turn into a toddler’s bed.
If you like mid-century design, this is an excellent crib for your baby’s room decor. The white slats with natural wood legs are very stylish. Moreover, this crib converts into a toddler bed to better suit your growing child.
Inspired by the mid-century style, this crib is an instant classic. Moreover, that crib converts into a toddler’s bed, so your child can grow and sleep in the same bed for many years to come.
Check out this mid-century inspired crib that converts easily into a toddler bed. The Hudon convertible crib by Babyletto comes in natural wood color, with rounded edges to prevent injuries.
Inspired by the mid-century design, this modern crib is made with solid wood and with a focus on the safety standards for cribs in the US. Easy to assemble, the crib also converts into a toddler bed.
Created with solid wood, this 3 in 1 convertible crib was built to last. Also, the timeless mid-century design of the crib won’t go out of fashion soon. I would definitely consider this crib!
Cribs by Million Dollar Baby Classic are always among the most sophisticated and beautiful you could find. This mid-century / vintage looking crib is made of metal railing and converts into a full-size bed.
This fabulous mid-century style crib is an instant classic for a chic and modern decor. Made of non-toxic material and mounted on strong metal support for the mattress, this crib is built to last.
The timeless design of this crib is very unique. I especially love the size of the different slats and the brass legs. Besides, the crib converts into a cool looking toddler’s bed.
Mid-century inspired, with a contemporary twist, this crib design is one of a kind. The metal railing with just the top portion made of solid wood works great together. Moreover, the crib converts into a toddler bed.
Why Should You Buy a Brand New Crib?
You like mid-century furniture, so why not buy the crib from the antique store? Purchasing a second-hand baby crib is not a good idea because the safety standards from decades ago might be considered unsafe today.
The manufacturers always improve their products based on the recommendation of agencies working for safer baby products, such as the JMPA, ASTM, or AAP. For example, the drop-side crib used to be a norm, but after recording multiple severe incidents. Same thing with the slat’s distance. After many babies got their heads stuck into the crib railing, the manufacturers had to respect the 2 3/8 inches maximum length between slats.
The bottom line is you might want the mid-century look of the crib, but you definitely want the safety of a new crib.
What Is Mid-century Modern Style?
The term “Mid-century modern” is broadly used as a reference to the architecture and furniture design during the 1940s and 1960s. Through the middle of the 20th century, designers created furniture with a focus on functionality and simplicity. Their designs were functional, shaped with clean lines, colored with earth tones palettes, and natural wood grain.
Difference Between Modern vs. Contemporary Furniture
Many people are confusing the terms modern and contemporary, and I can see why they are used interchangeably. Modern refers to a particular time in history, and contemporary is used to describe today’s style.
The modern style appeared in the 1920s and also became known as mid-century modern during the 1940s and 1960s. During those years, modern design was also contemporary. Since it was not long ago, many people still refer to contemporary when talking about modern style.
Same thing for the Rococo style, which was also considered contemporary by people in the 18th century. Contemporary is a word to describe what’s being created in the present.
In the 21st century, even if contemporary furniture is inspired by the clean design of the modern area, we definitely see a change in the colors and shapes of contemporary furniture compared to the modern style.
Ok, is there a difference between mid-century and mid-century modern?
Furniture store websites and decor blogs are using the word mid-century as a buzzword to catch the attention. However, sometimes they showcase modern furniture that has nothing to do with mid-century.
Previously, I have explained the difference between modern and contemporary. Still, in the modern area, there are subcategories tied to specific areas.
First, you have the term “Art Deco,” which describes the design of the 1920s. After the late 1930s and early 40s, the design is considered to be mid-century. Finally, after the 1960s, vintage-looking furniture is also considered to be part of the modern area.
To confuse things even more, you’ll also have the Danish style furniture that is often mixt into the mid-century decor. The Danish design movement is a modern style that appears in the 1920s in Denmark. The minimalist design and the uses of natural teak wood are also widespread in mid-century decor.
It’s easy to confuse all those terms, especially when the furniture is very similar. However, all the art deco, mid-century, and 70s vintage furniture can be used to create a mid-century style. Only a hand full of purists will argue that the real mid-century was between 1947 to 1957.
Let’s remember that we are trying to create a mid-century nursery decor and not a museum retrospective on modern furniture.
What Are the Characteristics of Mid-Century Furniture?
Most mid-century pieces of furniture have the same characteristics in common. Check for clean lines, raised legs, and natural wood to spot the typical mid-century furniture.
- Clean lines: The mid-century furniture is shaped with different types of clean lines. The sculptural design embraces the curved and rounded lines and the asymmetry.
- Raised legs: Elegant and stylish, the raised legs give a floating appearance to the piece of furniture. The bedroom looks less clutter and airier.
- Natural wood: Often built from solid wood, mid-century furniture also like the look of the wood grain. The most popular wood used in mid-century furniture is teak and walnut, but you’ll also find elm and rosewood.
Tips to Create a Mid-century Nursery Decor
Besides the crib, you also have plenty of options to get the mid-century appearance in your kid’s room. Here is some decor ideas you can use:
- Graphic patterns: Check for bed sheets, pillows, or wallpaper with bold graphic designs. In the mid-century area, designers embraced organic forms and wild curves (ex: boomerangs or kidneys). But also the geometric shapes and patterns (ex: spiky starbursts).
- Earth tones palettes with a burst of color: Earth tones color such as beige, brown, brass, and green, should be combined with primary colors. Use wall art, rug, or bedding to add a burst of red, blue, and yellow. Orange and brown are definitely a perfect mid-century color combination.
- Beyond wood: What’s excellent about mid-century design is the juxtaposition of different types of materials. Sure, you have a solid wood piece of furniture. You’ll also find the brass lighting, the colorful plastic figurine, or the brown leather chair.
- Beyond mid-century: Create unique decor by incorporating other vintage or retro-inspired pieces. For example, you could add macrame plant hangers, an Eiffel chair, or a slim-legged side table. My favorite addition would be the Sputnik-Style Chandelier or the Eames Chair. Probably the most iconic pieces of modern furniture, designed in 1956 by Herman Miller, this Eames Chair would look so stylish in mid-century decor.
Takeaway
The mid-century design is not going out of style very soon. Especially when most contemporary pieces of furniture get their inspiration from the mid-entry modern design.
The elegant aesthetic, the clean lines, the organic curves, and the colors are truly admirable.
Today, parents who embrace minimalistic trends and are looking to maximize the space of their tiny city apartment love the simplicity and functionality of mid-century furniture.
New mid-century-inspired furniture is not too expensive, so why are you still hesitating about that cool-looking baby crib?
In general, cribs don’t come with a mattress, and you should consider ordering one simultaneously as the bed. Don’t worry; I have simplified the selection by creating this list of the best crib mattresses. Or perhaps you need help, and you should visit this guide I made on choosing the ideal mattress for your baby crib.
Still unsure about the crib? Here are some other types and styles you should also consider for your nursery:
- Convertible cribs: Best for long term use
- Cribs with drawers: Best for extra storage
- Cribs with a changing table: Best for space-saving
- Mini cribs: Best for portability
- Mid-century cribs: For a timeless design
- Wooden cribs: For a natural look
- Metal cribs: Best for durability
- White cribs: For a dreamy nursery
- Round & oval-shaped cribs: Because they are so cute 😉
