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Guess the Decade: Colorful & Cozy Living Room - Answer

colorfulcozy081309.jpgSo, did you make a guess as to the era of this colorful living room? The majority of those who guess did NOT got it right this time around...

 
 

...when they guessed the 60s - it is actually from 1957. While 103 readers guessed the 60s, whose who came through correct answer of the 50s numbered 67 (nice job!). 57 readers guessed the 70s and the other decades just got a handful of votes.

We found this room at Mid-Century Home Style, where they point out both the distinctive hanging light and clerestory windows as design elements that are indicative of the 50s.

Some interesting comments from the original post:

  • All the black iron and art makes me think it's late 50's or 1960. - xowend

  • Looks like early 80s late 70s, it has a very space 2001 look to it. The use of white and neutral colours in the decor makes me want to lean towards the 80s but not completely out of the 70s yet as we see the orange tint to the windows on the door. - SJwashere

  • I'm torn between 50s and 60s. If it's 60s it is in the very early part of the decade. But how awesome is that room?! I want to have a game-night party there RIGHT NOW. - sally305

  • I said 50s. The copper lamp was actually a big factor -- copper was big in the 50s, and that lamp is the sort of adjustable lamp you'd generally see over a kitchen table, repurposed. And the wall hanging seems contemporaneous with stuff Alexander Girard was doing in the '50s. If this were high fashion photo of a living room I could even see this being from 1948 or 1949 -- a lot of the iconic modern design of the '50s was actually done in those years. But as it's a basement, I suspect it's later. Also -- those bookshelves above half walls are a fantastic solution for a basement rec room! - dtremit

  • I'm divided between 50s and 60s. I'd say 1962 is the year, but I could be off by 5 years. As a matter of fact, the more I look at it the more I lean toward late 50s. - homebunnyj

  • I say the 50s...while a lot of the style was used and adopted in the 60s, the "high" design started in the 50s. - ec05

  • I went early, early - 40s - thinking this might have been some kind of design prediction from a "how the future would look" book. But that was me second-guessing myself. My real instinct was something like late 50s, early 60s. - Mary B C

    Thanks for playing along!

    Image: Midcentury Home Style

    MORE GUESS THE DECADE:

  • Small Space Hotel Style
  • Small Space Hotel Style - The Answer

  • Dressing Room
  • Dressing Room - The Answer

  • Compact Kitchen
  • Compact Kitchen - The Answer

  • Tags

    inspiration, Living Room, Guess the Decade

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    Comments (14)

    Finally, I was right!

    posted by Jean on August 14th 2009 at 9:06pm
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    I missed the vote, but got it right!

    posted by Pixie on August 14th 2009 at 10:07pm
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    Awww...I missed it!

    posted by suzy8track on August 14th 2009 at 11:16pm
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    I got the decade right, but I'd have supposed the date to be earlier, say 1950.

    My parents had a lamp like the one in the picture; also, pre-columbian artifacts were big back then. (Those little objects on the ends of the bookcase). The flaring legs of the sofa and table are also of that time. The painting: trying so hard to be modern.

    posted by ebanfield on August 15th 2009 at 5:50am
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    Feeling pretty smart right about now (for once).

    posted by puddle on August 15th 2009 at 5:54am
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    I got one right? Huh.

    posted by Abra_cat on August 15th 2009 at 7:03am
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    I'm always right. I think it helps that I was born in the 50's, thus lived through all the eras from then on ;-)

    I remember my mom's forays into Early American (yuck), Danish Modern, and Mediterrean (plasticy wood yuck).

    posted by LBhirise on August 15th 2009 at 11:43am
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    I knew it. the color photo probably threw people off.

    posted by Gatita on August 15th 2009 at 8:08pm
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    The sixties were generally more brightly colored and there was a big use of plastics. As is often the case, though, when we think of the 50's or 60's or any other decade, it does not adhere to a strict timetable. Stylistically, "the sixties" didn't really begin until 1963 or 64.

    posted by claire87 on August 16th 2009 at 2:06am
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    claire87, I remember reading a comment (from whom, I cannot remember) that what most of us think of as the sixties began with JFK's assassination and ended with Nixon's resignation (in the seventies). This timetable could reflect style as well.

    posted by Jean on August 16th 2009 at 10:15am
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    Okay, I guessed NOW only because everything comes back in style...so maybe I'll be right after all....like a forecaster!

    posted by Jannarama on August 16th 2009 at 6:18pm
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    Dang, this is the first one I've gotten wrong. Now I'll never win that million bucks!

    posted by TammyE on August 17th 2009 at 2:12am
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    so...where do I collect my prize?

    posted by ec05 on August 17th 2009 at 11:53am
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    As ebanfield said, the sofa and table legs are definitely 50s, thanks to them, I got it right :-)

    posted by Capsule on August 18th 2009 at 2:48pm
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