”Dear Prairie Hive,
I love Don Draper’s new apartment on the show Mad Men. What would be your suggestions for getting a similar look and feel in my living room?
Janice B.”
We immediately agreed that Don Draper’s apartment was worthy of a TV to Reality post. I mean, check out his living room in his new apartment……
It is mid century modern heaven!
The LA Times blog did a great post with information on some of the furniture. If you want more details be sure and read the article here.
At first glance, I thought this would be no biggy, but boy was I wrong! Here’s the issue…mid century modern furniture is still available, but you have to be ready to search for the original/classic pieces. Once found you have to get over the immediate sticker shock that you will most likely experience! With that said, you can still stumble on to pieces for a great price, but more than likely you will be searching long and hard for those deals. Ebay and Craigslist, as well as local retro furniture shops (for Tulsans, Mod50′s Modern and The Retro Den are great places to check out), can be your best friend if you want the originals.
Here are a couple of the original pieces that you will find in Mr. Don Draper’s living room…
Lied Mobler black leather lounge chair
Erik Buck Teak Danish Modern Counter Stools
Here is my take on Don Draper’s living room….
With this type of room you have to be willing to search high and low for the right pieces – or something that will work in their place. The sectional in the set was a custom built piece of furniture. I found one from Room & Board that has very similar lines and I think works well (love the button tufting on the seat cushions). However, if you aren’t up for the almost $4,000 price tag, you could also go with this IKEA KARLSTAD sectional for around $1,000 while you save your pennies. Obviously it isn’t nearly as fabulous but you do have the same overall clean lines and low profile. You do what you can on your budget!
I was able to find some stools on ebay, but didn’t have much luck with the lounge chair, so I found another option on Ebay as well. And they are still available if you feel like putting a bid on them!
The retro Fabricut fabric is the actual pattern and color that is in his apartment. I happen to have a good friend that works at Fabricut and she filled me in! Be sure and include a valance with those drapes…
With the majority of the apartment being various shades of brown, the simple solid color pillows on the couch add just the right amount of interest without being too much. Crate and Barrel is always a good standby for those.
The purple hanging light fixture is a Craigslist find. It has a similar shape and feel to Mr. Draper’s cool fixture. If only it was striped. Again…this is the type of thing that you keep your eye out for and you will find something equally as cool!
Here are the sources for my picks:
1. Crate and Barrel, Brinkley Pillows
2. Ebay, Erik Buck Teak Danish Modern Counter Stools
3. Ebay, Fredrik Kayser Vatne Mobler Black Leather Lounge Chair Mid Century Danish Modern
4. Craigslist, Vintage Purple Hanging Light
5. Allmodern.com, Arteriors Home Ike Cocktail Table
6. Room & Board, Reese Sectional
7. Fabricut (available to the trade only), Zia Seascape fabric
Thanks Janice for thinking of Prairie Hive when you saw this fabulous set!
And thanks to everyone who took last week’s reader survey about Prairie Hive Magazine (you can still take it HERE if you didn’t get a chance last week!). Now, we would love to hear what you think about our Blog!
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AlaynaB
Alayna is a lifestyle photographer who also practices commercial and residential interior design. She loves utilizing vibrant color in both her designs and her photography. She also has a passion for travel, seeking out new experiences, places and cultures to capture with her camera and to influence her designs. Alayna married her high school sweetheart and loves to cook, finding joy in family favorites as well as her own creations. A bargain hunter by nature, she thinks that good design can come in all mediums, price points and styles and should be available to everyone.
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Great Job! Love that apartment.