The Return of Bold Mid-Century Color
- Elisa Cool Murphy
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 2
For years, mid-century homes were painted safe.
White walls, black accents, maybe a pop of gray. It kept things neutral but often left these beautifully built spaces feeling flat.
That’s changing.
Design leaders are quietly steering mid-century back to warmth and personality:
Plaster finishes are showing up again — not just on walls, but in sculptural tables, consoles, and lighting.
Earthy but vibrant color is replacing cold neutrals: terracottas, clay pinks, rich greens that feel lush and lived-in.
Lighting is art again — from plaster pendants to retro palm and halo chandeliers.
It’s not about recreating a 1950s time capsule. It’s about honoring original architecture while giving it a present-day edge.
We’re leaning into this right now in a mid-century home in the lake neighborhoods that we’re preparing for market. It has terrazzo floors, brick features, and those low-slung lines that love a hit of real color. Our approach: use paint and texture to draw attention to the best bones — vaulted brick fireplace, window wall to the pool and patio — and let mid-century sing again.
This isn’t maximalism for its own sake. It’s smart, story-driven design: looking at what’s original, what’s trending in high design, and choosing color that feels inevitable once you see it.
It’s also a subtle rebellion against “safe staging.” We want buyers to walk in and feel something — that wow moment when architecture and color click. The kind of moment that makes a home memorable in a market where so many listings blend together.
Next week, we’ll look at how fashion is shaping these interiors — from the runway colors showing up in wallpaper and paint to the way Palm Beach prep is influencing even the most serious mid-century renovations.
Celebrated for her next-level creative approach to real estate, Elisa Cool Murphy is an award-winning, top-performing real estate broker in New Orleans and the founder of Cool Murphy Real Estate.
Contact Her -
email: cool@coolmurphy.com
Facebook: @homeinneworleans
IG: @coolmurphynola
YouTube: @coolmurphynola
phone: 504-321-3194
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