HomeAdvisor recently surveyed 2,200 people to divine the most popular home style in each state, with the apple of Kentuckians’ eyes being Mid-century modern design.
If the commonwealth likes it, then Louisville loves it. From Derby City Market coming to Barret Avenue to the upcoming Mid-century modern show at 986 Swan St. in November, the city is ripe with mid-century modern inspiration.
The Whirling Tiger features a retro, MCM-style living room. | Photo by @thewhirlingtiger
Sometimes referred to as “MCM,”the aesthetics that define this style embrace functional, minimal design with clean lines and lots of teak wood. Bold colors and geometric shapes also decorate the mid-century imagination as well, which can make for some pretty interesting pieces of furniture.
With the love for the trend going strong in the 502, here are a few places where you can shop + see mid-century modern aesthetics — and even find a mid-century modern home while you’re at it.
Where to buy mid-century modern furniture
Mellwood Antiques & Interiors, 1860 Mellwood Ave. | Louisville’s largest antique mall features a variety of furniture, glassware, and trinkets + will be at the Market on Mellwood on Sat., June 25.
Derby City Market, 978 Barret Ave. | While this shop is still getting its brick-and-mortar location up and running, you can shop its selection of vintage + MCM on its Instagram or Facebook page.
Fat Rabbit Thrift & Vintage, 994 Barret Ave. | The selection here is more eclectic than strictly MCM goods, but we’re willing to bet you’ll find a good pair of mid-century modern mom jeans here in addition to cool furniture.
Where to enjoy mid-century modern vibes
The Whirling Tiger, 1335 Story Ave. | Located in the Butchertown neighborhood, this bar and music venue regularly hosts local musicians + features a cozy retro living area in addition to multi-level spaces with MCM furniture and decor.
Naive Kitchen + Bar, 1001 E. Washington St. | Grab a seat at the bar and be dazzled by the clean lines and smooth colors on the interior of this trendy restaurant.
Wild Swann, 601 W. Main St. | Located inside The Grady Hotel, if you whisper the words “Swann Song” to your bartender, they’ll tell you a secret about the city.
How to find a mid-century modern home for sale
Margot Lipinski — this local realtor deals in this home style so frequently she has her own Facebook page called “Midcentury Modern Margot.”
Gertrude Polk Brown Lecture Series: Travels with George | Wed., June 22 | 6-7:15 p.m. | Brown Theatre | $27.20 | Bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick argues for George Washington’s unique contribution to the forging of America by retracing his journey through an unsure nation.*
Thursday
Louisville Bats Pride Night | Thurs., June 23 | 7:05 p.m. | Louisville Slugger Field | $9+ | The Bats take on the Iowa Cubs with a portion of ticket sales benefiting local LGBTQ+ nonprofits and get a limited-edition Pride Night koozie. ⚾
Friday
Friday Night Speaker Series: Dr. Aly Baumgartner | Fri., June 24 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Waterfront Botanical Gardens | $35 | Travel back in time to understand how fossil leaves help us understand climate change. 🍂
Burger Night | Fri., June 24 | 5-9 p.m. | Full Stop Station, 1132 E. St. Catherine St. | Free to attend | Bring your dog and enjoy burgers + beer specials at this family-friendly evening with live music.
Saturday
Saturday Yoga | Sat., June 25 | 8-8:45 a.m. | Logan Street Market | Free | Start your weekend with a big stretch outside + leave a donation.
Cars in Common | Sat., June 25 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Norton Commons | Free | Over 100 exotic cars will converge on North Village Square + there’s a car parade at 3 p.m.
Sunday
BYOB Flower Arranging | Sun., June 26 | 12:30-2 p.m. | Yew Dell Botanical Gardens | $25+ | Bring your own flowers + vase and learn how to create a work of floral art. 💐
Monday
Free Summer Movie Night | Mon., June 27 | 8:30 p.m. | Iroquois Amphitheater | Free | Gates open at 7:30 p.m. to watch this free, outdoor screening of the movie “Jaws.” 🍿
Tuesday
Lights of Mankind: Earth At Night as Seen From Space | Tues., June 28 | 6-7 p.m. | The Filson Historical Society | $15 for non-members | Hear from author L. Douglas Keeney on his new book highlighting the chapters of the human story.
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
98º | Scattered thunderstorms | 50% chance of rain
Coming Soon
Let’s rock today. School of Rock Louisville will open a second location in St. Matthews at 4121 Shelbyville Rd. in August. The locally-owned and operated business recently received the National “Headliner” Award for being one of the top 10 Schools of Rock worldwide. 🎸 (WAVE)
Open
A digital-forward KFCopened this week at 5603 Preston Hwy, making it one of 10 “Next Gen” KFC stores in the country. The Next Generation stores feature a modern design aesthetic + an emphasis on online orders, which includes a special entrance for online order pick-up. 🍗 (WAVE)
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgersopened its first Louisville location in Middletown at 12929 Shelbyville Rd. The chain is known for its steakburgers, Vienna hot dogs, shoestring fries + frozen custard. (Louisville Business First)
Civic
The Parking Authority of River City hopes to make city parking easier with two new mobile payment options. Visitors to downtown Louisville can now use ParkMobile and PayByPhone instead of kiosks or meters to make parking payments. 🚗 (WLKY)
Active
The Color Run returns to the 502 on Sat., June 25 at Waterfront Park. Runners can join this 5K race to get doused from head to toe in brightly colored powders. The race ends with a Finish Festival featuring music, activity booths + photo ops. 🎽 (LEO Weekly)
Cause
Ethan, arguably Louisville’s most famous rescue dog, has been nominated for the American Humane Hero Dog Award. You can vote for Ethan, who has continued to heal against all odds after being abandoned in 2021. Owner Jeff Callaway hopes Ethan will bring attention to shelters across the country. (WAVE)
Read
Local author John Cosper has rereleased his book “Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville.” The new edition begins in 1877 and covers Derby City’s wrestling glory into the present day — including the WWE Developmental Program that began here and helped wrestlers like John Cena + Dave Bautista launch their careers. 🤼
Edu
This fall, Zachary Taylor Elementary School students will have a chance to be like Bill Nye the science guy thanks to the Kentucky Science Center + Toyota Louisville. The school will receive a MakerPlace STEAM Cart which includes the resources for 15+ hands-on lessons and activities. ⚗️
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Editor’s pick:It’s taking everything in me to not write this in all-caps, but Turnstile is coming to Old Forester’s Paristown Hall in October.
I love this bandso incredibly that they were my most-listened to artist in 2021. According to Spotify, I listened to a total of 1,508 minutes(or 25 hours) worth of the Baltimore-based hardcore band last year with my top song being, “Blue By You.”
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