Both Tom Harper and his wife, Terri Erickson-Harper, are devoted to the mid-century modern aesthetic. Harper seeks out the pieces and Erickson-Harper arranges the furniture and decorates their midcentury home in Lawrence.

Tom Harper and Terri Erickson-Harper's living room of their midcentury modern home has an interior to match with lamps, carpet and the use of vibrant colors to balance the rich warm browns of their furniture. Midcentury modern arrangement is about achieving a harmonious balance of materials.

Tom Harper found this 1959 Eames lounge chair and ottoman in an alley next to a dumpster in Lawrence. A replication of midcentury modern piece of furniture could cost have cost him few thousand dollars at a furniture store.

George Nelson clock on the wall of Tom Harper and Terri Erickson-Harper's kitchen.

The bright dots of yellow on these ceramic bowls in Harper's kitchen flow with other colors throughout the interior of his home. Harper will come across modern finds and his wife, Terri Erickson-Harper, will decide how they fit in their home.

To step into Tom Harper and Terri Erickson-Harper’s Lawrence home is to step back in time.

Walk into the living room of their midcentury-age home and the natural light pouring in from the large windows of reveals an interior to match the exterior: warm wood furniture, bubble lamps and pops of vibrant oranges and reds and greens in the antique carpet, blanket, pillows and candles that pull together the entire look.

First all the rage in the early ’50s through ’60s, midcentury modern interior design has made a comeback, with help from the TV show “Mad Men.”

Historically, midcentury modern became popular after World War II, says Harper, a local real estate agent. Harper is also the founder of Lawrence Modern, group dedicated to documenting and preserving examples of modern architecture.

The style encompasses quality-designed sculptural walnut, teak and rosewood pieces — many of which have found a place in his home — as well as quirky, kitsch items.

“Those silly, almost cartoonish items,” he adds. “The things that serve to make you smile.”

Characterized by simplicity, clean lines and sleek form, it is considered the edited interior design style; its key motto is “less is more.”

For those going mad for modern, here is some decorating advice from some local interior design experts to help turn your house into a blast from the past.

Declutter

Remember: less is more. Start by getting rid of unnecessary items, says Lisa Purdon interior design consultant and owner of CosMod Inc Studios. Purdon helped pioneer the midcentury modern trend 20 years ago with her a furniture and lighting boutique store in Brooklyn.

Midcentury modern arrangement is about finding a harmonious balance, she says. If you’re not willing to purge, midcentury isn’t for you.

Be patient and look

To achieve the modern look you desire requires a keen eye and lots of patience, say Harper and his wife, Terri Erickson-Harper.

Putting together their home interior didn’t happen overnight, Erickson-Harper says. Avoid overwhelming the room with a ton of modern items by taking your time to build on the decor over years of collecting.

Harper finds furniture, ceramics, clocks and other items at estate and garage sales, The Antique Mall, antique shops in North Lawrence, Retro Inferno in Kansas City, eBay and even the side of the road. His favorite find is the Eames lounge chair and ottoman made from original rosewood he found in an alley next to a dumpster.

“Open your eyes,” Harper says. “Be curious.”

Don’t let condition discourage you

If you’re “dumpster diving” for modern pieces, what you find might not be in the best condition. A replica of the Eames lounge chair Harper found in the alley would have cost at least $3,500, Harper says. The leather was cat-scratched when he came across it, but they just ended up re-covering it.

“You need to have an appreciation for something not perfect,” Erickson-Harper says.

She also recommends using teak oil to treat rough wood surfaces like dining tables and cabinets.

“Form follows function”

Choose furniture to fit your lifestyle, Purdon says.

A busy family with children who frequently entertain guests needs sturdy furniture. Purdon recommends pieces by Danish designer Jens Risom or later Paul McCobb Planner Group furniture.

Purdon recalls clients who purchased four Paul McCobb chairs ($300 each) from his early line despite Purdon’s admonition that their rushed lifestyle wouldn’t suit the delicate build. Within a week, two chairs had vertical breaks in them.

“Those chairs are for a couple without children who possibly travels a lot and don’t entertain in the home,” she says. “They were originally built at a time for affluent people with spacious homes who didn’t twist or turn in their chairs.”

Make a statement

Find one show-stopper piece, Purdon says.

She suggests a simple addition like the modular Cado shelf unit, or a Saarinen table and chairs. In her home, it’s a Scandinavian teak and cork chandelier.

Don’t make several items compete for the viewer’s attention.

“If you continue in every room with the same intensity, it can become sensory overload, stale or tired, even with museum-quality pieces,” she says. “And who wants to live in a museum?”