Photos: The swanky, sexy style of Midcentury Modern

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

( Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines, geometric shapes and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Walls of glass, classic post-and-beam construction, horizontal lines and a playful sense of timeless style are hallmarks of a midcentury modern home.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

By Bonnie McCarthy

June 30, 2017 2 PM PT

Where would Dick Van Dyke be without his step-down living room and open kitchen? Or the sets of “Mad Men” without their bar carts and sexy Mies van der Rohe furnishings?

Conceived in the era of optimism following WWII, midcentury homes and furnishings, designed by emerging architectural talents such as Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Albert Frey (to name a few), represented a new way of living that erased boundaries between inside and out and utilized materials developed during wartime.

Wide-open floor plans, glass walls, split-level layouts and sleek, sometimes whimsical, geometric lines characterized the homes built from 1945 to the late 1960s (some would argue later), which became iconic symbols of the period — and continue to inspire today.

We combed through our archives for some of our favorite examples. Check out our photo gallery of Midcentury homes and interiors that have still got their swagger after all these years.

Somewhere, the original Rat Pack is raising a glass in agreement.

For updates and inspiration on all things home design and lifestyle follow me on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome

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