If you find the Ikea catalog irresistible today, you should see what they were making 60 years ago: High-back Victorian seats, sleek papasan chairs, and, of course, plenty of the casually elegant ...

That said, I'm going to use this story to stick to more obvious mid-century designs. I'm talking sleek, functional design—splayed legs, low armrests, and clean sleek shapes. We've tested and awarded ...