The more brutalist, chunky carved lamp by the doorway is vintage Laurel, one of the set decorator’s favorite brands (very collectible, notable floorsize models can cost upwards of $1,200).
If you want to set some great lighting on your own, you can do so affordably by picking up a simple lamp base from a place such as Ikea and topping it with a custom shade made out of vintage burlap or silk. (“The light is so amazing through the fabric,” explains Didul.) And don't discount sconces or pendant lamps—even if you can’t run wires through the wall or ceiling. Any good electrician can attach a pluggable base into what would otherwise be a permanent fixture, as long as you can find ways creatively to hide the wire, with paint or wallpaper. City Knickbocker and Filaments are Didul’s go-tos for such work in in the New York area.
2. Greenery Matters
Fun fact: Plants can be vintage.
Don’t believe us? Look at pictures of a Snake Plant (aka Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) on Google and tell us it doesn’t remind you of doctor offices of your younger years. Didul said it'd be right at home in the lobby areas of Sterling Cooper's building.
There’s not an office that doesn’t benefit from the classiness of some foliage, as long as it's chosen appropriately. Cacti and succulents work in more modern offices. (Bamboo just screams ’90s.) Didul suggests bringing in some Spider Plants, potted Rubber Trees, and Fiddle Leaf Figs as other throwbacks to the Mad Men era.
3. Color Counts Most
“Colors change the times,” says Didul, which on the show means burnt orange, avocados, golds, browns, and earth tones as the years approach the '70s. Highly visible Herman Miller Time Life chairs ($3,319) notably changed from off-white to caramel, too. So if you want your office to have a more classic, decade- spanning look, keep it to neutrals and greys. If you really want to cement it into the time period, harness the appropriate hues. (Who doesn’t think of neon as the ’80s?) It’s one of the easiest ways to set a vibe.
Take it an extra step with colored patterns.
To set a midcentury vibe without full-on redecoration, Didul suggests buying a roll of the colorful, geometrically patterned wallpaper by Alexander Girard when he was at Herman Miller. "If you can’t put it up in your office, you could frame it and hang it like a picture," not unlike a pieces of abstract art. Didul also suggests finding yards of vintage fabrics, by, say, Girard or Marimekko(a favorite from her childhood), to cover pillows or seat cushions. That accent pop of color may be all you need.