The best mid-century look for a chime cover is simple: clean lines, slats or repeating geometric cut-outs, and warm wood-like or bold accent colors. You can keep the original chime and change only the cover.
Why so many mid-century homes have a NuTone chime
NuTone was founded in Cincinnati in 1936 and helped make door chimes affordable for ordinary homes (Wikipedia, Knock Doorbells). Builders put them in new postwar houses. A 1953 NuTone trade ad offered chimes "styled for Modern, Ranch-type, and Colonial homes," including a model with a walnut cover and brass tubes (House+Home, Nov 1953, via USModernist). After the war, many chime covers moved to plastic (Doorbell Museum).
That's why so many 1950s and 1960s ranch and split-level homes still have their original chime on the wall, sometimes with a yellowed cover, sometimes with no cover at all.
What makes a chime cover look mid-century modern
A mid-century chime cover doesn't need to be ornate. The look comes from a few simple things:
- Clean geometric lines and little ornament. One woodworker describes their mid-century cover as having "clean geometric lines, minimalist styling" (Smith Custom Woodworks).
- Slats and louvers. Evenly spaced openings echo the slatted screens and cabinet fronts of the era.
- Repeating cut-out patterns. A grid of simple shapes reads as graphic and modern.
- Warm brown tones that sit well next to walnut and teak furniture.
- Accent colors like mustard yellow, deep green, navy or deep red.
6 mid-century chime cover ideas
1. A slatted panel in warm brown
The Louver is our most minimal option: evenly spaced vertical slots and nothing else. In Caramel, Dark Brown or Dark Chocolate it sits quietly next to wood paneling, walnut furniture or wood trim.
2. Two-tone color block
The Two-Tone Louver uses one color for the face and another for the body. Caramel / Chocolate, Olive / Chocolate and Desert Tan / Cocoa all give a layered, furniture-like look. It works well in a hallway with wood accents or earthy paint colors.
3. Repeating arches
The Arches cover is a field of small stacked arches, and its product page describes it as suited to modern, mid-century and contemporary rooms. In a warm brown it feels soft; in an accent color it becomes a small piece of wall decor.
4. A star grid with an atomic-era feel
The Stars cover is a grid of cut-out stars. It's a playful nod to the starburst shapes people associate with the period, without trying to copy any vintage design. Try it in Gold, Lemon Yellow or Dark Blue.
5. Four-petal geometric
The Flowers cover is a grid of four-petal cutouts. The repeat looks like a simple mid-century textile or tile pattern, and it suits kitchens, breakfast nooks and entries.
6. A bold accent color
Any single-color pattern can carry a period accent: Lemon Yellow, Dark Green, Dark Blue or Dark Red. On a white or light wall, one bold chime cover can tie in with a colored front door, cabinet or piece of art.
Other routes (honest alternatives)
A new cover isn't the only way to go. Here are the other options mid-century owners talk about.
Hunt for the original vintage cover
Original covers do turn up on eBay and Etsy. But exact covers are rare, and Knock Doorbells says it's often "better to improvise" (Knock Doorbells). If you find one that matches your model, great. If not, don't wait forever.
A solid walnut cover
Woodworkers make mid-century covers in walnut. Smith Custom Woodworks, for example, offers two standard sizes (9 x 9 x 3.75 in and 10 x 10 x 3.75 in outside) and custom sizes on request. Check that your chime fits inside before you order.
A DIY wood box
Handy owners build a simple box. One Reddit user described a five-sided oak box with a slot at the bottom (r/HomeImprovement).
Show off the bare mechanism
Some vintage mechanisms look good on their own once they're cleaned up, especially ones with brass tubes (Knock Doorbells).
Picking a color that fits a mid-century room
- Warm browns (Caramel, Dark Brown, Dark Chocolate) with walnut or teak furniture and wood paneling.
- Two-tone pairs when you want contrast between face and body.
- Accent colors (Lemon Yellow, Dark Green, Dark Blue, Dark Red) to echo a period color elsewhere in the room.
- White or Black to blend with trim.
iledecor offers 10 single colors and 6 two-tone pairs. Covers are made to order in PLA, which can be painted, so you can match an exact custom shade if none of the colors is right. For more help, read how to choose a doorbell chime cover color and see all five patterns side by side in doorbell chime cover styles compared.
Fit: measure the chime, not the model number
Old chimes often have no readable model number. As one owner wrote, "I'm unable to find a model/item number anywhere." That's fine, because a made-to-measure cover doesn't need one.
Take the old cover off (if there is one). Measure the height and width of the flat back plate, then the depth from the wall to the part that sticks out the most. Round each number up to the nearest 1/16 in. Each measurement can be up to 12.5 in. The cover then slides on with a friction fit, so the mechanism and wiring stay in place.
See how to measure a doorbell chime box and NuTone and Broan chime cover fit for details.
FAQ
What does a mid-century modern doorbell chime cover look like?
Simple geometric shapes, slats or repeating cut-outs, little ornament, and warm wood tones or bold accent colors.
Can I find the original cover for my 1950s NuTone chime?
Sometimes on eBay or Etsy, but exact vintage covers are rare. A cover made to your chime's measurements is the most reliable way to replace a missing one.
Will a new cover fit an old NuTone chime with no model number?
Yes, if it's made to measure. Fit comes from the chime's height, width and depth, not the model number.
Do I have to replace my vintage chime to get a modern look?
No. The cover slides over the existing chime with a friction fit, so the mechanism and wiring stay in place.
What colors suit a mid-century home?
Warm browns (caramel, dark brown, chocolate), two-tone pairs, and accent colors like yellow, green, blue or red. iledecor offers 10 single colors and 6 two-tone pairs.
Can I paint the cover to match my room?
Yes. iledecor covers are PLA and can be painted.
Keep your original chime, change the cover
Pick a pattern and color, and we make the cover to your measurements. Start with Arches or the Two-Tone Louver. Free US shipping on every order, no minimum.
