Midcenturymodern is a Beamer theme inspired by mid-century modern graphic design, offering a retro yet modern feel.
The theme is hosted at https://github.com/jules-leguy/midcenturymodern
\begin
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% =============================================================================
% midcenturymodern_demo.tex
% Demo file for the Mid-Century Modern Beamer theme.
% Compile with: lualatex midcenturymodern_demo.tex
% =============================================================================
\documentclass[aspectratio=169]{beamer}
\usepackage{beamerthememidcenturymodern}
\usepackage[backend=biber, style=authoryear, sorting=nyt]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{demo.bib}
% --- Theme selection (comment/uncomment to switch) ---
\mcmTheme{Kraft}
% \mcmTheme{DeepBlue}
% --- Metadata ---
\title{MidCentury Modern}
\subtitle{A beamer theme for strong and original presentations}
\author{Your Name}
\institute{Your Institution}
\date{\today}
\titlegraphic{
\begin{minipage}{0.21\linewidth}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=3cm]{logos/logo_kraft.png}
% \includegraphics[width=3cm]{logos/logo_deepblue.png}
\end{center}
\end{minipage}
}
% --- Automatic section/subsection pages ---
\AtBeginSection[]{%
\begin{frame}[plain]
\sectionpage
\end{frame}
}
\AtBeginSubsection[]{%
\begin{frame}[plain]
\subsectionpage
\end{frame}
}
\AtEveryCite{\color{mcmPrimary}}
\begin{document}
% =====================================================================
% TITLE PAGE
% =====================================================================
\begin{frame}
\titlepage
\end{frame}
% =====================================================================
% TABLE OF CONTENTS
% =====================================================================
\begin{frame}{Table of Contents}
\tableofcontents
\end{frame}
% =====================================================================
\section{Theme Overview}
% =====================================================================
\subsection{Design Principles}
\begin{frame}{Design Principles}
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{block}{Design Goals}
\begin{itemize}
\item Geometric bullet shapes at every nesting level
\item Clean sans-serif typography
\item Distinctive colour palette with two built-in themes
\end{itemize}
\end{block}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{alertblock}{Requires LuaLaTeX}
Font loading relies on \texttt{fontspec}, which requires
LuaLaTeX or XeLaTeX. LuaLaTeX is recommended as the
TikZ-based graphics perform best with its extended memory
model.
\end{alertblock}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
\subsection{Colour Themes}
% --- Kraft version (active) ---
\begin{frame}{Two Built-in Themes — Kraft}
Select a theme with a single command in your preamble:
\begin{enumerate}
\item \textbf{Kraft} — terracotta, kraft paper tones, warm accents\\
\texttt{\textbackslash mcmTheme\{Kraft\}}
\item {\color{mcmBlack!30}%
\textbf{DeepBlue} — dark navy, crisp white, cool accents\\
\texttt{\textbackslash mcmTheme\{DeepBlue\}}}
\end{enumerate}
\end{frame}
% --- Temporary switch to DeepBlue ---
{
\mcmTheme{DeepBlue}
\begin{frame}{Two Built-in Themes — DeepBlue}
Select a theme with a single command in your preamble:
\begin{enumerate}
\item {\color{mcmBlack!30}%
\textbf{Kraft} — terracotta, kraft paper tones, warm accents\\
\texttt{\textbackslash mcmTheme\{Kraft\}}}
\item \textbf{DeepBlue} — dark navy, crisp white, cool accents\\
\texttt{\textbackslash mcmTheme\{DeepBlue\}}
\end{enumerate}
\end{frame}
}
% Global theme (Kraft) resumes here automatically.
% =====================================================================
\section{Blocks}
% =====================================================================
\subsection{Standard Blocks}
\begin{frame}{Standard Block}
\begin{block}{Observation}
Standard blocks use the primary theme colour for the pip
and title. The background matches the slide.
\end{block}
\begin{block}{With a List Inside}
\begin{itemize}
\item Bullets inherit the theme colour
\item Indentation and spacing are consistent
\end{itemize}
\end{block}
\end{frame}
\subsection{Alert and Example Blocks}
\begin{frame}{Alert and Example Blocks — Kraft theme}
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{block}{Note}
Standard blocks use the primary theme colour for the pip
and title. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam,
quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.
\end{block}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{alertblock}{Warning}
Alert blocks use amber.
\begin{itemize}
\item Bullets match the alert colour
\item Background is a warm tint
\end{itemize}
\end{alertblock}
\begin{exampleblock}{Illustration}
Example blocks use sage.
\begin{itemize}
\item Bullets match the example colour
\end{itemize}
\end{exampleblock}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
{
\mcmTheme{DeepBlue}
\begin{frame}{Alert and Example Blocks — DeepBlue theme}
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{block}{Note}
Standard blocks use the primary theme colour for the pip
and title. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam,
quis nostrud exercitation ullamco.
\end{block}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{alertblock}{Warning}
Alert blocks use pink.
\begin{itemize}
\item Bullets match the alert colour
\item Background is a warm tint
\end{itemize}
\end{alertblock}
\begin{exampleblock}{Illustration}
Example blocks use mint.
\begin{itemize}
\item Bullets match the example colour
\end{itemize}
\end{exampleblock}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
}
% =====================================================================
\section{Typography}
% =====================================================================
\subsection{Text Formatting}
\begin{frame}{Text Formatting}
Regular text uses the body font (Lato by default).
\vspace{0.5em}
\textbf{Bold text} for emphasis. \textit{Italic text} for titles
and foreign terms. \alert{Alerted text} for warnings.
\vspace{0.5em}
Frame titles use the title font (TeX Gyre Heros by default),
rendered in uppercase.
\vspace{0.5em}
Override fonts in your preamble:
\begin{itemize}
\item \texttt{\textbackslash setsansfont\{Font Name\}} — body
\item \texttt{\textbackslash renewfontfamily\textbackslash mcmTitleFont\{Font Name\}} — titles
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
\subsection{Lists}
\begin{frame}{Itemize and Enumerate}
\begin{columns}[T]
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{itemize}
\item First item
\item Second item
\begin{itemize}
\item Nested item
\begin{itemize}
\item Deeper item
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\item Third item
\end{itemize}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.48\textwidth}
\begin{enumerate}
\item First item
\item Second item
\begin{enumerate}
\item Nested item
\end{enumerate}
\item Third item
\end{enumerate}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}
% =====================================================================
\section{Customisation}
% =====================================================================
\begin{frame}{Adjustable Parameters}
\begin{block}{Lengths}
\begin{itemize}
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmFrameTitleLeft} — frame title left padding
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmBlockTitleIndent} — block title indent
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmTitleWordSpacing} — title page word spacing
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmFooterHeight} — title page footer height
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmLogoVOffset} — logo vertical offset
\end{itemize}
\end{block}
\begin{block}{Toggles}
\begin{itemize}
\item \texttt{\textbackslash mcmTitleUppercasefalse} — disable uppercase titles
\end{itemize}
\end{block}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}{Customisation Examples}
\begin{block}{Wider frame title left padding (default: 0.35cm)}
\texttt{\textbackslash setlength\{\textbackslash mcmFrameTitleLeft\}\{1.2cm\}}\\
{\small Pushes the frame title text further from the left edge.}
\end{block}
\begin{block}{Larger title page footer (default: 5em)}
\texttt{\textbackslash setlength\{\textbackslash mcmFooterHeight\}\{7em\}}\\
{\small Gives more room to the scan-line / logo area at the bottom.}
\end{block}
\begin{block}{Raise the logo (default: 0cm)}
\texttt{\textbackslash setlength\{\textbackslash mcmLogoVOffset\}\{0.4cm\}}\\
{\small Shifts the logo upward within the footer strip.}
\end{block}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}{Customisation Examples (cont.)}
\begin{block}{Extra word spacing on the title (default: 0.5em)}
\texttt{\textbackslash setlength\{\textbackslash mcmTitleWordSpacing\}\{1.2em\}}\\
{\small Spreads words on the title page for a more open feel.}
\end{block}
\begin{block}{Disable uppercase frame titles}
\texttt{\textbackslash mcmTitleUppercasefalse}\\
{\small Titles are rendered as typed, without \texttt{\textbackslash MakeUppercase}.}
\end{block}
\begin{block}{Override body and title fonts}
\texttt{\textbackslash setsansfont\{Source Sans 3\}}\\
\texttt{\textbackslash renewfontfamily\textbackslash mcmTitleFont\{Futura\}}\\
{\small Place these after \texttt{\textbackslash usepackage\{beamerthememidcenturymodern\}}.}
\end{block}
\end{frame}
% =====================================================================
\section{Bibliography management}
% =====================================================================
\begin{frame}{The history of mid-century modern}
Mid-century modern (MCM) is a design movement that flourished
roughly from 1945 to 1970, rooted in the Bauhaus principles of
clean lines, geometric forms, and functionality over ornament
\parencite{wikipedia2024}. The term itself was coined by
Cara Greenberg in her 1984 book on 1950s furniture
\parencite{greenberg1984}. In graphic design, these ideals were
systematised through grid-based composition
\parencite{müller-brockmann1981} and refined typographic practice
\parencite{bringhurst2004}.
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}[allowframebreaks]{References}
\printbibliography[heading=none]
\end{frame}
% =====================================================================
% CLOSING SLIDE
% =====================================================================
{\setbeamercolor{normal text}{fg=mcmPrimaryFg,bg=mcmAlert!70}
\begin{frame}[plain,noframenumbering]
\begin{center}
\Large
Closing slide\\
Any question?
\end{center}
\end{frame}
}
% =====================================================================
% BACKUP SLIDES
% =====================================================================
\appendix
\begin{frame}[plain,noframenumbering]{}
\centering
Your backup slides here
\vspace{2em}
\begin{block}{Design Movement Timeline}
\vspace{1em}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x=2.2cm, y=1cm]
% Scale: 5 units = 51 years (1919-1970), so 1 year = 5/51 units
% 1919=0, 1925=0.588, 1933=1.373, 1945=2.549, 1955=3.529, 1965=4.510, 1970=5
% Axis
\draw[mcmPrimary, line width=1pt] (0,0) -- (5.2,0);
% Ticks and labels
\foreach \x/\lbl in {0/1919, 0.588/1925, 1.373/1933, 2.549/1945, 3.529/1955, 4.510/1965, 5/1970}{
\draw[mcmPrimary, line width=0.8pt] (\x, 0.12) -- (\x, -0.12);
\node[below, font=\small, text=mcmPrimary] at (\x, -0.15) {\lbl};
}
% Bauhaus bar (1919-1933) — bottom row
\fill[mcmPrimaryAccent] (0, 0.35) rectangle (1.373, 0.75);
\node[right, font=\footnotesize\bfseries, text=mcmPrimary] at (0.05, 0.55)
{Bauhaus};
% MCM bar (1945-1970) — bottom row, same as Bauhaus
\fill[mcmPrimary!70] (2.549, 0.35) rectangle (5, 0.75);
\node[right, font=\footnotesize\bfseries, text=mcmBg] at (2.60, 0.55)
{Mid-Century Modern};
% International Style bar (1925-1965) — top row
\fill[mcmPrimaryMuted] (0.588, 1.0) rectangle (4.510, 1.4);
\node[right, font=\footnotesize\bfseries, text=mcmPrimary] at (0.64, 1.2)
{International Style};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{block}
\end{frame}
\end{document}