Podcast Archives - MidMod Midwest

Your Flexible, FEEL GOOD Remodel Plan

29 min readA flexible remodel plan is key if you want a “feel good remodel.” Taking the time to set a big picture vision gives you a starting point to edit and pays off in enjoyment at every stage: before, during and after.

Let’s talk about how to plan a feel good remodel. Look, I’ll bet you want a mid mod remodel that looks good. Everyone does. Me, too!

It’s pretty doable. There are plenty of remodels out there that look shiny and special when they are done. You don’t necessarily need the master plan method to get a good looking remodel. There are other ways to make that happen.

And some (but not all) of those good looking remodels will actually work well, too. They’ll make the lives of the people they’re for better, more connected, more comfortable, easier.

So, if you’re smart, you want a remodel that will feel good to live in when it’s all done. The master plan process can help you get there. That’s a big part of what it’s for!

But making a master plan can also – and this might even matter more in the short term – help you FEEL GOOD about the remodel while it’s happening!

Furniture Placement in Your Mid-Century Home

43 min readArranging furniture in a mid-century home is about more than just fitting pieces into a room. It’s about creating flow, function, and style.

Do you feel like your furniture just isn’t working for your mid-century home?

Your living room feels cramped. Your bedroom layout is awkward. You just don’t love the flow of your home.

As much as we love mid-century homes, they were built in a different time and for people with a different lifestyle than we live today.

Getting to a Plan for Your Remodel

29 min readA clear plan for your remodel is the key to avoiding stress, staying on budget, and making sure your mid-century home updates improve your daily life.

You’ve been dreaming about updating your mid-century home. But you feel overwhelmed about where to start. Let’s explore how to create a clear plan for your remodel—one that helps you move forward with confidence, avoid costly mistakes, and makes your home work better for you.

What you DON’T need to get to a plan

The best part? You don’t need a 50-page architectural set of blueprints and specifications to make a successful change to your home.

What you do need …

Mid-Century Light Fixtures

The details of a remodel add up to the whole design. Choose something too trendy and your home will forever whisper (or yell) “The 2025 Remodel.” So how can you pick Mid-Century Light Fixtures that will keep your remodel timeless? And maybe even turn up the volume on it’s mid mod charm?

Improve Your Mid-Century Kitchen Floor Plan

29 min readHave you ever felt like your kitchen just doesn’t work for your daily life? Maybe you’re constantly bumping into your partner while cooking, or your storage feels disorganized and inefficient.

That’s because many mid-century kitchens were designed with a single cook in mind, not today’s modern households. This week’s episode is all about how to rethink and update your mid-century kitchen floor plan so it better fits your life.

If your kitchen layout feels awkward, you can blame the 1950’s patriarchy. It just wasn’t designed for multiple cooks, entertaining, or modern appliances.

So, how can you start thinking about a better floor plan?

Lighting A Mid-Century Home

37 min readLighting in a mid-century home was part of personalizing the house. Choosing your lights went along with choosing your furniture or art. Which means there are often few wired in lights in homes built in that era. So, what’s a modern mid-century homeowner to do about lighting?

Mid-century homes weren’t built with an excess of wired in and switched light fixtures, and that’s part of their charm! Many of us find our homes a bit too dim for modern living. Fair. But lighting a mid-century home is an art.

Instead of filling every ceiling with recessed can lights (please don’t!), let’s talk about how to layer your lighting for both function and atmosphere.

Questions an architect should ask about you(r house)

29 min readI’m sharing some key questions I ask my all my clients to make sure their remodel reflects their life and priorities.

Understanding your energy, experience, and expectations before you begin planning a remodel can transform your experience and the outcome. Whether you’re planning a small update or a full renovation, asking the right questions—about yourself and your home—can help ensure your remodel is a fit for your house and the life you want to live in it.

The right questions will guide you through matching your energy, experience, and expectations to create a remodel plan that works for you.

Remodeling can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it before. My advice? Match your remodel plan to the energy you have. But how can you know how much energy you actually have available for a remodel, if you’ve never actually planned and led one before? Well … you can ask for help!

The Right Roof Replacement for your Mid-Century house

42 min readWhile there is no one perfect answer to the question: what’s the right roof for a mid-century house … there is a right answer for you. Here’s how to find it!

So it’s time for a roof replacement on your Mid-Century house … OK! What’s the best move. What roofing type is the most authentic? The most long lasting? What color should it be? Do you need to take on sister projects for most efficiency? There usually isn’t just one right answer but let’s talk about your options!

Plan a happy remodel! Match your expectations to your energy.

23 min readThis year, I’m going to encourage you to focus on starting where you are, setting realistic goals, and making progress at your own pace.

Welcome to 2025 and a fresh start for planning your mid-century remodel! Let’s agree to make this year all about matching your energy to your expectations.

This year, I’m going to encourage you to focus on starting where you are, setting realistic goals, and making progress at your own pace.

You’re probably asking, “Della, where is all this tempered enthusiasm coming from?” And given my usual levels of untempered enthusiasm for remodeling, that is a reasonable question. Thanks for asking.

Remodeling Cost Mindset Reset

28 min readLet’s reframe the four financial fallacies that hold most people back from kicking off their remodeling plans.

If you’ve been holding off on home updates because of worries about the remodeling cost, I’m here to shift your mindset.

Let’s tackle the most common budget myths that might be holding you back, and talk about how you can plan a remodel you’ll love with the budget you have.

Any remodeling project comes with costs. And it is often expensive. But often what holds would-be remodelers back are the stories we tell ourselves about money.

Through my conversations with clients and students, I’ve come to believe there are four common financial fallacies that stop people from improving their homes.