bathroom Archives - MidMod Midwest

Mid-Century Bath Design Basics

21 min read Make the most of your bathroom remodel with these essential mid-century bath design concepts. Get just the mcm style you’re going for, whether you are upgrading, backdating or starting from scratch.

Most mid-century bathrooms are pretty modest by modern standards. They tend to be small and there often are too few of them in the house. Upgrading or restoring the mid-century charm in a bathroom while making it work better is one of the most consistent requests from both design clients and Ready to Remodel students.

So, how can you give yourself a serious bathroom upgrade while remaining true to the mcm feel of you home? The right choices for you are going to depend on your family and your taste and the home you’re working with.

The perfect first project is a small bath remodel

16 min read If you are stuck in neutral on your remodel, the best way kickstart the work is to find a perfect first project. Piece of cake, right? Right!

My DM’s are full of tales of remodeling overwhelm and woe from mid-century homeowners who just don’t know where to begin. Overwhelm is not just for folks mid-remodel! We get to experience the doubts, the decision paralysis, the budget blues all along the remodeling journey. Including before construction actually starts. The best way I know to kickstart the work is to find a perfect first project.

I hear you out there yelling, “Della! I don’t know which project is the perfect first project!!! If I knew, I’d start already.”

I have good news for you. I know exactly which project is your perfect first project. In fact, it’s the perfect first project for almost any remodeler.

The Owners’ Suite: A Brief History and Foolproof Advice

19 min read An owners’ suite has become a must have in modern homes, but less than a generation ago almost half of homes were still without indoor plumbing. So how did our bathroom expectations change so drastically in such a short time? And more importantly, how the heck do you fit an owners’ suite into a modest mid-century ranch?

Does the primary bed/bed configuration – the owners’ suite – in your mid-century home leave a lot to be desired? Maybe you a have a glorified powder bath tucked in next to your bedroom through a pocket door. Perhaps your ranch has one bath for you, the family, and any dinner guests who use the main floor!

If you wish for a little more from your bed and bath configuration … You’re not alone!!

The Power of Sketches

22 min read Sketching is the most important visual thinking tool you can use to plan your remodel. Sketches help you generate ideas quickly, explore alternatives without risk and avoid getting bogged down in the details too soon. And YOU CAN sketch…even if you have kindergarten-level drawing skills.

Sketching is the most important visual thinking tool you can use to plan your remodel. Sketches help you generate ideas quickly, explore alternatives without risk and avoid getting bogged down in the details too soon. And YOU CAN Sketch…even if you have kindergarten-level drawing skills.

Now when you think about a drawing that’s related to your remodel plan you are probably thinking of a blueprint. If you are, there are two things you need to know. One, blueprints haven’t been blue since, oh, before I went to design school. And two, they are the least interesting drawings in your remodel.

They also take months, years or even decades to complete depending on the complexity of the project. A sketch can be done in moments. It’s simple and yet surprisingly effective and evocative.

And here’s why. It’s not just less, it’s centralized. It shows the details that matter and only the details that matter. A sketch is precise to the level that you create it with no expectation of accuracy. It allows us to talk about the shapes and forms of things, the overall relation of length and width.

Taking baths from squished to spacious

Here’s what we were dealing with: a mid-mod cutie that was doing double (and at times triple!) duty for a busy family. Adjusting the layout to function for family time, school and work – all happening at home – was the top priority.

This 1960 house came with a some awkward space allocations, but enough square footage to meet all the needs of a young family. The house had great curb appeal and outdoor areas. Inside, homeschool space, work space, and hang out space were must haves. Plus they really needed a better bedroom and bathroom configuration to take the pressure off during high demand times of day.

Our goal was to provide options to rework the bathrooms for better busy times like teeth brushing and bath time. The existing bedrooms were functional, but lacking in storage. We proposed several ways to borrow space from nearby rooms to improve bathroom function and provide options for expanded spaces, as well as add ample and accessible storage in multiple areas.

Our Spacious (Feeling) Solutions

Our three schemes allow the family more and less private options. plus space trade-offs. We proposed several ways to reconfigure storage and the hallway to make a both better owners’ bath and super second bathroom. Built-ins allow for additional storage within a smaller space saving footprint.