materials Archives - MidMod Midwest

Mid-Century vs. Mid Mod with Susan Halla

19 min readWhen I think about perfecting an original mid-century or mid mod home by polishing and upgrading its original details, I think of Susan Halla of Make It Mid-Century.

Today, I’m thrilled to bring you my most recent conversation with Susan Halla from Make It Mid Century. Susan is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge when it comes to period-appropriate choices for your home, whether it’s mid-century modern or mid-century modest.

Mid-Century vs. Mid-Century Modern

We kick off with a bit of myth-busting around the terms “mid-century” and “mid-century modern.” Susan beautifully analogized it to the difference between a square and a rectangle: mid-century modern is mid-century, but not all mid-century is mid-century modern. Think of mid-century as the broader era, spanning roughly from 1945 to 1975, encompassing a variety of styles from faux colonial to streamlined modern. Mid-century modern, on the other hand, is a subset with its own unique flair—think clean lines, large windows, and funky rooflines.

How do I mix the Wright style into my ranch remodel? (Part 2)

23 min readWant to mix Wright’s style into your mid mod remodel? Focus on simple, natural materials and (of course!) the color red.

Lots of mid mod lovers are also big Frank Lloyd Wright fans. And why wouldn’t you be? In the last podcast episode we explored how Wright’s Prairie School and later Usonian homes are cool aunts and uncles to modest mid-century ranch houses.

As you plan your ranch remodel, you can absolutely dip into Wright design ideas. Your house is actually already full of them!

Mid-Century Design Cornerstones: Mix of Materials

20 min readThe right mix of playful modern materials is just one of the Cornerstones of great Mid Mod design.

Your material and finish choices make or break a “mid mod” remodel.

Choose correctly and you enhance your home with lovely, long-lasting materials that feel era-appropriate and yet somehow timeless … and don’t even over strain your budget.

Please, Don’t Paint Your Mid-Century Brick

12 min readThink twice before you paint over your mid-century brick: a short term facelift could damage the character and durability of your home.

Brick has been used as a building material since long before the three little pigs. But mid-century brick is particularly well suited to the ethos of modernist designers: it is humble, honest, tactile and capable of both great simplicity and great variety. Let’s talk about why you should not paint brick, and why you should especially not paint mid-century brick!

There are a number of problems with painting mid-century brick, including aesthetics, technical issues and maintenance headaches.

Note: this was originally posted Feburary 2019. It has been updated and now includes a podcast episode for those who’d rather listen than read!

For more on OTHER mid-century masonry you should not paint, check out this episode: White Paint is NOT the Answer!

Listen Now On Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher

The Secret to (Warm) Success: Insulating behind new Basement Walls

3 min readPart of the reason I decided to entirely tear out the existing “finished basement” was aesthetic: it was incredibly dated with an unpleasant drop ceiling and an unfortunate layout. I could have kept some parts of it however, if it hadn’t been totally un-insulated. I can do SO MUCH BETTER than that.

I did part of this insulation work a couple of weeks ago – to make step one before framing the walls for the new bathroom – and the rest is still on my agenda. I’ll be insulating the south and east walls next. Continue reading “The Secret to (Warm) Success: Insulating behind new Basement Walls”

How to Choose the Right 2x4s for your DIY Wall Building Project

2 min readNot all 2x4s are created equal and when you are taking on a construction project its important to start with a bunch of good ones.

Life is hard enough without dealing with bowed, cupped, or twisted studs. I’m getting ready to start framing the new walls in the basement and I wanted to get the job started well by picking the right lumber for the job. Continue reading “How to Choose the Right 2x4s for your DIY Wall Building Project”