the midcentury ranch for a new generation
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.Â
Continue reading “Mid-Century Design Cornerstones: Mix of Materials”16 min readUsing simple modern shapes is just one of the Cornerstones of great Mid Mod design.
The simple, playful shapes of Mid-Century design put the focus back on the materials they are made from and the overall balance of the design.Â
Spot these simple shapes from small to large in a great (or even an every day) mid mod design. They show up everywhere. From the basic triangle of the gable or flat roof to the gentle curve of a kidney shaped swimming pool.
Continue reading “Mid-Century Design Cornerstones: Simple Shapes”15 min readAsymmetry is one of the cornerstones of mid mod design. Learn how to use these cornerstones to keep the mid mod in your mid-century remodel.
Asymmetry, in a nutshell, is all about balance rather than matching.
Mid-century houses show off their design chops – their jauntiness their specialness – with well balanced asymmetry. And even a basic mid-century builder-grade ranch like the one I live in can still have fun design features that come from the way its spaces are organized horizontally and asymmetrically
Continue reading “Mid-Century Design Cornerstones: Asymmetry”31 min readIt’s a meeting of the mid-century minds! Listen in as Della and Susan Halla (of Make It Mid-Century) talk remodeling, sparkles and holiday specials.
In the chat you’ve all been waiting for…Susan Halla of Make It Mid-Century and Della dish on mid-century design.
Continue reading “A Very Mid-Century Holiday Chat with Make It Mid-Century”17 min readHow do you get your remodel on track once it feels off?Â
Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you need to get your remodel on track?
You’ve been daydreaming about your perfect mid-century remodel for months (years?), but somehow reality just hasn’t caught up to your Pinterest board.
Sometimes it can feel like your remodel planning has gone completely off the rails. Or at least dropped off your radar.
Fear not, my friend, because you are not behind in your home improvement plans. Your remodel is on track. I repeat, you are not behind. You are doing great! I’m going to prove it to you!
Continue reading “Get Your Remodel on Track”14 min readMaster plan in a month to get (most of) the benefits of a master plan in just 30 days.
Many people go from deciding to remodel to wanting to make their plans into a reality as quickly as possible. And that can happen for a lot of very normal reasons.
Perhaps you have just pulled the trigger on your own decision tree. Perhaps you’ve just found your dream house and you want to update it quickly before moving in. Maybe some necessary maintenance is moving your remodel along more quickly than planned.
For all the folks out there who are in a rush to get to construction, I’m going to give you some very from the heart advice, it might seem like the easiest and best thing to do is just pick up the phone and start calling contractors. But a stitch in time saves nine. And just a small amount of planning done the right way is going to save you so much trouble expense and time in the long run.Â
I hear from so many people who believe that a they don’t have enough time to devote to a deep dive into the Master Plan Method. Or don’t have the resources to work with Mid Mod Midwest.
Is this you? If it is, here’s some really good news. Remodel planning is not an either/or proposition. Some planning is better than no planning. And whatever planning you can do is going to vastly improve your remodeling experience. So … Here’s the system!
Continue reading “Master Plan in a Month”22 min readI recently made a deep dive into risks related to lead lurking in your mid-century home and talked a bit about vile VOC’s off-gassing into the air. This week I’m exploring other common hazards that you may come across in your mid century home.
Let’s explore some common hazards that you may come across in your mid century home. This is part two of a series. To learn more about lead and VOCs in your paint … check out this post. Here we are going to discuss the asbestos, radon, and mold you might find lurking around your home! Plus, what to do next if you find some!
Like lead and VOC’s, these materials aren’t specific to mid-century homes. They may be present in modern homes and in homes built before the mid-century, so this info is actually important for anyone taking on a home remodel! Let’s get into it!
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil. It’s got some good properties. It’s a good insulator and it’s fire resistant.
It also has the potential to release fibers that can increase your risk of lung disease or cancer.
Unfortunately, back in the mid-century era, people were far more aware of the former the good qualities than the latter. And they used asbestos in a bunch of places around their spiffy new homes.
Continue reading “Common Household Hazards -Asbestos, Radon and Mold…Oh My!”21 min readMid-century homes were built for additions. Their sturdy construction, simple roof lines and single story setup make adding on easy.
Do you just need a little more room? Or maybe just another little room?
Mid-century homes are often the right size for modern living. Until they aren’t.
An addition may be just what you need to fit your modern life into you mid-century home!
And I have great news! Mid-century homes were designed with expansion in mind. Back then, homeowners started with simple, snug spaces expecting to add on as their families and incomes expanded.  If you’ve been considering an addition, you’re in good company…and it might be easier than you think.
Continue reading “Your Mid-Century Home was Built for an Addition”19 min readHow can you plan an upgrade for your house that will keep it out of the landfill for as long as possible? I’m so glad you asked!
Do you ever think of your home as destined for the landfill?
This is dark, I know. But all things are…eventually. Every part and piece of your home has a useful life, a finite number of years to serve as a dwelling.
Sure, some buildings have lasted for ages and across the globe there are numerous examples of structures standing the test of time. These structures are often constructed of naturally occurring local materials and designed to function well in their climate without too much mechanical intervention.
Buildings are where humans spend the vast majority of our time and are, rightly, a place we invest an incredible amount of resources.  And so it makes sense to help each building out of the landfill for as long as we can. At least, that’s what I believe and that’s one of my primary goals for Mid Mod Midwest. Some days I think of my job mostly as postponing each mid-century home’s trip to the dump for as long as I can.
Continue reading “Keep Your Remodel Out of the Landfill”How did I become so invested in empowering women to be strong leaders in their own home improvement projects?
As a young female architect, I’ve faced skepticism and dismissal from male colleagues and contractors throughout my career. But over many years and many projects I’ve learned to push back confidently and achieve the results I believe in. Not everyone has the luxury of building this confidence over time, especially women homeowners who may only go through one or two remodels in their lifetime.
I created the Master Plan method as a direct response to my experience in residential architecture.
Continue reading “Remodels By, For and With Women”
