midcentury style Archives - MidMod Midwest

Steal Your Mid-Century Style (Part 2/4)

17 min readThere is a right way to steal mid century style ideas. And today we’re planning the perfect mid mod style heist!

Let’s talk the right way to steal mid-century style ideas. Believe it or not there is actually a right way and a wrong way to find your mid mod home improvement inspiration.

Done right, you can light up your mind with great ideas and connect with mid-century homeowners who have walked the path you’re on to find out what they learned.

But done wrong, your search for ideas can lead you into overwhelm, or worse…terminal house envy.

Modern Mudroom Updates for Mid-Century Homes

19 min readMost mid century homes lack a modern mudroom…or any practical dedicated entry/exit space designed to catch those things that belong to the outside edge of your life.
Fortunately, solving this problem doesn’t have to be that complicated!

Is your mid century home missing a modern mudroom … or any practical dedicated entry/exit space designed to catch those things that belong to the outside edge of your life?

If you are wishing for a little more storage at your doors … you’re not alone!

The typical mid century ranch house in the Midwest and the typical Eichler-style semi-custom home in the west are similar in that you come and to through the front door … right into the living area.

There is typically no more storage than a coat closet; a little two foot wide swing door framed closet that has a hanging rack and a single shelf.

Where did those original mid century moderns keep their outside things?

Become Your Home’s Historian – Atom Stevens

23 min readDella’s continued conversation with Atom Stevens, Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate, about how to become your own home’s historian.

This week, Atom Stevens, Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate, tells Mid Mod Remodel how to become your own home’s historian.

Becoming the expert in your own home can mean a lot of different things. It might be rattling off the square footage of your roof to a potential contract or on a call without thinking. It might be having handy access to documents about the repair and maintenance of your furnace or water heater. Or it might just mean knowing some interesting history of who built your home and why they made some of their choices.

All of this information – from dimensions on a floorplan sketch to archival advertising of your home’s builder – falls into the category of Home Improvement Planning I call “discovery”.

And while it might not seem like your most pressing concern, when you’re trying to pick out backsplash tile, or nail down contractor beds, it has a purpose. The more you know about your home, the more you are empowered to make confident and correct for you choices.

Cliff May Homes – Interview with Atom Stevens

25 min readDella chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.

When Atom Stevens bought his house in Harvey Park, he had no idea it would lead him on a journey to becoming a Cliff May historian and an advocate for mid-century preservation. But the more he learned about his home in the Harvey Park Neighborhood, the more he realized he was on to something AMAZING.

Cliff May was a home builder and designer who became nationally known as a home designer and builder for the rich and famous. He also wanted to bring his ideas to the masses, and began by co-creating a modular, pre-fabricated, low-cost home-building system with architect Chris Choate.

The Cliff May Homes were built by Burns Construction, under license, and are the only pre-fabricated houses in Harvey Park. Panelized house parts were pre-assembled off site, flat-packed, and brought in by truck to be tilted-up onto foundations that had already been poured. Panels would have already had siding installed, so the houses were designed to be constructed very quickly. Cliff May and architect Chris Choate are the designers of this home-building system, the houses of which have been re-discovered in various cities throughout the western U.S. in recent years. Although a great majority of them are in California, Harvey Park is home to the largest and best-preserved single tract outside of California. Cliff May prefabs can also be found in Las Vegas, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Tacoma, Eugene, and even Flint, Michigan. Recognizing the historical significance of these houses, Cliff May residents are in the early stages of assembling an application to protect the Cliff May Homes as a historic district.

Micro-masterplan Your Way to Your Perfect Kitchen

12 min readMy master plan process was created as a path to managing a full house remodel, but you can still use the five D’s develop to micro-masterplan any space.

A masterplan might sound like something you use for a BIG home improvement project. That’s true. But it is also something you can use at ANY Scale. Today let’s talk about how to micro-masterplan any thing in your home!

My master plan process was created as a path to managing a full house (or at least very significant) remodel. You begin by dreaming about your ideal home and the life you envision in it and move through each step until you have a full vision for your home.

The five steps follow in order and you are able to plan until you feel ready to tackle your renovation.

Sounds just like real life, right? Nope.

The Lazy Genius Kitchen

13 min readI’ve talked about Kendra Adachi’s Lazy Genius philosophy before and this week we’re joining her in the kitchen. You can start lazy genuising your kitchen as you plan your update!

In her fantastic new book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, Kendra Adachi lays out a system for creating a kitchen that has and does everything you need. The lazy genius kitchen isn’t really a book about remodeling. Nor is it explicitly a cookbook or an organizing book or a lifestyle guide. It’s some of all of those things. And, perhaps, it’s better than any of them could be on their own.

Adachi’s advice is to think about the way you want to live in your home. And if you know me at all, you know this is absolutely where I believe every project in architecture should begin. So, let’s talk about how you can be a lazy genius about your kitchen update. And create the kitchen that’s perfect for YOU.

the Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi on a yellow background

Mid Mod Kitchen Update Essentials

16 min readThere are five Mid Mod Kitchen Update Essentials. These design elements are key to creating a fabulous and functional kitchen regardless of style, but are extra important when updating a mid century kitchen.

The five Mid Mod Kitchen Update Essentials are key to creating a fabulous and functional kitchen regardless of style, but are extra important when updating a mid century kitchen.

The kitchen is the heart of nearly all mid-century updates.

Best Of Mid Mod Remodel: Why You Need a Design Before You Make a Budget

11 min readWhy you should design your remodel before you set the budget. You’ll love the results more … and it might even save you money!

This week’s episode is a classic from the Mid Mod Remodel archive. You can find the original episode and resources at www.midmod-midwest.com/604.

The common wisdom is that you should save up money for a remodel and then plan one that fits your budget.

I want to pitch an alternate plan. It can be better to let the design drive the budget, rather than the other way around. Let’s talk about diving into your master plan before you decide what your home update should cost.

What You Can Decide in an Hour

14 min readIn just one hour you really can make big or small decisions that put your remodel on the path for success.

In just one hour you really can make big or small decisions that put your remodel on the path for success.

Taking a whole remodel from start to finish is a big undertaking. Just planning to start your remodel sometimes feels like it’s taking forever…and it really can be a black hole that seems to absorb as much time and energy as you have to put into it. However, it is possible to set yourself up for bursts of decision-making that shift the momentum in your process.

Taking time to mull has its value. Doing your research is important. BUT, if you’re feeling stuck in analysis paralysis, today’s episode is for you. It’s all about what you can decide for your remodel in an hour.

Interview with Adrian Kinney: Why MCM Homes “Live so Well.”

37 min readDella chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, designer and advocate Adrian Kinney on what he’s learned restoring SEVEN Cliff May homes and helping match mcm homeowners to so many more.

Today’s podcast is a chat with Denver Area mid-century Realtor, designer and advocate Adrian Kinney on what he’s learned restoring SEVEN Cliff May Homes and helping match mcm homeowners to so many more.

Adrian shares his mcm origin story, all the deets on his favorite projects and some surprising insights from a decade of mcm remodeling.

Listen along as as two true mid-century super fans dish about the value of design, detail the features that make mid century homes a great fit for modern lives, and get real about square footage. Adrian also shares insights about a hot housing market and why today’s pickier buyers are excited about mid century homes (hint: they want to make sure they are buying something that is worth the $$$).