Love, your Midcentury Problem Child.
Via Architectural Digest. Design by Bestor Architecture. Photography by Yoshihiro Makino. Styled by Lisa Rowe.
During peak housing frenzy, my husband and I toured a home listed for $375k that had a distinct “murder happened here” quality and no toilets. It was not the “fixer upper” we had hoped. We watched as local listings went for 50k over asking, and friends signed contracts for their homes sight unseen and without proper inspection. Ufff… It all felt uncomfortably chaotic, and needless to say, we feel fortunate to have landed a little midcentury “cream puff”, as our home inspector called it.
While most buyers are delighted to score a midcentury property (See: clean lines, natural materials, and airy floor plans. YES, please!), those same homes often come with their very own ((problem child)). Maybe they “don’t play well with others”. Maybe they trip you up or are waaay too extra. It’s classic "terrible twos” behavior, so let’s talk about those tough to work with features of midcentury design.
Depending on the year your home was built, you might be dealing with:
Wild tile or brick details
A split entry (love to hate ‘em!)
Unique fireplaces and built-ins
Ultra deep exterior eves
Mismatched wood tones
Conversation pits or uneven flooring
Low ceilings
Last fall, I ventured out with Nicole Mueller of Keller Williams Real Estate for the Minneapolis Docomomo Home Tour, in an effort to understand the these flawed beauties, and share our approach for each challenge:
Wild Tile or Brick
I’m firmly a “never no” designer! Anything can work, you just have to make sure the pieces are in harmony. Unique features call for 1 of 2 approaches:
Live with it! - when harmonizing with existing finishes, I take an “all things considered” approach. We can enhance the look of your unique tile or stone by updating the wall color, wallpaper, furniture and decor around it, OR by modifying the finish - think painted or stained brick. The goal is to pull every lever we can to nudge the design in a direction you like. I’ve even used enamel paint to modify simple ceramic tile!
Change it! While this option is generally more expensive, there is ALWAYS an option that feels better than what you have. Updating a bawdy stone or brick can shift the feeling of your home in a direction that’s more in line with your goals - sometimes to modernize, work with a color palette you love, or make it feel more period appropriate. We’ll work with real samples and design renders to help you envision every update.
Split Level Entry
Although split levels create a clean separation of living zones, they complicate the natural flow of a home for homeowners and guests, alike. When you step in - do you go up or down? What do you look at? Where do you set your stuff? Oh, and don’t fall down the steps! Make the most of your split-level layout with intentional design and solid organization. Your entry should have clear places for the stuff of daily life - shoes and coats, a spot to sit while putting shoes on, and a systems that works for unloading groceries. THEN, make sure to include statement pieces that offer visitors a focal point and introduce the style of your home, welcoming them into the main living area. Think statement chandeliers, and art that steals the focus back from the messier bits. (Or find a way to tuck it all away!)
Unique Fireplaces or built-ins
Many times, we highlight these features so they feel like a natural focal point, and add to the character of a home. When that doesn’t work, we find ways to deemphasize them, or modify the surrounding decor to draw the eye away, and onto the features that are more worthy of the spotlight. Sometimes that’s adding a new mantle or filling out the decor to add balance and rhythm.
Ultra deep exterior eves
Deep eves can easily make a home disappear, making your home less welcoming from the curb. While lighter exterior paint works to make a home’s entry more visible, one of my favorite tricks relies on scale. When highlighting a homes entry, “go big or go home”! … or rather, go big, so you know how to get home! Bump up the scale of the landscaping, decor and lighting near your front door to create a clear and welcoming first impression. A little drama never hurts!
Mismatched wood tones
For me, mixed wood tones are a non-issue, and only add to the richness of a home’s design. That being said, I try to make sure that the placement of the wood tones feels intentional and in good company. Make sure that additional wood tones are scattered throughout the room, showing up in the lighting and decor, so it feels well considered and balanced. Purposeful contrast, like lighter white oak, mixed with a deep espresso wood tone, will always feel more intentional that a “close’ish” match.
Conversation pits and uneven floors
Multi-level floor plans can be a big challenge, especially for the younger and older members of a family. The best approach is to ensure each area is clearly designed for its intended audience. If your sunken den is meant for grown-up music listening, make sure that there’s a super accessible space for little littles to play with their toys, so they don’t end up in yours! Even so, sometimes renovation is the best approach to make your home more functional. When considering spatial modifications, we include the appropriate partners, like an engineer or architect to guide your renovation. Or, you can always start small with a custom railing or gate to better define and protect each area.
Low ceilings
Truth be told, 9 foot or even 8 foot ceilings, are manageable, as long as you make sure you notice EVERY. INCH. As a designer, my first instinct is to install floor-to-ceiling curtains on a track (no room for a rod!), adding a soft vertical element that gives the illusions of taller ceilings, then include low-slung furnishings, a massive piece of art, and some much smaller art pieces, to make sure there’s plenty of airy negative space for the eye to rest in.
At the end of the day, your midcentury home has a simple message for you:
“Please love me for who I am! Love, Your Midcentury Problem Child”
If you’re tired of tripping over the details or secretly think your home has un-tapped potential, schedule a call with me, and I’ll help you love the home you’re in. :)
- Bethany & Nicole ✿