Blog

It’s Time to Capitalize on Mid-Century Home Restoration

Mid-century homes are those built in the mid-1940s to mid-1960s. Not so long ago, you couldn’t give one of these houses away, but now mid-century home restoration has become all the rage. People have seen the value in mid-century home design.

If you are the owner of one of these houses, incorporating modern living concepts into the restoration of your home will significantly improve its market value. Restored and upgraded homes like these are in huge demand.

Home Design Features

Home design during this period included the following key elements and principles:

• Integration with the outdoors. Multiple outdoor views and access points to the home highlighted the trend for an appreciation of nature and healthy living.
• Geometric lines. The lines of the house were straight and regular and many of the homes had flat roofs.
• Lots of glass. Large glass windows and sliding doors were popular. They let in as much natural light as possible and increased the visual connection with the outdoors.
• Progression from privacy to transparency. Houses were designed with private entryways and solid front doors. Once you entered the home, it opened up into spacious living areas.
• Functional bedrooms. The bedrooms were designed to be just that and not individual recreation rooms. The family was encouraged to spend time together in lounges and dining areas.
• Varied elevation. Homes were often built on split levels. They also incorporated partial walls, cabinets or screens to define a particular living area without losing the sense of space and openness.
• Colors. Neutral colors, mainly white and off-whites, were used for walls and ceilings to accentuate the clean lines of the overall design.
• Drapes. Drapery was minimalistic and muted so as not to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor.
• Lighting. Light fixtures were practical like stem lamps and pendant lights. Chandeliers were seen as too ornate.
• Front door. Homes were designed to have signature front doors which included artworks or geometric shapes in the exterior of the door.
• Wide brick fireplaces. These were a feature of almost all mid-century homes, although they have since fallen into disfavor.

Your Mid-Century Home Restoration

You should be looking to restore your home by holding true to the design concepts of that period. However, it makes perfect sense to incorporate modern features like en-suite bathrooms, latest kitchen designs, updated wiring and cabling for today’s communications, new air ducts or a heat pump, and so on.
Even the furniture that was popular during that time, with its functional design and clean lines, is back in demand. It blends in well with modern pieces and trends, so don’t be afraid to bring either replicas or authentic items into your home.

Are you excited to take advantage of this opportunity? I certainly would be if I were the owner of one of these homes. However, the prospect of tackling a mid-century home restoration might seem daunting. You would be well advised to call in some home remodeling experts. They are up to date with all the latest ideas and trends and can offer you a turnkey solution for the design and restoration of your home.

“Romney Tripp started construction in 1977 and formed RWT Design & Construction in 1992, eventually setting up the shop in Burbank. From the mid 1980’s Romney has been working on building recording studios as well as…” Read more.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to RWT Design & Construction.