Mid Mod Remodel

The modern mid-century dream kitchen isn’t the kitchen that Lucy Arnez or Donna Reed or Carol Brady had. It also isn’t the kitchen you might find in vintage kitchen ads. And it certainly isn’t the kitchen you’ll find in most builder grade ranches.  So what exactly is it then? In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why you are the most important design element of your dream kitchen.  The (very f...

Aspirational mid-century kitchens influenced the kitchens we live in and love today. The kitchens that served as backdrops for our favorite mid-century TV families often included features missing for the builder basic kitchens of the time (and still missing in many of our ranches!).  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: When the kitchen shifted from work zone to social space.  All about featu...

Want the most reliably biased remodeling advice around? Head for HGTV. In fact, pick up or turn on any mainstream piece of home and garden media. Now, try to separate expert advice from paid content. What you’ll find is a strong push toward well funded trends that dominate the industry. Certain elements seem to make it into every renovation. Think gas stoves, stainless steel finishes, professional...

This season, I'm pushing back on the default remodeling advice that we all encounter on television and in online magazines, see manifested in big box home improvement stores and hear echoed in the mouths of run-of-the-mill general contractors.  But you know I'm not about negativity!  Instead, you are going to get all the positive, encouraging, actionable advice to help you make timeless...

If you've been following along this month you know the four cornerstones of a great Mid Mod design ... but how do you make sure that you're going to bake them into your own home and plans?  Before you start calling contractors and deciding what to do first ... I want you to hit pause for just a moment.   The best way to make the most of your mid-century remodel is to use the Master Plan...

When we think about gorgeous mid-century homes, many of us picture a glass wall separating the living room from a patio and lush backyard. Or a sunken living room that flows from the formal entry. Glass. Open spaces with exposed structure. Screens that allow a peek through to the next space. Stone that seems to continue seamlessly from the exterior through to the central fireplace.   This amazing...

Your material and finish choices can make or break a mid mod remodel. Choose correctly and you'll enhance your home with lovely, long-lasting materials that feel period-appropriate and yet somehow timeless…and don't break your budget.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: When to save original materials.  How to combine mid-century and modern materials in your remodel.  The secret t...

You'll find simple shapes everywhere in a mid-mod design - from the basic triangle of a gable roof  to the gentle curve of a kidney shaped swimming pool. The simple playful shapes of mid-century design put the focus back on the materials they're made from and the overall balance (the asymmetry) of the design.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why simple shapes became possible in...

Asymmetry, in a nutshell, is about balance...instead of matching.  In previous eras, impressive home design showed its classiness with repeating, matching elements along a central line. These elements feel formal, weighty and grand.    The mid-century aesthetic challenged this formality. Mid-century design is about being off-center and less structured, but still balanced.  In Today's Episode...

Let’s talk about a revelation I recently had about planning  your remodel - the importance of the cycles in your life as you tailor your home to match your lifestyle. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why laundry may be the best allegory for cycles of life.  How to plan for now and also make great choices for future you.  And why catering to the messy, chaos-ridden parts of your life might...

This episode originally aired on December 8, 2022.  I want you to use your holiday prep time to plan your remodel.  Okay, Before you tell me, Della, that's crazy. The holidays are when I'm busiest. I can't be picking out tiles and solving problems and calling contractors during this period. You're right. Of course you can't. You know me. I wouldn't ask you to make you...

In the chat you've all been waiting for...Susan Halla of Make It Mid-Century and Della dish on mid-century design.  Listen in as the creator of the Master Plan Method meets the creator of Sparkle Lam to talk about architecture, how to listen to your house and why you should NEVER paint your brick. It's a meeting of similar, mid-century loving minds full of great advice, retro and modern...

I know 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. So, how do you get your remodel on track once it feels off?  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: When the fluff...

Think your remodeling timeline is too tight for a master plan? Think again! You can get (most of) the benefits of a master plan in just 30 days of planning.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why some things are worth half-assing.  The one thing that is sure to slow you down…and fast! Why you don’t have to pick no planning or all the planning.  Get the full show notes with all the trimming...

Last week I dove deep 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.  In Today's Episode You'll Learn: All about some scary stuff that could be hiding in you mid-century charmer! The history of an (almost) undetectable ba...

Let's celebrate spooky season with a pair of episodes covering some common mid-century house hazards to be aware of.  Part one? Lead paint and other panic-producing paint by products...vile VOC's. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: All about the USA’s weird relationship with lead.  When to worry about the potential for lead exposure. How to stay calm and remodel on SAFELY if you f...

So, you are ready to kick off your remodel. (are you, though?)  The last big question (is it, though?)...how to find an experienced, qualified mid-century contractor.  Don't worry! In Today's Episode You'll Hear: What makes for a great mid-century contractor.  How to find the best contractor for you! The secret to making sure your contractor keeps mid-century in mind.   Get the full...

Are you preoccupied with space? Obsessing about vast expanses and endless horizons?  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.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: How to decide if an addition...

Did you know that average cost to hire a residential architect to design a remodel is $47,000.  Isn’t that crazy? I used to work on projects with price tags just like that and … now I don’t.  But I do still believe that design makes all the difference!  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: A summary of the “usual” residential architecture process. Which pieces of this process are must haves f...

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. So how 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!  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why gutte...

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 t...

I bet you can’t wait to tuck into your new banquette with your morning coffee or to slip into your Onsen tub…once your remodel is finished.  But I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to wait until everything is finished to enjoy your remodel. You can enjoy every phase of your remodel, from planning to leading to living in your finished home!  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: The Remode...

Basements are the best. Bonus space for creating cozy guest suites, great game rooms or awesome home offices without the expense of an addition right under your feet. So, if you’re lucky enough to have a basement go ahead and make the most of it! In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Strategies for maximizing natural light, even if you don’t have a walkout.  How to reimagine layout and flow do...

This best of episode is essential listenting! You need a masterplan approach to be able to a) get started in the first place , b) keep going with a minimum of unpleasant expensive surprises and c) end up with a home that looks and works the way you want and need it to.  Making changes to your home’s layout and flow is how you make sure it is going to work the way you want. The style guide is the l...

Are you hoping to make your remodel more expensive? I bet you aren't.  But so.many.people make the same remodel planning mistakes that are pretty much guaranteed to make your remodel more expensive than it needs to be! Plus they won’t add any value to the remodeling process, the life you'll lead in the house when it's done, or how much you like the look of your finished project. In...