Mid Mod Remodel

Any Pinterest or web search on “mid-century kitchen” is going to yield a plethora of open plan kitchens featuring a central island. But as we learned a couple of weeks ago from friend of the pod (and mid-century houses everywhere), Atom Stevens, a mid-century kitchen is a room with four walls. So where did this “open mid-century kitchen” myth come from? I’m wrapping up our kitchen season with a de...

Do you ever find yourself wishing that someone would just tell you the right choice for every finish in your remodel? Between the tile, the fixtures, and the endless cabinet options, the sheer volume of decisions is EXHAUSTING. I tell my clients that there isn't one "right" answer. I tell my students that there isn’t one “right answer.  Because your perfect mid-century update depend...

Does your garbage disposal give you a thrill? Maybe you take it for granted. But you know who did not? The folks writing ad copy to sell our grandparents their new build mid-century homes. That's just one weird, wonderful detail that came up in my kitchen conversation with Atom Stevens.  Atom is a Mid Mod Remodel regular and real estate agent who specializes in mid-century and modern homes in...

What’s a mid mod remodeler with a small kitchen to do? If you’re living in a home built in the early part of the era—or even a more "generous" late-60s ranch—you’ve likely realized that mid-century kitchens were designed for a different way of living.  But you don't always have to knock down walls or build a massive addition to find relief. In Today's Episode You'll Hear:...

Join me on a journey through kitchen trend trends over the last 30 years, from the classic maximalist Nancy Meyers kitchen of yesteryear to the sleek, modern minimalism of today’s invisible kitchen.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Which kitchen trends we’re seeing right now.   What pop culture kitchen are saying about culture.  How (or if) trends might fit into your mid-century kitchen....

Kitchen design is a hands-on endeavor.  That's why my friend mid-century Kitchen Designer Aletha VanderMaas takes every one of her clients on a field trip as part of her design process. And while my virtual process doesn't allow for IRL shopping trips, I encourage every client to collect physical samples and "meet" their finishes before choosing them.  In Today's Episode Y...

Do you need a better kitchen work triangle? Maybe…or maybe it's completely wrong for you and already the cause of your problems. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: How the kitchen work triangle became a thing.  Why it could be the source of your kitchen flow woes.  When a traditional kitchen work triangle might just solve your problems.  Get the full show notes with all the trimmings a...

Spring is officially here, so you should be getting outside and right down to it with some yard tune ups!  Or, no, maybe you should not?  Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio is going to walk us through what should happen when for a Midwestern landscape. And this news, as always, is what I can personally use. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why you should let nature guide your spring gar...

If you adore the yards that get featured on the cover of atomic Ranch, but you don't live in Palm Springs, are you just out of luck?  No, you can still have striking plant structures and beautifully composed outdoor spaces. Listen to my most recent conversation with Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio for some great strategies.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why Jim doesn’t gener...

If you are not already a huge fan of the Instagram account, Homes with Max, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you've been doing your algorithm wrong. Let's fix it.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Which house(s) Max loves most. Why wall to wall carpet is going to make a comeback. How to find and tour great time capsule homes.  Get the full show notes with all the tr...

Planning the right update for a mid-century bathroom is about space planning and the right product picks, sure. But it's also about your lifestyle, your morning routine and your five-year plan.  So let's talk through some of the most pressing issues you can nail down to create a good mid-century bath update for you and for your house and for your style.  In Today's Episode You'...

As a designer, it's so hard to pick a favorite project, but one I'm talking about today has certainly got to be at the top of my list. I recently covered this house on the YouTube channel, because it's a perfect case study of getting the 90s out of a perfectly nice mid-century home. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why a master plan was the right choice for Michelle.   How...

Are you familiar with Kerf Design kitchens or bathrooms or wall mounted shelving units? If you've ever been on mid-century Pinterest, the odds are that you are. And if not, close your eyes and imagine the world's most elegant and simple, yet playful modern plywood box built-ins. To quote Kerf’s website, “Good joints should be admired. Construction should be simple and honest. We tinker,...

A bit about me.  I love answering questions and I truly don’t mind answering the same questions a bunch of times. BUT I’d much rather talk about your mid-century house. And your life. And your hopes for your remodel. I hate going into a conversation about a significant purchase without enough information to feel prepared.  And I suspect many of you are like, “Yes. Same.”  This one is for you.   In...

So much of the advice out there about home improvements is focused on the bottom line, treating your home as a commodity.  And sure, remodeling always has a cost. There are financial factors involved. But I firmly believe that return on investment and resale value are the absolute last things you should be thinking about when you plan a change to your home. Hear me out. In Today's Episode You...

How a master plan can help you plan your remodel depends on your house. And how you want to live in it. But there are some common benefits that I see over and over.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why doing the most won’t always get you the best outcome.  When to dream big in order to right size your choices.  How the process of design can get everyone on the same page.  For Buzzsprout...

You may be already using AI to get input on many areas of your life. And you may feel like the convenience outweigh its many negatives. Maybe. But here on this podcast where we talk about making right choices for your home, let me assure you, you will not get good advice or even peace of mind about your options by asking AI. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why I’m so irked with AI. How A...

The neo-mansard roof is as polarizing as an architectural feature can be. Mansard roofs belong along a street in Paris or maybe on an 80’s vintage Burger King, right? Yet, a slew of mid-century architects seemed to independently decide to give them a try in residential design during our favorite decades. Why, though? Why? Today, I'm talking that over with our favorite mid mod house historian,...

The University Hill Farms neighborhood is one of my favorite parts of my home town and in today’s episode I’ll be your tour guide!  It's on the national historic register and boasts a concentration of great mid-century including one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. And, while I love the homes, there are a whole bunch of elements that make the neighborhood great.  In Today's Episode You&ap...

Do you think of your mid-century home as historic? Maybe you don't. After all, MCM stands for mid-century MODERN.  But these houses are all 50 to 75 years old at this point. That's getting up there!  Because of that, I am bringing you a conversation with my favorite expert on caring for historic homes, Scott Sidler, the historic window whisperer. In his opinion, mid-century homes and our...

What makes mid-century furniture so great? And which pieces might you want to hunt down for your house? Whether you are looking for high quality comfort or something to your mid-century cool factor, your dream mid-century furniture piece is out there…no matter your budget.  In Today's Episode You'll Learn: All about some classic MCM pieces.  Where to find originals and licenced reproduct...

Arranging furniture in a mid-century home is about more than just fitting pieces into a room. It’s about creating flow, function, and style. In today's episode you'll learn: Where furniture might solve your layout challenges.  How to use furniture to create inviting spaces. Why (furniture) size matters in your mid-century home.  Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at https://w...

Let's talk mid-century light fixtures. Here’s my best advice on choosing great mid-century light fixtures, identifying classic mid-century lighting designs, and sourcing fixtures from estate sales, vintage shops, and modern reproduction stores. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why lighting is a key element of your style guide.  How to choose the right fixtures for your home and style...

Lighting in a mid-century home was part of personalizing the house. Choosing your lights went along with choosing your furniture or art. Which means there are often few wired in lights in homes built in that era. So, what’s a modern mid-century homeowner to do about lighting? In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why you don’t need all those can lights. Which lighting you need in a given area....

I have to admit being a reluctant provider of gift guides. The “check your inbox”, “must have gift lists” and “buying guides” kind of give me the ick. Especially since we've just been hounded by all of this Black Friday Energy, all of this “buy right now energy”.  Today I'm going to take a slightly different approach to the nature of a gift guide, and I'm going to go out on a limb h...