Mid Mod Remodel

If you, like me, LOVE walking around looking at MCM houses, you've probably been relying on that as a primary source of out-of-the-house fun during the last few months.  Today, I'm going to share my top tips for seeking out the hidden mid-century areas in your town and some Madison mid-century neighborhoods that I particularly love! Check the show notes for a fun infographic to help you...

Today, Mid Mod Remodel Podcast has … a GUEST! I am so excited to share my chat with George Smart, AKA Mr. Modernism of US Modernist Radio. He is the founder and executive director of the UsModernist organization – which, among other things, is the  largest open digital archive of midcentury Modernist houses in the the world – THIS IS A RESOURCE CHECK IT OUT.  George is an archivist of and advocate...

You’ve had plenty of time to consider closely how your house is or isn’t meeting your family's needs right now.  It is clear that your home might need a few updates. But there are some new challenges tacked on to the process of a remodel at the moment. Still, I don’t want you to loose hope that you can make the changes you need.  This is where the doable DIY remodel comes in.   You CAN plan t...

I thought about calling calling this weeks episode a guide to get you to your ideal remodel but in actual fact … its much more a roadmap through the remodel process.  Today I want to share with you the steps I see as absolutely essential when you’re planning an update for your mid-century ranch.   This is going to be a lot. Here's a quick outline of the roadmap for orientation ... but if you...

 Today, let's chat about the gorgeous mid-century modern neighborhood of Collier Heights in Atlanta, Georgia which was planned for, built by, and lived in by Black Atlantans. Note: This isn't a story about a silver lining to the bad situation that is racism.  Nor is it any kind of an example of solutions that point the a way forward today.  (We will not make America better by building be...

If your parents or grandparents bought a house in America during the post war boom years … they and you benefited from a system of racial oppression that encouraged white wealth building through home ownership with one hand … and held back black families with the other.  Mine did and I do.   This isn’t the episode I was planning to record this week but I hope you’ll stick around to think about how...

So how has the battle to fight clutter been going at your house lately?  For me, housekeeping isn't my strongest suit at the best of times but I do know that I feel better about life and myself when I'm not looking at to-do lists (in pile form) all over the dining table.  Some amount of clutter-busting will always be a form of #adulting but we can make the job harder or easier when the h...

If planning a remodel seems like a superficial thing to be discussing right now, I want to tell you that I believe it is ANYTHING BUT.  The space we live in defines our experience of life.  Why not help that space be its best so that it can help us in turn.  If you love yourself, you should love your home too.  It will love you back! I listened to this interview with architecture critic Sarah Will...

Need more space (desperately) but don't want to plan an addition?  What if I told you you're sitting on top of doubling-your-square-footage right now.  No, I'm not a Wizard.  I'm just talking about your basement!  Pretty much every midwestern house has got one and in a one story ranch they are the same shape as the house up above.   Is a basement transformation in your future?...

So ... it looks like we may be social distancing for a lot longer than we initially signed up for while we wait for our public health apparatus to catch up with the virus.   That means, its time to make sure we have some good systems in place.  Here's how you can make your home multitask for you to fill the functions of office, school, play area and its regular daily uses! I've been givi...

Today, we talk about how to plan for a remodel that can grow with your family.  One of the things we can still do while we all #stayhome to flatten the curve is dream about and plan for the future.  So let's get into the details of planning a great remodel for (and with) your kids!  Grab my Free Download: How to Make Extra Space in your house Right Now with Nooks Right Here! In today's e...

One of the many weird side effects of our collective corona virus precautions is that almost every kid in the country is home from school right now.  Families are having to come up with new routines, creative kid spaces, and fresh inspiration to keep everyone active, happy and stimulated (and hang on to parental sanity if possible).   This week I share some kid-focused advice that could come in ha...

This week's episode gets into the why of our homes' need for places to gather and places to spread out and get away from each other.  Typical American homes were designed around the idea that we'd leave them for part of every day to go to work and to meet our social needs in the community at large.  Right now ... we can't.  So the house needs to do all the work that we typicall...

Whether you are sheltering in place, safer at home, or just staying home, you might be starting (continuing) to feel little stir crazy. I have too. Here are some prompts to help you imagine improvements to your MCM house and some ideas for manageable DIY while you #stayhome! I want to make this clear.  I am NOT trying to productivity shame you right now.   But if you're looking for some non-s...

In all my years of helping homeowners plan remodels, I've seen two factors that really determine whether someone will feel happy with a remodel during and after it's done.  You need  a can-do, positive attitude, and you need real clarity about  what you want to get out of your remodel.   Today, I'm telling the tales of two clients. One couple who was (in my opinion) not really ready...

Wait. You do use Pinterest to strategize your remodel plans, right? Here's the thing: Pinterest can be your best friend, or your most stressful frenemy when you are planning a remodel. It all depends on how you use it. Here are some quick and easy tips for how (and when) to use Pinterest to plan your mid-century home update the right way! In today's episode you'll hear ... Pinterest...

Someone once said that a really good declutter of your life is as good as a remodel (and so much easier and cheaper).  Now as an architect, I don't know that I totally agree with that.  A remodel can improve your layout, add natural light, introduce in beautiful new surfaces and generally custom fit your home to your life. A solid decluttering job can't do any of those things.  However,...

Today I want to share a really powerful organizing tool with you: the bullet journal method!  Earlier this week I asked the Mid Mod Remodel Community how they stay organized and on track of their home updates. What I heard back is that mostly they feel like they don't. I get it. Planning a home remodel ... on top of everything else you have going on in your life ... can seem like a lot. Keepi...

Loving and reviving MCM ranches is more than my job. It's a personal crusade. I'm on a mission to help as many new homeowners as I can with the process of moving into, and adapting, an existing mid-century ranch to suit their lifetime needs.  The saddest thing that can happen to a recently sold MCM home is to be bulldozed to make way for something bigger, newer, and worse. But it's...

Remodeling a house isn’t your day job. So how do you get the energy to take on a huge project like a remodel in on top of all your other commitments? Set yourself up for SUCCESS by giving yourself the satisfaction of an early, easy win with the Mid-Century Room Upgrade recipe. Today, get the formula for an easy mid-century room upgrade for any space in your house. I’m going to focus on updating a...

I don't know about you, but when I get into a topic, I really go down the rabbit hole. So, of course , I love to stay up on my reading regarding Mid-Century Resources.  Knowing the context of the time period and design thinking that created our favorite mid mod looks helps us figure out how to recreate them or update them for ourselves, but I'm not just sending you to visit Amazon or you...

When we talk about if 2020 is going to be the year you remodel, let's start with WHY.   Because my answer is that if you have good reasons for wanting to tweak your house to better suit your lifestyle ... ... you ARE ready.   Take a deep breath.  You've got this.  Stay tuned for more help on the question of how to PRE-plan your remodel in the next few weeks! In today's episode you&a...

It is so easy to get overwhelmed at the start of a big, planned renovation, especially if you're a first time home buyer. Adding the stress of a home renovation can be a lot. You CAN do this, though. Sit down and plan a mid-century renovation that SUITS you. Your masterplan will clarify what you want, and steer the path to your ideal future home. Today's episode is devoted to walking you...

Do you know your own ideal remodeling level? It’s important to figure out how involved of a renovation you really want to take on long before you start! Consider your home’s condition, your lifestyle needs, your budget, and your willingness to deal with chaos. Are you looking for a few bite-sized updates, a list of semi-involved DIY overhauls, or a gut remodel that changes the layout, reconfigures...

Want to make sure you've thought of everything when you design a ranch remodel? This easy three part remodeling framework will make sure you are covering all the bases in your MCM home update!  People remodel for many reasons.  Some homes need pressing maintenance, others just aren't working right for their owners and still others might need an aesthetic overhaul.   Whatever YOUR reason,...