Mid Mod Remodel

Tis the season for window replacement folks to make the rounds in many mid-century neighborhoods, sharing the "good news" of vinyl replacement windows.  Or maybe a well meaning neighbor has been extolling the new maintenance free replacement windows they installed? Replacement windows may not be any better...and are likely worse...than your home's original windows. Learn how to tell...

Our season of listener questions continues! Folks ask all the time, "Della, you say a mix of materials is one of the cornerstones of mid-century design. Do you have tips for mixing materials without making a mid mod mess?" I sure do! In Today's Episode You'll Hear: A short history of 2x4’s.  Guidance on how to mix woods and metals to achieve a cohesive space.   Which new materi...

30-ish minutes to learn to plan a remodel in 30 days? Believe it!  You can check off maintenance, meet a deadline and still get a remodel that enhances your home's MCM charm and suits your life and family!⁠⁠ Listen to my new workshop for all the speedy remodel planning skills.  In today's episode you'll learn: That it is 100% possible to create a remodel plan in just 30 days.  What...

As you plan your ranch remodel, you can absolutely dip into Wright design ideas. Your house is actually already full of them! In Today's Episode You'll Hear: How to make material choices for a Wright-infused remodel.  Which colors to choose to shout about your combined love of mid mod and Prairie style.  The simple shape secrets to get the Wright feel.  Get the full show notes with all t...

Here's a question I get all the time from people who live in mid-century homes. "Hey, Della, I love my mid mod house. BUT I also like Frank Lloyd Wright...the Prairie School...this amazing Usonian place I visited one time. Am I wrong to want to add some Wright to my ranch?" In Today's Episode You'll Hear: How Prairie Style and Mid-Century style relate to each other.  Why U...

So glad you asked! Let's talk landscaping with a certified mid-century landscaping expert - Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: How to let your house tell you how to design your landscape.  Why hardscapes are the hardest (and most important) to get right.  Tips for getting started on design.  Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at https:...

What is the best mid-century flooring for your house? My answer to you, to my clients, to my students and to everybody who asks me this is, it depends. Now, when I answer this way, I'm not hedging or hesitating.  I do have opinions about and experience with many types of flooring in all sorts of applications. And strong personal preferences of my own! But when people ask “What's the best...

How long will your remodel take? Well that depends on you, my friend.  This week's episode kicks of a full season of listener questions. First up? Timelines.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: All about the remodel schedule venn diagram.  Where it is easiest to exert some control over your remodel timeline.  How to get ready to create the remodel schedule you want for your project. Ge...

In the last episode of our HGTV season we’re talking about what we can learn from looking at other people’s houses.  Despite its shortcomings, HGTV offers glimpses into remodeling and design processes and practical lessons for would-be remodelers. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why HGTV might not be all bad.  How to use HGTV and mainstream shelter media to your advantage.  Where to find...

White paint on wood? Well, that depends.  Today's episode is going to be a love story to the wooden elements of a mid-century home. The main takeaway? Leave your original mid-century wood alone.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why paneling is not the place for paint - white or otherwise.   How mid-century hollow core doors are different than their modern cousins.  Where paint can b...

Today let's talk about why slapping a coat of white paint on your mid-century brick, stone or concrete block is never the right answer. Even if your house is entirely brick or entirely stone, there are still meaningful things you can do to change the feeling of your house without large quantities of white paint. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why painting it white is so tempting. ...

There are key difference between cottages and mid-century ranch homes. Your ranch is not a cottage, so steer clear of cottage style updates. In many ways American homes changed more between 1930 and 1950 than they have since.  Part of the reason I find ranches so interesting is how modern they are in their essential nature.  Dated fixtures and finishes aside, a ranch built in 1952 is essentially a...

The culture we live in is selling us doublespeak that you must remodel your home to make it your home. You can't just take a house as it is. And there's only one right way to improve your home.  Let's interrogate this modern urge to change your life by changing your home. In Today's Episode You'll Hear: When a tiny tweak can feel transformative.  Why you and your house are...

Do you have objects in your life in your house that you would categorize as clutter? Probably you do. I know I do. Decluttering sometimes feels like our national pastime, or problem. And HGTV has multiple shows devoted to the topic. Or if you prefer your Marie Kondo straight from the source her show is on Netflix. I've talked in the past about how to manage clutter in your life with design. A...

A surprise reveal is a mainstay of remodeling TV shows and it's basically a jumpscare. Your ideal remodel should include few to no surprises.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why a surprise remodel reveal is worse than your average jumpscare.  When remodeling related surprises are a GOOD thing (hint, it’s way before construction begins)! How to avoid remodeling surprises and love ev...

Today I am future you’s best friend.  Do you know who is not future you’s best friend? HGTV.  In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why trendy remodels mean more waste and less joy.  How to stand strong in the face of before and after photos.  Where to embrace trends you love for a remodel that will stand the test of time.    Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at https://www.midmod...

Want to know how to have a BIG fight with your partner about your remodel? Or even a series of many smaller fights that blur into each other and become frustration and resentment?  Welcome to the Valentine’s Day episode of Mid Mod Remodel! In Today's Episode You'll Hear: Why all those couples on HGTV seem so MAD. How to design your drama free dream remodel. Which tools will help you crea...

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...