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The challenge of renovating an iconic midcentury house is surely a daunting one for any architect, but apply this formula to a Richard Neutra house, and the responsibility rises exponentially. Quincy Jones house in Los Angeles, architect Bruce Norelius and his partner, Landis Green, retained and restored core elements, such as the living room’s redwood paneling and concrete-block wall. Located in the Pacific Palisades, this home had been virtually untouched for over 40 years as it remained in the hands of the original ownership. Architect Kevin Southerland renovated it with an eye for preserving its "good bones" and gently updating it with eco-friendly materials. A new layer of painted cement board now coats the exterior, lending it long-term durability and resistance to decay. "By removing a few interior walls, reconfiguring a couple of others and opening up the kitchen/living/dining areas, we were left with a wonderfully livable floor plan with a great balance of public and private space," says Southerland.
Natural materials
The walls and hearth are painted in a subtle Green Ground by Farrow & Ball, and the ceiling is lined with Douglas fir. “Identifying midcentury pieces isn’t always easy,” according to Meghan Lavery and Daniel King, the founders of Home Union, a Brooklyn-based boutique specializing in homeware from the era. “Midcentury furniture functions very well because of its simplicity and fine craftsmanship. But, generally, you can look for the obvious clues such as peg legs or hardware. Another great tip is to search for the country of manufacture—Denmark, Yugoslavia, Japan, Italy, and the U.S. are often authentic midcentury.” To put it simply, do your homework before you make any investments. For our latest Dezeen lookbook, we have collected 10 projects from the Dezeen archives that showcase elegant mid-century modern interiors with a contemporary feel.
Midcentury modern ranch gets a thoughtful kitchen remodel - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Midcentury modern ranch gets a thoughtful kitchen remodel.
Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Eames House Bird
Design in the mid-1900s was characterized by a little bit of a minimalist approach, clean lines, functional use, ornamentation, and organic shapes. Aesthetic design coupled with comfort and functionality makes it timeless and still in style. In mid-century modern interior design, there is a seamless flow from the inside to the outside with sliding doors, patios, skylights, etc. After the end of the Second World War, cities expanded and a demand for modern furnishings for the newly-built modern homes emerged.
Midcentury Boho Style
‘As a subset of modernism, mid-century modern design is something more closely tied to a time and place than its parent movement,’ explains Gregor Bugel, co-founder of architectural and interior design practice Handwerk Art & Design. Palm trees and Pacific Ocean views aside, California’s spectacular midcentury-modern homes are one of its most memorable sights. Even though the style cropped up all over the U.S. during the middle part of the 20th century, the design vernacular’s emphasis on indoor-outdoor living has always been particularly well-suited to the Southern California climate. Today, the abundance of floor-to-ceiling windows and use of natural materials—like wood paneling and stone fireplaces often seen in such houses—continue to resonate. Below, we’ve selected some of the best midcentury-modern homes to be featured by AD in recent years. As you’ll soon find, each one displays a fresh contemporary take on a now classic style.
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In Los Angeles’s Nichols Canyon, architect Dan Brunn was tasked with renovating a home rich in architectural history, but lacking in modern functionality. The 1957 home's closed-off kitchen was thoughtfully reimagined, maintaining the post-and-beam structure of the Edward Fickett–designed home while updating and opening up selective areas to the outdoors. Before we delve into the details, let's first take a moment to understand what mid-century modern style truly encapsulates. As the name suggests, this design movement emerged in the middle of the 20th century — between the 1940s and 1960s.
Contemporary Midcentury
When you look at a mid-century modern home, you will rarely find wall-mounted lights or the contemporary down-lighters. Further, most designers prefer using several lamps like table lamps and floor lamps that are artistically made to suit the theme of the home. During the day, the designer allows natural light to flow into the house allowing a mesmerizing blend of the indoors and outdoors. The style which originated in America had its base in the Bahaus style popularised in Germany and the International Style which was inspired by that. Landmark events in history which led to destruction of catastrophic proportions and exodus of popular designers from the Continent, contributed in abundance to this movement.
45+ Irresistibly Stylish Midcentury Modern Living Room Idea - ELLE Decor
45+ Irresistibly Stylish Midcentury Modern Living Room Idea.
Posted: Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
For an interior design style that talks about simple, practical, clean, and sumptuous designs, wood is the material of choice. Interestingly, mid-century modern design does not require you to have furniture that matches with each other. While clean lines, bold fabrics, and graphic patterns are a must, if sofas or lounge chairs are included, then patterned cushions are used to ensure adherence to the design style. Among other furniture pieces, the dining table based on mid-century modern decor can bring the essence of the 1990s into the 20th Century dining room.
Tips to build a mid century modern styled home
Elise Loehnen and Rob Fissmer bought their house, which dates to 1950, in 2012, furnishing the living room with a Jasper sofa by Room & Board, Laccio tables by Marcel Breuer, and a wool sisal rug from Madison Flooring and Design. It originated in the mid-1940s to the late 1960s and has become popular again in recent years as people seek out the simple, timeless style that can add a touch of sophistication to any space." Gray living room ideas are hugely popular, and they can turn a retro scheme into the modern era with aplomb.
Layered Vintage Decor
Built in 1967, the newly renovated home was designed by architect James Allen Walter. The perfect vessel for your living greenery, available in various sizes and colors. His eagle eye for midcentury fixer-uppers is was what first drew him to a house on Rising Glen Road in Los Angeles. “I’m always looking for places to either renovate or to buy, to move up the ladder,” Statham says. It was quite downtrodden and had been neglected, as most of these of midcenturies have.” Statham quickly decided to purchase the place and gut renovate it to serve as a multi-use property for guests, as well as his office and gym. The Hoppuses asked Marmol Radziner to incorporate drought-resistant native plants into the garden in order to be sensitive to the California landscape.
Timeless pieces like the Eames Lounge Chair, the Barcelona Chair, and the Tulip Table have become symbols of the mid-century modern style, celebrated for their innovative design and enduring appeal. This cultural, technological, and aesthetic convergence gave rise to an era of design that still resonates today, in our desire for simplicity, functionality, and a connection to the past that feels refreshingly modern. In this guide, we'll take a deep dive into the world of mid-century modern design, exploring its origins, key elements, and how you can incorporate this iconic style into your own home.
Pieces such as the wood-and-leather Boomerang chair by American architect Richard Neutra perfectly suit the style of the 1946 Louveira building. Here, we have gathered images of 10 projects where mid-century modern design has been used to create interiors that are elegant without feeling cold or stark. This kidney-shaped couch was inspired by furniture designer Vladimir Kagan, who focused on contemporary styles like these starting in the 1940s. They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and Dane Austin's intentions by including this mohair velvet sofa are clear.
There are so many variations as it's changed through the decades and lots of different ways you can let it influence your interiors. In fact, the most interesting and intriguing rooms are one that doesn't just stick with one style but bring in aspects of lots of different looks. Powerhouse set-design duo David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco saved and restored a 1956 bungalow in Santa Barbara, California, and their interior composition is a contender for most stage sets. In this living room, a pair of lounge chairs by Milo Baughman surround an Eames cocktail table covered in gold leaf.
