Before and After: Finding the Modern in Mid-Century

When it comes to an older home, finding the balance between honoring the original aesthetic and making the home work for you can be challenging. This week, we are exploring a mid-century modern home that is the perfect example of how to find that balance while bringing the home into the twenty-first century! 

When looking at the before photos, it is easy to see why the family loves their home. It’s the high ceilings, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the one-story living, and the backyard, just to name a few. The big problems, though, rested in the choppy layout of the expansive first floor and the outdated finishes and materials. Plus, having a sunken living room screams, “dated!” 

To bring this home to the twenty-first century, we opened up the first floor, blowing out all of the walls and basically starting from scratch. This family has style and was fantastic to work with. Between our interior design team and the homeowners, we came up with an open-concept layout that feels warm and inviting. 

Looking at this space, you will see how we created three distinct living areas out of one open area. The dining room and kitchen flow naturally between each other. They both feature custom cabinetry from Braemar Cabinetry. Note how the upper cabinets open and the unique backsplash. These tiny details have a huge impact on the final design. 

In the third space, the living room, we built a feature wall with a marble fireplace and custom storage. Opposite the fireplace stands a wall hand-crafted by our carpenters on-site. This wall creates a focal point for both rooms while also serving as an anchor for the centrally located pantry. This unique design and out-of-the-box thinking won first place in this year’s Professional Remodeler of the Year (PRO) awards!

When it comes to finding that balance, this home is a perfect example of how to retain a home’s current aesthetic while reimagining it to work for how your family lives now.