[All photos by BUILD LLC]
BUILD just wrapped up the remodel of an exemplary Mid-Century Modern gem near Seattle, and it’s always refreshing to see the soul of a house revived. Maintaining the original shell, the residence has been transformed into a functional home for the 21st century. Many of the guiding design moves implemented on this project have been covered in previous BUILD Blog posts. Today’s post is a catalog of sorts, combining all 10 of our MCM posts into a one-stop guide to Mid-Century Modern residential architecture and construction.
As with any great project, much of the success of this updated home can be credited to extraordinary homeowners willing to go on the adventure of design and construction. A rock star team of trades is also instrumental on an intricate project of this nature. There are a tremendous amount of variables, considerations, and dependencies when working on an existing MCM residence; these 10 resources outline our philosophy and strategy of this design and construction process.
A Guide to Updating MCM Homes
The process of updating a Mid-Century Modern home is a mindful one. The details matter, everything from a careful survey of the existing house down to the deliberate selection of cabinet pulls.
MCM Remodel Strategies
Most Mid-Century Modern residences offer a number of items worth retaining as part of the remodel. Features like an original stone fireplace add character and richness to the updated design, while maintaining the original lines of structure is logical for budgetary reasons. Often times, it makes sense to keep the long, horizontal lines of the original roof, while enhancing key locations, like an extended shed roof, to celebrate the entry.
Forgotten Lessons of MCM Design
At the root of any MCM residence are lessons from the masters: those architects that had the vision and audacity to respond to society’s needs with entirely new solutions. Working on a Mid-Century Modern home can be a bit like an archeological dig. The work uncovers the innovations, explorations and teachings from generations past. Part of an architect’s job is to appreciate this process and recognize the layers worth keeping.
Keeping the Character of MCM
Working on a house that is 50+ years old can be a bit like surgery. Different packages of work are occurring at the interior and exterior, all while carefully maintaining the original structure of the home. New amenities like kitchens and bathrooms are carefully inserted into the existing spaces and, when the process is complete, the original character of the home still needs to resonate among the new work.
MCM Case Study Remodel
There are patterns we see time and time again in working with Mid-Century Modern residences. Certain areas that make sense to update each time, other features which are best left as they are.
MCM Interior
A new kitchen, bathrooms, cabinets, fixtures, appliances and surfaces in general are part of the typical updates inside. Maintaining a sense of warmth can often be achieved by using materials like cedar without compromising the clean modern aesthetic.
MCM Exterior
At the exterior, a handful of design strategies help new siding belong with existing stone and brick. The use of accordion doors allows the interior to have a spectacular relationship with the outdoor spaces.
MCM Remodel in Magnolia
Over the course of a decade, we’ve identified a list of specifications that work extremely well with Mid-Century Modern updates; these include key plumbing fixtures, lights, cabinet packages and so on. These specifications not only work will with an older home but complement that Mid-Century Modern aesthetic without trying to copy it.
MCM Before and After
Nothing drives home the difference a remodel can make quite like comparative before and after shots.
Sustainability Statement
Perhaps one of the most fulfilling aspects of updating a Mid-Century Modern home is that it is one of the most sustainable strategies design can offer. Reusing what is already there and making it useful for another 50+ years is a move that we consider critical path.
Cheers from team BUILD
This post is very inspiring! What kind of wood is used on the ceiling? Any idea the cost/sf? How is it fastened and was anything special done to support the weight of the wood?
I’d also like to know what kind of windows you used on this home. Can you tell me more? They look like clear anodized on the outside, but I can’t tell on the inside. Simple white? Painted? How do you feel about Marvin Full Ultrex products? Is the profile thin enough for your projects? I live in a Zone-5 climate (Michigan) and I’m wondering if fiberglass will perform better long-term with freezing/thawing. Most modern remodels would use Full Marvin or Eagle (aluminum exterior/wood interior).
@Amy -the ceiling is clear finished cedar finished nailed into place. The windows are clear anodized aluminum from Marlin and the large accordion doors are made by La Cantina.
Where did you get the air return vents inside the house? Who makes them?
Wonderful post, thank you for allowing the readers to follow the renovation process. I’m glad that the work to the exterior of the house was kept to a minimum allowing the house to maintain it’s MCM character. The interior finishes really enliven the spaces and bring new life to the home. I had a question in regard to the aluminum bi-folding doors. It appears there is a reveal around the perimeter of the frame and that the frame is flush with the exterior wall finish. The look is very clean and I was wondering if you might share a detail of the door head/jamb condition. Thanks again for a great blog, always enjoy reading the updates.
Beautiful remodel. It’s wonderful to see such quality and care taken with a MCM home. Congratulations to all involved.
Beautiful job, the only thing that is missing is some wine in that Carafe.
I love the big deck. The unavoidable downside of such a big deck is that it will block alot of light to the lower level. Do you guys have thought/experience about a decking material/design that would allow some light fo go through? Glass blocks or Acrylic sheets? Commercial drain graters or streached metals? Or light well with railing?
@Saulac -that’s a great point. With a deck as big as this, we don’t want the lower level to have that dark, damp under deck feel. In a case like this we’ll build a water proof membrane under the deck and drain the deck to a gutter. This allows us to finish the bottom of the deck and install can lights. Painting the bottom of the deck a lighter color also helps the space below to feel finished, bright and pleasant.
Did you clad right over the brick facade or did you remove and replace? If the brick is still there, will there be maintenance issues down the road? Will the entrance wall weather outside to give a difference between interior and exterior later on?
A really nice reno. It looks nice and light, certainly a far more pleasant home than the original going by the before and after pix!
@Dimwit -as a rule of thumb on our projects, we typically retain any existing brick and leave it exposed (rather than cladding over it with another material). If we do anything to it, we’ll paint it.
Eventually the exterior cedar will weather and silver, differentiating it from the interior cedar.
What inspiring and beautiful work!
I love the cedar ceiling. I am wondering the width of the boards. Are they 3″ or 4″ wide? Thanks
@ Jason – 4″ boards, so 3.5″ actual.
can you tell me the material of the roof? it looks like painted metal, but I thought you couldn’t use this sort of thing on a flat roof…how do you keep it from leaking? and is the cost a great deal more than foam or tar/gravel? also, how do you make the gutters look so streamlined? what kind are they?
@brk -it’s standing seam metal which can be installed on roofs as shallow as a 1:12 pitch. The cost is a bit more than a single-ply membrane, but worth the durability. The gutters are custom fabricated to match the roof.