Spring is peeking around the corner at us with a flirtatious smile.  What better time to discuss fantastic outdoor spaces that allow us to break free from our winter indoor bound blues!

There is nothing better than sitting outside on a crisp evening by a fireplace watching the rhythmic dance of flames.  Mid Century Modern architects knew this too because they incorporated multiple outdoor living areas in homes.  They designed interiors and exteriors that were blurred together creating an alluring illusion that the outdoors live inside and the inside is an extension of the outdoors.  It was and still is very common for a Mid Mod home to have multiple and separate outdoor living areas.  It is this element of design that draws so many people toward the iconic Mid-Century Modern lifestyle.  This type of architecture promoted a friendly community where people would congregate and socialize with each other in front and back yards.   When I design outdoor living, it is important to remember these original principles of mid-century modern living that so many covet today.

Anyone have a backyard that looks like this?

 

 

Well, I call this a blank canvas.  A yard like this has unlimited potential but in its current state isn’t inviting at all.  This home was a mid-century ranch that we remodeled with mid-century modern design criteria.  Since the placement and footprint of the home did not lend itself to any side yard outdoor living, we needed to create front yard and back yard outdoor spaces that lived cohesively with the interior.  Allowing for entertaining, socialization, and family events that cohesively extended beyond the wall of the actual home structure.  If this is done properly the home will feel much bigger than the actual square footage and will have a feeling of warm, vibrant energy.

If you apply Mid Mod principles to this backyard there were two design challenges to overcome. The first is that when we painted the home and garage, everything was gray.  And while I love gray, too much of one thing can be uninteresting.  The second design challenge was that I had one large space to work with and if I kept it one level, it would have looked one dimensional.  There would have been no separation in living spaces and would have been boring. Nobody buys boring!

To solve for these two issues, we installed a deck that wrapped around a “sunken” patio to create a space off of the master bedroom for lounging.  I used a composite deck material which is durable and virtually maintenance free.  But again, it was a darker shade of gray.  To break up the gray, we poured a light concrete patio at ground level for the dining area and installed a modern shade pergola that we stained in a deep warm color.  Because the patio was on a lower grade than the deck, it made each space feel like a separate room coexisting next to each other.  The yard was sizable but not huge so I used an Ipe wood for the back fence to bring in a natural warm element into the space.  (Ipe does need oiling every 12-18 months to maintain this rich color and will last more than 30 years).  Since the fence was such a statement, there was no need to add a lot of landscape to distract from its beauty.  Herb boxes were added to separate the yard from the driveway area. The herbs also provided beautiful aroma and many of the plants acted as natural mosquito repellant to the dining area.

As with any room design, the construction is just part of the equation, the second and equally important aspect is furnishings.  You always want your furnishings to showcase the design and be consistent with the style of the remainder of the home.  In this case, I wanted a large dining table that would seat at least eight people.    I wanted the firepit to be white to contrast with the dark gray decking material.  I used furniture with Teak frames to bring more warm wood into the design.  And lastly, I kept the furniture neutral and added color through the pillows and flower pots (which can be easily changed over time).  After we were done with this project, I felt like something was missing.   I kept looking at the white garage door and all I kept seeing was a large white canvas to paint on.  An idea was born.  The garage door mural was painted to serve as artwork to the backyard.  When it was done, this backyard was ready for cookouts, birthday parties, and the occasional quiet night by the fire.

Outdoor living that is thoughtfully planned becomes an extension of the main living of any home.   Studies show that well designed outdoor living increases the value of your home and is also extremely sought after by home buyers. As spring is around the corner, I hope this outdoor transformation provides you inspiration on how your outdoor space can become your future mod haven.

There is probably only one person I have been as loyal to as I my family and that would be my hair god, Robert Wilson at Live Hair Group.  This loyalty started 15 years ago with a bad purple hair color job that he transformed into a sensational blonde.  This loyalty has since traveled to 7 salons and included endless hours of chatting about life.    So, imagine my complete excitement when his beautiful wife Kali, who is also his salon business partner, texted me last summer and asked if we would be interested in designing their new micro salon.   To say Scott and I were thrilled would be an understatement.  Kali said that they wanted it designed mid-century modern, that the space was small, and they needed to move in 30 days!  Because these two are truly hair artists, we knew this project was going to be fun!

In the spirit of honesty, we have never designed a salon.  And I am certainly not a stylist myself.  And designing and constructing a space in 30 days is a nearly impossible task.  But the most rewarding and challenging part of this project was that the space was about 75 square feet!­­  That is the equivalent of a very, very small bedroom.  This project wasn’t about tile and towel bars.  The amenities in this salon had to include 2 stylist stations, a shampoo station, a color mixing station, color storage, product display/storage, a refrigerator, a coffee station, and coat and smock storage.  It had to have an inspiring design, be fully functional for 2 stylists simultaineously, and be inviting and warm for clients.  No problem, lol!

We started with a large custom painted mid-century wall mural to bring a focal point to the small room.  It was important that it didn’t feel like a storage room but a designed space with an identity.  The shampoo station fit nicely in the corner but finding the right shelves for both towels and shampoo was critical so that they complimented the movement of the stylists shampooing hair.  The ceilings were quite tall with rather uninviting ceiling tiles, but air flow and sprinkler systems needed to remain completely operable.   A solution to drape ropes was devised to drop the ceiling and bring an organic design element to the space.  Kali’s station is a vintage mid-century modern Haywood Wakefield credenza purchased from local dealer in Dallas.  Very shallow product shelves were hung to create ample product storage and display.  Anything wider or larger would have impeded on the space needed for the stylists to move around their clients.  A fabulous Mid-Century modern chandelier was purchased from a dealer in Europe to added that perfect unique mid mod touch.  Track lighting was installed to provide lower more targeted lighting on hair vs. the horrible fluorescent lights in the tall ceilings.  The lighting was also a challenge because both stylists needed targeted lighting without the light reflecting in the eyes of the opposite station.  The final and most exquisite design element was large custom mirrors crafted by Degarrio Metal Studio in Dallas, Texas.  The mirrors are absolutely stunning and give the salon an enlarged feel.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Robert and Kali are the absolute best in Dallas.  We sincerely hope they enjoy their new artistic space for months and years to come.  Scott and I are very grateful and honored that they trusted us with their studio space.    If you would like to visit The Live Hair Group, call them at 214-742-4363.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

A couple of weeks ago we featured a HOT fireplace. Today we are featuring the kitchen of the same home. This home is a gorgeous mid-century 1950s ranch that was expanded and completely renovated about 10 years ago.  It didn’t need a full renovation but just a little current day sparkle.  (see the before photos including my hubby Scott) The family that lives here is very active with three children so their home needed to reflect a casual sophistication that represents the lifestyle they live.

 

To do this, we gutted the back splash and replaced it with a more contrasting Ann Sacks tile by Kelly Wearstler.  This added movement and dimension to the room and played nicely against the antique white cabinets.  Design Tip:  Replacing a backsplash is often the easiest way to update a kitchen.

 

The island was also repainted from a dark gray to a rich deep blue by Benjamin Moore.  The antique light fixture was updated with 2 smaller pendants in a brushed gold to bring warmth to the space. And the homeowner added a fun custom rug by FLOR to bring additional color into the room.

 

The kitchen is now the heart of the home with a design to match.  And we hope this favorite family of ours enjoys it for years to come!

 

 

 

November 13, 2019 at 7 a.m.

 

Dear Design Diary (DD),

We finally did it!  We purchased our next Mod Haven renovation project.  After looking at several homes we finally found a mid-century modern that we feel excited about.  I didn’t even have to convince Scott on this one.  It had me at the pool…swoon!  It is an original mid mod atomic gem.  But it needs some renovation help!

People often ask us how we choose a home.  We try to find the right balance of the following features:

• Mid Mod or Mid-Century architecture is preferred
• Floor plan that can be easily modified for current lifestyle
• No recent bad renovations that drive the price up
• No bad additions on the home
• Location, Location, Location
• Good trees
• Avoid busy streets
• Good lot size for the neighborhood
• The right price

It is nearly impossible for a home to meet all this criterion but we try to find as many of them as possible.

We are calling this project the Pinocchio House.  And no, it doesn’t grow a nose when it lies.  Or at least it hasn’t yet.  I do think it is perfectly magical though.  And I imagine we are going to find it has a few hidden secrets when we open up the walls.  It is in nearly original condition, so we will gut it to studs and replace all the mechanical and electrical.  This is super important! We believe it is actually more important to have a safe home than having a pretty home.  But in the end it will be both!

I believe that sometimes rules are meant to be broken, this house has a bad addition on the side that will have to be removed and rebuilt as a fourth bedroom.  (the architecture was good enough to overcome a bad addition in this case).  The home is very hidden behind the garage so the garage will move and the front door will be placed back on the front (as it was originally) vs. the current side entrance.  It will get NEW everything and it is going to be a Mid Mod dream home. Scott says he might move in so I better keep an eye on him.  I am already feeling anxious because we are about three months behind on this one to have it ready for the 2020 selling season.  So much to do, so little time.

I am off to design the kitchen today.  What do you think people will like most?  Wood or painted cabinets?  Upper cabinets or open shelves?  Sleek Mid Mod or casual throwback?  There are so many options, but I have been secretly dreaming about a certain kitchen backsplash.  Often I end up designing around one element that I can’t live without.  Don’t tell Scott, it is a little bit high for the budget but I can NOT get it out of my head, and it is on SALE!  Woo hoo!

I have included some before photos so we will always remember how much work this one needed.  Sometimes it is actually hard to remember the “before” after we are done.

Talk to you soon.  Has anyone ever told you that you are the best listener?

Christine

Welcome to this week’s version of Throwback Thursday for the Lomita House.  It was an incredible project but it was a renovation challenge because we decided to live in the house the entire time.  I giggle when I hear people say “patience is a virtue” because it really is!   Dust, sheetrock, open walls, open floors, and a refrigerator that traveled to every room before it was done, who does that!

We decided to start in the main living area of this typical 1950s ranch style home.  There was so many walls and rooms that were tightly enclosed, it felt dark.  It was begging to be opened up for today’s modern lifestyles.  To accomplish this, we had to remove 20+ feet of load bearing wall and knock out a non load bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room.  This meant that a huge engineered beam had to be installed in the attic to support the ceiling rafters.  The ceilings were only 8 feet tall, and it was cost prohibitive to increase the ceiling height because the room pitch was low.  So it was essential to hide the structural beam in the attic to create a completely open concept that drew the eye as high as possible.

I remember the day I walked in and suddenly exclaimed “what is that, it HAS to go!”.  Imagine my agitation when Scott said it had to stay!  He claims it is structural.  After 5 minutes of me offering every possible alternative to fixing this situation, he held firm and insisted there was no other option.  Scott likes to refer to these moments as design challenges for me, which I don’t find quite as funny as he does, lol.  Not only was this open concept supposed to result in a smooth open ceiling, the interior walls were supposed to be gone leaving a continuous outside wall.  So imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw this!  A stupid beam sitting about 3 feet away from the wall in the most awkward place any post could ever chose to be.

It was horrible!  I included this photo so to see how ridiculous it looked!

I remember loving the original fireplace so much but this new “design challenge” was making it nearly impossible to keep.  Plus, where is the TV and equipment supposed to go? So, plan B.  Tear out the original fireplace brick and hearth.  The redesigned fireplace had to be functional and fit the new overall mid-century modern design.   This new fireplace design offered storage (which is always a complete bonus in an old house) and somehow hide this horrible post.  I chose walnut wood veneered frameless cabinets because they bring the warmth that the mid-century modern design is known for.  The hearth was done in Pure White Caesarstone Quartz to match the kitchen.  And a gorgeous cut quartz stone from Porcelanosa was added as the accent tile to bring back the original brick look.  We also made use of the space between the posts to create storage for beautiful glasses in the dining room.  Because who doesn’t need 40 glasses for every type of occasion when in the end you only use the same 10 glasses over and over again, ha!

In the end, I was grateful to the ugly post, it pushed us to create a better design.  And I could purchase more glasses! Bonus!

Isn’t that how it usually works in life, the challenge is what usually leads to the better outcome?

We have learned to appreciate the design/construction challenge.  When you renovate old homes, you can ALWAYS count on something NOT to go as planned.  But staying true to construction quality and the desired design is essential to the whole renovation coming together in the end.  Fireplace design challenge? Solved!

 

 

Photo Credit:  Shoot 2 Sell

After receiving all your encouragement, I am stepping outside of my comfort zone and blogging about our passion. The restoration and revitalization of old mid-century homes is in our heart.  Scott and I used to jog/run a route in the Midway Hollow Neighborhood on a regular basis. There was this fabulous mid-century modern home that sat on a corner lot with the dreamiest 1950s wood awning windows.  Every time we ran by it, we dreamed of owning this home. And then it happened, one August day, I ran by the home and there was no furniture in it. We immediately called our realtor and learned that the house would be on the market in a few days.  We got the sneak peak. It was DIVINE! We scraped every dollar we had together and made an offer. Several days later we learned that it was sold to someone else. Behind the tears, I accepted that it wasn’t meant to be. After an early morning coffee conversation, Scott and I headed out to find our next house.  And 30 days later we were the owners of this amazing 1956 Ranch Style home three streets south of the original house we tried to purchase. Please follow along to see how our vision went from this… to this!