Tips for Restoring Your Mid-Century Modern Home (Images)

The era of house building between the 1940’s and 1960’s was one of abundance. And we have tips for restoring your mid-century modern home back to the same glory.

This was a time where things started to get modern – architecture was beginning to set trends.

With an introduction of both sustainable and industrial materials, some of the most beautiful homes were created that are still sought after. While this architecture continues to be widely available, there might be some work you need to do.

Mid-century modern homes are beautifully made but because of their age will most likely need restoring. You’ll want to preserve the sleek, elegant materials your home was initially made out of.

But remember, safety comes first.

Many mid-century modern houses look perfect on the outside. However, yours could be harboring some nasty surprises on the inside. Natural materials were common in the middle of last century. Not all natural products are safe, though. Be sure that asbestos or other potentially harmful things like lead are in your home.

Owning a mid-century modern home is an exciting, fulfilling investment. It does mean you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Let’s take a look at some tips for restoration.

Making Your Home Safe Comes First

You may want to dive in and get shopping for what you’ve imagined will fit perfectly into your new home. But there’s a bit of housekeeping you should cover first. And you may not even recognize them as dangerous.

It’s important to know that when buying a mid-century modern home, you are signing up for foundational materials that are old. This means that they might not necessarily comply with current housing requirements.

Building materials like lead and asbestos were used generously around this time in construction. Pam Kueber of Retro Renovation recommends that you consult with licensed professionals who can have a thorough look and tell you if there’s anything less than ideal happening.

Remember You’re Restoring, Not Renovating

It might be lost on some, but most of the time people who buy a mid-century modern are determined to keep it as is. Allie Weiss talks on Dwell about how to recreate the original look of the home without altering it too drastically. She believes in restoring while making it look like nothing’s been done to it.

One example of a subtle change that compliments the original interior is going for an open plan look. Allie explains that one endeavor of mid-century modern homes was to achieve the open plan look, but a lot of them didn’t quite get there.

Taking that extra step and knocking down a couple of walls can help to release the house into its functioning best.

This is particularly relevant to the kitchen. This part of the home has architecture that’s always been peeking out. Creating that easy-going flow from living to kitchen puts a spotlight on some of the best features in both areas.

Seek Out Some Retro Décor

There’s nothing quite like pairing that beautiful old wood with its consumer counterparts. Mid-century modern homes were built with trends of the times in mind. Emily Patz of Esurance suggests keeping it retro and hunting down vintage items that were made to go with your home’s architecture.

One significant advantage of keeping with the retro theme is that it’s cheap. These days you can find an abundance of retro items in thrift and antique stores, just waiting to be reunited with the homes they once sat in.

Complementing the natural wooden aesthetic with vintage furniture will bring out the best.

Make Sure the Outside is in Keeping with the Inside

Mid-century modern homes were sustainable in a couple of ways, and one of those was the exterior landscape.

While the focus was primarily on the house itself, when it came to the landscaping, it was subtle and minimal.

The purpose was to keep things simple and in sync.

Holly Aguirre of HGTV advises the use of local plant sources to keep your garden and lawn up to scratch. Your home was built to exist where it does, so there’s no better way to support this by buying locally for the exterior.

Fixing and restoring a mid-century modern home is a fun project.

From working out the best way to revive old walls and cupboards to their former glory to letting those wooden floors shine through. There is a lot to get out of owning a mid-century modern.

Just make sure you don’t lose its aesthetic along the way.