Table Of Content
To emphasize the structure, the team repainted the ceiling beams a dark color to contrast with the natural wood that was preserved. Open floorplans gained traction during the ‘50s, ‘60s, and early ‘70s when homeowners were focused on entertaining and maximizing light and flow throughout their homes. If you’re undertaking a down-to-the-studs renovation and want to lean into a mid-century modern ethos for your kitchen, consider how it flows into the rest of the space and open up the room wherever possible. In this project, The Residency Bureau team created an intimate feel with a peninsula island while maintaining a clean sightline into the kitchen by skipping upper cabinetry on most walls. If you’re lucky enough to score a home with true mid-century modern architecture in its DNA, chances are you’re living amongst a lot of quirky angles and graphic lines. Lean into the impactful nature of these elements to help give your kitchen design credibility.
Painted White Brick Accent Wall
Soft lilac cabinets (Calluna by Farrow & Ball) and a sunny yellow stove finish the room off with funky appeal. All-over wood paneling is often one of the first things to indicate a midcentury modern abode—and one of the first things to go when the homeowners inevitably decide to renovate. However, if you're looking to preserve the history of your home, all that natural goodness should absolutely stay. Take it from Kate Arends, who chose to embrace, not decimate, the white oak paneling in her midcentury modern rambler in Minnesota. She made the standout feature sing by accenting it with tumbled marble flooring (another MCM staple), calacatta viola marble countertops, and mauve cabinets swathed in Farrow & Ball's Sulking Room Pink. 'As the homeowner prefers the finer things in life, we wanted to add a few opulent touches to the kitchen - so we created this feature bar wall to showcase their collection of spirits and wines.
Go for Iconic Pieces
It’s easy to get lost in the beautiful clean lines and functionality of mid-century modern design, but it’s important to remember that it was a really fun era for decor, too! Embrace the playful energy that typified those decades in design by incorporating joyful color pairings or fun accessories into your kitchen. This project by designer Jen Samson includes both, relying on a cheeky pink and green color scheme and quirky details—like a pair of ceramic birds perched on the open shelves—to lend personality. We think so, especially if the style is era-appropriate for the architecture of the home. A midcentury-modern kitchen will feel like it belongs in an abode built in the ’50s and ’60s, but for a home of another time period, a midcentury-modern kitchen could still work. As long as the colors and materials don’t contrast with the rest of the dwelling too drastically, mixing eras is encouraged as a way to add depth.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Bring that same ethos into your kitchen with cabinetry and lighting that incorporates that linear effect, like in this Hamptons home designed by Amy Lau. In it, bleached walnut cabinetry and snowy countertops (Caesarstone's Blizzard quartz) pair with an expansive custom light fixture from Bone Simple Design—in very saturated, very MCM blue, of course. Often, midcentury modern kitchens would go light on upper cabinets—or forgo them altogether—in favor of a more visually streamlined look. This kitchen, designed by the duo behind Studio Shamshiri, relied on California walnut counters (inspired by the surrounding Los Angeles hillside) and concrete countertops for a simple-yet-stunning look.
"Our goal here was to create a sleek and minimal kitchen respectful to the era of the home that was hyper-functional in a small space," says Wise. The firm enlisted their Parisian carpenter to make the cabinets in the "Frey style and color"—stained maple topped with cream-colored quartz. Appliances are all Bertazzoni except for the refrigerator and freezer, which is a Frigidaire Professional. The brick wall would not have been original, but the firm kept it and hand-painted the surface in the style of Le Corbusier’s Parisian apartment.
This home bar features a thrifted credenza showcased against terracotta-colored walls. A gold starburst sconce ties in with Art Deco hardware and metallic bar accessories. Open shelving keeps most-used barware close at hand and easy to reach. People turned to kitsch decor and era-faithful renovations, inspired by nostalgic film, television and fashion pop culture trends. With giant backyards increasingly expensive to buy and maintain, the under-utilised potential of communal green spaces and amenities came into focus. Modernist, Bauhaus-inspired brick and industrial material homes are examples of the experimental spirit of the '60s and '70s.
Put up Some Pendant Lights
Before and After: A Sad Cook Space Turns Into a Cool, Mid-Century Modern Artists' Kitchen - Apartment Therapy
Before and After: A Sad Cook Space Turns Into a Cool, Mid-Century Modern Artists' Kitchen.
Posted: Sun, 24 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
They found themselves gawping at the entirety of Los Angeles spread out below in a grid that went on for an eternity or two. In the kismet-filled conversation that followed, Buck agreed to buy the barren one-eighth-acre lot for $13,500, with $100 down and the seller maintaining the mortgage until the Stahls paid it off. On that site, they would construct Case Study House #22, designed by Pierre Koenig, arguably the most famous of all the houses in the famous Case Study program that Arts & Architecture magazine initiated in 1945. For generations of pilgrims, gawkers, architecture students, and midcentury-modern aficionados, it would be known simply as the Stahl House.
Oval Kitchen Island
You could try positioning the island in the center of the room or placing it at an angle in one of the corners. If you're not sure where to start, try picking one Mid-Century element you love and build your kitchen around it. This doesn't mean your kitchen has to be boring - there are plenty of ways to add personality without going overboard. One simple way to add a Mid-Century touch to your kitchen is to replace one of your doors with an accent door. Not only does this give you a chance to show off a little extra creativity with some colorful dishes, but it also makes your kitchen feel a lot more spacious and open. Atomic Age design is all about embracing the futuristic, space-age aesthetic of the Mid-Century.
Witthoefft won an AIA First Honor Award in 1962 for his design, and the home was listed on the Register of Historic Places in 2011 after a meticulous restoration profiled in Dwell. During the heyday of MCM design, open or floating shelving was looked to as a way to separate an area of the home while maintaining open flow for increased entertaining and socializing. An old kitchen is one of the easiest ways to make a house feel outdated and can instantly elevate the rest of the home once updated. It can be one of the most daunting renovations that you take on throughout your years as a homeowner, but one of the most rewarding.
Pale colour palettes bring a fresh, open feel to even the smallest kitchens, while wood tones offer a natural touch and fascinating light fixtures create unique focal points. Take a short trip back in time – and then forward again – as we explore mid century modern kitchen ideas and trends. Many of the original design elements that made this style popular in the middle of the 20th century remain just as popular today. But today’s midcentury modern-inspired interiors are often modified for current lifestyles with open-plan layouts, large kitchen islands, and modern appliances. From clean lines to nature-inspired color palettes to retro accessories, classic midcentury modern design elements add warmth and personality to today's homes.
Bright hues are a great option, but if you prefer your rooms to be on the quieter side, moodier tones are a must. Slate blue, avocado green, chocolate brown—any of these will match what you're going for. Just add in a geometric light fixture, like seen here, and you're golden.
