Before & After: A 1950s House Gets A Faithful but Modern Update
The midcentury suburban home, at least until recently, has not been given the reverence it mightily deserves. Oftentimes seen as too “new,” too common, or too kitsch for historic consideration, these houses are especially vulnerable to the pitfalls of careless, quick home renovations. When Sarah Brown began her house hunt, she found that—much to her dismay—many of the homes had suffered such fates. “We looked at many houses that had already been ‘flipped’ poorly,” she says, “all the original details removed, hard wood ripped up and replaced with laminate, basically, all the charm gone.” Luckily, after a few wrong turns, Sarah stumbled upon a true gem—a midcentury home that was still relatively intact. “When we toured this house it instantly reminded me of my grandparents’ house (which I had wanted to buy but was unable to at the time it was for sale). It was not so much the layout, because our house has what I think is a rather unique 1950s layout, but more the way it was meticulously organized, cared for and decorated (my grandma also loved pink). My grandmother had left me money for a down payment and after meeting the original owner it just felt right.” Although Sarah had big plans for the home (updating the sorely outdated kitchen was a must!), she wanted her renovation to be respectful to the home’s original ethos. With some choice furnishings, a few minor additions, and some fresh coats of paint, she pulled it off. The end result is at once strikingly contemporary, but still in harmony with the home’s formal elements and architecture. Check out all the photos, plus Sarah’s design notes and sources after the jump! —Max
