Updating A Mid-Century Home Without Losing Its Charm

If you like midcentury homes, Birmingham and the surrounding area is the place for you. Not only are there dozens of vintage stores that center much of their inventory around the mid-century modern style, but many of the homes in the area are considered to be mid-century modern.

Mid-century modern homes were built between 1945 and 1964 and are known for having clean lines, large windows, and open spaces. While many design elements are still favored by homeowners today, mid-century modern homes can look dated and have areas that aren’t functional in today’s world.

But how do you update a mid-century home without stripping it of its charm? We have a few ideas:

Improve Lighting

Even though large windows in some parts of the home are a key feature of a midcentury home, it’s not unusual to have a lot of really dark spaces. Adding lighting to these spaces will make your home feel larger and more inviting.

We love natural light, so adding windows or a skylight, if possible, is the best idea. If there is no space for either of those options, overhead canned lights or decorative pendant lights will brighten up a space, too.

Add Functional Spaces

Homes built in the post-war era don’t always have the storage and functionality we need today. It’s unlikely in a midcentury home to find a mudroom or spa-like bathroom retreat, which are great for enjoyment as well as keeping your home organized. The good news is it is relatively easy to add these spaces to your midcentury home.

A small addition to your home called a bump-out, may be all the extra space you need to create a more functional home without compromising the style of the home.

This could give you extra room to install a large walk-in closet or to give a small master suite more space to include a larger bathroom. The same can be done in a kitchen or living area to allow you to include a walk-in pantry or maybe an extra coat closet. 

Update the Floors

We understand that you may not want to strip your home of all the character and charm that makes it unique, but you don’t want to walk into a time capsule, either. Updating the floors into a more modern take on mid-century flooring can make your space look modern without completely wiping out the character.

Wood floors are an excellent option for living areas and bedrooms in a mid-century modern home. For an updated spin on this timeless flooring choice, you could opt for wide plank wood floors or pale wood floors, which are very trendy at the moment.

For flooring in the bathroom, you could rip out that linoleum and replace it with geometric patterned tiles, which will give the space an updated retro vibe.

Can we help you update your mid-century modern home? Give us a call! We’d love to discuss your project with you.