Mid-Century Homes

By its nature, landscaping is something that often takes a peripheral role in people’s appreciation of mid-century modern homes.

But if it’s done badly it can easily ruin a perfectly beautiful home.

Mid-century style homes don’t come more faithful than the Pirman-Tetreault residence.

Located in Sarasota, Florida, it’s owners, John Pirman and Steve Tetreault, were inspired by the original Sarasota School of architects

Located in Mission Hills, Kansas, this mid-century modern house has all the best bits of a contemporary style home while preserving its original qualities.

This mid-century modern house, is understated in its modern style. This is because it had to partially conform with the traditional ranch houses that surround it in the East San Gabriel Valley in Southern California.

The newly built Glencoe Residence, designed by architect Mason Miller, successfully joins the contemporary living needs of the clients with a modernist aesthetic.

This house is a lovely period piece. Built in 1950, it looks right out of the original Eichler playbook.

And yet, being as its location is Portland, Oregon it couldn’t possibly be.

Case Study architect Kemper Nomland Jr. designed this house in the early 1950s.
Located in Altadena, California, it still captures the spirit of the Case Study era…

It’s difficult to imagine the ideal mid-century home without a gorgeous pool.

This is probably on account of the fact that many of the places where modernism really took hold in the mid-century period were hot.

This home’s interior design is so fresh that it feels like it could easily have been built in the past few years. It was in fact completed in the 1950s by celebrated Portland-based architect Saul Zaik.

This space-age mid-century house above Coldwater Canyon, Beverly Hills, slowly reveals its charm like a flower in bloom.

Starting with a relatively modest entrance, simple facade, and simple flat roof

The Reforma Casa Olga Baeta is undoubtedly one of the more playful modernist homes we have encountered. It was designed in 1957 by the great Brazilian modernist architect João Batista Vilanova Artigas.

Clear Architects’ recent renovation project of a mid-century house at Ducketts Mead is as neat as you like. Located in Essex, UK, the update was completed by the firm in 2013.

There’s a nice order to this original mid-century house. Built in 1962 by Robert Skinner, and located in a sleepy cul-de-sac in Trousdale Estates, Los Angeles, it seems like everything was geared towards to having the sparsest furnishing possible without feeling too empty.

This new-build in Sacramento represents another thoughtful project by Klopf Architecture, this time in collaboration with Van Gelder Construction. Comprising three bedrooms and 2,633 square feet, it is a house that really reaches out to its surrounding environment.

This aim is most obviously captured by the large open plan living area’s two massive sets of windows on either side of the room.

This house in Mill Valley California could easily be mistaken for one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s. In fact, it was built in 1962 by John Liebermann, an acolyte of Wright’s.

One of the more obvious standout Wrightian features of the house is the circle brickwork patterns and structural elements, particularly reminiscent of something like the Cooke House.

New Canaan, Connecticut is home to a fair few modernist homes. Much of this is down to the efforts of five architects crucial to the mid-century style: Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, Philip Johnson, Eliot Noyes and John Johansen.

The flat roof is one of the signal elements of modernist architecture, and one of its principal contributions to architecture in general. The original modernists liked them for their purity of form. But they soon became useful as an additional outdoor space, especially in the heat of Palm Springs and the like.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Coward House is just another house mid-century in Palm Springs. In fact, it is located in Nottinghamshire in the United Kingdom, in what some readers may be familiar with as Robin Hood territory: Sherwood Forest.

Jones House & Studio #1 blends beautifully into its environment. Built in 1939 by the great mid-century modern architect A. Quincy Jones and his then wife Ruth Schneider as their personal home.

A well-designed entrance is a vital element of a beautiful mid-century home, not least because…

This house in Palm Springs California is a real period piece. Built in 1957, it showcases the original work of expert interior designer Arthur Elrod, with much of his work still intact and looking as stylish as it did when he first worked his magic.

The Jack House is a beautiful example of Modernist Australian architecture. Built in 1957 by architect Russell Jack as the home for him and his family, the design is clearly very well considered.

A well-designed entrance is a vital element of a beautiful mid-century home, not least because this is the first place where the outdoors comes into contact with the inside of the house

The Boyd Baker House is a lovely example of modernism made with natural materials. Located in Melbourne, Australia, the house was built by the great Australian modernist

The principle quality of the Gefter-Press House resides in its unconcealed celebration of the nature…

Marcel Breuer was an undisputed genius of modernist design. Best remembered for the furniture designs…

Despite its name, modernism is a rather old style now, over a century old in…

Stumbling upon this house designed by John Barthel was incredibly refreshing, not least because of the bright blocks of all the primary and secondary colours that abound throughout the space.

It is often forgotten that mid-century modern design thrived beyond the Unites States.This is no more so apparent than in Australia. The innovations brought forth by such figures as Neutra, Wright and Eichler

The first impression you are likely to get of this house is its tall stature. Built in 1961 by Roger Lee, and located Kensington, California, it is clearly a building that seeks to embrace spaciousness

This house by Richard Dorman is a real peach. Situated in the Sherman Oaks Estates, it was built in 1959, although its condition suggests it could have been built last year.

Taking liberties with an original mid-century home is not often something this site would normally greet with enthusiasm. After all, the initial impetus that created so many great designs at the time is often lost in the pursuit of contemporary design fads.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed a lot of buildings in his 70-year-long career, especially once he gained more recognition with houses like Falling Water (1935) and his own winter home Taliesin West.

Another week, another desert modernist delight from Palm Springs. This time, it’s a house from John Porter Clark, an architect who was active in the area during the real sweet spot of mid-century modern design.

Looking at this house without knowing where it is, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a house built by a Danish modernist. In fact, it is situated in Pasadena, California, and built by Thomas A. Dismukes.

Tim Cuppett Architects’ River Road House is an exercise in simplicity. A modern take on the mid-century style, it is located in Austin, Texas, where the firm itself is based.

Here we showcase three lovely examples of Palm Springs modernist architecture from some of the key proponents of the style: Wexler and Harrison’s 1954 house, William Krisel’s practice built in the 1950s and a house by the eccentric William F Cody.

Richard Neutra’s Clark House is quite a modest affair for the great architect, not as show stopping as the likes of the Lovell Health or Sten-Frenke houses. Of course, being Neutra means it’s still about as good as they come.

This house in the British countryside is a vision of high quality and class. Designed by Robert Harvey of architecture firm Yorke, Harper and Harvey in the 1960s, it was the kind of job Harvey surely would have lapped up.

[ads2] The view is always fundamental to a successful mid-century home. This cast iron rule…

Designed in 1956 by Allyn Morris, the Max Bubeck Residence is a real sight to behold. With a structure that goes in all sorts of directions and a décor that is a riot of different colours, the Los Angeles-located house is nothing if not kooky.

Karen and Bob Coscarelli discovered they were modernists on their first date. Now married, they are the lucky owners of the beautiful Frost House.

The story of how they ended up in such a coveted house has a fair few twists.

This house in Beachwood Canyon, LA showcases a smart contemporary renovation of an original mid-century design.

There is nothing that seriously stands out about the property from the exterior.

This striking mid-century house is a beautiful example of tropical modernism, a style which emerged from South Florida in the 1950s. Designed by architect Darrell Fleeger in the early 1960s, it is located in the style’s heartland, Miami.

Close your eyes and imagine the quintessential mid-century modern house setting, chances are it’s a classy evening get together between the owners and their friends, with guests spilling out from the indoors and gathered happily around the pool.

In terms of style, the interiors of these mid-century houses are quite different. No surprise given the homes range from an E. Stewart Williams house in the desert climate of Palm Springs, to a Frank Lloyd Wright overlooking the sea…

Situated in Littleton, Denver, Colarado, it uses a sparing palette of natural colours to fit the stone walls and tiling. Meanwhile, bolder colours are used sparingly, with a few touches of red throughout: in the lounge chair, the hood of the cooker and the letterbox.

The kitchen is always one of the central features of a good modernist home. It…

In American Psycho, protagonist Patrick Bateman’s cold personality is mirrored in the interior decoration of…

This original 1963 home is a dreamy modern beachside retreat. Built by Brian Mazlin in 1963 and situated in Pearl Beach, New South Wales, Australia, it has lately undergone a restoration by design studio TFAD

This home perfectly demonstrates Donald Wexler’s sustained impact on the architecture of Palm Springs. Having…

The Leslie House in Palm Springs is a vision of clean white elegance. Originally built…

We’d like to introduce to you some of our favourite mid-century homes that feature a…

Given its centrality to mid-century modern, it’s perhaps no surprise that we’ve covered a few…

Modern Mailbox for MidCenturyHome Cover-photo by Darren Bradley. Sometimes when covering example after example of the…

This house, has no shortage of natural space to work with. Located in the Cuyahoga…

Graphic designer Matt his wife Misty, are the proud owners of a mid-century home in South…

What a view this James E Hurley-designed house was built for the Jenkins family in…

Richard Neutra’s Freedman House is a true icon. Built in in 1949 for the screenwriting couple Nancy and Benedict Freedman, it makes for an interesting contrast with the Sten-Frenke House, which the architect had built earlier in the decade for another Hollywood couple.

Mr. Roberts is the owner of one of the most beautiful Mid-century desert houses that we have ever seen: the Edris House designed by architect E. Stewart Williams. Buying it was a dream come true. Read his story.

Previous coverage has described the style of this house as mid-century, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Driffield House is nothing if not interesting. Designed by Suzanne Dance and situated in in Arthur’s Seat, Victoria, Australia.

2 Hollow Glen Lane has quite a story behind it. Situated in the woods of…

In the mid-century modernist house, the use of natural materials is paramount. For inspiring a sense of the outdoors in the heart of the home…

This house was designed by architect Jaroslav Joseph Polivka who got his big break after getting in touch with Frank Lloyd Wright about one of his projects.

This house in Atlanta, Georgia, is all about the landscaping and the materials.

Originally designed by Robert Green, it is clearly inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright

Regular viewers will have seen this site cover a few Palm Springs houses lately. An…

The Emerald Street Residence has not always been as dazzling as the current pictures suggest. Built in 1953, the house was originally designed by New Orleans-based Curtis and Davis Architects, the architectural partnership responsible for so-called New Orleans Modernism.

The Smith Residence is a shining example of architect Donald Wexler’s desert modernism. Situated in…

William Krisel made his name designing houses like this.

Graduating from his architectural education in 1949, he was perfectly poised to exploit the growing affection the American market had for modern aesthetics.

For an LA-based builder of celebrity houses, information on Robert L. Earl is peculiarly elusive. This architect has managed to establish himself as an architect to the stars while also maintaining a remarkable level of anonymity.

One of the country’s most highly regarded living architects, Muller designed the Bynya House in 1954 for his own family. Situated in a northern beachside suburb of Sydney,

The Kalamazoo, Michigan house built for James and Sally Kirkpatrick between 1955 and 1958 is…

Completed in 1952, a year before the influential “Design in Scandinavia” exhibition, the Bendit House offers an interesting glimpse of mid-century design.

Weston, Massuchesetts is home to one of architect Henry Hoover’s most remarkable houses. Built for…

The early 1930s proved a dazzling time for Richard Neutra. The decade began with the…

In 1950, the December issue of the magazine Architectural Forum featured a “Builder’s House of…

Richard Neutra’s Bucerius house is situated in the Brione sopra Minusio municipality in the Locarno district of Swizerland.

It was commissioned by one of the founders of the German newspaper Die Zeit.

Last week, on 10 December, prominent Danish-American furniture designer Jens Risom sadly passed away at…

Rockwell’s private house in the suburb Olympia Fields, outside of Chicago, is what many would call a marvelous work of modernism.

This home was built and designed by Rockwell himself to serve as personal living space in 1964.

The legendary mid-century architect William F. Cody was a difficult man to pigeonhole. There exist few buildings that could really explain his style and many of his larger scale projects were quite eccentric, curved in some instances, in others borderline Googie.

Phil Coffman belongs in that category of lucky people that grew up in a Mid-century Modern house, and over time Phil has learned the value of his father’s Arkansas Mid-Century Modern home: The Chambers House.

[tie_slideshow] [tie_slide] [/tie_slide] [tie_slide] [/tie_slide] [tie_slide] [/tie_slide] [tie_slide] [/tie_slide] [tie_slide] [/tie_slide] [/tie_slideshow] Oscar Niemeyer designed…

The designs of architect Rodney Walker’s Case Study homes are known and celebrated worldwide. However, his 4300 square-foot residence, known as the Rodney Walker Residence in Ojai, California, is relatively unknown.

The Joel E. Ferris II House is a superb example of how Mid-century Modern architecture can integrate people and nature.

The house was designed for Mary Jean and Joel E. Ferris II by architect Bruce Walker in 1954 and built in Spokane, WA.

Andrew Weaving is a successful author specialising in Mid-century Modern architecture and design. He has written several titles on the subject – ‘Modern Retro’, ‘Sarasota Modern’ and ‘Living Retro’ to name a few.

Architects Palmer and Krisel run one of the most prolific American architecture firms of the mid-century period.

The significantly contributed to create Palm Springs’ fame as mid-century modern architecture dream and destination.