Midcentury Modern Curbed LA

Table Of Content

• Fala Atelier transforms Porto warehouse into "house of many faces"
• Modernizing a Classic Midcentury Residence in Los Angeles
• Charles Du Bois designed eye-catching ‘Alohauses’ across Palm Springs
• What are the characteristics of mid-century modern architecture?
• Razor-sharp midcentury modern asks $1.25M in Valley Village
• My Modern Met

In 1922, she opened her Paris shop, Jean Désert, where she first stocked items in more luxurious materials of the Art Deco movement, but later adopted the more minimal aesthetic of the burgeoning modernist movement. Le Corbusier worked closely with his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, as well as his head of interior design, Charlotte Perriand. Perriand shared many of Le Corbusier's ideas about a functional space that lives in harmony with nature. Her L'Arcs 1800 apartments, designed for the French ski town of Savoie, embody much of her ethos, consisting of minimal, repeated units that prioritize views of the natural surroundings. Knoll, a manufacturer of classic midcentury designs, opened a showroom in Soho. Their stores were normally open only to designers, but this one was a retail store.

Fala Atelier transforms Porto warehouse into "house of many faces"

Also these shape the city’s architectural identity and standing as testaments to the enduring allure of mid-century modernism. Exploring these homes allows us to not only appreciate their aesthetic beauty but also to gain insight into the spirit of innovation and creativity that has defined Los Angeles for decades. Whether you’re a design enthusiast or simply appreciate architectural excellence, these iconic homes are a must-visit to experience the essence of mid-century modern living in Los Angeles. To showcase their unmistakably modernist approach to everyday architecture, mid-century modern architects employed geometric forms and asymmetrical compositions in their designs. Unlike structures built in popular preceding styles—including Beaux-Arts and Arts and Crafts—mid-century modern homes exhibit little historic influence and lack visual formality. Another key characteristic of the mid-century modern house is its relationship with nature.

Modernizing a Classic Midcentury Residence in Los Angeles

Located in one of the best South Palm Springs neighborhoods, this 2,700-square-foot house has been remodeled extensively over the years since it was built in 1961. Don’t let the relatively smaller lot size fool you – this house has all the amenities as some of its bigger peers on this list. It has a spacious patio with stairs leading down to a backyard with tropical, lush greenery. There is a large fireplace on the main floor and an additional fireplace in the walkout basement. This house is set on a property of 1.46 acres, filled with forests.

Charles Du Bois designed eye-catching ‘Alohauses’ across Palm Springs

The MCM design aesthetic is modern in style and construction, aligned with the Modernist movement of the period. It is typically characterized by clean, simple lines and honest use of materials, and generally does not include decorative embellishments. “I was in my late teens when I first came across John Lautner’s work in a coffee table book, and it completely fascinated me,” Rønning says. Midcentury modern was originally considered a collection of homes built after World War II, rather than a specific style. Today, however, "midcentury modern" often denotes a particular building or decorating style.

We bring to you inspiring visuals of cool homes, specific spaces, architectural marvels and new design trends. Before you incorporate any of the ideas or examples from this comprehensive list, you should understand the importance of mid-century modern furniture. It adds a ton of utility and elegance, but it has to complement the interior and exterior design and color themes.

Fournier home in Town and Country is featured on ModernSTL Home Tour - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Fournier home in Town and Country is featured on ModernSTL Home Tour.

Posted: Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT [source]

With relatively limited technology and resources, those architects built some of the most awe-inspiring houses that continue to appeal to us even today. Although spacious, the most interesting things about the upstairs primary bedroom are its views of downtown Austin and the ensuite bathroom. Wooden details carry over to the bath’s cabinets and closet, while the standalone bath tub gives the space a bit of character. A guest suite on the lower level is also large enough to be used as a primary suite—the choice is yours.

Can I build a mid-century modern house?

Unlike the Levitts, however, Eichler stood for racial equality in home-buying — a belief that some say affected his business success in 1950s America. Eichler designs were copied and freely adapted throughout the California housing boom. Developers also embraced simplified versions of Georgian Colonials, Spanish Colonial, and other American colonial styles. His eagle eye for midcentury fixer-uppers is was what first drew him to a house on Rising Glen Road in Los Angeles. “I’m always looking for places to either renovate or to buy, to move up the ladder,” Statham says. It was quite downtrodden and had been neglected, as most of these of midcenturies have.” Statham quickly decided to purchase the place and gut renovate it to serve as a multi-use property for guests, as well as his office and gym.

My Modern Met

Large windows and sliding glass doors create natural light and an open feel that are iconic aspects of the style, along with the flat or low pitched gable style roofs. Typically houses are a rectangle shape, but many feature an L-shape that adds extra interest to the exterior. Taking influences from Bauhaus and American high-prairie style homes, midcentury modern architecture was brought to the United States by European architects fleeing Nazi Germany. Some original midcentury modern designers include Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer. Frank Lloyd Wright, the father of modern architecture, actually trained many midcentury modern architects.

Typically, a Mid-Century Modern house is single-story or split-level with short staircases – even just a few steps – leading up and down between rooms. Partial walls, centered fireplaces, and cabinetry also add depth and variation in elevation. Too much furniture and decor can make a room feel overcrowded and cluttered, while too little can make a space feel empty and drab.

With that in mind, we have shortlisted 29 of the best mid-century homes that you should look at for examples and ideas. One of the most unique of the midcentury-modern homes, Lautner’s Elrod House was immortalized in the 1971 James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever. Cavelike but not dark thanks to some well-placed large skylights, the Elrod Home is almost verging on UFO territory. As KAA Design’s Grant Kirkpatrick told us, “Palm Springs is a bastion of classic midcentury architecture,” and this is probably among the desert town’s most imaginative structures. Mid century modern interiors also lend themselves to new design styles and trends, such as the retro revival trend or the Organic Modern trend, offering new styles timeless appeal.

If you are looking for a small mid-century home, this is the perfect option for you. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom home has an area of 1,600 square feet. It was built in 1959 and has been renovated beautifully ever since. If you love midcentury architecture, this house has some exceptional interior and interior ideas that you can take inspiration from. It was renovated and expanded in 2005 to include a pool and deck, increasing its area to 3,000 square feet. The pool juts out over the hillside, as per the original blueprint.

Equipped with their own showroom/studio they can satisfy the needs of any client. Featuring clean lines, bright colors and fresh ideas Satin and Slate’s mission is to bring your vision to life and help transform your space into something extraordinary. Designed by Rudolph M. Schindler in 1921, the Schindler House in West Hollywood set the stage for mid-century modern design principles. As well, its innovative use of space, interconnected rooms, and strong geometric lines paved the way for the mid-century movement.

Ohio-made Lustron prefabricated homes resemble one-story Ranch style houses. Although the original steel roofs have long-since been replaced, the two-foot-square panels of porcelain-enameled steel siding is characteristic of Lustron. Colored in one of four pastel shades — maize yellow, dove grey, surf blue, or desert tan — Lustron siding gives these houses their distinctive look. During the dark era of America's Great Depression, California architect Cliff May combined Arts & Crafts styling with Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie architecture to design what later became known as the Ranch style. Perhaps inspired by Wright's California Hollyhock House, early Ranches were quite complex,. By the end of World War II real estate developers seized on the idea to build a flurry of simple, affordable homes that could be quickly constructed in America's rapidly expanding suburbs.

Mimicking the original design, this Midwestern abode has the living room above the bedrooms. Unlike some of the other incredibly expensive homes on our list, you can own this beauty for slightly over $400,000. It spreads across 2,100 square-foot and features a wooden construction. Mid-century style of designs, combined with new resources creates interiors and exteriors that you simply cannot overlook.

If you aren’t already sold on the design of this house, you will be pleased to know that in 1962, it won an AIA First Honor Award. The architect who built it supervised multiple renovations (especially in the kitchen) until 2007 to restore it to its full glory. It sits neatly on a slope and is surrounded by the Westchester County forests.

They wanted a style separate from the ornate and indulgent decor of their parents. The homes were often small suburban houses, so the use of available space was paramount. Homes were designed to be family-friendly and functional as well as stylish. American architecture legend Frank Lloyd Wright was a well-established, elderly architect (in his 60s) when the stock market crashed in 1929. Recovery from the Great Depression inspired Wright to develop the Usonian house.