A 1960 Idaho Home's Pride Passed Down

This 1960 Idaho home is a blend of its original mid-century charm and its new owners’ intent to make sure new modifications stay true to the design era.

The West Bench neighborhood in Boise, Idaho, tends to attract homeowners who stay permanently and put down roots. From its growth in the 1960s, many Mid Century Modern houses were being built, and many families and homeowners were settling down in this cozy, timbered neighborhood, intending to call the West Bench suburb their permanent home.

This is also true for Jessica and Morgan Sorensen, who, decades later, stumbled across a listing for a home in West Bench. The serendipitous sighting of this 1960 Idaho home on @BoiseMidCenturyHomes’ Instagram account changed their future. They knew it would be the perfect place to settle down.

1960 Idaho home exterior gray in snowy landscape — The Boise, Idaho, home shows off its modern, neutral gray coat in contrast to the wintry North-west surroundings. The neutral color palette is sleek and stunning, but it does not detract from the bewitching scenery.

living room in 1960 Idaho home with MCM leather sofa — The wall-sized windows shown here allow for the living room to blend seamlessly into the small patio to the left, and the yard behind it. Not only do these windows give a wonderful view of the trees and backyard, but they help make the resident feel like they are in nature from the comfort of their own home, no matter the season.

“I grew up very close to this area and we have always loved the neighborhoods in this area of Boise,” Jessica says. “We were not in the market for a new home, but this one was special. The home itself, the MCM style, yard and location were all things we knew we wanted in our forever home.”

The 1960 Idaho Home’s Lasting Legacy

The house was truly built as a labor of love as the original architect designed it for his family. “The home was built in 1960. It was designed and built by the original owner, Albert Asumendi, who lived in the home with his family for over 50 years,” Jessica explains. Although Asumendi was not a prolific architect like Frank Lloyd Wright, Joe LaMarche and Art Troutner, who all built in the Boise area, his house has stood the test of time.

MCM living room with black geometric art and exposed wood beams — The wooden, exposed beam ceiling is part of the original build by Albert Asumendi. This beautifully displays the ribbed structure of the sloping ceiling and provides a contrast for depth and perspective.

dining and living room with modern chandelier and neutral art prints — The spacious dining room is elegantly outlined in warm, clean lines. The dark ceiling beam creates a defined separation between rooms, and the outline of the wooden molding along the floor frames the simplicity of the room. Even the orientation of the refinished wooden floorboards, which aligns with the dark ceiling beam, aids in visually lengthening the room.

The Asumendi home was then purchased by an owner who intended to renovate and resell the house. The owner made some minor cosmetic updates, remodeled the kitchen and opened the floor plan a little, but, other than that, left the Mid Century Modern spirit of this family home intact.

After Jessica and Morgan saw the post for this newly flipped house, they knew they needed to act fast if they wanted to make this beautiful 1960 Idaho home their own. “We were able to move quickly and be a little spontaneous, and we were lucky enough to get it,” Jessica says.

MCM living room with exposed wood ceilings and furniture — The living room flows seamlessly into the dining room area, although they are clearly distinct areas, as denoted by the dark, wooden ceiling beam. They are connected and share light from their perspective windows, adding to the open feel of the layout.

dining room table with hydrangeas and modern dandelion like chandelier — Although the color scheme of the house is very neutral and clean, adding a pop of green with flowers or potted plants can really liven up the space. This also ties into the mid-century design element of connecting the inside with nature.

Keeping the Core Aesthetic

The color palette and aesthetic of the 1960 Idaho home has been well preserved and blends seamlessly with this wooded Northwestern neighborhood. “We like the focus to be on the beautiful wood features of the home and the large windows that show off the yard and mature landscape, so we have stuck to a neutral, minimal color palette,” Jessica says. This philosophy allows for rooms, such as the living room, to elegantly frame the outside landscape with a gorgeous exposed-beam ceiling, warm wooden floors and pristine white walls.

vintage record player in 1960 Idaho home — Antique accents, like this record player, not only look striking, but also add to the historic, mid-century feel of the house. These vintage pieces make for great décor that also offers a fun, functional use.

vintage mid century modern credenza matches the exposed wood beams in the ranch style ceiling — In the Sorensen’s home, the chairs and credenza are vintage pieces. Even before Jessica and Mor-gan found this West Bench home, they loved mid-century style furniture. Their own homey touches to this 1960 house feel as if they’ve belonged.

Jessica mentions there is a lot from the original design that has been preserved. “We have kept—and plan to keep—the original cabinetry and accents that capture the whimsy and personality of MCM style. Fortunately, a lot of pride and care from the original owners allows us this decision,” she says. “The floors are original and refinished. The wood ceiling in the living room and beams are original as well. There is a cool accent wall in the laundry room with leaves that we think were possibly from the tree in the front yard that is original as well.”

Making Their Mid-Century Mark

Because the house had already been updated by the previous owners, the Sorensens did not need to do much in the way of renovation. “We have not changed much inside the home, just small things like replacing the wall sconces in the living room and the lighting fixtures in the bathroom,” Jessica says. “We painted the exterior. It was a light blue when we purchased it, and we wanted to modernize it and chose a neutral, timeless color. We also finished the office, which is in the detached garage, and we refinished the wood ceiling and painted.”

West Elm dining room table in 1960 Idaho home — In the dining room, Jessica and Morgan’s West Elm dining table is the centerpiece. This sleek Mid Century Modern design greatly complements the simplicity of the home’s layout.

blue concrete tile in bathroom with wooden cabinetry — “All of the cabinetry in the bathrooms, laundry room and hallway are original,” Jessica says. As seen here, the well-preserved cabinets in the bathroom co-exist beautifully with the light blue, geometric floor tiles. The simply patterned backsplash wall and the wide, clean sink add to the artistic functionality of the room.

Although Jessica is happy with the finished result, there are some changes she might make in the future to restore even more of the house to its original Mid Century Modern design. “The kitchen remodel, although nice, is not what we would choose. Down the road, we hope to renovate the kitchen to bring it back to a style that is complementary to the rest of the house and true to MCM.”

The furniture Jessica and Morgan added to make this 1960 Idaho home their own complements the original design. “We have always loved MCM-influenced furniture, so a lot of the pieces we had fit perfectly into this home,” Jessica explains. Just like the Asumendi family before them, Jessica and Morgan view the personal touches they added as a labor of love in their forever home.

Albert Asumendi

The background of a Boise-born architectural enthusiast.

Albert Asumendi was a native local architect from Boise, Idaho. He was born in Boise in 1926, back when Craftsman/Bungalow housing style was all the rage. His parents were both immigrants: his father from Marquina, Spain, and his mother from Laida. Albert grew up in the culturally rich Basque community that has thrived in Boise since the late 1800s. This large community owes its roots to the Basque sheepherders who originally settled in the region and subsequent refugees who came to Boise to find freedom from persecution, such as during Francisco Franco’s reign in Spain.

Albert attended a local high school and later graduated from the University of Idaho. He went on to work at the Idaho Power Company for 35 years, where he was the Supervisor of the Building Department and Architectural Area. His profession fueled his artistic bent for designing homes and buildings.

After returning from service in World War II, Albert returned to Boise and married his wife, June. Together, they settled down to raise a family. Albert put his expertise and passion for architecture to good use and designed his family home in the West Bench neighborhood. During this period, the Mid Century Modern style was in vogue and Albert’s residence embodied the era’s finest architectural trends. He incorporated classic mid-century design, such as floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, beautiful wooden accents, a small patio and a detached garage.

At this time, there were other well-known architects building ranch-style houses in neighboring blocks. It is plausible that Albert could have crossed paths with contemporary Boise architects, such as Nat Adams, Joe LaMarche and Art Troutner.

Albert would go on to live in this family home for over 50 years. Even after his passing in 2001, the house he built out of a love of family and architecture stands tall and is a mid-century legacy that can be passed down for new families to cherish for years to come.

For more MCM Idaho homes, take a peek at Renovate or Relocate?: A Boise MCM Home and Past Perfected in a 1965 Boise Home. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Atomic Ranch articles and ideas!