From the Ground Up: Mid Century Modern Design

A Florida couple enamored with Mid Century Modern design styled and furnished their dream home themselves—complete with personal touches and a retro soul.

Mid-century modern living room with entrance to outdoor patio — “Mid Century Modern, in my opinion, brings in the Florida lifestyle, because it wants to marry the inside with the outdoors,” Patti says. With the exception of one bathroom, there is a window in every room of the house. To flood the living room with natural light, the couple opened two intersecting walls and installed sliding pocket glass doors that lead to the back porch. “We want it to feel like you’re not just moving to your outdoor furniture; you’re moving to another experience in the home,” she adds.

The couple’s fondness for Mid Century Modern design was the main influence behind the 2018 build. “We’ve had a love of that era forever,” she says. “But we also love the playfulness of adding the unexpected aspects of a home when you walk in.”

Out-of-the-Box Florida Mid Century Modern Design

When it came time to move from Kansas City, Patti Pate and her husband, Joel Butner, decided to settle near downtown Punta Gorda, Florida. “We liked the fact that downtown really encouraged diversity in home styles,” Patti explains. “So that allowed us to realize that we could be a little bit more creative in our design.”

Entryway with dark wood door and mid-century design cabinet with circle mirror — The mid century flair begins at the custom mahogany front door. “It was extremely important to have solid wood doors through the entire house,” Patti says. “I wanted that feel of those heavy doors moving.” She accented the foyer with a vintage console.

Their desire for color and contrasting materials matched their decision to not be predictable. But when local builders and drafters weren’t grasping this vision, Joel assumed the role of architect to achieve their Florida Mid Century Modern design dreams. “Ultimately, we took over the design of the house, totally. And actually sourced everything inside the house ourselves,” Patti says.

Poolside brick patio and pool with mid-century modern chairs — Patti and Joel designed the saltwater pool with visitors in mind. “Somebody may want to sunbathe on the Baja deck, while somebody else may want to sit on the bench where they are in the water and not on the edge,” Patti explains. They added Ipe wood decking that can not only withstand Florida’s year-round sun, but also serve as a resort-style poolside lounge.

Non-negotiables included an abundance of windows for natural lighting, a front porch and functional design that couldn’t be dated. To achieve the geometric look of the exterior the couple had to get the vernacular approved by the Punta Gorda City Council. This design was partly inspired by Joel’s favorite architect, Hugh Newell Jacobsen. But the city adjusted its building codes to add the new look to its roster.

Florida Mid Century Modern Design Puts Function First

“We really did follow Mid Century Modern design in terms that it always starts with function first, and then form follows,” Patti explains. The interior of the home, therefore, showcases the couple’s beloved collection. Classic pieces like their Eames chairs, Nelson bench and bright-pink antique cuckoo clock area few of the standouts. Patti opted for timeless cement flooring and white walls to serve as the backdrop.

Kitchen with wooden cabinets and angled ceilings — All the cabinets in the home, from the kitchen to the bathrooms, are Ikea bases. “Joel researched it, and the bases stood up to almost anyone else in the industry in terms of quality,” Patti says. The couple consulted a designer from Los Angeles to help customize the fronts, which were then completed by Semihandmade.

Standing on Their Own

Joel designed a peaked ceiling and a spacious open layout for the kitchen and living room. The Florida Mid Century Modern design makes the home friendly for entertaining while keeping sight lines clean. A butler’s pantry off the kitchen is one of Patti’s favorite rooms in the home. “I didn’t just want a pantry,” she says. “I also wanted it to stand on its own; we were able to tuck in some high-end shelving.”

Studio room with framed prints in different colors and styles — In addition to the home’s three bedrooms there is a bonus room that functions primarily as a study, but it has all the nuts and bolts to transform into a fun guest space or a cozy reading nook. A daybed rests below a gallery of family portraits and artwork, and just around the corner is a wine cooler tucked into a closet.

Butler's pantry with mid-century modern design elements — Ensuring each space could stand on its own was one of Patti’s guiding principles, so when it came to appeal, no room was overlooked—not even the butler’s pantry. Although designed simply to conceal day-to-day kitchen accessories, the pantry took cues from mid century style, with high-end shelving, brass hardware and a solid walnut countertop.

The ability of key pieces and rooms to work independently became a guiding principle for Patti as she furnished the home. “Every piece should be able to move and stand on its own. You have to have a love for that piece you bought, not that it happens to match your couch.”

Keep It Simple

To strike a balance between budget and quality in the kitchen, the couple chose Ikea cabinet bases and worked with a Los Angeles designer and Semihandmade to customize them. The fronts are all cut from a single slab of walnut. “The grain follows the entire bank of all the cabinets,” Patti says. Front-push mechanisms eliminate the need for clunky knobs. The white quartz countertops allow the focus to remain on details like the navy blue dry bar nook.

Guest bedroom with patterned bedspread and Eames chair — The couple are open-minded about furniture and décor to inform their style, regardless of where it’s been sourced from. This leads to a fusion of high-low pieces that evokes warmth and familiarity. In their daughter’s room, for instance, an Eames armchair complements side tables from Target.

Mid-century modern design tiles in bathroom shower with glass doors — To achieve the exact pattern for the tile mosaic in the guest bathroom, the couple spent an evening placing each square on the living room floor in the design they wanted, ensuring that no single color overwhelmed the others. Joel handed each one, piece by piece, to the tiler the next day.

Bedroom with mustard accent throw and MCM furniture — Over the years, the couple has saved up to purchase classic pieces, including several Eames chairs. The primary bedroom hosts a handful of vintage pieces, like the dresser, black chair and Nelson bench opposite the bed. “They will be timeless no matter where we go,” Patti says.

For guests to feel more comfortable, the couple constructed small vestibules in front of the study and all three bedrooms. Each one boasts a set of wooden double doors that also allow a tidy visual from the main living area. A custom chandelier hangs from each vestibule, created by an artisan Patti found on Etsy. “It’s not just a crafty place anymore; there truly are artisans out there, and they’re willing to really get into the space and the feeling that you’re trying to create,” she says.

Taking the Plunge

In the beginning, the couple kept the palette relatively balanced, mostly neutral elements with occasional pops of color. But by the time Patti reached the guest bathroom, she was done playing for their take on Florida Mid Century Modern design. She took the plunge on a loud statement for the tile in the shower. They chose teal, orange, black, gray, white and green tiles from Daltile for the mosaic.

Mid-Century bathroom with floating vanity and sink and tiled shower — Patti opted for wide, wall-mounted sinks from Badeloft for each bathroom in the home. “We have that long granite countertop, and then on the side you still have the two faucets for two people,” she says of the primary bath. “But it wasn’t the tradition of two separate sinks, where you’re taking up a lot of counter real estate for nothing.”

Classic design often acts as a muse and doubles as the impetus for an authentic reflection of the self. Patti and Joel’s Florida home borrows Mid Century Modern design to do just that. “We really picked the part of it that we loved and is kind of our personality,” Patti says. She offers a bit of advice for homeowners considering the same idea: “It’s just going to be an expression of yourself; it’s not going to feel like work.”

For more Florida Mid Century Modern design and architecture, read on about An MCM Forever Home in St. Petersburg, Florida and Mid Century Spirit in Fort Lauderdale. Before and After: Renovating the Armstrong House or Hexagon Haus: A Colorful Condo In Mammoth Lakes, California.

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