A Neglected Ranch Deck Home Elevated to Colorful MCM Gem

Red Front entry on mcm ranch deck house — Some of the exterior cladding on the house was rotted and needed to be replaced. The homeowners and their contractor got an unwelcome surprise and an unexpected additional construction expense when they removed the existing panels—the deck was attached to the foundation of the house. The deck railings were also replaced. The red accent paint for the door and entry way stands out against the grey of the trees during winter. Red accent paint: Sherwin Willliams Roycroft Copper Red (2839). Chairs from West Elm.

A ranch deck home tucked in the woods was the answer to a family’s lockdown search.

As the Covid pandemic shut down the world in 2020, Henry Flores and his wife were living with their young daughter in NYC in a two-bedroom home. Like many, they wanted more open space so their family could have an active lifestyle while staying safe.

They began their hunt for a second home with the criteria to stay within a two-hour drive of NYC. But Henry Flores also had another criteria—as a fan of Mid Century Modern architecture and design, he wanted to find a home from that era.

Mid Century modern house in the woods in the autumn — The family spends a lot of time in the outdoor dining and seating areas. The Majestic 1964 vintage fireplace purchased from a seller in Michigan is a nod to the original Preway Fireplace in the Living Room. The Adirondack chairs and drum table are from West Elm. The exterior paint is Sherwin Williams Andiron (6174).

Finding a Neglected Gem

They knew their search had ended in October 2020 when they found a ranch deck home called The Maverick on former state park land within a nature preserve in Woodstock, NY.

The 1200 square foot, two bedroom, two bath ranch deck home with seven skylights was built by a local builder in 1964 as a summer residence for actress Mary Sinclair. The property also has a 400 square foot shed set back from the main home.

The Maverick is so-named because it is located near The Maverick Concert Hall in Woodstock, which has been in operation for more than 100 years. But Sinclair was something of a maverick herself as one of the first actresses to sign a seven-year contract in 1951 with a TV studio for the then-emerging TV market.

The location was perfect for their family—it is near hiking trails as well as the Belleayre and Hunter Mountains for skiing, a five-minute drive to the town of Woodstock and about two hours from NYC.

Their excitement in finding the perfect home soon turned to disappointment when someone else outbid them for the home. But they didn’t give up.

“As a real estate manager for a large corporation, I know a lot about negotiations and contracts,” says Flores. “I had a sixth sense that the home would fall out of contract and be ours. And I was right.”

While the location was perfect for the family, it was also perfect in another way.

“Years ago I saw the TV show Frasier and fell in love with Dr. Frasier Crane’s Eames Lounge Chair featured prominently in the character’s living room,” says Flores. “It became a goal of mine to acquire one. In 2007, I bought a 1992 Eames Lounge Chair from a seller in Brooklyn. I told him one day I would have a Mid Century Modern home for it and I would send him a photo of the chair in that house. That chair became the design inspiration for our new home.”

Renovation on the Ranch Deck Home Begins

The kitchen and dining area share a space.The woodblock counters in the kitchen were sanded and re-stained. Table and chairs from West Elm Mid Century collection. Poulsen pendant light over dining table from DWR.

The reality of just how much work the home needed, however, tempered their initial excitement.

Flores continues, “Our goal was to keep the Mid Century Modern roots of the home but renovate it to make it livable for year-round use. We also knew we wanted to offer the home as a vacation rental, so the home had to be durable enough for renters but match our design aesthetic.”

Flores worked with local contractor Brian Evans and interior designer Kate Aubrey to realize their renovation and interior design vision for the home.

Construction began in 2021. Although they kept the original layout of the home, they desperately needed to install insulation. So the home was gutted with the exception of the primary bath and kitchen, which had been renovated ten years prior. Once the walls were opened up, they realized the electrical wiring in the home needed to be replaced. They had energy efficient mini-split units installed. A back-up generator—an essential during winter storms—was installed behind the shed.

Other not so glamorous but essential updates included replacing the original septic tank and repaving the private road that leads to the home.

“One of my favorite renovations was installing an underground 500 gallon dedicated propane line to the grill on the deck,” said Flores. “It wasn’t an inexpensive feature, but I love to grill, and we spend a lot of time on our deck with our family and guests.”

The original wide-plank oak floors in the living room were refinished, but the rest of the home required new wood floors in the bedrooms and new tile in the guest bath.

guest bath in mcm home with bright patterned shower curtain — The guest bath was gutted during renovation. Paint is Benjamin Moore Olympus Green (679), Vanity mirror from West Elm Mid Century Collection, light fixture from Dutton Brown and shower curtain from Society6.

“If you can hire a contractor who is a ‘jack of all trades,’ they are worth their weight in gold,” Flores advises. “Our contractor not only handled the interior demolition and framing, but also many other projects; and he was very connected in this small community, so if he couldn’t handle the project, he knew someone who could.”

shed set back from mcm home with red door — The shed door is also painted red in an homage to an upstate NY tradition of painting barn doors red. Sherwin Willliams Roycroft Copper Red (2839)

Nature Inspires the Ranch Deck Home’s Interior

“As an interior designer it is important that the client’s design taste guides the design vision, but in this case, we are both mid century design buffs, so this was an especially fun project for me,” says designer Kate Aubrey.

She continues, “The home was in pretty rough shape, and it isn’t a large home. So we decided while the interior would be minimalist, it would also be colorful. When you enter the home, you think it will be this rustic cabin vibe, but instead it is an elevated MCM home.”

“The MCM color palette and design style for this home in the middle of the forest is very different from one in a warmer, desert climate.” Aubrey explained. “The colors we picked were rich earth tones like blues, mustards and golds, in keeping with the forest location of the home.”

The goal with the art work was to pick larger pieces that were striking instead of various smaller pieces. The mobile over the bed in the primary bedroom is a good example.

colorful accent wall with contrasting accessories in mcm home — The goal with the art was to pick larger pieces that were striking such as the mobile over the bed from Skysetter Mobiles. The blue rug from Wayfair and the blankets and pillows stand out against the mustard accent wall. Accent wall paint: Sherwin Williams Rockwood Amber (2817). Lighting from Dutton Brown. Bed, mirror, desk and desk chair from West Elm. Womb chair by Knoll from DWR.

The forest location was reflected inside with art prints representing a modernist take on national parks, wallpaper in the living room with a pine tree pattern, as well as accent pieces such as pillows and blankets that tied in with the theme.

Flores says, “Our family uses the home year-around. In the summer, we are out on the deck grilling and in the evenings we gather around the fireplace or firepit. In the winter, we light a fire inside and watch the snow fall. It is magical.”

And true to his word, Flores sent the buyer a photo of the Eames Lounge Chair in its new home at The Maverick.

colorful living room in mcm home with wallpaper inspired by nature — The centerpiece of the living room is the original Preway fireplace. The wallpaper on the accent wall is from Wallpaper from the 70s and was chosen as a nod to the nature preserve location. Wall shelving unit was custom made to owner’s specifications. Eliot Bumper Sleeper sofa from Joybird. Plaid rug from Wayfair. George Nelson Propeller Bubble Pendant and Nakashima Splay-Leg coffee table from DWR. Note the Eames Lounge Chair from the Brooklyn private seller.

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