Modernous’ Design Lets Original Details Shine

Just northeast of Seattle in Woodinville, a Mid Century Modern home needed help. The home was built 30 years ago with reference to layouts from 60s magazines. While the Mid Century Modern home had fantastic period details like teak kitchen cabinetry and trim, the homeowner knew it was time for an update. He reached out to Modernous to tackle the design.

blue Malm in living room with teak cathedral ceiling — A custom blue Malm draws the eye upwards to the teak wood ceiling and set the tone for the blue accent colors throughout the house. White walls and white terrazzo floors keep the look clean, airy and light.

Eames lounge chair abstract painting geometric wallpaper terrazzo floor — Modernous opened up the layout so that the kitchen and living area bleed seamlessly into each other. Sally Julien adds, “We also added contrasting grey cabinetry to the newly opened side of the kitchen to complement the teak.”

modern updated bathroom with gray tile and cabinetry — The neutral color scheme in the newly updated bathroom keeps things crisp and light.

Enter Modernous

Sally Julien, principal at Modernous, says, “Modernous helps guide the homeowner to consider the project as a whole while making choices, versus looking at each piece on its own, to ensure a cohesive result.” When it came to this Woodinville home, the homeowner knew he wanted to keep the existing teak cabinetry and trim. Modernous streamlined design decisions around drawing attention to the teak and simplifying the design.

large windows and MCM furniture in updated home — Modernous worked with the homeowner to make furniture choices throughout that reflect the overall design.

gray cabinetry in Modernous updated kitchen with original teak cabinetry — Slate gray cabinetry introduces some variety, and the sleek cooktop takes advantage of contemporary technology without detracting from the MCM ambience.

Sally Julien elaborates, “While it was a beautiful teak, you almost didn’t notice it because the floors and ceiling were also wood, in addition to the trim. We worked to find a white/gray terrazzo tile flooring that would provide visual relief from the wood and make the teak really stand out.”

open concept two-story MCM home in Pacific Northwest updated by Modernous — The open layout allows for ample natural light, an important feature in any MCM house, but it’s especially important in the often-gray Pacific Northwest climate.

Why Work with Design Professionals?

If you pore over the pages of MCM magazines, you might think you’re all ready to go for when you get your chance to update an MCM home. It can be easy, though, to lose the forest for the trees. A design professional, such as those at Modernous, is going to keep the overall picture in mind and make sure individual choices contribute to a cohesive whole.

renovated shower in Woodinville MCM home design by Modernous — The gray tile in this bathroom echoes the gray in the kitchen cabinets.

While a designer’s services may cost more upfront than doing everything yourself, there are many and lasting benefits. Sally Julien says, “One of the advantages of working with an interior is that it can make the project go more smoothly and quickly, and with a better end result.”

original teak cabinetry and stainless steel appliances in updated MCM kitchen — Modernous made sure that the original teak kitchen cabinetry stands out by keeping the kitchen design clean and streamlined.

open concept kitchen dining and living room with terrazzo floors and teak cabinetry in MCM kitchen — Even the espresso maker (also essential in this climate) coheres with the design—a level of detail you can expect from Modernous.

When to Preserve and When to Update?

For Mid Century Modern homeowners especially, there is often a tension between preserving original details and updating for contemporary needs. When it comes to this quandary, Modernous approaches the question holistically.

“When looking at what to preserve,” Sally Julien says, “it is important to look at the overall design and think about what contributes to the design and what detracts. We try to strip away some of the superlative ‘stuff’ and ensure that the coolest design elements really have an opportunity to shine.”

Modernous refreshed open concept living area with high built-in planter in MCM home — The elevated built-in planter takes indoor-outdoor connection to the next level.

clerestory windows and original teak ceiling in MCM renovated bathroom — As part of the home’s update, Modernous overhauled the home’s two bathrooms, carrying through the terrazzo floors and a clean, airy aesthetic.

soaking tub teak ceiling terrazzo floors and skylight in updated MCM bathroom — A skylight above the soaking tub and clerestory windows in the facing wall maintains the indoor-outdoor connection (as well as privacy) even in the bathroom.

exterior of Woodinville home updated by Modernous — The home is in Woodinville, surrounded by trees in the lush, rain-nourished landscape of the Pacific Northwest. From the outside in, the original teak wood is a stellar feature of the home, and Modernous made sure it had room to shine in the home’s refresh. They also color matched the front door to the Malm fireplace in the living room.

Modernous freed the Woodinville home from visual clutter and navigated the preservation-renovation quandaries with preserved teak and updated terrazzo with stunning results. Learn more about Modernous and see how you can partner with them for cohesively refreshing your MCM home by clicking here.