5 mid-mod design elements that deserve a comeback
My grandparents built an atomic-age ranch in the 50s outside Seattle, near where my granddad worked as a machinist for the Boeing Company. Their house was filled with features that I only now recognize as truly amazing. From wood veneer and stone to built-in lazy-suzan closets and pocket doors, this whimsical yet practical family home delighted me and my cousins…and was an entertainer’s dream.
Today, I find myself the proud owner of a 1960s vintage ranch in the mid-mod architecture capital of California (the world?), Palm Springs. Immersed head to toe in mid-mod lore, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are 5 design elements (among many) that deserve a comeback, stat!
Element 1: The privacy screen
The mid-mod privacy screen comes in a handful of forms. Whether a substantial exterior breeze block or an airy interior room divider, the privacy screen offers killer architecture interest with all the design panache of a painting or sculpture.
An example of breeze block used as an exterior screen for color and privacy (source: Zillow.com)
One of my favorite applications: separation of a great room into an informal den and formal living room in a gorgeous 1958 Alexander on Plaimor Ave in Palm Springs (source: zillow.com).
Also common in hotels and large apartment schemes, metal screens provide visual separation without closing off a room (source: hcadto.com).
Element 2: The Uvula Fireplace
Ok, that’s probably not the real name for it, but tell me it doesn’t look like that! Imagine placing a style-forward fireplace in a king bedroom, a den, or great room. Painted with a pop of color, it’s visible from all angles, doesn’t block a view behind it, and can suit placement from a corner to mid-wall to — literally — center stage of a room. Whether gas, wood-burning, or pellet, it’s a starring focal point that deserves (demands?) attention.
A colorful accent in a Washington State home that doesn’t block the view (source: Surefield.com)
Almost alien, this one takes center stage in a conversation pit (source: interiorsbystudiom.com).
The legendary 1962 “House of Tomorrow” in Palm Springs features a central fireplace that invites the entire room to enjoy its glow (source: Dwell.com).
Element 3: The Open Bookcase
A variation on the privacy screen, open bookcases offer architectural interior interest while being a practical vehicle for displaying your favorite vases, bar ware, and books. You can integrate a minimalist TV and separate two rooms while maintaining lines of sight. According to a 2017 HomeRebellion.com article, strides in building technology (laminated beams) made it possible post-1950s to build homes with fewer interior walls for support. While cheaper and more efficient for builders, open floor plans still beckoned owners to create privacy and division without sacrificing the open feeling. Defined by sleek horizontal lines, and floor-to-ceiling supports, the open bookcase is another mid-mod staple that fits today’s lifestyle demands for flexibility and style.
Designers Humbert & Poyet feature a bookcase-as-room-divider in their “Grace” apartment in Monaco (source: yatzer.com).
This danish bookcase style room divider was featured in a 1961 article in Life Magazine (source: homerebellion.com).
Element 4: The Pocket Door
As a kid, I thought they were so fun. It’s there, it’s not there, it’s there, it’s not there…You could put a door almost anywhere and not have to worry about space to swing open or closed. My granddad had one to close the main bathroom, and my parents’ 70s house had one to separate the otherwise open kitchen from the dining area. Our home in Palm Springs integrates them between a walk-through bath and the laundry/pool access and also in the King bedroom to separate the vanity/bath from the sleeping area. The concept is visible today with the sliding barn door made famous in farmhouse and loft interiors. but that version requires wall clearance that the pocket door doesn’t.
Modern pocket doors from Portarredo incorporate the surrounding wall texture to become “invisible” when closed (source: trendir.com)
This “hidden door” is featured in a hyper-modern construction from Hoog Design (source: trendir.com).
Element 5: The Sunken Living Room
“In retrospect, the conversation pit is a fascinating look at a time when a living space didn’t revolve around the placement of a massive flat-screen television but instead was oriented on encouraging face-to-face socialization with people. Isn’t that what an ideal living space should do?”
By the time the early 80s rolled around, the sunken room felt a little passé. I thought that my friends’ 70s houses that had them were cool in the 70s. But I remember house hunting in the early 90s and rejecting homes outright that had them. It was kitschy…and not ironic. Today, though, I think the feature has great appeal! It puts a laser focus on the idea of the home as a gathering zone for small groups — and Eero Saarinen’s original “conversation pit” is a reminder to enjoy the slow fun of good friends, family, and a transition point of the day. Without being in an enclosed room, you can descend into the space and feel both separated from and connected to other goings on in the house. Perfect for entertaining and daily family life, the sunken living room is another one of those innovations that fits today’s lifestyle to a T.
Out of the fray of meal prep and eating, the conversation pit brings cosy formality to an open floor plan (source: hippdx.com).
It’s sunken AND there’s a central fireplace (source: hippdx.com)!
A hallmark of a great design is its timeless applicability. These 5 elements were conceived to address lifestyle design concerns decades ago, yet both form and function have a place today. Which one do you like best? What other elements from ago do you think deserve a comeback?