“Mid-century Modest.” I coined this new term in 2009, recognizing that while there may have been 1 million “mid-century modern” homes built in postwar America, there were about 29 million “Mid-Century Modest” homes. And, while some observers today consider the vernacular mass-market postwar designs all too “kitsch” and pretty much discount “tract” houses and all they stood/stand for, I say: Let’s celebrate Mid-century Modest, too – because this era of American housing and all it encompassed were really quite fascinating and special. So, here is my “Mid-Century Modest Manifesto”:
The Mid-Century Modest Manifesto
NO QUESTION, we love Mid-Century Modern homes,
the high falutin’ designer kind.
BUT IN POSTWAR AMERICA, while we built
maybe 1 million mid-century moderns –
we built some 29 million Mid-Century Modest homes.
MID-CENTURY MODEST:
Mainstream. Main Street. Mass produced. Middle Class homes.
ROYAL BARRY WILLS Cape Cods at one end of the architectural spectrum.
CLIFF MAY Ranches on the other.
AND YES, a dose of Contemporary increasingly thrown in, too.
AND OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS –
a gazillion prosaic, vernacular melting-pot variations in between.
MID-CENTURY MODEST HOMES ARE: Small –
1,000 square feet for many years running.
“SMALL” TODAY– but to their owners starting in 1946,
they were the culmination of the American Dream.
Following years of economic Depression and WWII,
these little homes were an amazing gift.
HOW DO WE LOVE THEE, Mid-Century Modest homes?
Let us count the ways…
- Built with love and immense gratitude.
- Wonderful features – pastel bathrooms, fitted kitchens, livable layouts.
- Knotty pine paneling – installed by Gramps.
- Lots of ingenious Americana
like Nutone exhaust fans, Hall-Mack Tow’lscopes, and Dishmasters. - Wallpaper and pinch pleats and pull-down kitchen lights.
- Boomerang cabinet pulls and wagon wheel lights and braided rugs.
- Indoor plumbing.
- Unpretentious. Exuberant. The first taste of true material comfort
for many millions of people. - Our houses have stories…
Stories about the beginning of a new American era still playing out today. - Did I mention small? Yes. But small is — green.
- Small is quite often: “enough.”
THERE IS MUCH TO APPRECIATE in our Mid-Century Modest homes.
And certainly nothing to apologize for.
GRANITE countertops? Who needs ‘em, especially when they come with
a home equity loan that stresses our family finances beyond our limits.
What silliness. What Insanity.
SHHHH! Don’t tell anyone, but our Mid-Century Modest homes,
because they are so unpretentious by today’s standards,
can be much more affordable to buy and to renovate.
RETRO RENOVATION is very much about the “Re”:
Reduce. Re-Use. Recycle. Restore. Re-Store.
Returning to the source of “The American Dream”…
And in the process, re-thinking what we want it to mean for us today.
OH YEAH, and Retro style has a happiness-quotient that is off the charts.
WE LOVE our Mid-Century Modest homes
in all their glorious simplicity and optimism,
and cherish the opportunity to safeguard their history and heritage.
That’s the: Mid-Century Modest Manifesto.
Copyright © RetroRenovation.com 2009
Hey, see me talkin’ about it all on this cool etsy.com video:
hey pam! i would love to send you some pics of my house… been working on it now for four years and am finally feeling like it may be worth sharing! it’s a 1950′s beaut. i just scored a wonderful round sectional at a local estate sale and am dying to show you!
thanks,
ann
We have just bought our midcentury modest house in California. I love your blog and the manifesto. thank you!
I just came across your blog today and I love your manifesto. I am the proud owner of a 1966 ranch style home, which my husband and I have been updating and putting our personal stamp on over the past 11 years.
Some owners of “bigger than big” homes (because you really need 4 bathrooms just in case the entire family has to pee at the same time – lol) don’t understand that a family can live comfortably in a 1,450 square foot (that’s the size of ours) home and that it’s nice not to stretch yourself to the limit just to have a larger home. Several of my friends have recently gone into foreclosure because they thought more was better. I’m of the philosophy that what I have is “enough.”
I enjoy coming up with space-saving solutions and really work at making the most of the rooms we have. Our home has both a living room and a family room, but we repurposed the typical “formal living room” into a media room complete with reclining sofa and big screen television. We don’t do a lot of formal entertaining so utilizing the living room as it was originally intended when it was built back in the 60′s would have been a waste of valuable space for our family.
Anyone who’s curious to see our home, can click on my name above and you should be directed to my blog. You’ll have to search the topics to find the house photos though since my blog isn’t specifically dedicated to my house.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to perusing your blog further to find more ideas for my mid century modest home.
Finally! A place for mid century modest homes! My little house was built in 1945 and has 972 sq ft. I am having so much fun fixing it up and truly love the affordability of the place. I live in a small town in the South and I have almost a half acre city lot. My only suggestion is that you would add a place for folks to post pictures of there little homes. Thank you for this website! I can’t wait to read all the different articles!
Welcome, Amy. Most blogging platforms do not allow for readers to upload photos because of security issues. However, we just started a Mid-Century Modest Homes group on flickr – you can upload your photos there! We’d love to see your house! http://www.flickr.com/groups/1265107@N25/
Hey Pam, I posted some pics of my mid-century modest kitchen on the flickr streak. check them out.
I, too, own a small, wonderful home! I never ‘blow out’ the kitchen like everyone said I should do. I loved the simplicity of it. I also was able to match the paint colour of the 50′s Youngstown Kitchens sink cabinet. It was scratched, rusting in places in the interior selves, and looking dull. I repainted it, and it is now one of the interesting assets fo the kitchen! What is old ,is all now new! (something like that!) My house is on the market, and there are 3 pictures of the kitchen included in the website. I’ve attached the website if you would like to look at it. [link broken]
I was also at a Antique/Salvage shop in Kennebunk, ME over the weekend. They too had Youngstown Kitchen cabinets they were using in their bathroom. I think I’m becoming more and more of a fan of them!
All the best to everyone out there preserving beautiful things!
Thanks so much for your website and blog. I have been a faithful reader and this is the first time I have been courageous enough to comment. I grew up in a mid century modest home in Indiana (all 920 sqft) and it was grand. When I go back to visit relatives, we always have to make the pilgramage to see my old house. Several years ago I finally became a home owner and purchased a small mid century modest ranch in Florida built in the 60′s. I have been renovating one room at a time and have used many ideas and resources from your website. It truly is a labor of love. Thanks for putting into words what so many of us feel.
Hi, Jana, and thank you so much for your comment! It’s feedback like this that keeps me going
Send me some pics of your projects some time! xoxo Pam
Thank you Pam for taking up the cause! I live in the 1950′s 1,300 sq ft home my parents purchased when I was 2 yrs old. I TRY to keep it as it was, original green bathroom tiles, kitchen counters are STILL pink, etc. I made every effort to stay original. Still have original Chambers built-ins..copper/bronze (whatever it is called).
BUT, I need some advise. WHO can replace/repair the wearing item’s working parts. I even still have the Servel refrigerator. No, they do not all work like they did, and I need advise. I don’t want to lose the originals…but they need brought up to standards of safety. Can you help me, please?
Cimarron, we have an FAQ on how to find local folks to help renovate appliances. Check it out.
Northeast Texas is chock-full of undiscovered meccas of mid-century modest homes as well as a few mid-century modern ones as well. Either way, in Texarkana, and especially in Wake Village, Texas, such homes go wholly unappreciated! Tsk, tsk, what a shame, although, estate-sale wise and boon and godsend for pickers/collectors/retro-afficionados.
For instance, Wake Village, as a prime example, is not only peppered with mid-century modest homes, but also has a plethora of circa 1940′s homes due to the fact that it is/was a postwar community, established to house veterans, as well as employees of the government ran army ammunition plants. As a precaution, the original Wake Village (a, ahem, tacky new section has been tacked on, sigh) was planned to radiate outwards in a rose garden pattern from the town circle in order to camouflage it when viewed from the air!
Thank you for such a wonderful site, and handy tips, faq and fyi! In addition to my own personal and business myspace pages, twitter pages, and facebook pages, I also do a facebook page for a local consignment biz with a retro corner, I realize that what you do is a labor of love, and am a fan. I’ve yet to dabble with creating my own website, but am working up the energy and guts.
We just bought a 1969 home that has been owned by the original family/builder in Tucson AZ. I am so excited there are original drapes, original kitchen cabinets and a master bath that is to die for with walk in shower and avocado sinks and tub, with ink and green tile. I am so excited to start working on the house and restore it room by room, it just needs a little cleaning, paint and some restoration. I am so proud to be bying this home, I am so sick of this HGTV beige tile, satinless steel, granite countertop bland look. I feel in love the minute i walked in the house
A HUGE thank you for validating my pride in my old ranch house. I am a loner in my neighborhood. Everyone else has torn out the pink tiled bathrooms and “opened up” their kitchens. I just hate it…but I did SCORE some extra metal-cased windows and a screen door:)
Trying to sell this house was painful…all the buyers want travertine and granite. We just couldn’t do it, so we decided to stay.
At 1800 sq ft. Our house is a bit big for us, but its old and its ours!
Welcome, CJ — you are for sure not alone!
Stay away from the ubiquitous granite, more trouble than it’s worth I understand + it’s hard to tell when it’s dirty. Uck. When I finally did a remodel of the pink kitchen (I really loved it, but didn’t know better then), 25 years ago, the counter tile was replaced with white corian. it was not installed right and cracks have ensued, so soon I’ll be replacing it with, you guessed it, white corian. It’s a dream to keep clean and almost looks like formica.
I have some other kitchen remodel tips that don’t involve ‘opening’ the kitchen (mine was open to begin with), or making structural changes. Fact is, it was too open. We closed off one traffic path and never regretted it.
I have been in heaven driving around Mid-Century Modest neighborhoods in Denver all weekend. We have a LOT of them!
My brother-in-law enviously lives in Arapahoe Acres in Englewood CO–a historically designated MCM neighborhood — homes now going for 350k and up–
But the MC-Modest truly has it own unique charms and beauty. I will post photos of some of my finds on he Flickr account.
I am not a snob.
so thank you for your wonderful blog post
And tract housing from the 50s rocks!
And now i will keep reading!
Love,
Aitch CS
Here’s an antidote to all that high-style mcm stuff:
http://unhappyhipsters.com/
Enjoy.
@Tami, even though it’s mean – yes, it’s pretty wicked funny.
yeah, that is excellent…
It is sooo great to read this about mid-century-modest since we live in a 1950`s, 900sqft home which we bought from the orginal owners. The house is full of character with keyhole arches, a pink bathtub, and various builtins. One of the coolest features that everyone loves is the rec room in the basement. It has real wood part way up on the walls that look like logs. There is a bar and wine storage cupboard. They even left the dartboard and orginal darts. It had an old gas fireplace which we replaced for a wood one. (was worried that the house would blow up if we used it) Everyone loves to hang out in this space because it has warmth and character. I am researching on how to update my kitchen and still keep its character and that is how I discoved this sight. I love all the great ideas and am glad to realize that wanting to keep your homes style is OK.
My mother still lives in the house she and my father bought in 1958. They added a den with a fireplace in the 60′s to “modernize” the house. She wanted it because it was across the street from the high school were she taught. The school built in 1952 had to be torn down in 1999 because of sick building syndrome. But all the houses that surround the school are still there. Neighborhood remains the same. I think its funny how with the fancy new building came fancy attitudes that had not existed before. I remember one time my father thinking of selling our house to the school board, who would have turned it into a parking lot. I was long out of the house, but my immediate comment was, “I did know hell had frozen over.” Needless to say, he kept the house. Even today, 13 years after he has gone, she won’t think of leaving. I don’t want her to. That is what I consider home. My husband’s mother still lives in his childhood home as well. There is something about that generation that just did not move around like we have. Says a lot about them and lot about us.
Yup, Kathy. Thank you for sharing these lovely, lovely memories.
I love this site! I am 9 months into a retro renovation for a 1952 mid-century modest house in south Louisiana. The exterior of the home is the traditional “double shotgun” style that has been found to be tried and true in the gulf coast humidity. But once the doors opened, I instantly fell in love with the mid century modern/modest interior. I knew right then that I had to have this house! I am hooked!
I recently found this site and I have used your resources to buy my laminate countertops and trim and other things as well. Thanks so much for your inspiration!
I live in a rural area and it seems like I am the only person in 6 parishes (counties) interested in mid-century. Most people think that I am crazy when I tell them that I am installing 1950′s metal cabinets! lol
I am thrilled to find you all. I just bought a 1951 ranch in North Miami. Modest sweet and original except for the bath. It even has its full set of clamshell awnings. Granite and stainless are sooooo boring. I look forward to finding design ideas and resources here. I won’t be a fanatic about accuracy to the period… but I want to keep the best features. People think I’m nuts but I’m going to paint the exterior a light lavender…
Your manefesto is beautiful and made me tear up a bit. Aging baby boomer here (57). Just bought my first house in April. A 1961 Ranch in Maine. 825sf, so smaller than your 1,000 mentioned. I’d sure love to have that extra 200ft!! But our yard is twice as big as the house so lots to nurture and do.
I have found most my MCM at flea markets, online (etsy and eBay) and antique shops and Craigslist. I looked around the house the other day and noted that everything was second hand save for a few things (fridge, washer). For years I had lived with my late mothers coffee and end tables, dishes, flateware etc. I opted to find them a new good home and have replaced it all with period furnishings. My goal is to take this little house back to it’s ‘hey day’.
I even found locally a FULL Heywood-Wakefield bedroom set for $600 and purchased it from the original owner. Trudy was kind enough to sing the bottom of one dresser drawer for me, she bought the best first in 1948 and added pieces as time went by.
I play ‘period’ music when I’m cleaning and cooking and nothing makes me happier than this house and all that’s in it. As a friend at work is fond of saying when you ask him how he’s doing “Livin’ the dream!”….and so I am.
Your site is wonderful and so much fun to read.
hannah
Thank you for this lovely note, hannah! Send me some pics of your 825 s.f. castle!
Oh man, it’s still a WIP (work in progress). We’ve only been in 6.5 weeks! But, I did just friend RetroRennovation on FB, I have a few albums up there of before and after pics and purchases. … [ pam edited out links as they don't work... ]
The kitchen and bathroom won’t get painted out until winter.
hannah
hannah, the links don’t work. if you have some time you can send me the photos directly at retrorenovation [at] gmail [dot] com
Hi Pam. I sent you two emails from my gmail account. About 6-8 pics each. Keep in mind my house is NOT sleek by any stretch of the imagination, but it IS quite ‘funky MCM-ish”. A mish-mash with intent.
Just purchased my first house, its a 1928 Colonial in Southern Illinois but was “remodeled” by the previous owners in 1961. Before I looked at the house the Realtor told the kitchen “needed lots of work”. When I walked in I heard angels sing and almost fell to my knees. Aquamarine Formica countertops and Aqua metal cabinets. The most AMAZING aqua, yellow and green Sunburst-ish pattern wallpaper (HEART, HEART, HEART!!!!!!!!) and Avacado Green stove and fridge (probably more 70′s than 50′s but whatever). But the BEST part….A NAUGAHYDE UPHOLSTERED NOOK!!!!!!!!! I could NEVER replace this fun, funky, amazing kitchen with granite and stainless steel!!! Let the HGTV’ers have their “sterile operating room” looking kitchens. I HEART my “kitch” kitchen and I heart this site!!!!!!
OH YOU LUCKY GAL!!! I want to see PICTURES!!
I love how the realtor said “the kitchen needs some work…”
LOL, yea the same thing happened to me…I live on a very popular street in my town…and was w/a friend at the community center where the gal that was volunterring happened to be a realor….she asked where we were from etc…I told her I lived in town …and what house…and she goes…”oh. Yea I know that house. ….it hasnt been “updated” since it was built..in 1952. lol
You are my hero! I thought I was alone in my love of the humble ranch. When I was young, I renovated a brick ranch built in ’52. That was a lot of work that frankly, I don’t think I could live through again! Now I live in a later mid-century ranch built in ’76 – only 1400 sq. feet and covered in vinyl siding, but we love it for so many reasons. I’d like to see a little love thrown to the latter-mid-century ranches as well. Anyway, I love the way this site thumbs its nose to granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, etc. I’m right there with ya.
A few days ago I was researching ranches on the internet when I found your NYT article. That same day I also found these wonderful reports from the Historic Preservation Division of the State of Georgia:
http://georgiashpo.org/historic/housing
Scroll half way down and check out all the great info on the houses and architects under the Ranch Houses heading. Funny, I have lived in and around many of the neighborhoods in these reports – it’s like reading my life in architecture. But now I know what to call each and every style. Enjoy!
Hi Pam! Like you, I spend hours combing the Internet looking for MCM finds and inspiration. In fact, that’s how I came across your blog! I love it! I get so excited to find others who have a passion for all things mid-century.
My partner and I bought a house (William Krisel) in Palm Springs last year and were lucky enough not to have to search for authentic kitchen cabinets…they are still installed. They are white formica with woodgrain formica fronts and I love them. Our kitchen also has the original terrazzo floor and an Imperial 900 double oven (in great working condition).
Anyway, love your blog. You are an inspiration!
Chris
Pam, I’ve found my people! I’m 53 and have lived in my 1964 Texas ranch house for 22 years. I’ve been collecting for many years and I love my 1700 square foot house. You inspire me!
I’m a newbie, so you may already know about the Wilsonart Wilson House in Temple, Texas. If not, enjoy!
http://www.wilsonart.com/wilsonhouse/
Best,
Tracy
I have been living in my mid century modest ranch complete with 1/2 acre of horse property in a rural part of New Mexico where the suburbs multiplied during the housing bubble. My little neighborhood did not get touched and after losing my “big house”, I came across my little ranchita built in 1955 where I can have my two horses in my back yard. I installed a Mr. Ed dutch door where the boys can stick their head into my sunken back screened in porch where my lovebirds live in the summer. I have a sunken living room and teeny tiny bedrooms and 1 bath and my gas and electric bills are all under $100 a month! I also have a woodburning stove installed in my fireplace. My little ranchita had been severly neglected, so there is lots of work to do. I recently acquired authentic 50′s pink bathroom toilet, sink and medicine cabinet. Thank god, my roommate is a plumber. I adore my little ranch, and am planting rose bushes all along the front. I am so excited about this blog and can’t wait to spend many wonderful hours devoted to retro renovation.
What a lovely sounding place you have landed, Veronika. Welcome! Send me some photos!!!!!
And I am totally all over “Save the Pink Bathroom.”
I love Mid Century, the house I own is 1908 craftsman style but I was able to use a lot mid century furniture to create the look I was hoping for. I found this really cool eames chair that someone had turned into a salon chair with the foot pump to raise and lower for hair cuts. Hilarious. Some furnishings that I want were too expensive for me, I did find a couple things on ebay that I liked and a sofa on kardiel.com thats really nice. So even if you don’t have a mid century house, you can still fill it with your favorite things! Oh has anyone seen the new eames movie, its on netflicks on demand for free!
I love this blog.I live in a 1950 ranch style home and I absolutly agree with everything you say about these wonderful homes.While the trend in the past few years have been for big homes with master suites, bonus rooms and the like, these homes just don’t have the character and history as the midcentury ones do. And not to mention that they are built so well and sturdy Small like you said but very econominol and not so small that you get clostrophobic depending of course on the size of ones family.BUThey Ilove these little houses and it”s time they get reconized for being apart of amrecian history.
Thank you Pam for establishing this blog and validating all the owners of smaller (but solid) Mid century homes.We live in a ’58 storybook ranch in MN on the edge of a McMansion development,in a very nice school district.This little house has weathered numerous tornado seasons;only needing one roof replacement for hail damage( in 20+ yrs) while those large houses across the way seem to require repeated roof replacement.Almost a sign of Spring, when you see all the OSB sprinkled out on the rooftops like dandelions on a lawn.I confess we’re not purists w/ regard to maintaining our home (which hadn’t been cared for in decades w/ minimal,idiotic repair work), but our repairs have been solid and subtle to the neighborhood even though we haven’t sought out vintage products.I ‘d like to share our current project.Having lived w/ the original kitchen for the last 23 years complete w/ gold splatter formica,we are opening up the 85 sq ft corridor kitchen (also w/ stairwell) into part of the dining area of our L shaped living room.I suppose that’s considered a no-no to many people, but we aren’t building out w/ an addition-only making the existing footage more usable.The original kitchen door(pocket door) was only 29 inches wide-it will now be 40″ +/- ( we are making “aging in place” adaptations to the home) & the pocket door wall to the dining area was removed so that replacing large appliances won’t be such a challenge to fit into the space or to the pocketbook(since we won’t be forced to pay thru the nose for a counter depth frig.) I’m looking forward to finally having an “eat in” kitchen albeit only counter seating (sorry, Pam, not quite enough space for table & chairs). But a traditional(art deco style) oval table w/ chairs will be in the adjacent front area…The changes have created a mid century flow in the space and a functional 140+ sq ft kitchen is on it’s way.Code required additional lighting(thankfully);moderate retro flavor fixtures are going in (6 white flush mounts in the prep area , 2 pendants w/ cake cover shaped globes for the eating counter, 1 cake cover chandelier for the dining table).We’re using marmoleum on the floor in a light grey & drab beige checkerboard w/ accent tiles in dark slate.The cabinets are mid-tone wood – a rift cut oak w/ slab doors and European/box construction (I am thrilled).We put the old cabinets on the curb for free,installed a new low e window in the kitchen and one in the front room.Since the walls opened up for new plumbing and electrical, new insulation went in – I used to just keep the butter out by that north wall of the kitchen and it would stay solid all winter!….So, far the subfloor is in and next week the lower cabinets get installed..We did hire professionals for this but after saving and investing our own sweat equity for 23 years on the rest of the house , I felt the kitchen warranted professionals since it involved ADA changes….Thanks again Pam….Best of luck to you
I just picked up a set of five ceramic switch plates a that are in the style of 1950′s ashtrays. I have never seen anything like these before. Anybody have any thoughts? They do look great in my mid-century modest home in San Lorenzo, CA. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wVlyw2VLF4I/UGnrIYXJ94I/AAAAAAAAAKg/HeqC7Pb9YFs/s1600/photo.JPG
Just about to purchase a cute little 1949 house. Just CANNOT find a flooring for the kitchen. Everything in Sacramento is so Tuscan, I think even the people of Tuscany would be sick of this trend.
Any ideas? I want happy and cute, I love yellow and white checks, but cannot afford Marmoleum. Why do they make so much black and white checks but no other colors?
The cabinets are white, countertops charcoal laminate. I just want my yellow and white floor, but at this point would settle for anything upbeat, maybe blue? All the Armstrong vinyl looks so gross in the stores, haven’t even seen the Cushion Step in Sacramento yet. Come on flooring people, we don’t just want Tuscan!
See my Kitchens/Flooring category for all my research. How about Armstrong VCT floor tiles in white and yellow? Also See Reader Kitchens button at top of the homepage for lots of ideas.
Hi – I enjoy your site very much. I am a real estate agent in Denver’s northwestern suburbs. I plan to use the term you coined in a blog post (maybe several), and will credit you. I plan to copy the entire first paragraph of this post. Is that OK?
Yes, thank you for asking!