When I am interviewed for stories involving mid-century houses, reporters almost always ask, “Why do you and your readers love mid-century houses so much… What is the appeal?” In today’s sound-bite age, the pressure is on for a snappy answer. But for me, the reasons I have grown to love mid-century houses are multifaceted. Golly six years into the blog, and it’s only now I am writing this down? Here goes — 12 reasons to own and love a mid-century house, based on my experience including interacting with thousands of readers. In a kinda sorta order:
1. Mid-century houses often were built in locations that today, are desirable:
Location location location — I am very conservative about big-money purchases. I am a believer in the classic real estate maxim that the three most important factors to consider when buying a house are, yes: Location, location, location. Fortunately, in many cases, mid-century houses are in good locations. They can be in mature, well-tended neighborhoods with wonderful character, caring neighbors and friendly-sized neighborhood shopping areas nearby. In addition, American suburbs often were developed, over time, in proceeding concentric rings around towns and cities. This means the mid-century neighborhoods can be relatively close to town and city centers, making them easy to commute from; they are not typically remote “exurbs.”
2. Mid-century homes often were built with outstanding quality materials and workmanship that have, and will continue to endure:
Good quality workmanship — Golly, many of these houses were well made. Mud-set tile… Steel kitchen cabinets… Gorgeous vintage lighting… lovely paneling… and more, in many houses. Yes, there may be some refreshing needed. There may be hazards such as lead and asbestos etc. and other not-to-today’s-code issues that you need to get educated on and invest in handling appropriately; consult with your own properly licensed professionals, for more info see our Be Safe / Renovate Safe page. And, there can be ugly surprise maintenance costs. But my sense is that new construction can have its own problems and even nightmares… and that in general, wonderfully crafted mid-century houses still exist by the hundreds of thousands — even by the millions.
3. Mid-century houses — and especially, mid-century modest houses — can be found at relatively affordable prices:
Price — Mid-century homes tend to be smaller than new construction. This is the first reason they may cost less than new or more recent constructed houses, which today average much larger than 50 years ago. In addition, the finishes used inside mid-century homes were typically not what the mainstream market today would consider high-end — no granite or marble or the like. That may put the brakes on their current sales price. And, because original features may read as “dated” to many buyers, the relative purchase price may be better, compared to new construction or to homes that have been “updated” <- now, there’s a word we are wary of here. Finally, even an old house that’s a “fixer upper” in need of repairs is more attractive to me and Kate — we don’t want to pay for someone else’s recent “upgrades” that we don’t like. We would rather get the house at a discounted price and take the chance that we can do the remodeling on budget in way more pleasing to our period tastes. All of these issues suggest you might be able to ‘get in cheaper’ versus buying a newer house.
Of course the overall “better pricing” equation may not be true depending on the market you’re in — in many hip-to-the-vibe locations now, mid-century houses with their original features intact have become more desirable, with the trendiest architectural examples selling quickly.
4. Small mid-century houses can cost less to maintain and remodel:
Size and unpretentiousness = Long term affordability — In addition to costing less because it’s small, a smallish mid-century house will likely scale to require fewer expenditures happily ever after. Small can mean: (1) Less house to pay to maintain, (2) Less house to heat and air condition, (3) Less house to furnish, (4) Less house to pay taxes and insurance on, (5) Less house to clean. Kate adds that a ranch style house means (6) Easier to DIY roof repair$ and hou$e painting and $uch. All of this, by the way, means the less you will need to work to pay for it all. Also, the fact that the authentic period finishes on these house are not ‘fancy’ by today’s standards, means that materials required for restoration may be less costly. For mid-century houses we are talking: 4″ bathroom tiles… resilient flooring… plain cabinets… simple sinks and tubs… and many of these items can be purchased vintage, at ReStores and the like, for rock bottom prices. Peoples, I am telling you: Turn away from the siren song of keeping up with the Joneses and the everlasting gobstopper American marketing machine that works ceaselessly to burrow new-new-new-buy-buy-buy messages into our brains… keep the finishes in your mid-century house simple, which is architecturally appropriate anyway, and squirrel “the savings” into your retirement.
5. Old is the new Green:
Embodied energy — These houses already exist. Buy one — and as possible, practical and advisable, retain its original features — and you likely will be helping to avoid additional energy and natural resource use versus building or buying new. Of course, when it comes to energy and environmental features of our houses, each one will need to be assessed on its own; that said, I continue to find it impossible to mentally process the suggestion that we can consume our way out of a consumption process — that is: the implication of “build a green house!” and “buy this green product!” stories that imply that by abandoning our old housing stock in favor of building all-new “energy efficient” housing structures — or, by gutting existing houses and replacing still-functional stuff inside — we would be setting ourselves up for a better environmental future. I flat out find this impossible to believe; I need to see the calculus of how much carbon, water, forest, etc. this massive reworking of our housing stock would chew up.Waste distresses me, so I intensely favor buying existing houses: Use it up, wear it out, make it do. Note: At the end of January 2014, there were 1.9 million existing-built homes for sale in the U.S., the National Association of Realtors reported. The NAR considers this a 4.9-month supply, at the existing sales rate (which was slow in January), under the approximately six-month supply generally recommended. That said, there are now 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 daily. Additional houses will be heading our way soon enough….
6. Mid-century was a heyday of architectural inventiveness:
Great architecture and features — Mid-century America was a period of immense innovation. Merchant builders built houses that were stylin’. My sense is that there were lots more major manufacturers in the marketplace supplying products, so there was a lot of competition, which meant a lot of proud invention — amazing stoves! sparkle laminate! cork floors! amazing tile! Homeowners did wicked awesome things like build tiki bars in their basements. And again, quality of workmanship was often wonderful. All this adds up to discovering many wonderful features in mid-century houses. There was interesting design, outside and in.
Another thing we Retro Renovators have in common, I’ve typically found, is that we are highly visual. Once we own or live in a mid-century home, we can easily become fascinated by the aesthetics of the period. That said: All design is highly visual, so I think you could be a highly visual person and be into any interior design style. But I think that our highly visual nature, combined with all the other factors on this list, make the mid-century period a particularly appealing one for us.
7. As cozy as Grandma’s kitchen, hey it is grandma’s kitchen:
Warm fuzzies — Our definition of mid-century houses includes both “mid-century modern” and “mid-century modest.” Interestingly, while “moderns” and “modests” may have been designed to look very different on the outside, on the inside they often shared many many design features — namely, use of unpretentious materials, interesting design features, and similar pastel bathrooms and colorful kitchens. Mid-century modern houses: Hard not to get gaga over the fabulous lines of these houses. Add color, and they are so fun. Mid-century modest houses: These can be so00000 cozy. The ceilings are not super high. The homes envelop us.
America is such a mobile country — so many of us needed to move for jobs — our roots may be far away. We love our mobility, but hey, we miss our kinfolk, too… and the cozy features within our mid-century houses remind us of our Grandma’s house. My grandma had a kitchen full of knotty pine galore, a den with a wall full of family photos, and bathrooms with sunny tile. Happy happy memories, easy to channel if you own a mid-century house.
8. All the modern amenities:
“Modern” living — My sense is that for the mass of America prior to World War II, it was a hard-knock life. But the economy boomed after World War II. And houses from that point on began bringing all kinds of “modern” amenities to the largest generation of families ever… Modern conveniences like: electricity, indoor bathroom plumbing, central heating [and with it, larger windows], “fitted kitchens”, larger flowing rooms, and more. Today, all these same features continue to comprise the fundamental requirements for contemporary homes. Not a lot has really changed. Today, homes need better amperage… windows are double-paned (although not likely made better)… the materials we use to build homes or fit them out may differ… ya got yer low-flow toilets and Energy Star appliances (again, likely not made with as much quality as back in the day)… and certainly many superficial “fashion” choices may be different. But even if you live in a mid-century house that is 50 years old, you are likely living in a house that still is almost entirely suitable to contemporary 21st century living.
Hey: Because a mid-century house may be smaller and cost less to purchase and maintain, it may be MORE suited to 21st century living, if you are concerned about climate change and having the money — in a less stable economic and jobs environment — to maintain it and even to hold on to it.
9. Great for aging in place:
Floor plan: Mid-century houses often were ranch-style houses or Cape Cods with bedrooms on the ground level. Single-story ranch houses, in particular, are great for aging in place. Having lived in several styles of homes, I would go a step beyond and say that ranches — with those bedrooms close at hand and nice circulation and flow — are more livable for virtually anyone and everyone — although I do miss all the exercise I got going up and down stairs 800 times a day when I lived in two-story houses. Sort of. Note, I do acknowledge: Ranch style houses require larger lots – and obviously, the larger and more sprawling the home is, the more land will be required; my understanding is that building up, if you need space, is more economical along a number of dimensions.
10. Getting trendier every day:
They’re hip(ish) — When I started this blog in 2007, there already was a market for mid-century modern houses — the architect-designed confections, with impractical roof lines, especially on the West Coast. In the six+ years since, interest in these mid-century modern houses has really exploded. Meanwhile, flash back to 2007 and mid-century modest houses were not much on the fashcionista radar, they were disparaged, even. But then came Mad Men (Betty had a knotty pine kitchen) … and in general, 50 years passed and there was a new generation of buyers without any baggage…. and all the kids are wearing retro anyway… and more Baby Boomers were retiring, and they were nostalgic and downsizing and wanting ranch houses… and there was a Great Recession, and small, affordable houses were sort of appealing again… and I’ll even suggest there was the internet, including this blog, connecting folks to mid-mod alternatives and resources… and before you knew it, the world began to see the charm of the simple tract house. Today, there’s much more interest in mid-century houses — modern and modest alike — with lots of readers telling me that they are searching for old houses from the era to call their own.
11. Multi-generational neighborhoods:
Neighbors from the way-back days — Live in a mid-century neighborhood, and chances are there are original owners in their original houses nearby. Theirs may be the last generation in America not to move nine times (or whatever) because of job changes. It’s so nice to have some grandma and grandpa-aged neighbors around, to tell us what the place looked like from the start, don’t you think?
12: Wonderful stories, and Polaroids, too:
The stories — This one is related to #11 … and is one of my favorite “unexpected surprises” about the joy of owning a mid-century house: There are folks still around who can tell us first-hand stories about our homes, including who built them, who lived there and why. I am sure there are wonderful stories about Victorian and Arts ‘n Crafts houses, etc., too. But we can longer hear those stories first-hand, and there likely aren’t many photos. Readers with mid-century houses, on the other hand, report experience after experience of meeting the original owners, or their children, of their houses. The original owners share information and stories and photos and architectural drawings…. In my house, the grown child of early, longtime owners showed me where he stashed his teenaged Marlboros (they are still in their hiding place; he searched; yes, they were there, and then we put them back – a little time capsule.) He showed me where his beloved boyhood dog chewed the door molding at the top of the basement stairs — and I now treasure that boo boo. He showed me where the dog was buried in the backyard. His mother sent me photos taken in the house in the 1950s — weddings, Christmas, the original kitchen…. It’s all so heartwarming, I could bust. I am just the latest caretaker of this treasure of a house. Which there are oh-so many reasons to love.
What do you think, dear readers: Did I capture the big reasons we love our mid-century houses?
And for sure: I would love to hear — in great detail — yes! — the exact reasons that you chose your home!
Randerson says
There are so many wonderful things about Mid-Century Modest homes, and it’s terrific to see so many finally realizing their advantages! One of the biggest assets are the original neighbors, when we bought our tiny 900 sq ft 1955 house in 2006 the four ranchers right in a row directly across the street all had their original widow residents, 3 of whom are still there and just wonderful people to be around. Our next door neighbor is also an original owner, and at 88 he just lost his wife. He loves to visit and tells stories about what it was like to live here in Binghamton NY in the ’30s though the ’70s, a picture of past times that we’d never have had otherwise not being natives of the area.
Our house is so small that we can’t figure out how the original owner, who was best friends with our Uncle here, and who we were privileged to get to know a bit in his last years, could have raised 3 boys there. The kitchen is so small that the table has to be pulled out from the wall to eat around it and there is no dining room. But we fell in love with the details like the original built-in place knotty pine kitchen cabinets, hip roof, manufactured grooved cedar siding (not sure what it’s called but it was everywhere in the ’50s) in perfect condition, and glass block on either side of the 3 window front door. Being the builder model, it had a few “extras” most of the others on the street, at least 10 clones of this model, did not have. He was a bit of a cheapskate, so never spent money on “updating”, except, unfortunately the bathroom … tile all removed for vinyl and fake wood paneling, to be restored someday. When he died, we approached his son about buying it, and it never made it to the market. It’s easy to clean, easy to heat (we’re keeping the original crank up horizontal one piece glass windows), easy to work on… we love it… so thanks for spreading the word on these wonderful modest, cozy, and convenient homes to cherish!
Joe Felice says
Never forget: People demanded less back then. For many, it was the first chance in their lives to own a house and become part of the American dream. Whenever Ricky and Lucy took off for Connecticut, the stampede was on. No matter what major city, lovely, modest, new homes were being built for the masses on the outer edges of the metro area, and people flocked to them like birds. Imagine: a garage, your own bedroom, appliances, and maybe even a second bathroom. I can never forget that, when my grandparents immigrated from Italy around 1900, they were shipped off from Ellis Island to Walsenburg, Colorado, where there were probably 100 people. They built what they called a house–I would call it a shack–and raised seven children with one bedroom and no bathroom. In 1939, they were able to move up to the city–Pueblo–to a 2-BR house with a bathroom, a garage, a wringer washer, and a porch with a swing. You’d have though they died and went to heaven. And they honored their new country for the opportunity it provided them. When WW II broke out, they were happy to send their sons off to fight for America. And it was the American flag they flew. Oh, my, how we have slipped . . .
Rebecca prichard says
The answer is simple. “Mid-Century is one of the only times America had great design.”
Kelly Wittenauer says
Yes! The clean lines, simplicity & functionality of mid century designs are wonderful.
Meredith says
Big trees! I love the mature landscaping in mid century neighborhoods. Newer neighborhoods look so sterile! And the mixed generation neighbors is a great point I never thought of.
I went to an older mid century home over the weekend to pick up some things I had bid on in an auction. The kitchen had miles of beautiful maple cabinets and that laminate countertop that looks like little boomerangs and the aluminum strip going around everything. Beautiful hardwood floors throughout, knotty pine finished basement. Turquoise tile bathroom with original American Standard toilet/sink/tub! Just such fun. And it was for sale. I felt slightly sad knowing that somebody will buy it, rip all of those things out and “update” it to look like everybody else’ house.
April says
I love our mid century home that we’ve been in for almost four years. We purchased it from the original owners and it is fabulous! It fits most of the points this post makes. One architectural feature our home has that I haven’t seen before is curved walls on the bedroom hallway. It makes the space feel more spacious. I was wondering if you have ever seen this. I could send you a picture if you are interested. There are other elements you’d love too: pink bathroom, flagstone fireplace in wood-paneled den, Scheirich kitchen. To top it all off we live in a mid century neighborhood called Happy Valley. Love your website!
pam kueber says
I have a curved wall in our hallway! Happy Valley! I want to live in Happy Valley!
Mary Elizabeth says
I think you do live in Happy Valley, Pam!
Joe Felice says
This is EXACTLY the point! We can all create Happy Valley in our own homes!!!
Robb Erwin says
Right on, Pam. I call what you described in #4 and #5 “downshifting in style”.
Mary Elizabeth says
Love that term, “downshifting in style,” Robb. Also we find we are “downshifting in lifestyle” in our MCM house.
Gabrielle says
I’d love to have a MCM home. I already have some groovy 60’s/70’s era decor I can decorate with when I find a place. I’ve already got record player and a pretty nice vintage album collection to go with it. I even have some vintage clothes to match. I absolutely love retro and vintage. I’m glad to see other young folks getting into Mid-Century Modern.
Mary Elizabeth says
Be careful, Gabrielle. It all starts with an old record player and a few albums. Pretty soon you are picking green toilets and metal cabinets up from the side of the road. 🙂
LauraRG says
You say that like it’s a bad thing??? heehee
Mollye says
Or dumpster diving for the sky blue toilet and matching sink that the renovators across the street just threw out. I made my husband help me carry them!
Gabrielle says
I wouldn’t be surprised if I did. I love the fun colors they used back then. I love the old turqoise bathroom tiles. And I also love the bright colors they made steel cabinets in. I already dig through thrift shops, estate sales, and yard sales looking for cool retro decor, clothing, and vinyl. All my furniture is 1970’s era or older. I can’t remember the last time i bought a brand new lamp or clock, I bought vintage ones.
Markie says
or restoring vintage trailers with everyone asking you what is wrong with you.
Chris says
Oh, and we have lived her since 1991 and have many of the same neighbors. . it is nice b/c we do have multi-generations in our neighborhood . . only 30 houses .. very cozy. .
Chris says
What a great post! We love our modest home and although not mid century had the same feel and similar amenities. . ranch, brick fire place, acre lot, small neighborhood, close to schools and shopping, garage, cozy living and much simpler upkeep. When we repainted a year ago Royal Barry Willis was my inspiration; we went all white, black shutters with cute shutter dogs for accent, red doors. . we also got a new roof so shingles were similar to his design. .put carriage hinge accessories on the garage doors and well, I fell in love with my “new” home. Now that my kitchen is “grandma’s” kitchen I love it all the more! Great blog and FB site Pam, you’ll never know what an inspiration and joy it brings me!
pam kueber says
Thank you for the lovely comments, Chris, it makes our day!!
Jonny says
A good mid century house is a mint-green oasis in a lifeless desert of beige vinyl sided boxes filled with granite, flat screens and debt.
Anna K. says
^THIS.
Robyn Carter says
Pam, it was as if you had read my mind when you wrote this. (How’d you do that, anyway???) Your points are so valid that I had to share your article on two of our local historical and preservation Facebook pages. I hope that your wonderful article will help influence the preservation and restoration of more of our post WW2 homes (and even commercial structures). Here in Northern VA, we are losing SO many of our homes/commercial structures of the period because it seems it’s on the line between not yet being “historical and preservable” but more so considered “old, outdated, and not worth keeping”. Thanks for all you do.
pam kueber says
Thank you for sharing the story out, Robyn! I really appreciate it. Hey, we are a “like-minded community” so I’m not surprised at all that we are all thinking along the same wavelength. Meanwhile, I am also getting more ideas from the comments, so keep them coming, everyone!