Kristen and Paul are at it again. Winner of 2014 Hard Way Award for their fabulous aqua bathroom, built from scratch, they recently bought a winter home in Florida and redecorated with their own coloful, mix-it-up — and affordable — retro style. It’s kind of … perfect — built in 1959, just 1,000 s.f.. Let’s take a peek!
Just wondering if you’d like to take a peek at photos from our MCModest Florida vacation home as I had mentioned when you featured our 40s bathroom a while back. We just put the final touches together this winter & we’re pretty happy with how it turned out.
I have a health condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which causes a profound amount of premature joint pain. Since warm weather helps my joint pain and we have home businesses that can travel… The next logical step was to spend our winters in sunny Florida. So after scouring Zillow for about six months, we honed in on a small town in central Florida away from the beaches and tourist attractions so that it was affordable and a peaceful rural setting.
We’ve just put the final touches on our vacation home this winter after purchasing it last year. It’s a great little 1959 home with 1,000 sq ft.… Much different than our large 1899 Foursquare home in Indiana, but we are so in love with it. It has not been tampered with too much and still has great mid century features including asymmetrical roof, jalousie windows and a pink bathroom!
Honestly, the home did not need much true “renovating”. We knew with my health issues, that we weren’t up for a complete fixer-upper like before and this house was the perfect blank canvas to move in to and start decorating. I was drawn to the (faux) wood floors, location (there’s a big beautiful lake one block over), and let’s be honest… the pink bathroom pretty much sealed the deal!
We furnished the house very quickly. We purchased the house in August ’14 and took a furniture truck down that October so that the home would be furnished and ready when we came back down in January. Such a contrast from our Indiana home which took nearly a decade to carefully remodel and decorate! But I have to admit it was kind of fun to throw together instant decor all at once in a frenzy. Luckily, I already had 40–50% of the furnishings hoarded away in my attic and garage… Don’t ever pass up the perfect MCM piece while thrifting… It does pay off to be a hoarder sometimes! 🙂
Some of the minor projects we tackled were pulling out the wood sink cabinet base the previous owners had installed in the bathroom, restoring a rusty set of vintage lawn furniture, and adding lots of paint to brighten things up!
The porch area is where I spend a lot of my time relaxing. It is a peaceful little space that looks out to the beautiful tropical foliage that was planted by the previous owners. There is also a beautiful Tabebuia tree out front that blooms bright yellow blossoms every March.
There are still a few projects I would like to tackle. We need to change the kitchen cabinet handles over to vintage chrome ones, replace the front door with a mid century modern style, and make the exterior of the house look more atomic rather than folksy. But we are not in a big hurry and know that when the time comes… Your site will be there to guide us to the right resources!
Thanks again for letting us share our little home away from home on your site! We are so happy with how the Florida house turned out and are no longer dreading Indiana winters 😉
List of resources for the Florida house:
- Aqua blue kitchen walls: Valspar High Tide 283–3 (Lowe’s)
- Gray living room walls: Valspar Hazy Stratus 4004-1c (Lowe’s)
- Master bedroom walls: Teal Zeal B58-5 Olympic (Lowe’s)
- Kitchen Tulip table: Flea market find
- Kitchen chairs: 2 from Lexmod and 2 were purchase from our local Bargain Hunt closeout store on clearance
- Sunbeam reproduction colorblock clock: Jetsetretro Design on Etsy
- Charcoal gray sofa: Kroehler sectional from Value City… (Had my heart set on a Joybird, but maybe next time 😉
- Bamboo Roman shades: Home Depot
- Living room drapes: Target.com
Master BR Duvet Cover: Dot&Bo- Everything else was either thrifted or found on Craigslist, Ebay or Etsy
At home in Indiana
Link love:
- Take a peek in the couple’s Indiana home
- Their amazing aqua-and-black bathroom, built from scratch, chosen by readers as winner of our 2014 The Hard Way Award – Bathrooms
- Want to make a collage wall like Kristen’s? See Kristen’s 7 step-by-step tips to make a pleasing gallery wall.
- Shop Kristen and Paul’s Etsy store: The Robot Parade.
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I love this! Great job. The bathroom is fab. This is fun: I’m a real estate agent in St. Augustine, Florida. I’m from Indiana. I moved to Florida about 8 years ago. I love mid-century homes. And, I also have Ehler Danlos Syndrome- Hypermobility Type. Weird coincidences.
Such a small world! I’m type 3 as well… take care of those bendy joints 😉 Zebra hugs from Highlands County!
As much as I love your home please take lead paint precautions. The porch supports and the patio furniture I would say most definitely have lead. Please do not sand or scrape. No such thing as a safe amount of lead.
Hi Sue, yes, I regularly put on my Precautionary Pam hat and remind readers about the potential for vintage nastiness such as lead, asbestos, etc., in our vintage homes and advise everyone to get with their own properly licensed professionals to assess what they have so that they can make informed decisions how to handle. I do not like readers giving advice — because folks need to get with their own professionals — but I will leave up your comment because it is general nature.
Thanks ladies! Lead precautions duly noted!
-Kristen
Made my heart sing!
What a cheerful remodel! I love the grey, aqua, yellow and red color scheme. Kristin, your 1940s bathroom redo, it’s one of my favorites. The pink and green bathroom is cute too, especially with the barkcloth and fishes. Good job!
thanks so very much!
Beautiful home! What a great job furnishing and decorating. It is my life long dream to have an MC home in Florida and do just what you’ve done.
And if you live where I think you do, there used to be a great pottery shop on the circle downtown. Check it out. They make some great fish platters.
You’re right… we are not far off from the circle 😉 Clever you!
Wonderful job! Good luck with all your projects and with your health also. Glad to get a peek of the kids–they seem to have a good sense of humor. What about schooling for them in the winter?
We are homeschoolers, so we take the lessons with us 😉
That is wonderful, that you can take your business and the kids’ school with you wherever you are! I assume you have checked out home schooling groups in your new town. It’s a good way to get connections with the community.
I reallllly like the look of the paint in the kitchen, at least as it renders in the photos. Aqua – but a bit smoky!
Hi Kristen! xoxo
Thanks Pam!
Lately, I have been “turning the volume down” on my paint color selections. Although the brighter aquas spoke to me on the paint chip… The one that actually looked the best on the wall did not impress me at all on the sample card. Luckily Lowes now sells $3 paint sample cans… I tested about six or seven colors first 😉
Thanks bunches!
Color is so tricky!
Anyone could spend loads of money transforming to MCM because it is easier to find being trendy now. But you are awesome and highly creative because you didn’t break the bank redoing your cool home.
Kristen, I’m so in love with you happy & colorful Florida cottage! Kudos for such a wonderful transformation ~ your home looks well loved. Thanks for sharing it with us!
I enjoyed your house “renovation”! Are the jalousey windows in the kitchen original? I am looking in central Florida for my mcm home and I am very glad you found yours.
Hi Angela,
Yes! The jalousie windows were original to the house. Good luck with your search… I am confident you will find the perfect house!
What a great house! I love the nightstand, and your kitchen table, and chairs. I was driving in Detroit recently , I live in the suburbs, and I spotted 4 of the same chairs next to a dumpster… Behind a tall chain link fence. I couldn’t figure out a way to ask for them! Such a sad story.
I love it. The kitchen is the exact same layout as my 1963 built one, all original. Beautiful pictures show everything so clearly. We are on the Space Coast, in a non-beach town, and love it.
Your home is so bright and cheerful, perfect for a winter retreat.
Your home is delightful in every way! Each room and piece make my heart sing! You have made a wonderful home for your family!
True artists! And how sweet that Paul and Kristen and their kids get to live in the masterpiece. Makes me smile.
Where did you find the throw pillows on the sofa?
Hi Judy, sorry this comment is SO late…. we found most of the pillows at thrift stores or estate sales, but the yellow & white pillow was purchased on Etsy 😉
I clicked on the link to your Indiana house and remembered looking at that (during Pam and Kate’s summer vacation last year) and thinking “What a score!” You said, “I still dream of fixing up a long & lean rambling 1950s ranch one day” – is your theme song “Our Day Will Come”?
If Dear Readers haven’t already, check out the article link – fun!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful remodel with us! I looked at your kitchen in amazement. We have a ranch home at the shore and your kitchen setup is exactly like ours; the positioning of every cabinet including the shelf above the sink, the wall oven and countertop stove, and table in front of a large window. What a great job you did! Simply beautiful!
Great job! What brand and color is the paint on the yellow wall in the living room?
Your adorable Florida house took me way back home!! You did a great job turning it into a fab and fun vintage show place. The bathroom is such a gem….you’re so lucky to have found this house. Good luck on future endeavors!