“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
CJ says
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!
pam kueber says
Welcome, CJ — you are for sure not alone!
Joann Leonard says
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.
Margaret Treadway says
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
DecoDiva by way of Bebop Revision says
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.
TerriLynn says
In Lancaster TX, we have whole neighborhoods of early 1950’s mid century modest homes, largely untouched! They are going for dirt cheap, in the 50-70k range. I got one, not in THAT particular neighborhood, but close, for 72k and am loving it!
Cimarron says
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?
pam kueber says
Cimarron, we have an FAQ on how to find local folks to help renovate appliances. Check it out.
Jana Bernhardt says
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. 🙂
pam kueber says
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
Mary says
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!
Amy says
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!
pam kueber says
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/
Tim K says
Hey Pam, I posted some pics of my mid-century modest kitchen on the flickr streak. check them out.
Robyn says
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.
Ace Kittyhawk says
We have just bought our midcentury modest house in California. I love your blog and the manifesto. thank you!
Ann says
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