mod interiors

[GREASER]

When I look at mod houses, I love the interiors and the general look that says hey this house is a mod....I try to replicate this stuff in my own house, but no matter what, it just looks like a classic house with mod furniture. So the question is what are the qualities that tie this whole look together? Some may be color? Thinking more earth colors but not sure. Windows, doors???? Maybe its just the way the house is, but I am tired of this looking like an old lady house.

[musicman]

Maybe its just the way the house is, but I am tired of this looking like an old lady house.

LOL.

definitely aluminum windows/doors with lots of glass. formica counters and the use of other modern materials like plastic. i really like those that have terrazzo floors. clean lines with minimal decoration. Also roof profiles tend to be lower or even flat. i'd also say color is impt, hence the usually colorful bathrooms. also no clutter.

[GREASER]

well I have hardwoods and everything is minimalist....still looks bad..was thinking of changing all windows to just plate glass (they are all 6`3), but that just looks cheap. For some reason I focus on the trimwork...its all really tall and wide profile and thinking it should be flat and thin?

[musicman]

well I have hardwoods and everything is minimalist....still looks bad..was thinking of changing all windows to just plate glass (they are all 6`3), but that just looks cheap. For some reason I focus on the trimwork...its all really tall and wide profile and thinking it should be flat and thin?

one thing you can do to make the trimwork less obvious is to paint it the same color as the walls but with a glossy finish.

[jm1fd]

well I have hardwoods and everything is minimalist....still looks bad..was thinking of changing all windows to just plate glass (they are all 6`3), but that just looks cheap. For some reason I focus on the trimwork...its all really tall and wide profile and thinking it should be flat and thin?

Post some pix of the rooms?

[Subdude]

Wood paneling is common, isn't it, or stone-finished planters?

A good reference source for mod interiors is "Atomic Ranch" magazine.

[GREASER]

trust me, I look at all the mags, I think alot of those are staged shots...let me get some free time and will get a pic.

[Jersey01]

trust me, I look at all the mags, I think alot of those are staged shots...let me get some free time and will get a pic.

All rooms in mags are totally staged. Photo 1 vase is on end table, phot 3 same vase is on fireplace, etc. But it really doesn't matter because the look is still achievable. My parents house looks like something published because my mother is OCD but it is still comfortable and realistic, lol.

As soon as some pics are posted I'll also contribute my 2 cents to your place. Looking forward to seeing it.

[GREASER]

heres one

[musicman]

i like your furniture! i think putting a few nice pics on the wall would help. they look bare.

[jm1fd]

i like your furniture! i think putting a few nice pics on the wall would help. they look bare.

Exactly. Get some color, wallpaper, pictures, or other stuff up on those walls!

As it is now, the window moulding is the only thing on the walls, so naturally you'll focus on the fact that it isn't period.

[GREASER]

ok..well thats the second problem...I have no imagination at all...I love Shag, but I think its dated just like Patrick Nagel. Where can I get something thats economically priced...please no ikea..and whats wrong with the color? I was thinking more earthtones.

[musicman]

ok..well thats the second problem...I have no imagination at all...I love Shag, but I think its dated just like Patrick Nagel. Where can I get something thats economically priced...please no ikea..and whats wrong with the color? I was thinking more earthtones.

For me the color is ok, but with nothing on the walls there's just so much of it. pics would break up the monotony by giving the eye something to look at above the furniture level. as for rugs, how big are you looking for? There's a place on Fondren called "house of rugs" that has a good selection plus he can order quite a bit more. He usually offers me a good deal with no tax as well. he has shag, jute, etc.

[GREASER]

oh sorry, not Shag carpet...Shag the artist (josh agle).

[musicman]

oh sorry, not Shag carpet...Shag the artist (josh agle).

LOL my bad

EDIT: still laughing

[Jersey01]

From what I can see, I'd say that maybe the rug isn't so MCM-esque. Wait, did I just coin a new term? Kidding, anyhow something softer that balances the wall color but a little lighter with some texture, and a little larger in scale. Or maybe just some pattern. Hate to say it, but check West Elm. I think your furniture is really great. I love Wassily chairs, but they make the room more Bauhaus than googie. The sofa, too. Something that will make everything in the room feel more cohesive would be painting the baseboards and trim the same color of the walls. I think someone already mentioned that and it is a great idea. If you want the whole house to feel cohesive you could maybe continue it into adjoining rooms. I think continuity of style is something that is really imortant in design that people often ignore. As far as artwork, I think some great simple vintage looking photography would look nice as well as a few colorful geometric pieces. Finally, a couple of lamps, with really big shades would do the trick.

Check out this link: This place is very high budget but has a great look and could be done for much less. Maybe you will see some looks that you can implement.

http://www.midcenturyrealestate.com/proper...7desertsun.html

[jm1fd]

ok..well thats the second problem...I have no imagination at all...I love Shag, but I think its dated just like Patrick Nagel. Where can I get something thats economically priced...please no ikea..and whats wrong with the color? I was thinking more earthtones.

When I think mid century, I think pink, or teal green...not earthtones. Earthtones are VERY popular right now, and to me at least, really bring the room into the present.

[musicman]

When I think mid century, I think pink, or teal green...not earthtones. Earthtones are VERY popular right now, and to me at least, really bring the room into the present.

agree. something colorful will really make the room "pop"

sherwin williams has a 50's pallette you might like. suburban modern maybe you can find some pics or items with some of these colors.

I used the burma jade in my bathroom. and am currently researching the stratford blue for my exterior

[Subdude]

It will be hard to make the steel and chrome furniture work as MCM unless they are offset by a lot more period stuff.

Re: the colors. People tend to think of the 1950s as a very drab era, but they were much more into a range of bright colors than we are now. Just look at cars from then. There is an amazing variety of colors and two-tones, whereas now they tend to be mainly beige, white, or silver.

[Willowisp]

To me, the love seat, coffee table and the Wassily chairs work together well as one kind of modern (like "modern loft?") while the Heywood Wakefield side tables are a totally different kind of modern and belong in another room that would be more kitschy or homey.

For a rug in the room with the Wassily chairs I would use something white and fuzzy with texture. We have a brown rug that I'm thinking of in white (I think there was a white one in the link Jersey provided). You could probably get it at a carpet store, just size it as a rug. I would like to see a large work of art on the wall. This is something you could easily do yourself as an "abstract expression". You can get prestretched canvasses and paint at Texas Art Supply and get some ideas from Pollock or Franz Kline or something like that. The paintings I've done for our apartment and now for our house always get nice comments, and I'm not a visual artist by any means.

The Heywood Wakefiled we have, is in a "50's only" bedroom, with some Eames and Nelson, so if you are inclined to have a 50's room that's where it works best.

I hope you can post more pics as you go.

Jason

It will be hard to make the steel and chrome furniture work as MCM unless they are offset by a lot more period stuff.

Re: the colors. People tend to think of the 1950s as a very drab era, but they were much more into a range of bright colors than we are now. Just look at cars from then. There is an amazing variety of colors and two-tones, whereas now they tend to be mainly beige, white, or silver.

[GREASER]

ok..I will post some more...but there really isnt much more in the room...

[GoAtomic]

To me, the love seat, coffee table and the Wassily chairs work together well as one kind of modern (like "modern loft?") while the Heywood Wakefield side tables are a totally different kind of modern and belong in another room that would be more kitschy or homey.

I'm no expert, but I agree with this. The sofa and chairs scream 'minimalist' but those great Heywood tables are early 50's kitsch modern, meant for warmer more traditional homes. But the coffee table with the dark wood works well.

I think that sofa is the same one used in the living room of Koenig's Case Study #21, which had a corrugated metal ceiling, white walls, white vinyl-asbestos floor tiles, and a huge glass wall to let in light and a view of the LA valley. In its original form, that room relied on small punches of color and real wood- a tripod fiberglas planter in turquoise and a lamp with a wooden base, for example - to ease the sterility of it.

My point - your seating furniture is extreme minimal, and I don't think you're going to get a cohesive look until you work the room around that precept.

Assuming you have a picture window opposite the chairs to let in light, I would do the following:

1. relocate the red rug to another room
   
2. find a really sublime shade of white or barely taupe paint, in Satin finish if the walls aren't rough, and paint ceiling, walls and woodwork with it. This will de-emphasize the doorway and wall interruptions and really kick up the minimal look. This is the SINGLE biggest improvement you can make.
   
3. relocate the Heywood tables to another room OR if you have a somewhat removed reading corner in this room, start a new furniture group there with the wood tables. Find some minimal tables, perhaps angular powdered metal bases with glass tops, in place of these for this seating area.
   
4. find some sleek pottery, elongated vases, knick-knacks in startling hues (pale yellow, pink, turquoise, red) and add to the room on the tables
   
5. already suggested, but define and warm the sitting space with a textural shag rug, white or barely taupe in color.
   
6. a great focal point addition, if you could find it or paint it, would be a large Mondrian-style abstract painting hanging on the wall behind the chairs. Painting this would be a piece of cake because it's all 90 degree intersecting lines with some of the boxes filled in with bright colors.
   
7. consider adding an open-style display/bookcase against a side wall in the room to store vases, other objects of color.
   
8. use horizontal metal (white or brushed steel) blinds on the windows for light control.
   
9. finally, add some sleek brushed steel free-standing floor lighting (with metal or plastic shades). these will add height to the low furniture, and by using incandescent bulbs you'll add warmth to the room.
   I would check Target as a great inexpensive resource for vaseware, lighting and possibly a rug and some of the furniture. West Elm is a good source for new tables for a reasonable price; Crate&Barrel is also good but more expensive.
   

[dbigtex56]

It will be hard to make the steel and chrome furniture work as MCM unless they are offset by a lot more period stuff.

Re: the colors. People tend to think of the 1950s as a very drab era, but they were much more into a range of bright colors than we are now. Just look at cars from then. There is an amazing variety of colors and two-tones, whereas now they tend to be mainly beige, white, or silver.

I've noticed that in decorating magazines from the early to mid 50's that rooms often featured an "accent wall" - one wall painted in a contrasting color.

Also, many people in the 1950s had a nearly religious adherence to the Munsell Color System and color theory. Especially valuable are the chapters on Color Balance and Color Combinations; one can more easily understand how some of those bizarre color schemes came about.

[nmainguy]

heres one

I love the LOOK of Wassily chairs. They have great sculptural lines but...they are as uncomfortable as hell and near impossible to get out of. I'd lose them, the couch, the rug, the side tables and the wall color.

For the floor I would go for a large Flokati. That will give you the shag look you like. For the walls, I'd go with a more neutral palette as a background for more horizontal art-like Mondrian style earlier suggested. I mean what do you want to highlight? Your walls or your artwork?

I like to highlight the art:

My partner goes more for the wall color.

Your coffee table is great in that room-now you just need to hold out for the real deal as far as seating and side tables go.

When I was younger-about 30 years ago, I was totally into the international style so I invested in two of Mies Barcelona chairs. Everyone loved them-including me- but like the Wassilys, they were uncomfortable and difficult to extract yourself from. I still have them because of their beauty but have them in another house we don't use too much.

I have an Eileen Grey table coupled with one of the Barcelona chairs. It's a great look and the contrast of a highly functionable side table paired with one of the most beautiful yet dysfunctional chairs is priceless. But the Grey table is also a great side paired with Mid Century seating. It's a salute by an early 20th century design to a Mid Century esthetic.

Be patient and buy what you really cherish and keep for a lifetime instead of buying allot of clutter that will end up in a garage sale.

[2fatcats]

When I look at mod houses, I love the interiors and the general look that says hey this house is a mod<<GREASER

A few days ago I was taking some plans to one of those mid century moderns in the Memorial area and the first thing I noticed when the door opened was this light fixture in the entry that looked like a Sputnik. It looked like it might have been original to the house but I thought it was really cool.

[TJones]

You need a rug like this: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/serv...Number=40108739

and a couple of pics like this:

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/serv...Number=60090408

I know, I know, it's Ikea, but that's where the stuff is, unless you go down to lower Westheimer.

[Subdude]

Good call TJones.

[gwilson]

From what I can see, I'd say that maybe the rug isn't so MCM-esque. Wait, did I just coin a new term? Kidding, anyhow something softer that balances the wall color but a little lighter with some texture, and a little larger in scale. Or maybe just some pattern. Hate to say it, but check West Elm. I think your furniture is really great. I love Wassily chairs, but they make the room more Bauhaus than googie. The sofa, too. Something that will make everything in the room feel more cohesive would be painting the baseboards and trim the same color of the walls. I think someone already mentioned that and it is a great idea. If you want the whole house to feel cohesive you could maybe continue it into adjoining rooms. I think continuity of style is something that is really imortant in design that people often ignore. As far as artwork, I think some great simple vintage looking photography would look nice as well as a few colorful geometric pieces. Finally, a couple of lamps, with really big shades would do the trick.

Check out this link: This place is very high budget but has a great look and could be done for much less. Maybe you will see some looks that you can implement.

http://www.midcenturyrealestate.com/proper...7desertsun.html

Wow. I'm in love.

[musicman]

Wow. I'm in love.

and at 2.5 million you better be in the money too!

[Subdude]

In my living room there's an old Eames lounge

and this table

so I like to think I'm living in mod heaven.