Mad For Mid Century
If you’re a Mid Century product of Florida, like me, you probably grew up in what’s fondly known as a “ranch style house”. Our friends over at Wikipedia define the ranch abode as “ a domestic architectural style originating in the United States. The ranch house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and minimal use of exterior and interior decoration. The houses fuse modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period working ranches to create a very informal and casual living style.”
In addition to the above, the Florida ranch house usually came in pastel colors with what we call a “Florida room”. This is kind of like a family room with lots of windows.
Although not as grand as the house above, my childhood home shared several elements. Our Florida Room ceiling had a similar wood treatment and it also had a stone feature wall. We had lots of green and brown and that EXACT furniture. The authentic flooring would have been terrazzo, like ours. I never knew it was cool then but now it’s all the rage. Think about it, there are lots of these houses still around! Mid-Century has firmly established its niche in design history and has left its mark on our culture. We’ve got MadMen, Modernism Magazine, the website Atomic Ranch and numerous blogs.
If you’re looking for that 50s vibe in the kitchen, keep it simple. Door styles were just flat and were either a warm wood finish or painted. Guess what? Wall ovens with a separate cook top were much more common in the typical Mid Century kitchen. Today most homes have ranges.
Throw in a little atomic patterning and you’re there. If you are really embracing this you can get the vintage look for your refrigerator.
Elmira Stove Works has introduced the latest addition to its retro Northstar collection, the French-door refrigerator. By combining iconic 1950s-style with the modern amenities of contemporary appliances, this new model is larger capacity than previously available in the line. It comes in a full-depth model as well as counter-depth. You don’t have to get red. It comes in nine standard colors OR you can even get it custom-colored (for a price, I’m sure).
Gloria Graham
Gloria is a kitchen and bath cabinetry designer with AKBD certification from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. She has also served on the Florida Treasure Coast Chapter's Board of Directors as the VP of Communications. Her work has appeared on This Old House as well as in Florida Design Magazine, K+BB Magazine and the Palm Beach Post. She is co-author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Remodeling Your Kitchen, Illustrated, as well as a freelanced writer contributing occasionally to the Sun Sentinel in the area of kitchen design. She is a proud member of the Blanco Design Council and the illustrious Brizo Blogger 19.
Comments
Yeah, a MCM post! I am a proud owner of a 1955 “mid-century modest” vacation house and live in a 1960s apartment building. While not every single thing designed in those years is worth saving, I am glad to see more appreciation of the best of that era. I hear formica is making a big comeback and that was really popular in the 1950s. Bring on the boomerang! Big Chill’s retro line is another fun appliance source –I love the Retropolitan fridge. If you ever do a MCM renovation in a Florida home, we’d love to see a post!
Yes, laminates (Formica being a brand name) are indeed very popular in Europe. They’re not your grandma’s formica, I might add. The textures and colors that recent technology has given us are very appealing!
The furniture shown in Florida Room pictured here surely brings back memories of my mid-Century Miami home.We called it Danish Modern and we had a similar set in our living room. Simple wood frame with removable cushions for seats and backrests.
I still miss that convenient built-in wall oven! Standard equipment back then for average priced homes built in the 1950′s.
Yes I thought of you when I was mentioning the wall ovens. I know you miss it! They are nice to have if one has the luxury of space.