1970s Spanish Mid Century Dream Project

Raise your hand if you constantly find yourself scrolling through Realtor.com in your spare time? I think if you were to ask any designer if they enjoy looking a listings and the resounding answer would be yes. Recently I came across this gem in South Georgia. It's perfect. Its 70s Spanish/ midcentury ranch vibes.

Here is the listing.

What I Would Change

I love all of this minus the carpet. I am a proponent of sticking to the home's inherent architecture whenever possible so I wouldn't change much here. While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, I would keep the red tile. I believe this is a saltillo tile which would be very appropriate for a Spanish style home. I would remove the carpet on the stairs alltogether and have the metal stairs bare if possible. I would also replace that entry door hardware with an oil rubbed bronze or brass midcentury style handle set.

Look at that copper hood! I wouldn't change much architecturally. I would replace carpet with light wood hardwoods. Keep the brick as is but paint the wall paneling and ceiling a creamy beige. I would keep the wood beams, replace the chandelier, and swap out the drapery to a sheer textured neutral fabric. This room has a ton of character so I would really play that up by adding personality in the furnishings.

The 70s Spanish Midcentury Vision

The vision I have for this home is mid-century furnishings and some ornate wood pieces with hand painted motifs. Abstract art is always a fun thing to add whenever possible. I chose this moroccan abstract rug to ground the space. This great room is large so plenty of seating is needed here. I chose this tweet curved sofa with a wood skirt detail. In this design you will see a lot of different textures which adds interest to a space. Mid century is all about different tones of brown- you see that here with the multiple wood tones and leather.

What do you think? Can you see my vision?

FAQs

What qualifies as a mid-century home?

Mid century modern architecture is characterized by asymmetrical exterior and interior, oversized windows, overlooked entry spaces, and clean simple lines.

What makes this style popular today?

The rich tones of wood are timeless and are “back in style” today. We typically see pitched ceilings with wood beams which is definitely in-the-moment today. Organic materials are popular in mid-century modern which is also coming back in style as the gray and black/white trend is going away.

How can I preserve the home’s mid-century charm?

Embrace the oversized windows that are typical in the mid-century modern era. Please don’t paint over the wood ceiling and beams. If you must tone down the orange wood tone, consider sandblasting or call me to help you choose a paint color that will compliment the wood tones.