Table of contents for Renovation Guide 2022 in Atomic Ranch

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

New Additions

We often focus on the old as we look at the world through our modernist lenses. And, when we explore the exciting possibilities of what the experience of owning a Mid Century Modern home can be, it’s the prospect of bringing old things back to life that makes us feel the most effectual, most noble and most proud. But the thing is, we also bring in the new—new energy to rescue old homes; new ideas to solve long-standing problems; and new finds to invigorate these spaces for their new inhabitants. The homes in this issue all come together, thanks to teams of new talent and thinkers. We have homeowners with a fiery passion to save mid-century history and teams of experts bringing innovative design tricks from their trades to bridge…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

DIY RESTORATION: PAINTED WOOD PANELING

DOES YOUR MID-CENTURY HOME HAVE WOOD PANELS THAT HAVE BEEN PAINTED OVER BY PREVIOUS OWNERS? DON’T DESPAIR! CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TIPS IF YOU PLAN TO DIY A WOOD PANEL RESTORATION: • Determine what kind of wood your paneling is. Softwoods are more difficult to work with, because they have more-porous surfaces. Hardwoods can take a little more. An easy way to gauge wood hardness is to find an edge that isn’t in view and press it firmly with your fingernail. Softwoods will dent easily, while hardwoods will resist. Look closely at the grain, pattern and color and compare them to online pictures to see if you can find a match. • Sand it. Depending on the type of wood you have and the amount of time you want to spend,…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

What to expect when working with an architect

SO, YOU WANT TO CHANGE UP YOUR HOME, and you plan to work with an architect. What now? First, know that not every project requires an architect. Use one if you’re nervous about making building choices on your own or you don’t know exactly what you want to change. The cost of working with an architect can be intimidating. However, an architect with cost-effective design solutions might save you money in the long run. Architects help with the design of the home. If you’re planning to move walls or add different features and don’t think you can make those decisions on your own, the added expense will be worth it to ensure your ideal remodel or addition is properly actualized. Find the Best Fit If you’ve determined that an architect’s…

4 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Restoration in Puget Sound

A chapter of Mid Century Modernhistory can be found nestled in Puget Sound in West Seattle, which is located on a peninsula across from downtown Seattle. It’s a predominately MCM neighborhood, and it’s perched above a ferry dock, combining enduring examples of the genre with a scenic setting. It’s very much its own place. According to historical preservationist Padraic Slattery of Permanent Vacation Design, “West Seattle very much carries itself with a ‘chip on its shoulder’ in comparison the rest of the city. To a gradually diminishing degree, West Seattle has a persona of Seattle from back in the 1990s, long before the tech boom.” When it comes to projects such as this one, Padraic brings his expertise on both the area and MCM design to the proverbial restoration table.…

7 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Retro Renovation Guide

Buying a home that needs a renovation can be intimidating if you don’t know what’s involved. Architect Charles Warren shares the process his firm, Teass/Warren Architects, goes through to help prepare you. “On average, from day 1 until you walk into your finished home, it’s about a two-year process,” he explains. Design. The first part of the renovation process involves choosing a schematic design. You’ll discuss your needs, goals and design preferences and come up with a plan. “We usually present three or four options for you to choose from,” Charles says. This step takes a couple of months. Permits. Once the design is selected, the architect will go through the permitting phase. Because this step can take up to four months, construction drawing and pricing are worked on simultaneously.…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Less Is More

Embrace the simplicity of the Mid Century Modern aesthetic in your renovation project. Timothy Schouten, principal with Giulietti/Schouten/ Weber Architects, easily lists his favorite things about mid-century design: the clean, simple horizontal lines on the exterior, the simple palette of materials and the generous walls of glass for day lighting contrasting with the unadorned wall planes. His firm paid special attention to these elements when renovating what he calls the “Boomerang House.” “Keeping the same profile of materials is most important,” he shares. “Over time, as the house has been painted, re-painted, etc.—but replacing the vertical wood siding and thin, horizontal eaves —the long horizontal walls of glass keep this MCM looking timeless.” When describing the project, a few themes repeat—clean, simple, timeless—that can be “mantras” for anyone taking on…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

PROJECT NOTEBOOK

Built: 1956 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Original Architect: Bill Wright of Vonnegut, Wright, and Porteous Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Year of Renovation: 2017 Length of Renovation: 12 months SAVE Initially, the renovation was going to flip the main living area by the fireplace with the kitchen. The owners had wanted to open up the space to get more natural light and better views of the surrounding woods, but this would have meant tearing out the fireplace and its original brick and cantilevered concrete hearth. All this extra work would have taken time and money. Plus, it would have affected the narrow window slit in the entryway that offers the view of the inside cedar paneling extending out to the poly-ash siding. SPLURGE “By far, the biggest splurge of the renovation was…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Soak In Your Senses

THERE’S A REASON THE BATHROOM CHAPTER IN OUR NEW BOOK, Remodeled Marvels: Understanding, Planning and Designing Your Next Mid Century Transformation, immediately follows our kitchen chapter: Many of the design elements that go into bathrooms are the same ones that you consider thoughtfully for your kitchen renovation: tile, hardware, plumbing and countertops. In many instances, you can design both spaces at once, lending cohesion—and potential savings—to your remodel plans. I like to say that remodeling a bathroom is a great place to start for renovation “newbies.” It’s a small space with a manageable list of renovation tasks. Its smaller footprint also means it’s a little easier on the budget, because it requires fewer materials and takes less time. Newly renovated bathrooms are like jewel boxes, and they yield a wonderful…

6 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

A Blank Slate

REIMAGINING THE PAST IS A MID-CENTURY HOMEOWNER’S ULTIMATE GOAL—especially when a home is stripped of its original features. For the homeowners of a 1950s ranch in Bayside, Wisconsin, all that was left of the existing home was the foundation, and the new structure was a modern interpretation of a mid-century home. After remodeling it to reflect their love of Mid Century Modern design, they decided to continue their style outside and began searching for an expert who could help them bring their vision to life. The Perfect Fit The homeowners hired landscape designer James Drzewiecki, design principal and owner of Ginkgo Leaf Studio. With a degree in architecture, James approaches landscape design differently than most. “My team doesn’t come from a traditional background,” he points out. “We have a unique…

3 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Makeover Must- Haves

LET THERE BE LIGHT 1. 265 swing-arm wall lamp by Paolo Rizzatto; $1,545. (888) 860-4311 or usa.flos.com 2. Viaggio chandelier by Sean Lavin for Tech Lighting; starting at $1,300. (844) 947-0159 or lumens.com 3. Mitzi Avery polished nickel pendant light with mint shade; $270. (800) 782-1967 or lampsplus.com 4. Amplitude double pendant; $399. (415) 597-6906 or mavistenedition.com 5. Lody chandelier by Sean Lavin for Tech Lighting; starting at $2,050. (844) 947-0159 or lumens.com 6. Multilight pendant by Louis Weisdorf for GUBI; $999. (844) 947-0159 or lumens.com 7. FL/Y pendant light by Kartell; $380.store.moma.org 8. Far pendant; $199. (415) 597-6906 or mavistenedition.com 9. PH 5 pendant by Paul Henningsen for Louis Paulsen; starting at $1,162. (844) 947-0159 or lumens.com 10. Kichler Jasper chrome, four-light halogen bath light; $349.99. (800) 782-1967 or…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Restoring vs. Replacing Your Windows

WINDOWS ARE KEY FEATURES OF ANY MID CENTURY MODERN HOME. Clerestory, floor-to-ceiling and picture windows give a mid-mod home its character-defining aesthetic from the street, provide ample amounts of natural light for the homeowner and give the interior a sense of connection to the outdoors. They are expansive, they are beautiful, they are many, and if you’re lucky enough to have the original windows in your home … they are getting old. Old windows, while paramount to the architectural style of your home, can become the source of many problems: Leaks and dry rot in your window frames can spread to the rest of your house. Drafty, broken-down windows not only cause discomfort due to lack of insulation, they’ll also increase your energy bills. Noise reduction and ease of use…

3 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Five Tips for Selecting Your Architect

1. Full service versus set menu. Based on your needs and how hands-on you want your architect to be, decide whether you want an architect who is full service or has a set menu. Knowing what you want from your architect will help guide you in the selection process. 2. Select someone with whom you are comfortable. “If you’re selecting someone to work with, you should be comfortable with telling them what you do and don’t like about the design,” Ben Pruett, Studio Steinbomer’s director of marketing, advises. “If you feel intimidated by the person you’re working with, and you can’t really communicate, it can continue back and snowball and turn into an unhappy result.” 3. Ask for a sample drawing set. Looking at sample drawing sets from an architect’s…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

NOTEBOOK PROJECT

Year built: 1954 Location: Seattle, Washington Original architect: Jerry B. Johnson Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3 Year of renovation: 2021 Length of renovation: six months SAVE When it comes to rehabilitating a historic property, trying to cut corners sometimes doesn’t work out, especially if you’re trying to maintain the purity and accuracy of the home’s past. “We didn’t embrace ‘value engineering’ successfully on this project,” Padraic says. He quickly realized that anytime he tried to go the budget route, he ultimately regretted it. “Subsequently, I would redo the work in a responsible and satisfying fashion,” he says. Every designer chooses their priorities, and while budget-effective options can have wonderful results, it’s sometimes necessary to go all out to find the home’s true ‘heartbeat.’ SPLURGE Foyer. The objective for the foyer was…

3 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

NOTEBOOK PROJECT

Year built: 1958 Location: Chevy Chase, Maryland Original architect: Unknown Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3½ Year of renovation: 2020 Length of renovation: 13 months SAVE Because the goal of the renovation was to maintain the home’s original “vibe,” everyone was happy to determine that some of the home’s existing features were salvageable. “We kept all the existing floor and roof structure,” Charles points out. “They were in great shape, so it made sense to keep them.” This allowed for room in the budget to purchase new flooring for the two home additions. SPLURGE The home’s curb appeal needed improvement, so the homeowners saved their big-ticket items for the exterior. “The front door is a custom pivot door with a hinge in the middle. It gives the front of the home a…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

NOTEBOOK PROJECT

Year Built: 1947 Location: Northwest Portland Original Architect: Unknown; rumored to be Frank Lloyd Wright Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 Year of Renovation: 2019–2020 Length of Renovation: 17 months SAVE The Giulietti/Schouten/Weber Architects team was able to find ways to cut costs throughout this renovation by focusing on certain areas and dividing the project into phases. “Generally, in renovation work, it helps to isolate renovations or additions to confined areas rather than renovating entire houses,” Timothy Schouten, principal with the firm, recommends. Separating the house into sections allowed the team to determine what needed to be reworked and what did not, thus saving the homeowner time and money. “In this case, the primary bedroom and bath on the main floor were left alone, as well as the entire lower level, except…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Paved Paradise

ARE YOU READY FOR A RENOVATION but don’t know where to begin? It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by a remodel—particularly when decisions affect the whole house. As a rule, we generally guide our clients to begin with flooring. After all, every renovation should start with a “solid foundation.” Let’s take a closer look at finished concrete. Forget what you’ve heard about this surface being cold and uninviting. Concrete’s ease of cleaning, durability and unique character make it a particularly desirable surface for mid-century homes. No matter what material you’re considering for your floors, the decision might be enough to make your head spin. Here’s to putting your best foot forward for a renovation on “solid ground”! What Lies Beneath When it comes to refinishing concrete, the details matter. Level…

5 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Organization and Optimization

ORGANIZING YOUR HOME CAN BE AN INTIMIDATING TASK, but it doesn’t have to be. Amanda Clark created Ever So Organized, a full-service home organizing company, to help people make the most of their space. For Amanda, what was once a passion turned into a mid-sized company based in Orange County, California, where she and her team help homeowners through in-home visits, online courses and coaching calls. Amanda started Ever So Organized about five years ago after she moved into an Eichler home … and got rid of nearly half of her belongings. “It probably took well over a year to really start to declutter and let things go. But as I did so, I felt lighter,” she says. “I felt more in control. I liked my space better. And, I…

3 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Designing a Non-Desert MCM Landscape

Mid Century Modern landscape design can fit in wherever you’re located … as long as it celebrates your climate. “If your landscape isn’t in Palm Springs, don’t try to make it look like it’s in Palm Springs,” James advises. Here are his tips for designing a lush MCM backyard look that fits your unique locale: • Take your location into account. “If your house is in New York or South Carolina and you have a desert-looking lawn, it will look out of place,” says James. Avoid using a lot of gravel or stone mulch; opt instead for pebbles or wood mulch as bedding. “We can be near 100 degrees, and if the plants are surrounded by stone mulch, it will reflect the heat and dry out the plants.” • Research local plants.…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

RESOURCES

ATOMIC KITCHENS Flooring: Richards & Sterling, “White Flake Small” porcelain tile; richardsandsterling Cabinets, slab doors and drawers: Nickels Cabinets; nickelscabinets.com Main: vertical-grain, plain-sawn walnut, matte finish. Painted bypass doors and drawer under ovens: satin finish Colors: Oven drawer: Benjamin Moore “Olive Green” (329); Bypass doors: Benjamin Moore “Spring Rain” (723) and “Orange” (2011-10) Countertops: Silestone quartz in “White Zeus,” polished Backsplash: Heath tile in “Mid-Century White”; heathceramics.com RESTORATION IN PUGET SOUND Door hardware: Baldwin; baldwinhardware.com Cabinet hardware: Buster + Punch; busterandpunch.com Light fixture, switch, outlet plates, door escutcheons: Rejuvenation Hardware; rejuvenation.com Light fixture: Schoolhouse Electric; schoolhouse.com Kitchen appliances: Kitchenaid; kitchenaid.com Tile: Ann Sacks; annsacks.com Cabinets: Pacific Cabinet Designs; pacab.net AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER For more about Teass/Warrenarchitects, visit teass-warren.com or follow them on Instagram: @teasswarrenarchitects . Bathroom lights: Sonneman; (914) 834-3600 or…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Wood Wall Paneling

WOOD PANELING. It’s one of the most iconic features of Mid Century Modern homes. With its simple, natural feel—a reflection of Scandinavian design—it brings warmth and a distinctly retro presence to any space. While wood detailing has long been a staple of home design, it was especially popularized in Mid Century Modern design because of the rise of modernist architecture and its emphasis on bringing together natural and man-made materials. History and Style Interior wall siding in Mid Century Modern homes can include anything from a single statement wall to full rooms to the entirety of the house. Originally, hardwood, plywood and even money-saving wood veneer were used to clad interior spaces, providing texture and a rich, natural palette in juxtaposition to more-modern materials. Mahogany and walnut were common hardwoods…

2 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Atlanta Gem

BUILT IN THE EARLY 1960S BY A GEORGIA TECH ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR, this lonely ranch is nestled in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. “Amid 1930s psuedo-Tudors, period bungalows, cottage-style homes, recent teardowns and subsequent builder-spec foursquares was this 1,400-square-foot 1960s Mid Century Modern home with vaguely California mid-century ‘Eichler-esque’ connotations,” says Robert Cain of Robert M. Cain, Architect. While the design of the house, itself, is a rarity for the area, its ability to survive—and ultimately thrive—is also miraculous. Thankfully, the home’s current owners, who had once lived in California, recognized and appreciated the Mid Century Modern form and were intent on retaining its roots. Their goal: Respect the style. Expanding the kitchen and dining area into a nonfunctional carport now leaves the exterior with a long, clean façade. In…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Restoring the Roots

“My advice for soon-to-be renovators in new homes is to live in the space before renovating.” THERE’S OFTEN A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE WHEN RENOVATING A MID CENTURY MODERN HOME, because the desire to take a heritage house back to its roots and use “original” materials and styles can too easily lean toward “kitschy.” That’s where having clear ideas—and a designer who’s on the same page—can make the difference in creating a functional and fun space. Davis, California, is home to thousands of mid-century gems. They’re known as Streng Homes and are named for the builder brothers who partnered with Eichler-influenced architect Carter Sparks to create affordable, livable homes for young families. When homeowner Naomi Rubin and her husband, Daniel, found a 1968 Streng Home in Davis’s University Estates neighborhood,…

5 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

An Unexpected Encounter

Sometimes, you don’t find your preferred design style until later in life … and it can take an unexpected turn. When a couple reached out to architect Charles Warren, principal of design at Teass/Warren Architects, to help them with a future project, they hadn’t yet purchased a home. In addition, they weren’t looking for something with mid-century architecture. “They lived in a colonial house at the time, and they were looking for something with modern farmhouse style,” he says. “Then, they found this home, and I told them that if they weren’t going to buy it, I probably would.” They decided to let the home they fell in love with determine their style and asked Charles to help them bring back its original mid-century appeal. PART PRESERVATION This 1958 gem…

6 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Building On

It sounds like an amazing story: It’s the late 1940s, and an actress and her husband ask their friend to design their new home outside Portland, Oregon. The friend sketches something for the couple on a napkin that’s quintessentially modern. Construction begins on the hill-nestled home … and another Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece is born. Real estate agents shared this story, which dates back to the 1950s, according to research conducted by historian Tanya Lyn March for the blog, “History Treasured & Sometimes Endangered,” in 2015. However, it’s only half true. The home was, indeed, built by Margaretta Ramsey, an actress with numerous film, stage and television credits, and her husband, Walter, a career Navy officer. But there’s no proof that Frank Lloyd Wright was involved in the design, although…

5 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Out of the Woods

Large, paneled windows and architecture merging with natural surroundings are familiar features of Mid Century Modern homes. However, an abode concealed by trees near the Williams Creek neighborhood in Indianapolis, Indiana, takes these characteristic motifs to new, grander heights. UNEARTHING A GEM First built in 1956 and designed by Bill Wright of the Indiana firm, Vonnegut, Wright, and Porteous, the home had felt like a time capsule. In fact, original mid-mod materials, such as white laminate cabinetry, were still in place. Peeling back the historical layers of the home, principal architect and owner of HAUS|Architecture For Modern Lifestyles, Chris Short actually succeeded in making the renovated home feel more “MCM” than the original build. “Starting a project such as this, we asked ourselves, How do you identify the original essence…

6 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

!DOORSTOP DIY

MATERIALS Fire brick 3/8-inch square wood dowels Fine-grit sandpaper Spray paint Wood stain Clear matte polyurethane spray Construction adhesive Felt pads DIRECTIONS Spray-paint the brick on all sides. Cut the wood dowel into five pieces equal to the height of the brick. Lightly sand the ends of each dowel. Apply stain to all sides and allow everything to dry. Finish with a top coat of polyurethane. With the large edge of the brick facing up, apply a light bead of adhesive to the back of one dowel and position it on the top center of the brick. Adhere the outer-edge dowels and then affix the remaining two dowels, spacing them evenly between the others. Allow the adhesive to set for four to six hours. Apply the felt pads to the…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

Organizing a Mid Century Modern Home

Mid Century Modern homes are known to lack storage areas. Amanda Clark grew up in an Eichler home and currently lives in one, so she knows this all too well. Although this issue isn’t technically ‘organization,’ she suggests that if you move into a new Mid Century Modern home, you should really live in the space before making any changes so that you know what cabinets need to be added or which walls need to be moved. “I really try to work with the home,” she says. If you’re struggling to work with your home, make it work for you. If you don’t use your dining room often, don’t be afraid to turn it into an office. You don’t need to use a space for its intended use; make it…

1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

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1 min

Atomic Ranch|Renovation Guide 2022

The Not-So-Bitter End

I HOPE THAT AS YOU’VE MADE YOUR WAY TO THIS FINAL PAGE, you’ve made the most of everything that’s come before it in this magazine issue; put it all through the grinder; pored over every page, and filtered through every, single line; extracted all the information; allowed the many decisions to percolate that come with your renovation; and finally, left the pages stained and pressed apart from repeated use. I hope you’ve used it as a guide, a consultant, a motivator and even as a ... coaster. But ultimately, I hope this magazine finds a home tucked away in a cubby or underneath an espresso machine—in your newly renovated kitchen—to be pulled out time and again like an old treasure map when it’s time to “brew up” some more ideas…

1 min