Mid Mod Mix
Quintessential midcentury principles are interpreted for fresh take on modern living.
Quintessential midcentury principles are interpreted for a fresh take on modern living.
Keen on living within a quintessential Midcentury Modern style home,
a young couple tasked architecture firm Tindall Architecture Workshop, LLC with a modern yet mindful makeover of their recently acquired period property. Located in Stone Lake, a downtown neighborhood of Greenville, South Carolina, the spilt-level structure’s original footprint made for a perfect match with the homeowners’ needs and required no additions or adjustments to square footage.
RESTORING FUNCTION
Revitalizing the building’s ramshackle condition quickly became the restoration focus. “The original home had structural failures that needed to be addressed,” says the architect, before continuing with the long list of necessary repairs, including “cracked foundation wall and basement slab, the leaky roof led to damage of the original wood ceiling. Window seals were compromised and in need of replacement, water intrusion into lower level walls and rooms and general settling that had caused interior finish cracks and damage over time.”
During the yearlong process, the homeowners worked closely with the team at Tindall Architecture Workshop, as well as the interior design firm ID Studio Interiors, who collectively determined to retain the original character that defined the midcentury home while adapting design updates fit for 21st century living.
“Keep the fixed elements SIMPLE and NEUTRAL. Let the color and accentuation in a room come from the furnishings and accessories.”
REVIVING FORM
Preservation was approached from the outside, in. Existing exterior elements were restored or, if beyond repair, meticulously matched with new materials. “All the original exterior wood siding was replaced with new siding of the same wood species and profile,” says the architect.
Stepping inside, a few architectural modifications were made, with the purpose of creating a more open, fluid layout suited to the homeowners and their active family. The lower level was outfitted to accommodate a master suite, laundry room and home office. Each of the third level’s three bedrooms and two baths also underwent modern upgrades.
The main floor’s open concept dictated design direction. The architect explains, “Because you experience multiple rooms from any space on the main level, there needed to be a constant thread of style, color and texture throughout the home. Materials are repeated throughout the main level to help convey a sense of one large space tied together by multiple rooms.” Two elements that enforce these design principles and are carried throughout the conneting rooms are the terrazzo-style floors, crafted from a custom blend epoxy for durability and the restored tongue and grove vaulted wood ceilings.