Nail Your Curb Appeal: Midcentury Style
Complement the modern style’s clean lines with a splash of color, upgraded features and low-maintenance landscaping
Laura Gaskill
July 14, 2016
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
This series offers curb appeal tips for different home and architectural styles. This week: ideas for midcentury-style homes.
Whether you have an original Eichler house that needs some love or you’re trying to put your own stamp on a typical, boxy midcentury-style home, the right details can make a huge difference in helping your house put its best face forward. Follow these tips for choosing paint colors, landscaping, house numbers and more.
Whether you have an original Eichler house that needs some love or you’re trying to put your own stamp on a typical, boxy midcentury-style home, the right details can make a huge difference in helping your house put its best face forward. Follow these tips for choosing paint colors, landscaping, house numbers and more.
Keep the color scheme simple and crisp. The rectilinear forms and angles of midcentury-style architecture can get lost in a washed-out or overly complicated paint job. Whether your midcentury-style home is vintage or a newer build, keep its facade looking fresh with a crisp, simple color scheme. Think white, gray or smoky blue for the siding, leaving wood elements natural.
Siding: Western red cedar with clear finish
Siding: Western red cedar with clear finish
Add pops of color (with care). A little flash of color can go a long way toward making your midcentury home stand out. Paint the front door a saturated hue like red, turquoise, aqua or lime green and play up color in front porch details such as chairs and planters. The steel gray siding and bright lime door seen here nod to the hues favored by midcentury designers yet still look current.
Door color: Tequila Lime by Benjamin Moore; siding color: Gunmetal 1602 by Benjamin Moore
Door color: Tequila Lime by Benjamin Moore; siding color: Gunmetal 1602 by Benjamin Moore
Get the right lighting. If you want to go for period accuracy, you’re in luck: With midcentury style’s resurgence in popularity in recent years, it’s pretty easy to find light fixtures and details that will fit right in with your mid-mod home. A globe-style pendant light like the one shown here looks great over a midcentury entrance. There are lots of new options out there, but if you like a good vintage hunt, you can even find original fixtures and have them rewired. Whatever you choose, stick with simple shapes and avoid anything fussy.
Super-size the address. When it comes to midcentury-style house numbers, bigger is definitely better. You can’t go wrong with raised metal numbers in a clean, sans serif font. Or, if you want a more handcrafted look, you can have a custom address sign made using a midcentury-style script.
Stay consistent with the details. Once you’ve chosen one exterior detail (house numbers in brushed aluminum, for example) choose other accessories that match or coordinate for a consistent, put-together look. When it comes to midcentury modern design, a few larger elements generally work better than lots of smaller, fussier details. In the space shown here, a few large, modern planters, a bold light fixture and a statement-making door create the right balance.
Upgrade the garage door. When the garage door sits prominently at the front of the property (as it does on most midcentury homes), upgrading it can make a huge impact on curb appeal, especially for simple 1960s structures like the home shown here. A new garage door in natural wood is a big investment (costing anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000), but the dramatic transformation can be worth it.
Garage door: custom in sapele mahogany; front door color: Poppy 1315 by Benjamin Moore; siding color: Westcott Navy by Benjamin Moore
Garage door: custom in sapele mahogany; front door color: Poppy 1315 by Benjamin Moore; siding color: Westcott Navy by Benjamin Moore
Consider a carport. Many midcentury homes were built with carports; if your home doesn’t already have a garage, consider adding a carport to boost curb appeal (and provide shelter for your vehicle). The key is to make it look as if it’s always been there. You’d never guess that this compact Los Angeles midcentury home didn’t have a carport before its remodel! Work with an architect to get the period details just right.
Choose the right fence. Not every house needs a fence, of course, but if yours does, it’s essential to choose a style that complements the home’s architecture. For a midcentury home, picket or wrought iron fencing would look out of place. Instead, horizontal wood slats (as in the tongue-and-groove redwood fence seen here) or a modern metal design (as in the previous photo) will play up the sleek lines of your home.
Driveway gate: obscure mistlite glass
Driveway gate: obscure mistlite glass
Opt for low-maintenance landscaping. Midcentury-style homes beg for a simple landscaping scheme with strong, structured hardscaping and sculptural plantings. Concrete paths and large, rectangular pavers, gravel and ornamental grasses all work well. Boost curb appeal in the evening with landscape lighting and recessed lights beneath the eaves.
Siding color: Rocky Coast by Benjamin Moore; trim color: Wedgewood Gray by Benjamin Moore
Siding color: Rocky Coast by Benjamin Moore; trim color: Wedgewood Gray by Benjamin Moore
Finish the look with a vintage automobile. Of course I’m kidding! Still, there’s no denying that a classic car adds a certain something to the curb appeal of this midcentury home.
More
5 Bright Palettes for Front Doors
Roots of Style: Midcentury Modern Design
5 Midcentury Design Lessons for Modern-Day Living
More
5 Bright Palettes for Front Doors
Roots of Style: Midcentury Modern Design
5 Midcentury Design Lessons for Modern-Day Living
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Rovenelli, You did a great job, both in and out.
Love the inside and addition, but not the outside facade. I need to update mine. Houzz, how about some split level ideas?!
split level ideas! Second that great idea. So many here on the Front Range.