The owners were downsizing from a large ornate property down the street and were seeking a number of goals. Single story living, modern and open floor plan, comfortable working kitchen, spaces to house their collection of artwork, low maintenance and a strong connection between the interior and the landscape. Working with a long narrow lot adjacent to conservation land, the main living space (16 foot ceiling height at its peak) opens with folding glass doors to a large screen porch that looks out on a courtyard and the adjacent wooded landscape. This gives the home the perception that it is on a much larger lot and provides a great deal of privacy. The transition from the entry to the core of the home provides a natural gallery in which to display artwork and sculpture. Artificial light almost never needs to be turned on during daytime hours and the substantial peaked roof over the main living space is oriented to allow for solar panels not visible from the street or yard.

Lindenwood Custom

Mosier Luxury Homes

This is an example of a large midcentury one-storey beige house exterior in Austin with mixed siding, a flat roof, a metal roof, a black roof and board and batten siding.

niguel west mid-century modern

Moss Yaw Design studio

a board-formed concrete wall accentuated by minimalist landscaping adds architectural interest, while providing for privacy at the exterior entry stair

Kenilworth Project - Mid Century Modern Whole House Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

This 1959 Mid Century Modern Home was falling into disrepair, but the team at Haven Design and Construction could see the true potential. By preserving the beautiful original architectural details, such as the linear stacked stone and the clerestory windows, the team had a solid architectural base to build new and interesting details upon. New modern landscaping was installed and a new linear cedar fence surrounds the perimeter of the property.

San Carlos Mid-Century Modern Remodel

Klopf Architecture

Mariko Reed
Mid-sized midcentury one-storey brown house exterior in San Francisco with wood siding and a flat roof.

Mid Century Modern

Elevation

Mid-sized midcentury two-storey grey exterior in Minneapolis with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Malibu Crest

Studio Bracket

Scott Frances
Inspiration for a large midcentury one-storey glass multi-coloured house exterior in Los Angeles with a flat roof.

Blue Paint Scheme, Repaint, Newton, MA

ProTEK Painters

The homeowners of this mid-century New England style house in Newton chose a monochromatic color scheme for their exterior paint. They went with two different blues, light on the siding, and darker on the shutters, and a clean white for the trim and accents. This is a photo of the front of the house, which shows off the colors in their best light.

Mid-century Exterior Remodel

Golden Visions Design

This glass front is made of six panels aligned with picture windows on the back of the house. The continuous sight-line allows generous views of the surrounding landscape. Golden Visions Design Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Quince Reverse Shed Eichler

Guy Ayers, Architect

Reverse Shed Eichler This project is part tear-down, part remodel. The original L-shaped plan allowed the living/ dining/ kitchen wing to be completely re-built while retaining the shell of the bedroom wing virtually intact. The rebuilt entertainment wing was enlarged 50% and covered with a low-slope reverse-shed roof sloping from eleven to thirteen feet. The shed roof floats on a continuous glass clerestory with eight foot transom. Cantilevered steel frames support wood roof beams with eaves of up to ten feet. An interior glass clerestory separates the kitchen and livingroom for sound control. A wall-to-wall skylight illuminates the north wall of the kitchen/family room. New additions at the back of the house add several “sliding” wall planes, where interior walls continue past full-height windows to the exterior, complimenting the typical Eichler indoor-outdoor ceiling and floor planes. The existing bedroom wing has been re-configured on the interior, changing three small bedrooms into two larger ones, and adding a guest suite in part of the original garage. A previous den addition provided the perfect spot for a large master ensuite bath and walk-in closet. Natural materials predominate, with fir ceilings, limestone veneer fireplace walls, anigre veneer cabinets, fir sliding windows and interior doors, bamboo floors, and concrete patios and walks. Landscape design by Bernard Trainor: www.bernardtrainor.com (see “Concrete Jungle” in April 2014 edition of Dwell magazine). Microsoft Media Center installation of the Year, 2008: www.cybermanor.com/ultimate_install.html (automated shades, radiant heating system, and lights, as well as security & sound).

MID CENTURY MODERN - TAMPA, FL

Debra Ackerbloom, Inc.

Charming Mid Century Modern with a Palm Springs Vibe ~Interiors by Debra Ackerbloom ~Architectural Design by Tommy Lamb ~Architectural Photography by Bill Horne

Dark Light House

MRTN Architects

Located in Rye on the Mornington Peninsula this addition helps to create a family home from the original 1960’s weekender. Although in good condition the late modernist home lacked the living spaces and good connections to the garden that the family required. The owners were very keen to honour and respect the original dwelling. Minimising change where possible especially to the finely crafted timber ceiling and dress timber windows typical of the period. The addition is located on a corner of the original house, east facing windows to the existing living spaces become west facing glazing to the additions. A new entry is located at the junction of old and new creating direct access from front to back.

South Harbor Drive

BMA Architects

Trevor Trondro
This is an example of a midcentury two-storey brown exterior in New York with a flat roof.

SeaThru

Josh Wynne Construction

SeaThru is a new, waterfront, modern home. SeaThru was inspired by the mid-century modern homes from our area, known as the Sarasota School of Architecture. This homes designed to offer more than the standard, ubiquitous rear-yard waterfront outdoor space. A central courtyard offer the residents a respite from the heat that accompanies west sun, and creates a gorgeous intermediate view fro guest staying in the semi-attached guest suite, who can actually SEE THROUGH the main living space and enjoy the bay views. Noble materials such as stone cladding, oak floors, composite wood louver screens and generous amounts of glass lend to a relaxed, warm-contemporary feeling not typically common to these types of homes. Photos by Ryan Gamma Photography

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

Mid-sized midcentury split-level multi-coloured house exterior in Minneapolis with wood siding and a flat roof.

Woodhaven Modern

Flavin Architects

Our clients wanted to replace an existing suburban home with a modern house at the same Lexington address where they had lived for years. The structure the clients envisioned would complement their lives and integrate the interior of the home with the natural environment of their generous property. The sleek, angular home is still a respectful neighbor, especially in the evening, when warm light emanates from the expansive transparencies used to open the house to its surroundings. The home re-envisions the suburban neighborhood in which it stands, balancing relationship to the neighborhood with an updated aesthetic. The floor plan is arranged in a “T” shape which includes a two-story wing consisting of individual studies and bedrooms and a single-story common area. The two-story section is arranged with great fluidity between interior and exterior spaces and features generous exterior balconies. A staircase beautifully encased in glass stands as the linchpin between the two areas. The spacious, single-story common area extends from the stairwell and includes a living room and kitchen. A recessed wooden ceiling defines the living room area within the open plan space. Separating common from private spaces has served our clients well. As luck would have it, construction on the house was just finishing up as we entered the Covid lockdown of 2020. Since the studies in the two-story wing were physically and acoustically separate, zoom calls for work could carry on uninterrupted while life happened in the kitchen and living room spaces. The expansive panes of glass, outdoor balconies, and a broad deck along the living room provided our clients with a structured sense of continuity in their lives without compromising their commitment to aesthetically smart and beautiful design.

Inwood Place

Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design

Photo by Leonid Furmansky.
Photo of a midcentury one-storey brick exterior in Austin with a flat roof.

Midcentury Exterior

Midcentury split-level grey exterior in Calgary with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Mid- Century Marvel

User

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury two-storey grey exterior in Denver with a flat roof.

Canyon

Koch Architects

Mid-Century Modern Restoration - Cantilever balcony with glass railing, mid-century-modern home renovation in Lafayette, California. Photo by Jonathan Mitchell Photography

Midcentury Exterior Design Ideas with a Flat Roof

The front exterior of your home – the driveway, front yard, verandah and entrance – is a fantastic place to start making that all-important first impression on house guests. Even mailboxes and house numbers can have a wonderful way of grabbing people’s attention. The architectural design should reflect the overall midcentury style of your house and the family that live there; while your choice of materials will help your house blend in with its surrounds. Browse the photos on Houzz for ideas and inspiration for the exterior of your midcentury house, and strike up a conversation with the architects and designers of your favourite picks. You’ll find house designs for contemporary, eclectic, modern, traditional styles and more.

How do I decide on the exterior style of my home?

Your location, overall sense of style, budget and current home layout will dictate the style of your exterior. If you’re renovating a period home, the materials and features you use should reflect the date in which it was built, while a unique colour scheme could add contemporary flair. New homes may prefer to look to modern or contemporary designs with structural simplicity, whereas, if you live by the ocean, a beach-style design may better suit your locale. That’s not to say you can’t build a new home that has period influences. If you’re a traditionalist, you can borrow architectural details from the Art Deco period, for instance, or use finishes that reflect more of a Scandinavian style, too.

What exterior house colours and materials should I use?

Traditional homes typically use brick and timber building materials, while stone, board-formed concrete and metal cladding are popular contemporary options. Again, the materials you use will depend on your location and the statement you want to make. Your budget will also affect your choice. Vinyl siding is affordable and easy to install, while stone is more expensive but durable and low maintenance. If you’re not ready to renovate but want to update the exterior of your home, you can still paint it. Look to your neighbours when choosing exterior house colours. Consider the streetscape and what type of colours are already in use, firstly, so you don’t replicate next door’s shade; and secondly, so you don’t stand out like a sore thumb. If you’re renovating a period home, you could paint features or intricate details in a bold, standout hue. Front doors, garage doors and window trims also look great in eye-catching colours, even if the rest of the house’s facade is neutral.

How can I maximise my home’s street appeal?

To spice up your home’s architectural design, landscape the surrounding area with plants and pathways that accent the midcentury style of your home. If you just need a quick revamp, look at your cement and pavers – these can split and crack over time; and repairing or replacing them can do wonders for your street appeal, especially if it’s a large area like your driveway. Plants, garden paths or low walls can can also add structure to your front yard. Light up your home with sufficient outdoor lighting to make walking up to the front door easy at night. You could use bollard lights along your entry path, or replace tiny wall sconces with statement pendant lighting at the entrance or on your verandah. Decorative elements such as house numbers, mailboxes and doormats will also add character. And if you're looking to sell your house, it may be worth hiring a stylist to help make the most of your property.