Inspiration for a midcentury home bar in Denver.

Design ideas for a midcentury dining room in Portland.

The landscape plan clarifies how all the components were integrated into the design on the 1.5 acre site.
This is an example of an expansive midcentury partial sun garden for summer in Chicago with natural stone pavers and a garden path.

Mid-Century Modern Restoration
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury master bedroom in Minneapolis with white walls, carpet, white floor, exposed beam and wallpaper.

Salle d'eau avec douche ouverte au style rétro-moderne
Small midcentury master bathroom in Paris with a curbless shower, white tile, ceramic tile, pink walls, linoleum floors, a pedestal sink, multi-coloured floor, an open shower and a single vanity.

A small kitchen gets a breath of fresh air with walnut veneer cabinets, done with a very thin shaker style door. Warm white marble countertops fold up into the backsplash, unifying the kitchen from top to bottom. Polished chrome fixtures sparkle in this adept kitchen remodel.

Midcentury l-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, white splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

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.

The primary intent of the project was to bring the property up to a modern standard of living, with additional space at the rear to provide kitchen, dining and living space for a couple who would become a family over the course of the build, with the arrival of twins in a very Grand Designs manner. The project was relatively cost effective, and it was decided early on to draw upon the existing 1930’s design aesthetic of the existing house. A white painted render finish to the extension was combined with the curved corner which drew influence from the beautiful curved bay window at the front of the house. Green glazed ceramic tile details were a response to the painted tile window cills, each a different colour on the development of 6 houses located just outside the Wandsworth Common Conservation Area. The tiles came to define planting zones as part of the landscaping at the rear of the extension. Further up the house, a new softwood staircase with circular balusters lead to the new loft conversion, where the master bedroom and en-suite are located. The playful design aesthetic continues, with vintage inspired elements such as a T&G timber clad headboard ledge and the mid-century sideboard vanity unit that the clients sourced for the bathroom. Internally, the spaces were designed to incorporate a large self-contained study at the front of the house, which could be opened to the rest of the space with salvaged pocket doors. Interior designer Sarah Ashworth put together a 1930’s inspired colour scheme, which is at it’s boldest in this study space, with a golden yellow paint offsetting the clients vast collection of vintage furniture. A utility and downstairs loo are incorporated in the original small kitchen space, with a free flowing sequence of spaces for living opening up to the garden at the rear. A slot rooflight provides light for the kitchen set in the centre of the plan.

Design ideas for a large midcentury master bathroom in Detroit with a double shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, a vessel sink, wood benchtops, a hinged shower door, brown benchtops, a double vanity, a floating vanity, vaulted, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, concrete floors, blue floor and a niche.

Photo of a midcentury kitchen in Los Angeles.

This is an example of a small midcentury master bathroom in New York with shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, a claw-foot tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, gray tile, porcelain tile, grey walls, marble floors, an integrated sink, marble benchtops, white floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

The Roger Lee designed house from 1962 was purchased by the current homeowners in almost original condition, as the previous owners elected to defer most maintenance projects over the years. The clients were able to see beyond the dated materials and finishes, single-paned glass and uninsulated walls and they approached Klopf Architecture to help them expand and update the entire home, one the family could settle into and enjoy for years to come. It was important that the new designs were aligned with Lee's original intent not only because of the client's appreciation for mid-century modern architecture, but also because the house was deemed historical. The Stanford Real Estate Office requires a stringent design review which safeguards the integrity of the community, which Klopf Architecture was happy to oblige going into their updated designs. As with many original mid-century modern homes, the house was scaled to the 1960s lifestyle where rooms were smaller and openings to views were limited and tightly framed. The original conditions defined the direction the family of four would take in updating the house and making it comfortable for their modern lifestyle. Klopf designed a full gut remodel and major addition to bring the house into the 21st century and provide the living area needed for the client's family. The newly expanded house added just about 1,100 sf to create an airy, comfortable and family friendly house, taking full advantage of the beautiful southwestern views that extend out to the hills beyond. The enclosed garage created an additional 240 sf of covered space for long-term storage. A cracked swimming pool created an eyesore taking up a majority of the backyard landscape, so it was one of the first elements to go during the transformation. Working with Outer Space Landscape Architects, the family asked for a mix of relaxing outdoor patio spaces that eventually blend into the native landscaping, extending their views outward toward the natural greenery of the trees beyond their property. Filling in the old pool was a smart way to expand the living spaces outward. The orientation of the house was designed to enjoy the views, but the original architecture provided the first homeowners with mere glimpses of the landscape outside. Klopf was able to broaden those views, continuing and extending on the original architecture to take full advantage of the unobstructed natural views across the rear facade of the house. Small horizontal openings in the primary bedroom and office were replaced with much taller windows that now follow the angled roof line upward, extending across almost all of the facade. We worked with Western Windows, whose designs included an oblique-shaped, operable casement that allowed our design to rise with the slope. A new corner office added to the primary suite, offers a bright and functional work-from-home solution that looks out at the distant views and added natural light from the expanded window configuration that now wraps around the corner. The existing lower level was designed by Lee as a utilitarian space, serving as a wet pool room with a drain in the center of the floor, bathroom, laundry and storage areas. Without the need for a pool room, Klopf was able to convert the area into a much more comfortable and functional living space with a new family room and guest suite. The new spaces enjoy easy access to a new outdoor patio through floor to ceiling, full-width glass sliders. Continuing along the rear facade, a previously exposed deck extending from the living room and hallway provided access to the backyard through a single set of stairs leading toward the side of the house which made sense when the pool was in place. The new deck was re-envisioned as an extension of the main living room and now serves as a second outdoor living room. A new slatted pergola above provides the homeowners welcome relief from the hot afternoon sun. A second set of stairs now creates a better connection to the redesigned lower level. Klopf was able to reconfigure the spaces, extending the living room outward toward the views, where the family now claims it as the heart of the home, spending a large majority of their time outdoors. Back inside, the original wood-burning Malm fireplace was beautifully restored and a gas burner installed to comply with California's strict air standards. It now rests in front of a wall of Heath accent tiles where a dated red brick wall used to stand. A new taller window brings more light and views into the refreshed interior living room. The original glass doors opposite the fireplace were replaced by larger sliders that when fully opened, create a seamless transition to the new outdoor living area so the two spaces feel like one connected space. The original utilitarian kitchen was needlessly tucked into the far back corner and closed-off, out of sight from the living room, so the clients asked Klopf to open it up and expand the kitchen forward so it felt more connected. Today the much larger kitchen is connected to the living area where a short wall with a cutout offers a visual glimpse into the kitchen and a handy pass-through counter for serving guests. A new breakfast nook was also added to create another spot where the family can gather for casual meals. Just outside, a new built-in outdoor grill and prep area extends the kitchen outside and connects to a new outdoor dining spot nestled amongst the trees, taking advantage of the views out back. Klopf was able to expand the other two bedrooms, add a new laundry room and half-bath and convert the carport to an enclosed garage to add more storage areas which was lost when the pool house was converted to the family and guest room. To maintain a historical connection to the original designs, the exterior siding was repeated on all exterior walls, a full-height stained glass window at the front entryway restored, and an interior slatted screen element repeated outside at the exterior entry courtyard and over the new outdoor living room to create a shade trellis. The new house stands proudly and shines against it's new landscaping features, while respecting and expanding on the original intent of Roger Lee's designs epitomizing the comforts of indoor-outdoor living in Northern California. Completion year: 2020 Klopf Architecture project team: John Klopf, Klara Kevane, Noel Andrade Contractor: ORB Construction, Brendan O'Reilly Structural engineer: Sezen and Moon Landscape architect: Outer space Furnishings and decoration: Urbanism Designs Photographer: Mariko Reed

This is an example of a midcentury home office in San Francisco.

This is an example of a midcentury bathroom in Other.

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury kids bathroom in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a drop-in tub, a one-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, porcelain floors, a drop-in sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and wallpaper.

beautiful tuxedo kitchen with herringbone tile on the back of the island
This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, with island, grey floor and white benchtop.

Design ideas for a midcentury dining room in Other.

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury master bedroom in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, white floor and vaulted.