Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017

Molly Winters Photography
Example of a mid-sized 1950s single-wall ceramic tile eat-in kitchen design in Austin with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The kitchen contains an oversized island with casual dining on two sides. The island is directly below heavy timber beams that span from interior to exterior and are a focal feature of this home. Full height wood cabinetry is built into the thick walls to help the space feel more open. Terrazzo countertops and yellow pendant lights add splashes of personality to the space.

The owners of this 1956 ranch home in Atlanta partnered with Copper Sky Design + Remodel to modernize the space while enhancing its mid-century character. The standout feature of the project is the kitchen, where a custom curved wood tambour island adds a striking retro element. This open-concept space is warmed by wood ceiling beams and tongue-and-groove planks, creating a blend of mid-century charm and modern functionality. The adjacent breakfast nook offers a cozy spot for morning coffee, while geometric tile patterns and asymmetrical designs throughout the kitchen honor the home's original era. The remodel included reconfiguring the floor plan to add practical spaces like a laundry room, jack-and-jill bathroom, and pantry. The primary bathroom was updated with retro-inspired hexagon tiles, tying the room's design into the home's mid-century aesthetic. In the entryway, a vibrant front door and modern tile work, paired with clerestory windows, create a bright and welcoming atmosphere. On the exterior, new wood-look garage doors and vintage breeze blocks enhance the home's curb appeal, while a fresh coat of paint ties everything together. These thoughtful updates to both the interior and exterior reflect a harmonious balance between mid-century nostalgia and modern living.

A relaxed modern living room with the purpose to create a beautiful space for the family to gather.
Large 1960s open concept medium tone wood floor and wood ceiling living room photo in Dallas with gray walls, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

What this Mid-century modern home originally lacked in kitchen appeal it made up for in overall style and unique architectural home appeal. That appeal which reflects back to the turn of the century modernism movement was the driving force for this sleek yet simplistic kitchen design and remodel. Stainless steel aplliances, cabinetry hardware, counter tops and sink/faucet fixtures; removed wall and added peninsula with casual seating; custom cabinetry - horizontal oriented grain with quarter sawn red oak veneer - flat slab - full overlay doors; full height kitchen cabinets; glass tile - installed countertop to ceiling; floating wood shelving; Karli Moore Photography

Mid century modern bathroom. Calm Bathroom vibes. Bold but understated. Black fixtures. Freestanding vanity. Bold flooring.
Mid-century modern porcelain tile, multicolored floor and single-sink alcove bathtub photo in Salt Lake City with quartz countertops, white countertops and a niche

Shop the Look here: http://www.studio-mcgee.com/studioblog/2017/4/18/mid-century-modern-install-webisode

We designed this Daughter's Bathroom to be a tranquil and sophisticated space with accents of rose gold on sconces and cabinetry hardware. The rose gold is a lovely accent on the soft green/grey cabinetry. The vanity wall is covered in Ann Sacks glazed porcelain mosaic. The countertops are a beautiful White Macabus Quartzite for both an elegant yet easy care material.

Staging: Jaqueline with Tweaked Style Photography: Tony Diaz General Contracting: Big Brothers Development
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1960s l-shaped kitchen pantry remodel in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, green backsplash, paneled appliances, no island and white countertops

Custom built-ins designed to hold a record collection and library of books. The fireplace got a facelift with a fresh mantle and tile surround.
Inspiration for a large 1950s open concept porcelain tile and black floor family room library remodel in DC Metro with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

The original mid-century door was preserved and refinished in a natural tone to coordinate with the new natural flooring finish. All stain finishes were applied with water-based no VOC pet friendly products. Original railings were refinished and kept to maintain the authenticity of the Deck House style. The light fixture offers an immediate sculptural wow factor upon entering the home.

Trevor Trondro
Example of a 1950s living room design in New York

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

closeup of the kitchen cabinets with edge pulls
Example of a large 1960s galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Matt Vacca
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized 1950s galley porcelain tile and gray floor open concept kitchen idea in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Trevor Trondro
1960s gray floor great room photo in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Seattle architect Curtis Gelotte restores life to a dated home.
Mid-sized 1950s multicolored mixed siding house exterior photo in Seattle with a hip roof and a metal roof

Small 1950s white tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile, white floor and single-sink alcove bathtub photo in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a freestanding vanity