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The conclusion of World War II brought a huge influx of American optimism, which led to a burgeoning middle class interested in buying and nesting. The midcentury modern era left an indelible mark on modern design. In product design, midcentury modern masters include Ray Eames, Charles Eames, Achille Castiglioni, Arne Jacobson, Isamu Noguchi, Jean Prouve, Eero Saarinen, Poul Kjaerholm, Hans Wegner, Charlotte Perriand, and Alvar Aalto. Giants of modern architecture include Mies van der Rohe, Ray and Charles Eames, Rudolph Schindler, Paul Rudolph, Charles Ellsworth, and Richard Neutra.

In 1962, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architect Arthur Witthoefft won the AIA's highest honor for a home he built in the lush woods of Westchester County. Having fended off a developer's wrecking ball, Todd Goddard and Andrew Mandolene went above and beyond to make this manse mint again.
In 1962, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architect Arthur Witthoefft won the AIA's highest honor for a home he built in the lush woods of Westchester County. Having fended off a developer's wrecking ball, Todd Goddard and Andrew Mandolene went above and beyond to make this manse mint again.
The Lai family—Mayuko, baby Shota on her lap, David, Maya, and Yumi sitting on a cushion on the deck—relaxes in their indoor-outdoor living space, made by opening the glass sliding doors to connect the living room and engawa deck.
The Lai family—Mayuko, baby Shota on her lap, David, Maya, and Yumi sitting on a cushion on the deck—relaxes in their indoor-outdoor living space, made by opening the glass sliding doors to connect the living room and engawa deck.
The most sustainable element of all is the Lais’ intention to make their first home their last home as well. “Some people have this mentality of getting a starter house, then upgrading from there,” David says. “We just wanted to find a place to live in and then stay there forever.” Eventually they imagine passing the home down to their children.
The most sustainable element of all is the Lais’ intention to make their first home their last home as well. “Some people have this mentality of getting a starter house, then upgrading from there,” David says. “We just wanted to find a place to live in and then stay there forever.” Eventually they imagine passing the home down to their children.
Large clerestory windows face the street at the Higashibatas’ house in Tokyo, optimizing both privacy and natural light within.
Large clerestory windows face the street at the Higashibatas’ house in Tokyo, optimizing both privacy and natural light within.
At their A. Quincy Jones house in Los Angeles, architects Cory Buckner and Nick Roberts used permeable pavers to help the soil retain moisture.
At their A. Quincy Jones house in Los Angeles, architects Cory Buckner and Nick Roberts used permeable pavers to help the soil retain moisture.
The engawa deck is a traditional Japanese feature. It's a place where guests are often greeted to sit with a casual cup of tea. The David and Mayuko also uses it as a viewing porch toward the back yard for when the kids play in the grass.
The engawa deck is a traditional Japanese feature. It's a place where guests are often greeted to sit with a casual cup of tea. The David and Mayuko also uses it as a viewing porch toward the back yard for when the kids play in the grass.
The brass fittings are new to the project but are similar to metal that was originally used elsewhere in the project. The fittings, seen here in the children’s bathroom, will quickly acquire a dark patina.
The brass fittings are new to the project but are similar to metal that was originally used elsewhere in the project. The fittings, seen here in the children’s bathroom, will quickly acquire a dark patina.
The top of the house is dedicated to a dining area and a kitchen outfitted with steel-topped cabinets from Sanwa Company. Read more about this dimensional three-storied Japanese home here.
The top of the house is dedicated to a dining area and a kitchen outfitted with steel-topped cabinets from Sanwa Company. Read more about this dimensional three-storied Japanese home here.
The Lais designed their house to be theirs forever. As such, they were able to make design moves that made sense for themselves but that wouldn't have high resale value, like the Japanese-style master bathroom in the middle of the second floor instead of off of the master bedroom. The traditional setup features bath stools from Muji for washing off.
The Lais designed their house to be theirs forever. As such, they were able to make design moves that made sense for themselves but that wouldn't have high resale value, like the Japanese-style master bathroom in the middle of the second floor instead of off of the master bedroom. The traditional setup features bath stools from Muji for washing off.
The back of the house has sliding doors that open far enough to expose the entire livingroom to the families' back yard.
The back of the house has sliding doors that open far enough to expose the entire livingroom to the families' back yard.
The family sits around, and under in the case of four-year-old Kaz’ma, the sunken table for a snack. Makiko made the covers of the mats her mother sent from Japan by hand. The black lamp is from Ikea.
The family sits around, and under in the case of four-year-old Kaz’ma, the sunken table for a snack. Makiko made the covers of the mats her mother sent from Japan by hand. The black lamp is from Ikea.
Visiting a Manhattan apartment designed by Tim Seggerman is like sitting inside one of Nakashima’s cabinets, a metaphor realized most fully in an ingenious "library"—really a glorified cubby with a banded maple ceiling, conjured from a free space adjacent to the loft bed.
Visiting a Manhattan apartment designed by Tim Seggerman is like sitting inside one of Nakashima’s cabinets, a metaphor realized most fully in an ingenious "library"—really a glorified cubby with a banded maple ceiling, conjured from a free space adjacent to the loft bed.
The light fixtures, a string of dangling lights seen above the dining table, emulate what SHED Architects principal Thomas Schaer calls Zema’s “builderly” style: straightforward and unpretentious. The wooden screens, seen top right, are all-new to the house but follow Zema’s Japanese-inspired style.
The light fixtures, a string of dangling lights seen above the dining table, emulate what SHED Architects principal Thomas Schaer calls Zema’s “builderly” style: straightforward and unpretentious. The wooden screens, seen top right, are all-new to the house but follow Zema’s Japanese-inspired style.
The clients insisted that none of the trees on the property be disturbed, so Kevin Alter and his team at Alterstudio Architecture built a deck and an overhang around two of them.
The clients insisted that none of the trees on the property be disturbed, so Kevin Alter and his team at Alterstudio Architecture built a deck and an overhang around two of them.
Creative Direction The arrowhead-shaped corner at the end of the living room evolved from the need to accommodate a standard sliding-glass-door module. “It would have been astronomically expensive to custom-build it,” says Chris Bardt. This architectural gesture— the arrow “points” toward the river—“enabled us to be very generous with the view area without having to extend the entire house.”
Creative Direction The arrowhead-shaped corner at the end of the living room evolved from the need to accommodate a standard sliding-glass-door module. “It would have been astronomically expensive to custom-build it,” says Chris Bardt. This architectural gesture— the arrow “points” toward the river—“enabled us to be very generous with the view area without having to extend the entire house.”
Another view of the deck.
Another view of the deck.
“The house is a piece of origami made out of triangular shapes, which we then draped over the landscape,” says Arbel.
“The house is a piece of origami made out of triangular shapes, which we then draped over the landscape,” says Arbel.
Alterstudio Architecture of Austin designed this house in the Texas capital for a young family of four.
Alterstudio Architecture of Austin designed this house in the Texas capital for a young family of four.
In consultation with the clients, Alterstudio opted to clad the house in local cypress rather than imported, FSC-certified ipe.
In consultation with the clients, Alterstudio opted to clad the house in local cypress rather than imported, FSC-certified ipe.
The Sandpiper is a group of nine real estate subdivisions (306 homes in total), designed by Krisel and built between 1958 and 1969. Krisel also did all the landscape design for the site.
The Sandpiper is a group of nine real estate subdivisions (306 homes in total), designed by Krisel and built between 1958 and 1969. Krisel also did all the landscape design for the site.
@nelsontreehouse: "We spy a treehouse with some Japanese flair. Could it be a teahouse?"
@nelsontreehouse: "We spy a treehouse with some Japanese flair. Could it be a teahouse?"
Eliot Noyes's 1954 home is a simple, one-story building clad in fieldstone and wood, which blends easily into the landscape.
Eliot Noyes's 1954 home is a simple, one-story building clad in fieldstone and wood, which blends easily into the landscape.
Big Branch Woodworking and Lackey Construction fabricated the cabinetry throughout the home, including the birch built-ins in the mudroom, designed by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Each family member has his or her own cubby with storage for coats, shoes, hats and gloves, with built-in outlets for charging iPhones.
Big Branch Woodworking and Lackey Construction fabricated the cabinetry throughout the home, including the birch built-ins in the mudroom, designed by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Each family member has his or her own cubby with storage for coats, shoes, hats and gloves, with built-in outlets for charging iPhones.
The refreshed house has a 3,125-square-foot footprint. "The project suited the owner’s programmatic needs, but also was an intervention into an aging house for a young creative family looking to extend the existing midcentury typology with more openness and light," says designer Peter Liang.
The refreshed house has a 3,125-square-foot footprint. "The project suited the owner’s programmatic needs, but also was an intervention into an aging house for a young creative family looking to extend the existing midcentury typology with more openness and light," says designer Peter Liang.
In their concrete-walled courtyard, Yuka and Aaron watch as twins Emerson and Jasper, daughters Maude and Mirene, and Alfie the dog play. The house is painted in Black Bean Soup by Benjamin Moore, a color in keeping with the period of the original architecture. The garden was designed by Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lilyvilla Gardens.
In their concrete-walled courtyard, Yuka and Aaron watch as twins Emerson and Jasper, daughters Maude and Mirene, and Alfie the dog play. The house is painted in Black Bean Soup by Benjamin Moore, a color in keeping with the period of the original architecture. The garden was designed by Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lilyvilla Gardens.
Bruce Thatcher and Kirsty Leighton behind their London home.
Bruce Thatcher and Kirsty Leighton behind their London home.
Bassam (left, with Fellows) hung redwood garage doors that match the house’s exterior.
Bassam (left, with Fellows) hung redwood garage doors that match the house’s exterior.
The house incorporates a variety of wood finishes, all in the same general color palette: unfinished ipe for the pool terrace, Douglas fir for the trellis and windows, and stained cypress for the siding mixed in with the exterior’s original redwood.
The house incorporates a variety of wood finishes, all in the same general color palette: unfinished ipe for the pool terrace, Douglas fir for the trellis and windows, and stained cypress for the siding mixed in with the exterior’s original redwood.
A glowing home in Japan has milky-white, one-and-a-half-inch plastic sheets wrapped around the exterior to let in light and provide insulation.
A glowing home in Japan has milky-white, one-and-a-half-inch plastic sheets wrapped around the exterior to let in light and provide insulation.
modbox Midcentury Modern Mailbox, $320–$380 at the Dwell Store This mailbox is inspired by mailboxes that were produced in the 1950s and 1960s. Designer Greg Kelly was frustrated at being able to find a mailbox to complement his newly renovated midcentury home and decided to design his own. Now, the colorful mailbox is available for midcentury lovers everywhere.
modbox Midcentury Modern Mailbox, $320–$380 at the Dwell Store This mailbox is inspired by mailboxes that were produced in the 1950s and 1960s. Designer Greg Kelly was frustrated at being able to find a mailbox to complement his newly renovated midcentury home and decided to design his own. Now, the colorful mailbox is available for midcentury lovers everywhere.
The kitchen was originally an awkward alcove facing the main living area. The architects expanded the room and installed a classic modernist ‘service core’ at the kitchen’s center; it features large appliances such as a Sub-Zero fridge and an Asko washer/dryer. This allows easy movement through the kitchen to the adjacent dining room and main hallways.
The kitchen was originally an awkward alcove facing the main living area. The architects expanded the room and installed a classic modernist ‘service core’ at the kitchen’s center; it features large appliances such as a Sub-Zero fridge and an Asko washer/dryer. This allows easy movement through the kitchen to the adjacent dining room and main hallways.
Fed up with flashy, environmentally insensitive beach homes, architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed a humble hideaway nestled behind sand dunes along the New Zealand coastline. Crafted in the image of a modest Kiwi bach, their 1,670-square-foot retreat consists of a group of small buildings clad in black-stained pine weatherboards and fiber-cement sheets.
Fed up with flashy, environmentally insensitive beach homes, architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed a humble hideaway nestled behind sand dunes along the New Zealand coastline. Crafted in the image of a modest Kiwi bach, their 1,670-square-foot retreat consists of a group of small buildings clad in black-stained pine weatherboards and fiber-cement sheets.
Nestled in a grove of Douglas fir trees, the house stands on series of wooden pylons in a Japanese-inspired fashion. Residents ascend the stairs, center, to reach its single floor. The exterior wooden shingles were intact and are original to the design.
Nestled in a grove of Douglas fir trees, the house stands on series of wooden pylons in a Japanese-inspired fashion. Residents ascend the stairs, center, to reach its single floor. The exterior wooden shingles were intact and are original to the design.
“Peter and I’ve got shockingly similar and far-reaching design inspirations. Our conversations would move easily from brutalism to driftwood to kachinas and then flow right back to something applicable to architecture. I can’t tell you how many times I will do that with a less-design-literate client and just get a blank stare!” —Architect Craig Steely
“Peter and I’ve got shockingly similar and far-reaching design inspirations. Our conversations would move easily from brutalism to driftwood to kachinas and then flow right back to something applicable to architecture. I can’t tell you how many times I will do that with a less-design-literate client and just get a blank stare!” —Architect Craig Steely
Yurika Ninomiya says good morning to busy central Nagoya from her third-floor bedroom while husband Takuya opens up the shop and gallery that they run below.
Yurika Ninomiya says good morning to busy central Nagoya from her third-floor bedroom while husband Takuya opens up the shop and gallery that they run below.
Lilyvilla Gardens built custom wood and concrete steps connecting the street to the house, which flow into an exposed patio under the refurbished carport. In addition to collecting midcentury furniture, Ty Milford is a vintage car aficionado and owner of two cherry red Porsches.
Lilyvilla Gardens built custom wood and concrete steps connecting the street to the house, which flow into an exposed patio under the refurbished carport. In addition to collecting midcentury furniture, Ty Milford is a vintage car aficionado and owner of two cherry red Porsches.

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