Mid Century

The living room sports a panoply of wood: Douglas fir for the ceiling, hemlock for the walls, and stained oak for the floor. The sofa is the Neo model by Bensen and the rug is vintage.

A vintage Molded Plywood Lounge Chair (LCW) by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller sits in front of built-in shelving in untreated hemlock.

Lambert pours wine in the kitchen, which is defined by a low concrete-block wall and serves as the home’s central core. The seating-area chairs are from Herman Miller.

An architectural designer and an artist harnessed the collective power of their design firm to remake a dilapidated mid-century gem into a hillside perch for their family.

Mid-Century Sanctuary

Mid-Century Sanctuary

A Deep Thoughts Chaise by Blu Dot occupies a sunny spot by the new windows. The firm chose leather for its durability with regards to the owners’ two cats.

The original fireplace was kept, as was the interior clerestory windows that divide the main living area from the hall and master suite. The floors were replaced with red oak to align with preserved red oak flooring in the bedroom.

Located in the sylvan enclave of Innis Arden about an hour north of Seattle, this home soaks up the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. This beautifully maintained midcentury home was designed in 1962 by Seattle–based modernist architect Ralph D. Anderson—who was an early advocate for preservation in the region. A soaring, double-height wall of glass in the living room brings a sense of the home's forested surroundings to its interiors. Character-filled elements of the home's midcentury roots remain—including a slightly sunken living room, a circular staircase, a tongue-and-groove ceiling, wood paneling, and a kitchen countertop crafted of salvaged teak from a 1960s battleship. Updated elements include a renovated kitchen, which kept the original salvaged teak and updated appliances as needed.

The doors mix wood and glass to allow for easy indoor/outdoor living, while the open floor plan keeps things airy.

Generous skylights in the vaulted tongue-and-groove ceilings illuminate the home. "Even on a short, dreary Seattle winter day, we don’t need to keep any lights on in the house, and it feels bright and cheerful," says Kelle.

The U-shaped kitchen was designed by Kristen to give children a space for homework and snacks away from the work area.

When a couple fell for the charms of an early 1960s house near Melbourne, they were equally excited by its history as its possibility. And so they tasked Nest Architects with a renovation that would honor its midcentury bones without being an homage to a bygone era.

In this updated 1950s Portland home, a light gray Neo sofa by Bensen harmonizes with warm wooden walls, ceilings, and floors, as well as a red-and-mustard-yellow vintage rug.

As one of the most influential American midcentury designers, Paul McCobb worked with a variety of furniture companies, but he always brought his notions of proportion, simplicity, and clean lines. This tall wood wall unit from McCobb’s Planner Group line is grounded by a low, solid set of cabinets and a drawer. Above lies a light and airy set of shelves that we could see housing a carefully curated selection of books, vessels, and other objects.

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.

After being buried under layers of haphazard renovations, a 1959 Seattle ranch finally reaches its maximum potential.