I had the pleasure of working with P&G Homes to restore an old Mid-Century Modern beauty. Honestly I love all styles of architecture and can't help but see the possibilities in even the most neglected homes.

We went through extensive renovations and decisions to get this home back to liveable. I'll go through some before and afters. We did quite a bit to get the home's floorplan liveable for a modern family. We opened up the main living space, added more doors to the courtyard, made windows symmetrical, added a large master closet, moved the laundry room indoors etc.

It was a big decision and ultimately one that was decided for us to paint the brick. In order to "fill" in the area under the "wing" on the right we had to add more brick and couldn't find a match to the original. Painting the brick also allowed other repairs to be made to the existing brick.

That front tree on the left is still there, don't worry. No trees were taken down in the remodel process. It's just out of shot in the after picture. We added modern walkways, restored and painted the original front door but repaired/replaced the glass around it. The new globe lights are from Hip Haven in Austin.

As you can see in the before picture the living/ dining room had two separate doors off of the entry. That shot also shows how disjointed the different floors are. A large HVAC chase ran through the space dividing it and making it feel small. The original ceilings are painted wood, not good pretty wood or I would have kept it. The wood ceiling in the new space had to be covered to hide the new HVAC configuration. Cork floors were used throughout. In the before image you can also tell how the wall of windows isn't at all symmetrical. We fixed that and moved the doors to the courtyard to the middle. All of the furnishings and art were generously lent to us by Lynn Goode Vintage for staging.

These two shots are actually looking oppostire directions but you get the idea. All of the doors were replaced with a slightly more modern slab door. The interior brick was painted in areas that required it. Like areas that awkwardly met sheetrock or had to be cut into for updating the electrical. Remodeling is all about choices and trying to make the smartest decisions for the final look. In the after shot those two double doors are a large closet and the utility room (that was previously accessible from the patio). By updating the floorplan we were able to gain a lot more storage that modern families require.

Previously the hall bath was a giant room that was largely empty. I divided the space into two rooms, the vanity area with a wall of built-ins opposite the sinks and the wet room with the shower and toilet. I also added two sinks rather than having one sink and a vanity space. The ceilings remain vaulted and globe pendants were added to draw attention to the high ceilings. I designed all of the cabinetry in the house, it was built on-site by P&G's extremely talented millworker.

The kitchen was entirely redone. Again I would have loved to keep the ceiling but updating the electrical and making it safe takes priority. The cork floors continue into the kitchen as do the globe lights. All of the cabinets were built onsite and feature many hidden conveniences.

The area off the back of the kitchen previously was a small office area. We added a door to the outside, so a person doesn't have to walk thru the living room with groceries. The cabinets feature mail nooks, a small desk and large pull-out pantry cabinets not shown in the shot.

The layout in the master bedroom really changed. Previously there was a small master closet in the master bedroom and a small hallway to the masterbath and a back office. We changed the back office into the master closet and now the masterbath is accessible without a hallway. In order to get a masterbath as big as possible there isn't any space to waste with a hallway. The tiny powder bath off the previous back office is now off of the master closet. Which is kind of silly, but gives the master suite a total of two toilets and three sinks.

Nothing in the master bath could remain. The entrance to the master bath from the bedroom is actually where the toilet is in the before image. The ceiling height remains. I attempted to pick lighting, mirrors, plumbing etc that reminiscences to Mid-Century Modern at least. When selling a bathroom to home buyers it must be bright and clean. The floor is a small white brick mosaic and the large shower is Calcutta marble tiles.

The chandelier in the closet is reused from the previous dining area. It had to be rewired and restored but it was worth it, it's a stunner.

This is the powder room off of the closet. I kept everything white and open using the wall color to add some punch. The mini brick mosaic on the floor is the same as the master bath.

The separate studio, that also serves as a carport, is an amazing bonus to the house. It was also in devastatingly bad condition. Nearly unsafe to even be in it. It required a lot of steel and engineering to make it safe again. It had severe damage from Hurricane Ike that hadn't been dealt with as well. Nevertheless it's a great feature that we were determined to save.

OK the first major change is the direction of the stairs. We all felt the stairs would be more useful with an easier access from the house. Then the front wall was pushed back (I make it sound so easy) to create a balcony. The main source of light is from this side because all of the other sides have unapealing views. Hardiboard was used on the siding in large sheets to create a more modern exterior. The roof fascia was painted a dark green, the houses accent color, to give the roof more weight and oomph. Underneath the studio are two parking spaces and a large storage closet.

The transformation is unreal. Before the studio had an AC wall unit, paneling that was rotting and falling down, amazing carpet that was full of mold, a closet and a bar. We were able to add a full bath and a kitchenette to the space. The ladder to the loft is original. We were going to paint the ceiling to hide the damaged wood but when the painters put up the primer is soaked into the wood causing the nice effect that we kept. The neighborhood no longer allows separate structures to be built so this is a real bonus for the area.

I am also excited to share that this property was published in the Houston Chronicle in October!

Jamie House Design in the Houston Chronicle.

I was also nominated for the HGTV Fresh Faces of Design contest last year, that I blogged about here for this living area. I didn't win but I'm not sure I could be happier just being nominated.

I'm incredibly proud of this house and P&G Homes for doing an excellent job on the remodel. I get asked often about my work with builders. I don't work with just any builder. The work isn't my favorite, I love working one on one with clients. However when I get a chance to work with a builder that cares about preservation of older homes as I do I jump at the chance. P&G Homes are of the top detailing and quality. Their integrity and standards are high. I stand behind any house they build or remodel, which is why I work with them.

This Mid-Century Modern beauty is for sale. If you're in the market and interested contact me!

Photography (after shots) by Laurie Perez Photography. Staging by Lynn Goode Vintage.

Mid-Century Brought Back to Life