This mid-century modern house built in 1959 has undergone a complete renovation by Haven Design and Construction, located in Alamo Heights, a neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas. Despite having amazing architectural features, this home had fallen into significant disrepair.
The challenges with the home included a laundry room that was located inside the garage, a “too small” and dated kitchen, and a cramped master bath and dated guest bath. A 1980’s addition further chopped up the floorplan into smaller divided rooms.
The first order of business was to open up the main living area and kitchen to create a large open-concept entertaining space. In order to do this, a 30’ LVL beam that is 24” tall was installed between the kitchen and the living room addition to open it up into one large room.
Another challenge of this mid century modern house renovation was to enclose a third of the existing 2 ½ car garage into a new laundry/mudroom. This was accomplished by framing in a wall to separate the spaces and then having the new poured concrete floor engineered to bring it up to the level of the rest of the foundation.
Plumbing and electrical also had to be re-routed in this space to accommodate the new placement of the washer, dryer, and laundry sink. The small former laundry closet became a new walk-in pantry. The old hot water heater inside the former laundry room was converted to a tankless exterior-mounted hot water heater.
The beautiful original architectural details of this home were preserved, such as the linear stacked stone and clerestory windows.
In the entry foyer, the ceiling height could not be raised due to the AC equipment above, so the designer opted to “visually open” the space by removing a portion of the wall between the kitchen and the foyer. A “see-through” walnut dividing wall was installed, enabling natural light to flood into the space.
The kitchen was doubled in size and an awkward window looking into the garage was removed. A plumbing trench was dug out in the foundation to provide plumbing for the new sink and dishwasher and to power new electrical outlets on the island. The new range hood was vented through the roof and a gas line was run to the new range. A custom fabricated geometric wall provides interest and divides the small foyer from the kitchen.
The entire home was re-wired and two new electrical circuit panels were installed. All windows and doors were replaced with new energy-efficient models. The home received all new lighting, paint, flooring, and completely remodeled bathrooms. The master bath was visually expanded by removing a small linen closet to make room for a larger shower with a seat and a frameless glass enclosure.
What We Love: This mid century modern house renovation provides a beautiful example of how a home in disrepair can be brought back to its original glory. With a solid architectural base, the project team was able to build new and interesting details to enhance the overall aesthetic, both indoors and out. We are loving the updated kitchen with its mix of walnut and blue cabinetry and the clever ways the designer maximized small spaces into their full potential.
Tell Us: What details in this home remodel project do you find most appealing and why in the Comments below!
Note: Take a look at another fabulous mid century house tour that we have featured here on One Kindesign: Mid-century modern home offers fresh and inspiring details in Austin.
The original stacked stone in this dining room has been preserved. Above the dining table, a striking sputnik chandelier nods to mid century modern design.
The cozy family room features an original stacked stone fireplace and exposed ceiling beams.
This radiant home office overlooks the sunny backyard and pool area.
The design of this guest bathroom was inspired by the fun geometric pattern of the custom window shade fabric. Since space was limited, the designer selected a metal wall ladder to hold towels.
The laundry area was originally located in the garage. To remedy this, the project team took a portion of the garage and enclosed it. The finished product is a spacious new laundry, mudroom and walk-in pantry area.
Porcelain terrazzo patterned floor tile provides durability while paying homage to mid-century design.
In the owner’s suite, a vaulted ceiling and clerestory windows provide a stunning architectural backdrop.
A custom built-in closet in the main bedroom features sliding bamboo doors. The original closet was just six-feet wide and was expanded to nine-feet, taking a portion of the closet space from an adjoining bedroom.
For the main bathroom, there were several challenges. The long and narrow space was expanded by removing a large linen closet. This freed up space to install dual sinks. A long and narrow window provided natural light yet impeded the ability to install vanity mirrors. The solution was to integrate pivoting mirrors mounted just below the window. A custom walnut vanity runs the full length of this bathroom, providing plenty of storage. The way the vanity steps in and out on the ends helps to enhance access to the toilet area.
A spacious glass-enclosed shower features an integrated quartz seat and a handheld shower wand, adding a luxe feel. On the floor, the ceramic tile adds a mid-century touch without overwhelming this serene space.
On the exterior, the home’s original stone was power washed and cleaned. All new landscaping and a new cedar fence were installed. New exterior lighting in the home’s soffits highlights the mid-century modern sloped rooflines. A custom steel and wood pergola was constructed by the pool to mimic the home’s angled roofline and complete the outdoor entertaining area.
PHOTOGRAPHER Courtesy of Haven Design and Construction
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