4 Ways To Frame Your Mid-Century Modern Home Using Landscaping
A mid-century modern home is a throwback to a unique and hopeful time in modern American history. After the second world war, architects and designers looked to the future and a renewed desire for harmony between man and nature as their inspiration for a new way to build homes. If you own one of these homes, showing it off to visitors and passers-by is probably high on your "to do" list. If so, here are four tips for creating a great front entrance.
Keep it Simple. Minimalism in style and decorating is a key element of mid-century modern philosophy. For this reason, you don't want to overwhelm the home's entrance facade with lots of large landscaping. Trees should be kept neatly trimmed and not block the view of the home. Bushes and shrubs are a nice addition, but you want them to reflect the geometry and lines of the home itself. Think about how to frame the house, add geometric designs, and add shape to the yard.
Don't Cover the Architecture. Mid-century homes featured some modernistic touches that may seem a little unusual or outdated now. Things like stucco or concrete exterior walls, large glass windows, stone or mixed material decorating, and cantilever rooms should be embraced rather than covered over with modern additions. Instead, highlight these elements by using them as a focal point for your landscape design.
Be Consistent. Symmetry and consistency helps bring out the best in the mid-century modern style. In the yard, this means finding ways to match the front yard with the side and back yards -- perhaps by using similar materials or similar shapes made from different materials. A consistent color palette and shapes are other easy ways to make the whole yard feel like it's intentionally designed.
Accessorize. Shop around vintage stores, recycle shops, and modern furniture stores to find pieces that complement the philosophy and ideal of the mid-century modern house. For the exterior, this can include simple, curved or angled chairs and tables for the yard or an eclectic hanging pendant lamp for the front porch. Modernistic flower planters and a set of oversize house numbers by the door will add simple, but classic, touches. And be sure to use the right color scheme, as well -- usually a simple color palette with lots of neutral shades and a few bright pops of color.
Your mid-century modern home can be the bright spot of the entire neighborhood if you follow these few tips when designing the front exterior. Talk to the professionals at Eliot's Landscape LLC for more ideas.