Mid Mod Remodel
Do you live in a mid-century house? Are you curious about mid-century homes and wonder what it would take to renovate? Or are you just a fan of all things mid-century modern? Mid Mod Remodel is the podcast where you learn how to match a mid-century home to your modern life.
I'm your host, Della Hansmann, an architect and the owner of Mid Mod Midwest. I help people remodel their mid-century homes and I'm a mid mod homeowner fixing up my 1952 ranch. Learn what makes mid-century homes great, the common elements of MCM homes that nearly always need updating, and how any homeowner can plan the mid-century renovation of their dreams.
Episodes
275 episodes
Hands-On Kitchen Design with Aletha VanderMaas
Kitchen design is a hands-on endeavor. That's why my friend mid-century Kitchen Designer Aletha VanderMaas takes every one of her clients on a field trip as part of her design process. And while my virtual process doesn't allow for ...
Is the kitchen work triangle complete nonsense?
Do you need a better kitchen work triangle? Maybe…or maybe it's completely wrong for you and already the cause of your problems.In Today's Episode You'll Hear:How the kitchen work triangle became a thing. Why it...
Your (Yard's) Spring Cleaning Checklist with Ginkgo Leaf Studio
Spring is officially here, so you should be getting outside and right down to it with some yard tune ups! Or, no, maybe you should not? Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio is going to walk us through what should happen ...
A Palm Springs Landscape in Spring Valley (WI)? With Ginkgo Leaf Studio
If you adore the yards that get featured on the cover of atomic Ranch, but you don't live in Palm Springs, are you just out of luck? No, you can still have striking plant structures and beautifully composed outdoor spaces. Listen to...
Wall to Wall Carpet is back with Homes with Max
If you are not already a huge fan of the Instagram account, Homes with Max, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you've been doing your algorithm wrong. Let's fix it. In Today's Episode You'll Hear:Which house(s) Max...
Mid-Century Bathroom Advice Roundup
Planning the right update for a mid-century bathroom is about space planning and the right product picks, sure. But it's also about your lifestyle, your morning routine and your five-year plan. So let's talk through some of the most...
Rolling Back a 90's Remodel (with my recent client Michelle)
As a designer, it's so hard to pick a favorite project, but one I'm talking about today has certainly got to be at the top of my list. I recently covered this house on the YouTube channel, because it's a perfect case study of getting the 90s ou...
A Conversation with Kerf Design
Are you familiar with Kerf Design kitchens or bathrooms or wall mounted shelving units? If you've ever been on mid-century Pinterest, the odds are that you are. And if not, close your eyes and imagine the world's most elegant and simple, yet pl...
Master Plan FAQ
A bit about me. I love answering questions and I truly don’t mind answering the same questions a bunch of times. BUT I’d much rather talk about your mid-century house. And your life. And your hopes for your remodel. I hate going int...
You don't need to keep a tub for resale value.
So much of the advice out there about home improvements is focused on the bottom line, treating your home as a commodity. And sure, remodeling always has a cost. There are financial factors involved. But I firmly believe that retu...
INVISIBLE benefits of design: it's more than tips and tricks
How a master plan can help you plan your remodel depends on your house. And how you want to live in it. But there are some common benefits that I see over and over. In Today's Episode You'll Hear:Why doing the most won’t...
AI is NOT Your Mid-Century Design Friend
You may be already using AI to get input on many areas of your life. And you may feel like the convenience outweigh its many negatives. Maybe. But here on this podcast where we talk about making right choices for your home, let me assure you, y...
The Mid Modness of a Neo-Mansard Roof with Atom Stevens
The neo-mansard roof is as polarizing as an architectural feature can be. Mansard roofs belong along a street in Paris or maybe on an 80’s vintage Burger King, right? Yet, a slew of mid-century architects seemed to independently decide to give ...
University Hill Farms Historic District
The University Hill Farms neighborhood is one of my favorite parts of my home town and in today’s episode I’ll be your tour guide! It's on the national historic register and boasts a concentration of great mid-century including one ...
Yes, your mid-century house is historic! With Scott Sidler of The Craftsman Blog
Do you think of your mid-century home as historic? Maybe you don't. After all, MCM stands for mid-century MODERN. But these houses are all 50 to 75 years old at this point. That's getting up there! Because of that, I am ...
Best of Mid Mod Remodel: Mid-Century Furniture You Can Aspire To
What makes mid-century furniture so great? And which pieces might you want to hunt down for your house? Whether you are looking for high quality comfort or something to your mid-century cool factor, your dream mid-century furniture piece is out...
Best of Mid Mod Remodel: Furniture Placement in Your Mid-Century Home
Arranging furniture in a mid-century home is about more than just fitting pieces into a room. It’s about creating flow, function, and style.In today's episode you'll learn:Where furniture might solve your layout challenges.&n...
Best of Mid Mod Remodel: Mid-Century Light Fixtures
Let's talk mid-century light fixtures. Here’s my best advice on choosing great mid-century light fixtures, identifying classic mid-century lighting designs, and sourcing fixtures from estate sales, vintage shops, and modern reproduction stores....
Best Of Mid Mod Remodel: Lighting A Mid-Century Home
Lighting in a mid-century home was part of personalizing the house. Choosing your lights went along with choosing your furniture or art. Which means there are often few wired in lights in homes built in that era. So, what’s a modern mid-century...
Mid Mod Remodel Gift Guide
I have to admit being a reluctant provider of gift guides. The “check your inbox”, “must have gift lists” and “buying guides” kind of give me the ick. Especially since we've just been hounded by all of this Black Friday Energy, all of this “buy...
Best of Mid Mod Remodel: Yes, You Can Use the Holidays to Plan Your Remodel
Thanksgiving is here! And while the holidays bring their fair share of chaos, they’re also the perfect opportunity to rethink how your home works for you. From design tips to thoughtful additions, here’s how to turn the hustle and bustle of the...
Fall 2025 Masterclass Q & A
I love a good Q&A session! During the masterclass and design clinics I make (and honor!) a promise to answer every attendee question. This last session lasted AS LONG AS THE CLASS. And everyone stayed up to the end. It was...
Your mid-century house is not up to code
Let's get the scary part out of the way first. Your mid-century house, the one you love for its charm and quirks, does not comply with the modern building code. Now, no one is going to knock on your door tomorrow demanding ...
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
Where are all my history nerds? Raise your hands. This week is for you. I’m talking historic maps, digitized collections and crowd-sourced cartography projects. I KNOW! Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are large-scale maps created to help fire insur...
Nightmare Mid-Century Remodel Scenarios
In honor of spooky season, let's talk nightmare mid-century remodel scenarios. Can you picture it? You can file this under schadenfreude if none of it applies to your house. Or it can serve as a what not to do guide to help you avoi...