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
285 episodes
Why are you updating your bathroom?
Welcome to Season 25…all about bathrooms! If you’re craving a tactical, "do-this-then-that" checklist, hold tight. We’ll get there. But before I talk about materials, layouts, or fixtures, I want to start with something more fundamental. Philos...
The Bathroom Saga with Aletha VanderMaas
Even those of us who are now professional mid-century designers have skeletons in our closets (and in my case, basements). My fellow designer, Aletha Van der Mass of True Home Restorations, and I have both walked the design regret path.
The Highest Bathroom Remodel Compliment with un.flipping
Sometimes people yelling "DO NOT ruin that vintage bathroom" at you on the internet brings a smile to your face. Especially if, like Dana and Colin of un.flipping, you just finished remodeling that bathroom. Listen in today for all ...
Practical Strategies for an Accessible Bathroom
Even if you are currently a hale and hearty person with zero mobility issues, planning for universal functionality in your bathroom is a massive win. Anyone can break a bone and age is coming for all of us. Unfortunately, when most ...
The ideal number of bathrooms in a mid-century home
So, how many bathrooms does your mid-century house really need?Let’s start with some history. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)In today’s episode you’ll hear:When did indoor bathrooms become a thing?How ...
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...
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 ...
Nancy Meyers vs the Invisible Kitchen ... and YOU
Join me on a journey through kitchen trend trends over the last 30 years, from the classic maximalist Nancy Meyers kitchen of yesteryear to the sleek, modern minimalism of today’s invisible kitchen. In Today's Episode You'll Hear:
Small Kitchen Secrets
What’s a mid mod remodeler with a small kitchen to do? If you’re living in a home built in the early part of the era—or even a more "generous" late-60s ranch—you’ve likely realized that mid-century kitchens were designed for a different way of ...
A mid-century kitchen is a room with four walls with Atom Stevens
Does your garbage disposal give you a thrill? Maybe you take it for granted. But you know who did not? The folks writing ad copy to sell our grandparents their new build mid-century homes. That's just one weird, wonderful detail that came up in...
The right choices for a timeless mid-century kitchen
Do you ever find yourself wishing that someone would just tell you the right choice for every finish in your remodel? Between the tile, the fixtures, and the endless cabinet options, the sheer volume of decisions is EXHAUSTING.
The OG open plan kitchen
Any Pinterest or web search on “mid-century kitchen” is going to yield a plethora of open plan kitchens featuring a central island. But as we learned a couple of weeks ago from friend of the pod (and mid-century houses everywhere), Atom Stevens...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...