This Designer’s Impossible Task Was To Blend Mid-Century and Farmhouse Styles

12/12/2019 | specs+spaces staff |

Redesigning A 1970's Home

Designer Linda Hayslett of LH.DESIGNS was presented with no easy feat when her clients asked for help redesigning their 1970's Long Beach, California home. The home was very closed off and the kitchen, living and dining rooms were disconnected. Stairs to the second floor were covered in mirrors, and the bathrooms, “had an 80’s look that you saw in movies like Weird Science or Karate Kid, with white 1"x1" tile floors and faucets with chunky, clear plastic knobs,” said Hayslett. Overall, the home was lacking the homeowner’s personality.

A building next to a fireplace

living room before

Living Room After

How To Blend A Couple’s Different Design Styles

When defining a creative direction to help add that personality, Hayslett was asked to combine the homeowners’ love for two completely distinct design styles: Mid-century Modern and farmhouse, respectively. “As with many couples, my clients had different likes, wants and style tastes, so I had to pull out the main ideas,” Hayslett said. When reviewing inspirational photos with the couple, Hayslett noticed that both individuals gravitated towards the warmer, neutral wood floors and gray/white color palette of farmhouse styling, as well as the openness, clean lines and pops of color in Mid-century Modern.

By distilling these key elements down, Hayslett was able to combine both styles together and really bring both of the homeowners’ personalities to life. “I pulled out some of the brass and rich wood colors from Mid-century for the furnishings and fixtures, then used blue as the pop of color for the home. I used the gray and white colors of farmhouse for a subtle backdrop to the brass and richer wood tones,” explained Hayslett.

powder room before

powder room after

Choosing The Right Paint Colors For A Redesign
That pop of blue was something Hayslett wanted to use for the home’s “wow factor.” She opted to use a unique painting technique, combining Dunn-Edwards’ icy blue-gray Mount Sterling (DE6317) and Black (DEA002) to create a faux concrete finish on the fireplace, as well as the master bedroom’s feature wall. In the home’s striking powder room, she opted for China Clay (DE5802) to create a dramatic slate blue play off the bathroom’s hexagon tiles. Hayslett also carried Mount Sterling (DE6317) through into the master bathroom to create a cohesive feel with the rest of the home. “I love how many different color options Dunn-Edwards has for paint! I have many clients and their tastes aren’t all the same, so it’s great to easily pull from my color library for projects,” Hayslett stated.

master bedroom before

master bedroom after

The project took eight months to complete and was entirely worth the wait. Even neighbors were amazed by the home’s design transformation. “When [the neighbors] saw the project finishing up, my clients got a lot of requests to tour the space,” adds Hayslett. By tactfully combining Mid-century Modern elements with farmhouse style, this Long Beach home will remain classic for years to come.