Binsd--The Ranch Style lives! Love this thread because I too am the proud(?) owner as of last Feb of a 1960s ranch home. I got all the cool stuff from the 60s and 70s: avocado appliances, gold flocked wallpaper, pink tile, gold colored accents. Oh yeah! Immediately took the house down to the studs to turn it into a Modern Farmhouse. I took inspiration from these: Walker-Warner Sonoma Farmhouse (http://www.walker-warner.com/indexf.html#POR-GRC-001) Christine Lane, Boston, MA (http://christinelaneinteriors.com/) I think ranchers are particularly suited to blend styles. They were a bit funky then and they can still be. Yet, if you want to lean slightly more traditional, they can sustain the transitional. I think they are way more flexible than many styles. Your home in particular has some good bones! The raised ceilings and open one-story floorplan are great for toddlers since you can see them from most rooms. If you can mix some of your Spanish furniture with some more contemporary pieces, I think it will have that California Spanish casual style--with a cleaner look. Love it! In the green bathroom, take out the brass and replace with frameless glass. It will immediately look more contemporary. A glass company should be able to make the shower enclosure (this one's traditional, but you get the picture): From Misc photos If you want to embrace the modern look, peruse: Atomic Ranch (http://www.atomic-ranch.com/). I think they have more Eichlers than Ranch, but it gives you an idea of that style. Here's my old house and the old stuff that was in it, then here are two exterior shots of what it looks like now: From Menlo Farmhouse From Menlo Farmhouse From Menlo Farmhouse From Menlo Farmhouse From Menlo Farmhouse I wish I could cite all of the great pics I have seen in magazines where they have remodeled a ranch. Each had their own flavor: slightly more modern, slightly less modern, more funky, somewhat traditional, etc. Search: mid-century, modern, ranch home. Have fun! I think your house is a great choice!!

White! And color. But especially white. Like those pix Nosoccermom posted. We have a 60-year-old (!) MH in Florida with the original medium-dark, wood-veneer-but-nevertheless-cheap paneling that we have so far declined to paint, though I have polished it a bit. The walls look fine as long as all the pin holes and irregularities are allowed to disappear into the wood grain pattern and the darkness is shady-cool in the heat, and cozy and pleasant at night. People who automatically assume it should have been painted white or a pastel (almost everyone) usually seem surprised at how really nice it feels. Including us. Since we own it, we were free to install a large picture window looking out toward the water, so that now we have windows on 4 walls, with plenty of ambient light despite patio covers, awnings, etc. But beyond that my main decorating techniques were (1) choosing most unspecial furniture pieces to blend into the walls without contrast (easy with wood), (2) adding liveliness with spots of bright color and a few reflective surfaces, (3) lightening the whole thing up with white and off-whites--in specifically chosen pieces since they will be features. I'm still waiting for the right white/off-white/mostly white lighthearted sofa to show up in some resale shop. :)

What type of look do you prefer for tables? Wood? Wood and glass? Metal and glass? I would suggest a smaller table between the two chairs, a coffee table, and an end table with lamp between the two sofas in an L shape and a floor lamp on the other end of the sofa. What type of metal do you prefer? Do you know the height to the top of the arms of the sofa and chairs?

The best place to start may be with a large area rug to define a seating area. Once you’ve chosen a rug you love, you can use it to help select colors and style for a sofa and a pair of upholstered chairs to establish a seating area focused on the fireplace. Then you can choose a coffee table, end tables, lighting, art, etc. that work with the main pieces. At least that’s how I would proceed. And I would take my time, and refer to inspiration photos that I’ve saved up from online searches and magazines to keep me moving in the right direction. I tend to fly off on tangents when I see a shiny object. How many people will need to be accommodated with the seating? You might need to add a couple of occasional chairs or small ottomans for extra seating. Do you have a budget? Will you be buying new or scouring craigslist to round out your furnishings?