MCM fireplace- keep or change?
Michelle Chenevert
last month
I live in a small 1952 brick ranch house in PA and am struggling with which MCM aspects add character, and which are just dated/ugly. there is a stone fireplace with a concrete mantel that i dont love… what do you think? change or keep?
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (14)
Related Discussions
MCM kitchen island with short 'backsplash' - lose or keep?
Comments (11)Thanks, all. Yes, the island really is 17' long! And the beauty of it is the aisle is more than 42" wide, so there is plenty of room for 2 or 3 or 4 people to work. The ends of the island are pony walls about 4" thick and as high as the backsplash w/o planter boxes (which just lift off, BTW) -- sided with a distressed hardwood tongue-and-groove that is used elsewhere in the house on walls. We don't have to keep the pony walls, and if we went with a no-backsplash option, they would go, anyway. To be replced with ? ? ? The idea of splitting the island with a walkway is interesting. But the sink is centered in the island and would have to be moved, and we would have to deal with the flooring then. There are some spare pavers in a pile in the yard near the spare brick(!), but it would involve chiseling away at the slab to try to recess the new pavers to the proper level. I never thought about rebuilding the planter boxes of a different material. That is an interesting idea. I've thought about putting the WOW granite on the range backsplash only, with a simpler quartz on the counters (there is also a groovin' wet bar across the atrium from the island, so it needs to be updated at the same time with new cabinets/countertop). But I'll probably need to do some photoshop mock-ups of various granite patterns. I wouldn't want it all to get too busy. Pavers, bricks, slab wood, pebbles, distressed wood, trees, loud granite, stainless range hood -- yowza! We may have to be tranquilized. I'll try to take some better pictures tonight so it all makes more sense. But here is a shot that gives you a peek at the pony wall on the end of the island. The wood on it matches the wood on the living room wall at the far end of the shot and on the "front" wall on the right side of the shot. The brass doorknob in the lower right corner of the shot is the front door....See Moredesigning a MCM fireplace
Comments (45)I am sure whatever you decide to do it will look good, it will be tasteful and it will be sensitive to the house which is more than a lot of people would do. But I think there were a number of members whose opinions I respect have pretty much not participated in any threads about the renovation since you painted because they were dead set against it. I'm not sensing a lot of support for covering the block except from the camp that thinks one should do whatever you love, and of course there will always be support from the camp that would give Fallingwater a cottage makeover to "update" it. Remember that in a house that is so "specific" in design such as yours that any chipping away at what makes it so specific becomes rather "non-specific" and it takes away from the essential character and turns it into something blander. You've already said you have no problem diluting the original design intent of the house, and with some of it I agree with. But that may be also why you aren't getting a ton of positive feedback on the stone selections you've made, and that's what makes me also have trouble remembering what was compelling *for you* about this house. It may be different than what is compelling about it to most people and to most people those may be the things you are mostly changing. I live in one of four houses of a particular design by a modernist architect. For the most part, I think what has made them compelling to buyers in the location, and outdoor space on two levels which rare. They are quirky and odd to begin with but every single thing that has been done to one of them (and it's a lot, by different owners) has made it blander and blander, and now it's just ugly. I don't think you are going to do *that* but you may end up with the attractive woman who's had way too much plastic surgery syndrome. There is a point of diminishing returns or even negative returns....See MoreHelp another MCM fireplace. Bonus: ceilings too!
Comments (53)Pipdog - Sorry, I missed your earlier post. That house was the inspiration for one of my neighbor's remodels! Interestingly, they painted everything white BUT the fireplace and put in similar light wood flooring. Their fireplace is on an outer wall, not in the center, so it doesn't really stick out. Palimpsest - LOL on the mullet. I admit, I did have a mullet haircut 5(?) years ago when they were back in style, and DH had the faux-hawk. But hair is temporary by its nature, and I like looking silly. :) I didn't mean to be dismissive of "whatever this is" but I honestly don't know what to call it. I'm a big fan of modernism, and I'm clueless when it comes to transitional decor. I understand modern design principles, but ask me which chair goes with which table in a transitional home and I'm at a loss. And I'm really not a preservationist. We are making significant changes. The siding is definitely not original (I'd argue better than the stucco). We're updating the kitchen and baths, removing walls, etc. And our furniture is definitely not period correct. The house I posted above with the metal sheets is from a Dwell home tour and dubbed the "Hyper Eichler" by the architect. He approached the update by considering what the architects / builder might have done if the materials and building technology of today was available back then. I think it stays true even with the numerous changes from the original finishes, and I try to keep this approach in mind. Marcolo - I don't know that wanting to paint a fireplace or making any non-standard MCM chalterations is necessarily due to a lack of appreciation or trend following. Most of my neighbors truly believe they appreciate the MCM nature of their homes and probably wouldn't know a current trend if it hit them in the face, but they make all kinds of changes that purists would cringe at: granite counters, shaker cabinets, atrium conversion, fireplace removal, wood flooring, etc etc etc. A lot of it is due to tweaking their homes for their lifestyle (fireplace in the way, needed sq footage from atrium), or something I often hear is the emphasis on natural materials (granite counters, wood floors) despite the fact they're replacing formica and VCT....See MoreNeed advice as to what to keep and what to change
Comments (35)What a gem! I think the bricks are an original feature and would not paint them. I don't think they are painted - it is a finish integral to the brick. They may be hand fired or made with a glaze. For the flooring what about terrazzo? Gorgous and easy to take care of and mid century mod appropriate. The ceilings look like they have been pickeled in the 80s. They probably started out like this. I would definitely change out the light fixtures....See More
User
last month
PROMiloni Mehta
last monthlast modified: last monthUser
last monthlast modified: last month
decoenthusiaste
last monthHere's a pretty MCM idea you can do in your favorite color or something that works with your fabrics and textiles.
Mid Century - Indoor/Outdoor living · More Infokempek01
last month
PRORL Relocation LLC
last monthGet rid of the bookcases on either side, its a stand alone kinda thing, those make it look like you are trying to go craftsman IMO.
Move the tv to the left or right after bookcases are gone.
- PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last month 
Fori
last monthpalimpsest
last monthIf this is a modest ranch house I would keep it and I don't think I would paint any of the masonry. Are you sure the top is not a piece of cast stone or limestone?
I actually changed my 1965 hearth from slate tile (not as nice as yours) into a solid piece of soapstone identical in shape because the old hearth was cracked. That would take away one pattern of your FP which may help.
But overall I think it's charming and well suited to the house. I have a feeling your house is not really MCM so much as it is some sort of "minimal" style with modern or moderne touches. (Minimal Traditional is a style of the period, I think there should be a Minimal Moderne category as well). You don't want to do anything too polished here, unless you are reworking the entire interior to some higher level of finish --not that I would recommend that.I picture your house being something more or less like this:
Michelle Chenevert
last monthMichelle Chenevert
last month
Related Stories
TRANSITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: Change of Heart Prompts Change of House
They were set for a New England look, but a weekend in the California wine country changed everything
Full Story
DECORATING PROJECTSFireplace Makeover Ideas for a Cozier Winter
From a new log basket to an entirely new look, these changes will help you snuggle up by the hearth
Full Story
FIREPLACESNew This Week: 3 Fireplace Transformations, 3 Budgets
See how different approaches to tackling a focal-point fireplace can completely change the look of a living room
Full Story
FIREPLACES21 Fireside Tales to Keep You Cozy This Winter
Curl up by the flames or in another toasty spot to read the stories behind these fireplaces in one-of-a-kind homes
Full Story
FIREPLACESStoke Your Fireplace Design With Decorative Screens and Doors
Keep wayward sparks in while setting your fireplace ablaze with style, with a screen that suits your hearth and home
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESSparking Interest with Nonworking Fireplaces
It might not keep your toes toasty, but a nonworking fireplace can still set your living room, den or study aglow
Full Story
FIREPLACES3 Red-Hot Fireplace Makeovers
See how changing out the fireplace surround transforms these rooms
Full Story
FIREPLACESBefore and After: 6 Dramatic Fireplace Makeovers
See how designers refresh the look of a fireplace with everything from a simple paint job to a new stone surround
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESOriginal Home Details: What to Keep, What to Cast Off
Renovate an older home without regrets with this insight on the details worth preserving
Full Story
HOMES AROUND THE WORLDHouzz Tour: Updated and Expanded 1940s Cottage Keeps Its Charm
With a smart design and clever reuse of space and materials, this Australian home now suits the fun and sociable lifestyle of its owner
Full Story
Jinx