Sarah's House: A Mid-Century Home Gets a Stylish Makeover

After a long search for the perfect fixer-upper, interior designer Sarah Richardson found a home that was full of potential. See how she applied her individual style to bring an outdated, back-split bungalow into the 21st century.

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November 25, 2014

By: Shannon Phillips

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Mid-Century Reimagined

While 1960s patterns and styles informed Sarah's design decisions in the living room and entryway, the end result is a fresh space fit for a contemporary home. The glass panel above the coat closet lends an open feel to the space, while a soft color palette punctuated with splashes of pink brings the room to life.

Unexpected Palette

When designing kids' rooms, Sarah always tries to stay away from the conventional. Rather than juvenile prints and pastel colors, Sarah opted for a sophisticated, leaf-print linen for the drapes and a coordinating color palette of muted grays, pale blues and soft browns. A piece of flat trim installed all the way around the room plays up the two-color paint scheme.

High-Impact Workspace

The home office in Sarah's house may be small, but pops of vibrant red and metal accents make it energetic and inspiring. Sarah blends old and new elements in this space, balancing an ultra-contemporary, stainless steel desk with a vintage chair reupholstered in red corduroy.

Timeless Elegance

In the master bedroom, Sarah created a classic, calming space with a subdued color scheme. The gray and cream palette is infused with rich pattern and texture, giving the space a touch of Hollywood glam.

A Bit of Glitz

Across from the bed, Sarah installed a glass chandelier and two sconces to add sparkle and a terrific nighttime effect to the master bedroom. Plush throws and an elegant, double-panel mirror enhance the room's glamorous ambiance.

Low-Cost Luxury

Sarah designed the main bathroom around a beautiful, marble-topped vanity, which she got for a bargain price of $345. Getting a great deal on the vanity allowed her to splurge on high-end hardware — the perfect finishing touch for this sumptuous space.

Dramatic Detail

Low-cost yet high-impact elements helped Sarah create an eye-catching guest room on a tight budget. A wall of bold, black-and-white wallpaper creates a striking backdrop for the bed and gives the room an instant wow factor.

Pops of Pattern

In the dramatic guest bedroom, Sarah kept furniture and other large elements neutral, limiting bold patterns and colors to pillows and artwork. This approach makes it easy to create a whole new look down the line by swapping out accessories.

Beauty on a Budget

Sarah purchased the sink, toilet and medicine cabinet for her guest bathroom at a big-box store, proving that it's possible to use off-the-rack, non-custom items and make them look elegant. But even a budget bathroom deserves a few designer touches: A contemporary light fixture and a decorative wall decal elevate the overall appeal of the space.

Fun With Color

In a laundry room that gets little natural light, Sarah brought the sunshine in with a bright, lemon-yellow paint color and a gleaming backsplash. The marble countertop that runs all the way across the appliances is not only an eye-catcher, but also provides a smooth surface to fold anything from towels to T-shirts.

Tween Dream

Bold color, fun patterns and funky accents give this tween bedroom designed by Sarah a cheery and youthful atmosphere. While the space has a contemporary feel, vintage touches provide an enduring style.

Smart Use of Space

Sarah filled a small, awkward gap between the two closets in the tween bedroom with a built-in workstation. Squares of chalkboard paint in pale yellow, green and lavender add splashes of color and provide a place for expression.

Sarah's House

Sarah's House: A Mid-Century Home Gets a Stylish Makeover

Related To:

Shop This Look

Mid-Century Reimagined

Unexpected Palette

High-Impact Workspace

Timeless Elegance

A Bit of Glitz

Low-Cost Luxury

Dramatic Detail

Pops of Pattern

Beauty on a Budget

Fun With Color

Tween Dream

Smart Use of Space

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