Upgrading a Mid-Century Classic

Lisa Saldivar

August 24, 2014

With the recent revival of the housing market, it is a great time to think about upgrading existing homes to improve their livability and longevity. We recently had the opportunity to recommend an upgrade strategy for a mid-century home in Bellevue, WA. Mid-century homes offer many desirable features and renovation possibilities. While surface updates are the most immediately appealing, energy efficiency upgrades are essential to the long-term sustainability of any home. We recommend getting started with an energy audit to identify the most effective strategies.

Many mid-century homes are also single-level, making them ideal candidates for long-term accessibility. Simple updates such as widening doors and reworking bathrooms can make these homes even more livable for people of all ages and abilities.

Do you live in a mid-century home? Tell us what is great about it as well as what features you’d like to upgrade!

Testimonials

“Living Shelter has been a pleasure to work with on our campaign project. It was clear that they really worked to create a project that was purpose built to our needs, and from a fundraising standpoint, they are always incredibly responsive to updating renderings and drawings that we've needed for donor meetings.”

—Mike Ritter, Capital Manager, Pasado's Safe Haven

“Our experience in working with Terry Phelan was exceptional! Her talents go far beyond what you would expect from a traditional architect. She has a team that truly listens to your goals, and makes them happen! In doing so, they will surprise you with unexpected spaces that impart a very comfortable feel, usually only found in older homes. In addition to designing our primary residence, the Living Shelter team also helped us with conceptual drawings for a coastal property (future build). That was a very fun project, and shows their flexibility to work with various situations. Creative, knowledgeable, professional and a joy to work with - highly recommend!”

—Michele Scaglia, Client

“We can't recommend Living Shelter highly enough. From our initial dreaming, through concept and design, and on into construction, Terry and the LS team were collaborative and creative -- committed to making our new home sustainable, livable, and beautiful. They helped us a create a healthy home that fits the site and our lifestyle.”

—Mary Huycke, Client

“I worked with Living Shelter Design to design and construct my new home in the mountains near Mt Adams in Washington. Their whole team was fantastic to work with! The design ideas presented creatively addressed my aesthetic and space needs, while also fitting within the available budget. Their flexible approach to developing the design made me feel confident that I could build the house of my dreams. The Living Shelter team was also there during construction to help assist the builder and provide the backup support to address all snafus that invariably arise while building a new home. They were so responsive and got the job done for me!”

—Kim Gilmer, Client

“As an interior designer, I have had the pleasure of working with Terry and the Living Shelter team on many projects. They are extremely professional, knowledgeable about sustainable building, and genuinely wonderful people. I highly recommend them!”

—Sandy Campbell, Entero Design

“Terry Phelan is deeply committed to reducing the environmental impact of her buildings, and her work in load bearing straw bale structures is exceptional.”

—Habib John Gonzalez, Director of Sustainable Works

“Did we tell you we love the plans? We do! You really worked magic. Thanks a lot. We are REALLY happy.”

—Judi and Scott Nicolai

“Terry has consistently demonstrated the rare combination of tenacity, caring, and professionalism throughout.”

—Jane Bakken and Jack Fecker