Timeless Midcentury Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale: Preserving Vintage Charm with Modern Style

Capturing Midcentury Style in South Florida

It's easy to picture Frank Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack walking into this Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale. The 1960-built home's low roofline, walnut cabinetry, and vintage accents like built-in woodgrain wall speakers perfectly capture the essence of midcentury style. It should come as no surprise that preserving the property's original character was the top priority when the owners decided to update the interiors, given their passion for modernist architecture.

Designer Laetitia Laurent points to new construction surrounding her clients' Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale neighborhood and remarks, "They could have easily torn the house down and built a big contemporary structure, which is happening on both sides of them." "However, they desired a genuine restoration endeavor." The Luxe Next In Design 99 honoree wholeheartedly accepted the couple's request to preserve the home's unique character because she was raised in Europe, where she developed an appreciation for historical preservation. "The Bauhaus had a big influence on me," she remembers. After that, I spent Modernism Week touring Palm Springs residences. I approached this project with all of that in mind.

Restoring Vintage Features and Midcentury Furnishings

The designer restored vintage features like exposed steel ceiling beams and concrete floors in collaboration with Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale Robert Wolfe. She then combined pieces by vintage masters to create furnishings that evoke the Mad Men era, intensifying the mood: View the Isamu Noguchi coffee table in the office and the Mies van der Rohe bench in the living room. Laurent says, "We tried to elevate pieces off the floor so the spaces would 'breathe' better because a midcentury layout can feel low due to the ceilings." This led to choices like the platform bed in the main bedroom, which seems to float because of its recessed base, and the whimsical hanging chair in the family area, which is a subtly contemporary piece that blends in with the room's older pieces. The designer notes that Scandinavian and Danish designs have influenced the modern pieces' minimalist aesthetic. "I thought that blend was perfect for this house."

Creating Distinct Yet Connected Living Spaces

The family area flows into the living area, which is typical of a floor plan from the 1960s. Despite their connection, these two areas required distinct identities. In order to satisfy the clients' passion for entertaining, Laurent converted the latter into a somber cocktail lounge, with a bar featuring Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale and a white quilted leather back serving as the focal point. Although it appears flat from the front, she reveals, "we wanted the bar to seem to disappear, so it's nestled within a niche, but the wall is slanted—so it's built on an angle." The owners dock their boat in the more relaxed family area, which opens to the patio and waterway. The designer focused on performance fabrics that can tolerate spilled drinks, wet bathing suits, and the couple's five dogs because she was aware of the partygoers moving in and out.

Functional Kitchen Updates with Midcentury Charm

In order to create a more functional look, Laurent used a similar approach in the kitchen, adding an industrial-style backsplash and dark wood and gray lacquered cabinetry. The designer complemented the existing island with a second one and added an auxiliary bar to optimize efficiency in the small area. A stunning midcentury achievement can be seen in the original, which has concrete on top: "The countertop goes through the window and into a fountain outside," she explains. "That architectural detail is amazing."

A Cohesive Midcentury Color Palette

Drawing inspiration from the materials used in the structure, Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale used a color scheme of gray, black, and brown with accents of orange and white, which are particularly noticeable in pillows and throws. "We pulled in orange from the walnut, and the gray came from the floor and the aluminum ceiling beams," she explains. "The colors work together in a way that is midcentury." A modern oversized portrait from the couple's art collection serves as the inspiration for the pop art-inspired mercurial gray that permeates a guest bedroom. Leather is also used extensively, adding a masculine tone and the designer's personal touch to pieces like the custom nightstands in the main bedroom. She reflects, "I love riding horses." "I've always had a penchant for horses."

Preserving the Home’s Original Spirit

Laurent is delighted that, even after 60 years of Home Renovation Fort Lauderdale, the house still reflects its original spirit and purpose—that is, as a venue for the owners' friendly parties. According to her, "it harkens back to that midcentury notion when people yearned for quality time and bringing in the outdoors." "This house has a nice flow and that fun vibe."