I want the inside to feel like the outside, I say as I open every window in the house.
It finally rained Saturday night. A long, drenching rain. And then it rained again Sunday morning and Sunday night too. Everything is gloriously soggy and cool. I even put on a sweatshirt to go outside after breakfast. The crispy brown grass is greener now, after just a day of rain. We were all getting pretty thirsty, with so many June days hitting or nearly hitting 90° with no rain in sight. The air conditioner worked overtime to keep us comfortable. I’m grateful for central air during these sweaty, drought-filled summers.
But I’d rather have the windows open.
When the breeze moves through the house and I can hear the birds and the people walking by outside from my couch, I feel more integrated with the world. Keeping the windows closed-up all summer feels artificial. I get a restless, trapped feeling with too may closed-window days in a row.
As I endeavor to make the barrier between inside and outside less stark, I remember what I read about Midcentury home design. Like many people during 2020 and 2021, I spent a lot of time at home. And I got sick of my house. Sick of the walls and the furniture. Sick of the layout. Sick of the yard and the exterior. I wanted to liven it up and change everything. Budgets being what they are, I could only do so much. But in between actually doing things, I started learning about interior design. I’ve never been confident in this area, so I was eager for expertise. In my Googling, I stumbled upon some Midcentury Modern design blogs and Instagram accounts. Our home is what we call a “rambler” here in Minnesota. Other regions call it a ranch style house. It was built in the mid-50s and is almost identical to the other homes on our block.
These Midcentury ramblers all have similar features and are basically one-story homes built as a square, with one of the bedrooms designed as a pass-through with two doors. This kind of house has hardwood floors and natural maple window frames and kitchen cabinets, brick fireplaces, and nearly always a big picture window overlooking the front lawn. So when you walk down the street, you can practically see into everyone’s living rooms, especially if it’s getting dark and the lights are on. In some parts of the US, Midcentury ranch style homes have floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors to a backyard patio.
I just love these vintage ads for homes like this:
I discovered that one of the intentions behind the design was to make the transition between the outside and inside more fluid. So not only were windows a huge part of Midcentury design, but also natural woodwork, stone, and abundant house plants.
Learning about the design principles of Midcentury architecture made me appreciate my modest home a lot more. It gave me ideas for how to decorate or style our home in a way that complements instead of fighting against the architecture. For instance, I discovered that a plush sectional couch would not fit in our narrow living room, but a low-backed Mid-century modern style sofa would not only look clean and inviting, but also give us more light from the front windows.
And on beautiful summer days when I can open the windows and breathe the fresh air, I feel the barrier between inside and outside slip away. We’re not meant to live completely cloistered away from the elements like we do. I’m grateful for windows that close, insulation, and central air and heat of course, but even on the harshest weather days the first thing I do every morning is raise the blinds in the living room to let the light in. From the big picture window, we can see the rain or the snow or the sunshine. And if our neighbors are walking by, they can see us too. We wave or smile, then go about our day. When the windows are open, I can hear the birds and lawnmowers, feel the breeze, smell the rain-drenched soil or get a whiff of my neighbor’s dinner on the grill. Open windows connect us to each other as much as they connect us to nature.
It’s going to be in the 70s and low 80s the rest of the week. You better believe I’ll have the windows open as long as possible before the next heat wave.
Breathing in fresh air,
—NK
Going Deeper
Features of a Mid-Century Ranch/Rambler: MidMod Midwest
MidMod Midwest Instagram - an account dedicated to Midwest Midcentury architecture and remodeling tips
Vintage Midcentury home plans from The Vintage Inn
Aletha VanderMaas on Instagram- Designer specializing in Midwest, MidMod architecture
Naomi, I love reading your substack!