Every so often, an older style, whether in music, architecture, or furnishings, that has gone by the wayside finds a new popularity with newer generations who put their own modern twist to it. One of the current fashions in décor is a blast back to the fifties and sixties with a focus on simpler designs that might be found on Mad Men or even That 70’s Show. However, this retro-ish style, accurately dubbed Mid-Century Modern, like so many re-visited concepts has been given an upgrade with popular new trends in fixtures, lighting, and the automated systems dreamed of back when the original designs were in fashion. If the Mid-Century Modern attracts your attention, then here are a few things to keep in mind the when moving to update to the electricity of a modern home.
Choosing Switches
Although flip switches have been around long enough to be a standard in most homes, new construction designs favor wide paddle switches that are easier to operate and less likely to catch on passing items. Unfortunately, paddle switches are still more expensive, the price difference is not substantial and many now offer an illuminated design for locating them in the dark.
Modern Lighting
Speaking of illumination, the stand lamps of Walter Gropius’ designs have given way to Can Lights in most rooms allowing for newer long lasting LED spotlights that brighten a wider area for less energy cost. The in-ceiling lights also clear floor space for more furniture and tables. About the only areas that have “hanging” lights are the kitchen and bathrooms. Pendant lights have become a favorite for food prep places with a wide variation in styles and hanging options. Bathrooms, however, still have the mirror centered fixtures.
Modern Electrical Fixtures
Fortunately, the base metals still have a place in bathroom fixtures allowing for greater selection for towel racks, lights, and plumbing. Brass, Brushed Nickel, Oiled Copper, and Chrome are pretty much universal in any design application and Mid-Century Modern is no exception. Unfortunately, upkeep and regular polishing are still necessary for prevent tarnish.
Automated Home Electrical Systems
This is probably the greatest departure from the post WW2 design even though they had visions of it back then. With Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RF, we can set our homes to do just about anything with our appliances. From refrigerators that have LCD screens to tell us what’s inside without opening the door to cameras that we can log into from work to check on the dog, the amount of automation may not quite have reached the Jetson’s level yet, but it can’t be far off.
Choosing to Modernize your Homes Electrical System
With these simple modifications, you can turn your house into an updated version of something that might have been designed by Phillips Johnson or Pierre Koenig. They dreamed of newer technologies and designs that would eventually have an impact on their work. Now you, the Mid-Century Modern lover, can realize their dream with modern twists on classic designs.
Feel free to call True Performance Real Estate today and any questions you might have about popular modern electricity choices for homes in Colorado!
Call: 303-317-6311