The Laguna Beach home I fell for was retro. Though not from the cool glimmer of a disco ball or vivid Pucci print, it was an artifact proving that mustard yellow and linoleum floors were once design darlings. The challenge in transforming a Brady Bunch beach house from its 70’s grooviness to the present began with freshening up the walls with gallons of white paint. To further update the space, green floors were ripped away and replaced with a light shade of maple. Once dated elements were removed the rooms glowed, putting to proper use its walls of windows and Pacific Coast sunlight.
A change of paint color, flooring and an attention to accents and furnishings update a space.
While making decor alterations to the home may not seem as simple as adding jewelry to an outfit, the process is refreshingly similar. Begin with a basic scheme that relates to your personal style and embellish. Design with a modern palette that you can live with. I am a believer in using white as your canvas and accentuate with color. Consider your scheme, budget, and source the accents that will support your direction. A worthwhile expense was to reupholster the bristly green bench fabric with a lighter color in a current print, providing interest and comfort, and updates the space.
A wood burning fireplace is a sought after vintage piece though its original coloring has a lot to be desired. Embrace what you have and adjust your scheme so the installation blends.
Some immovable challenges may prohibit you from realizing your vision, like the period St. Moritz-inspired wood burning fireplace that came with the home in aforementioned mustard yellow with green accent tile. I chose to embrace the fireplace, which I love and so handy for impromptu s’more making, but softly adopted its lackluster colors for a Mid Century meets present day effect. Since the living room was lightened from the floors and walls, I furnished with rattan furniture in clean lines and accessorized with pillows and fabrics that picked up the colors from the fireplace. This cohesive blending tackled the retro issue.
3 Steps to Update a Space
- Remove any dull features, such as flooring, wallpaper, color and tile.
- Install simple materials and fresh colors that relate to your chosen scheme.
- Add furnishings and accents to unify the look.
Before Shots of the Vintage Home
The common room of the Laguna Beach home showed immediate potential from its single wall construction and gratuitous windows.
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- A natural flow to the home lost depth from the dated scheme.
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- Tired decor and a bold palette place the style in a past decade.
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Reupholstering tired fabrics produce dramatic results.
Bench fabric: Robert Allen
