‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Reveals 5 Easy Ways To Rock Midcentury Modern Style

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Midcentury modern style is still all the rage these days, which may explain why the latest episode of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous” has Dave and Jenny Marrs creating a midcentury masterpiece for their clients.

In “An Old Rancher Gets a Chef-Inspired Face-Lift,” Jenny and Dave help Jessica and Levi Rush update their Rodgers, AR, home, which was built by Jessica’s grandparents in 1964.

Levi and Jessica want to keep the property’s classic charm and preserve Jessica’s family memories, but they also want it to feel more modern.

So, Jenny and Dave use their $130,000 budget to give this house a makeover that will both highlight its vintage feel and bring the space into the 21st century.

Read on to discover Dave and Jenny’s clever upgrades, so you can borrow some of them for your own home, too.

1. Both black and white paint can modernize old brick

Jenny and Dave Marrs updated this house by painting it white.

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Right away, Jenny and Dave notice that this house has a lot of exposed brick—all over the home’s exterior, as well as on the fireplace in the living room.

While brick can be a design feature, Levi and Jessica want it to look more modern, and traditional brick doesn’t fit the vibe they’re going for.

With new black paint, this fireplace suddenly looks modern.

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So, Jenny decides to paint the exterior white, to brighten up the property and make it look more modern.

“We painted this exterior brick a really crisp, bright white, to give it this midcentury feel,” Jenny explains.

For the fireplace, though, Jenny goes for a darker, moodier look, and paints it black.

In the end, both of these painted brick features give off completely different vibes, which work with the midcentury style that Jessica and Levi love. It just goes to show how a fresh coat of paint (no matter the color) can give old brick a fresh look.

2. A fence adds style and privacy to a porch

This fence adds dimension and style to the front of the house.

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After painting the exterior, Jenny and Dave take it to the next level, by adding a horizontal slatted wall.

Jenny decides to add this because it will give the front yard some fun, midcentury style—but she knows that it will also come with other perks.

“It also provides privacy,” Jenny says of the fence. “And they can enjoy this space, and it could feel like a little enclosed courtyard.”

When the fence is finished, Levi and Jessica are excited to use the sitting area out front—basically a fresh take on the front porch.

3. Use the right wood tones in a kitchen

Levi Rush, a professional chef, wants a better kitchen for cooking at home.

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When Jenny and Dave first see Jessica and Levi’s kitchen, they’re not impressed. The space is tight, and the style is dated, which is a shame, because Levi is a professional chef and deserves a decent kitchen.

Dave and Jenny give this space a complete makeover, opening up a wall, installing steel shelves, and replacing the cabinets. Then they replace the old cabinets with a more modern wood tone.

With new counters and cabinets, this kitchen is a chef’s dream.

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“That walnut look is really perfect for midcentury modern style,” Jenny says of the cabinet selection. “It’ll be durable, and the kitchen is going to be the showstopper.”

Jenny proves right when she and Dave reveal the stunning new kitchen. It features a smart blend of materials and an open layout, which Levi loves.

4. Use wood panels to hide a secret door

Jenny and Dave came up with an ingenious way to hide the garage door.

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One thing Jessica and Levi really want out of this renovation is a door that goes from the living room to the garage. As it is, they’re forced to go out and around to the back door to get into the garage, which is not convenient.

However, Jenny and Dave know that adding a door to the living room wall will throw off the balance of the fireplace, making the whole space look uneven.

Now, Jessica and Levi have easy access to their garage.

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So, Jenny comes up with a clever idea for hiding Jessica and Levi’s new door inside a midcentury accent wall.

Dave cuts out a spot for a door, then paints the wall black. The team then adds strips of vertical wood across the wall, covering the door and making it almost invisible.

Dave explains that the secret is matching up the pieces of wood so that they look as though they still fit together.

“We took each board, numbered the boards, so the grain—everything on each board—matched perfectly,” Dave says.

5. A concrete deck is more modern than a wooden one

Before: This deck looked nice, but it was dated.

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Jessica and Levi have a lovely back deck, but it’s a little dated. Jessica tells Dave and Jenny that there’s a concrete slab underneath, and that she’d rather use that slab to create an outdoor living space.

However, when Dave pulls up the wood deck, he realizes that the concrete slab is damaged. This means they’ll have to pour a new slab, and while this will cost more money, Jenny knows that a new slab will mean more design flexibility.

“Because we don’t have to stay within the current footprint, I can do a really cool concrete design back here,” Jenny says. “We can do some outdoor seating, and then an outdoor fireplace.”

Jenny designs a beautiful backyard oasis, and when the space is finished, it’s much more spacious and looks great.

After: This backyard space is much more elegant.

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