Changes at the Modernist Nest

For those of you new to Mid2Mod, I built a small house behind my main house a little over a year ago. My daughter and her family moved into the larger house, and I moved into what one longtime reader lovingly called "the modernist nest." One reader after another started calling it that, so the name stuck. (If you want to read my chronicle of the build process, Google "mid2mod construction saga" for the whole story.)

The little "yard" behind the Modernist Nest just underwent a redo. I put down black mulch last year after the construction was complete, primarily because it was a cheap, quick fix. I didn't put in grass, because the entire area is in almost constant deep shade from 60-year-old pecan trees.

The pecan trees turned out to be the culprits that made Plan B necessary, because mulch didn't hold up well to the constant blowing and raking of leaves and those pesky male pecan flowers called catkins...nasty little caterpillary-looking things that make a horrible mess. (If you have pecan trees, you know exactly what I'm talking about!) By the end of a year, most of the mulch was gone, swept away with pecan debris. On the other hand, we were able to use the leaf blower on the rocks in front of the house and keep them clean very easily.

As a result, I decided to replace the mulch in back with rocks, and the job was finished today. Here's a before and after of the yard.

Before: Loved the contrast in colors, hated the mess

After: Rocks!

After: Edging around my flowerbed
and vintage Russell Woodard outdoor furniture that may be going for a powdercoat soon

Room divider do-over

It's been almost a year since I moved into the little "modernist nest" behind my main house. Besides the obvious...that I've had lots of time to play with my grandsons...I've also had plenty of time to make pottery purchases, so it was time for the room divider to get a bit of a rearrange.

Here it is in its latest incarnation:

Here are a few close-ups of pieces that have been added since I moved in. I showed you the newest West German piece in this post.

Scheurich 268-15

Scheurich 401-28

Scheurich 284-15

Alvino Bagni vase

U Keramik 1436-14

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Thanks, Houzz!

Angela Flournoy, author of the article about my little modernist nest that appeared on houzz.com last July, contacted me recently to let me know that one of the images ranked among the most popular mid-century photos on that site for 2013. I want to thank Houzz readers and all of you who visited the site. I soon will have been in my "new" home for a year. It doesn't seem possible it's been that long already!

                                            Midcentury Living Room by Dallas Media & Bloggers Angela Flournoy

Construction saga: Floor plans

Several people have asked to see a floor plan of my new "modernist nest." This is hand-drawn and not precisely to scale, but the room measurements are accurate. For more information about the space, you can read my post Construction saga: The final analysis or search keyword construction saga to find all posts about the project. (I know this is old news for those of you who followed the saga from beginning to end, so bear with me while I bring a few new readers up to speed.)

Modernist Nest featured on Houzz

Modern Kitchen by Dallas Media and Bloggers Angela Flournoy

Angela Flournoy, contributor to houzz.com, contacted me about doing a feature on my home...the main house...just as we were about to start construction on the apartment and the place was a wreck. I explained the situation, and we agreed to arrange an interview when the project was completed.

She came out last Saturday and did a phenomenal job photographing my home...and an even better job capturing our multigenerational vibe. She's a beautiful, warm woman with an infectious smile, and I knew I'd be in good hands the minute we met. I'm so honored that she chose to write about my house. The article is wonderful, and I do hope you'll check it out.

Images from houzz.com

                                 Modern Exterior by Dallas Media and Bloggers Angela Flournoy

                                                                       Modern Spaces by Dallas Media and Bloggers Angela Flournoy

                                                                  

                                                                     Modern Kitchen by Dallas Media and Bloggers Angela Flournoy

Bathroom

The missing room: Laundry room/walk-in closet

When I did the big reveal of the "modernist nest," there was one room I didn't photograph...the laundry room/walk-in closet. Once I moved in, I decided to make some changes that I thought would result in a more efficient and attractive space, so I was in the middle of those alterations when I showed you my new home. Admittedly, it's the least exciting spot in the house, but several people have asked about the "missing room," so I thought I'd give you a peek.

For those of you new to the blog, several months ago I invited my daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons to move into my primary residence, and I designed a secondary suite for myself behind the main house where a freestanding carport and large workshop originally stood.

The room is 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) long and about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide...the same length and only a foot narrower than my kitchen. One wall houses the washer and dryer in an partitioned nook at one end, as well as a large closet with a pair of bi-fold doors that conceal a broom closet with storage on one end and the hot water heater and air conditioning unit on the other. The opposite side of the room also has a partitioned nook with shelving. The rest is closet space.
I designed the apartment to simplify my life, and one of the things I did that helped streamline chores was to eliminate the traditional bedroom closet and put a clothes rod, shoe bags, handbag hooks and chest of drawers in the laundry room. Now, instead of taking clothes to the bedroom, I get them out of the dryer and simply turn around to hang them or put them in drawers...a handy little time-saver. Out-of-season clothes are stored in decorative plastic bins above the clothes rod.

I originally had a three-tiered chrome cart that I planned to put laundry baskets on, but it turned out that I liked the concept much more than I liked the reality, so I moved the cart to the patio to provide a workspace for grilling and a handy place to stash outdoor toys. To replace the cart in the laundry/closet, my daughter and I built deep pull-out shelves that hold infrequently used items in back and laundry baskets in front. I painted the shelves black for a little interest against the white walls and chose black closet accessories, such as shoe bags and hangers. The DIY project only cost about $50, but it gave me a good bit more storage space and a better system for sorting laundry.

The finished space is much better organized, and it has a less utilitarian look than it did before.

Combination laundry room/closet
with four new pull-out shelves and bins for out-of-season clothes

Close-up of  three Piet Hein grooks hung between
two sets of bi-fold doors (broom closet and a/c closet)

Labeled laundry baskets
 in a much smaller size than I've ever used...
to encourage doing smaller loads
so laundry day isn't a huge chore.

Ironing station on the dryer
for touch-ups when I don't want to set up the board
(I discovered the magnetic ironing pad on Pinterest. It's great!)

Modernist Nest on HGTV's Rate My Space

Photos of my apartment are on HGTV's Rate My Space. I'm pleased to report that they are being well received, and my apartment is listed as a Top Rated Space. If you have time to pop over, I'd appreciate any support you'd like to give.

Even if you'd rather not sign in and leave a rating/comment, you might enjoy looking at some of the great decorating projects on the site. I find some of the spaces very inspiring...and it's always fun to peek into someone else's home.

Current rating on HGTV's Rate My Space

Rate My Space main page

Gearing up for the reveal of the Modernist Nest

Many of you have followed the construction of the apartment behind my house, where I now live since turning my property into a family compound of sorts, with my daughter, SIL and two grandsons living in the main house. Fellow blogger Brismod called it my "modernist nest," and the name stuck. I've been promising a reveal for some time now, but I've been waiting to iron out all the kinks and get all the landscaping done before showing it.

We worked on the yard yesterday and will put the finishing touches on it today. The photographer is scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. tomorrow. He has promised a speedy turnaround on the photos, so...barring any more unforeseen problems...the reveal should take place Wednesday. I have my fingers crossed!

In the meantime, I'll share a few before and in-progress shots of the yard.

Before: During construction

Before: All sand and weeds in front of my door

In progress: Stepping stones, rock and planters are in place.
To do: Bird bath and feeder and plants in the flower bed

Before: The back yard...just a pile of dirt

In progress: Where there was once only dirt...grass! Luckily, we've had lots of rain since laying the sod.
To do: Galvanized tubs for herbs and vegetables, lights, mow!
(Rocks and plants behind trellis/fence are for my back yard.)

In progress: Last time I showed you, there were only a few baskets hung.
To do: More pavers to form a seating area, stone, mulch and more plants

It's been a slow go. It's taken us almost as long to get the landscaping done as it took to build the apartment, but it's almost over. Thanks to all of you who have offered me encouragement along the way and have assured me that construction projects really do end eventually.