I want you to use your holiday prep time to plan your remodel. 

Okay, Before you tell me, Della, that's crazy. The holidays are when I'm busiest. I can't be picking out tiles and solving problems and calling contractors during this period. You're right. Of course you can't. You know me. I wouldn't ask you to make your life harder when it's already full. Instead, make your future life easier by harnessing all of the satisfactions (and frustrations) that are part and parcel of the celebratory times in your house during this season of madness and fun.

Get the episode and show notes with all the trimmings at http://www.midmod-midwest.com/1009

Design used properly can double your remodel dollar. Focusing on design can make every purchase more effective and every change more magical.

Using design means considering everything you could do as part of an update or project that might improve your home down the line, bring it back to into alignment with its original style, or provide economies of scale for layout tweaks or other changes.  Whether you're hiring design help or just taking the time to think through updates a little more carefully, give yourself (and your home) the gift of design.

Get the full show notes for today's episode with all the trimmings at http://www.midmod-midwest.com/1008

Buying from small businesses is about more than just making yourself feel good about yourself to support small businesses, to keep jobs and dollars local. 

It’s straight up fun, but it also comes with the real benefit of building your community of design resources. 

So while you’re hunting for great reproductions from modern craftsmen who care or amazing vintage pieces that come with a story, the support you get out of those purchases is becoming a greater part of the community of mid-century obsessives. 

Check out some of my favorite Mid Mod Small Businesses to seek out great pieces for your MCM home update! Listen to the episode to hear me sing their praises ... or just click through to their charming websites and see what's on offer!

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at www.midmod-midwest.com/1007

⁠⁠✨ BIG NEWS: You can now jump into Ready to Remodel whenever you, yourself, are ready.  If you join us before Cyber Monday ends, you'll get a super bonus (two free design calls with Della! ✨✨✨The Ready to Remodel program pulls together EVERYTHING YOU NEED to plan a remodel that will perfectly suit your life … and then lead it with confidence. ⁠⁠ ✨  Find out all the details right here!

This week's episode is a classic from the Mid Mod Remodel archive. 

The common wisdom is that you should save up money for a remodel and then plan one that fits your budget.  Wrong.

I want to pitch an alternate plan. It os better to let the design drive the budget, rather than the other way around. Let's talk about diving into your master plan before you decide what your home update should cost.

Look, your Home Remodel can be:

• Fast
• Cheap 
• Good

You may pick two.  Seriously. 

And while I totally appreciate the desire to keep costs down, I never want to encourage anyone to pick Fast and Cheap as their priorities over GOOD. I’m not saying you should make a Sky’s the Limit design and then wonder what it will cost you.  I like a hybrid approach.  Keep your ballpark budget in mind.  But rather than asking “How much kitchen can I get for $XXX?", spend the time to think about what you really want from your home. 

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at www.midmod-midwest.com/1006

In just one hour you really can make big or small decisions that put your remodel on the path for success. 

Taking a whole remodel from start to finish is a big undertaking. Just planning to start your remodel sometimes feels like it's taking forever…and it really can be a black hole that seems to absorb as much time and energy as you have to put into it. 

However, it is possible to set yourself up for one hour of decision-making that shifts the momentum in your process. 

In Today's Episode You'll Hear:

• How to focus an hour of decision-making by applying a mini-master plan process to a question or problem. 
• What kinds of questions a one hour design consult call can help you answer.
• Which tools can help you gather insight and information to make the most of your remodel planning power hour. 

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at https://www.midmod-midwest.com/1005 

Today’s podcast is a chat with Denver Area mid-century Realtor, designer and advocate, Adrian Kinney, on what he’s learned restoring SEVEN Cliff May Homes and helping match mcm homeowners to so many more. 

Adrian shares his mcm origin story, all the deets on his favorite projects and some surprising insights from a decade of mcm remodeling.

Listen along as two true mid-century super fans dish about the value of design, detail the features that make mid century homes a great fit for modern lives, and get real about square footage. Adrian also shares insights about a hot housing market and why today’s pickier buyers are excited about mid century homes (hint: they want to make sure they are buying something that is worth the $$$).

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at www.midmod-midwest.com/1004. 

Stress-free is a big promise. 

Of course, there will be some stress in a remodel.  You can worry about labor and material costs. You will feel the pressure of timing. You might rack yourself over design details. 

But you can cut stress out of the remodeling process in as many places as possible!

Today we're talking about the value of the (often overlooked) pre-design phases to help you avoid the stress of remodeler's regret.  Ask yourself the right questions at the start of the design process to get the right answers ... for you.  

In Today's Episode You'll Hear:

• What I mean by "remodeler's regret".
• How to identify your remodel leadership style.
• And methods for leading all the folks involved through your remodel unscathed... including you!

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at https://www.midmod-midwest.com/1003

This week, I've been talking about style guides inside the Ready to Remodel program. On our architect office hours call on Monday, I talked this cohort of homeowners through the value of distilling your personal style. 

Everyone starts with a fuzzy big picture concept like time capsule cute versus mid-mod contemporary, and then we gather ideas through the process of collecting design inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, and the real world. Talking to the Ready to Remodel community about this made me remember that I needed to tell you about it too! 

The rest of today's episode is a throwback to season four of Mid Mod Remodel. 

I recorded this nearly exactly two years ago and it is just as true today as it was then. So sit back or carry on running errands, walking the dog, or doing the dishes and get inspired to start creating a style guide for your remodel… 

In Today's Episode You'll Hear:

• How a Style Guide is really just a masterplan for all the little details of your home remodel project (and just as useful) [2:05]
• Why brushed nickel handles are a Mid Mod no-no and how to avoid using them and instantly dating your home update! [4:15]
• The difference between a fully bespoke custom designed remodel led by an architect and one managed by Joe Contractor ... but how you can get the best of both worlds (hint it involves a Style Guide) [5:05]
• How to get started [9:05]
• Metals for your Mid-Century home [9:55]
• How to make sure all the wood in your floors, cabinets, walls, trim, and furniture plays nicely together [12:10]
• How to have fun with color in an MCM update [15:25]

Get the full show notes with all the trimmings at www.midmod-midwest.com/1002

Mid Mod Midwest has a LOT of news to share! From format changes to new faces, we’ll cover everything you need to know in this tiny but mighty mini-sode!

First up - our team is growing! Mid Mod Midwest is hiring a designer to create amazing schematic designs for mid-century remodels. 

This was going to be Mid Mod Remodel Season 10 (!) but instead, we've decided to be all podcast all the time, and no more waiting between seasons. 

As we transition to a weekly podcast format, we're eager to hear your thoughts on the "new" show.  Let us know if there are topics you'd like to hear!  Would you like the episode to be shorter, or longer?  Would you like more interviews (I have a few planned!)?  What topics have you been waiting for me to dig into?

Finally, we take a quick trip through our Masterplan Process from two perspectives - client and designer! Whether you’re curious about working at Mid Mod Midwest or with our team as you plan your remodel, this episode includes all the must-have deets on how we create a Masterplan!

Get the show notes with all the extras at www.midmod-midwest/1001.

This episode goes out to all the homeowners waiting to plan, or dream about home improvement projects until you’ve saved up the home remodel budget.  I hope you’ll take this the right way when I tell you … you’re doing it wrong.