A ‘House of Good Taste’

_{Above: Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Edward Durell Stone’s ‘House of Good Taste’, 1964. Photo: Aaron Snow}

We developed our Mid Century Modern obsession during the ownership of our previous home, a modest 1949 ranch. There was nothing really ‘modern’ about the place, but during renovations – which included restoring two original pink bathrooms – we become enamored with the design and architecture of the era. We often talked about what it would be like to own an authentic MCM home. One that we could restore, renovate, and turn into something special. That talk eventually turned into a search lasting several years of looking to find just the right home to fulfill this bucket list wish. After many dead ends in the search a home – completely out of the blue – was featured on a local Mid Century Modern group that was soon going on the market. Designed by Edward Durell Stone and was one of the models showcased at the 1964 New York World’s fair as ‘The House of Good Taste’, the home was the right one for us and we snatched it up even before it went on the market.

A model of Edward Durrell Stone’s ‘House of Good Tatse’ which was built and showcased at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. More info and history here. Photo via okcmod.com

Having found our dream project we immediately dove into a complete renovation of the place. Many people ask us how we were able to put all this together in such a short time frame, and the simple answer is that we had been planning this type of renovation for so long in our heads that the outline of what we wanted to do was already there. There was a specific style and feel that we wanted to achieve, a timeless execution, devoid of anything trendy or contemporary, and being careful that it did not become ‘fan fiction’. Less can often be so much more.

Some of the highlights of the renovation were restoring the original terrazzo floors, adding polished concrete floors, smooth coating all the walls and ceilings, and a completely new kitchen. We left both bathrooms alone during the initial renovation to tackle later down the road. Since then one of the bathrooms has been completed. Wanting the primary design elements of terrazzo, stacked stone, and walnut woodwork to be the main focus, we were careful to not to overshadow them with much else and kept things simple.

The heart of our MCM love is the furniture, specifically the Danish modern pieces. We could easily see ourselves living in a home of a different era and architectural style but would most likely always furnish it with Mid Century Modern pieces as it can work almost anywhere. While there are a few pieces of ‘new’ furniture in the home, we will always go vintage if it can be bought for the same cost, and of the same quality, that a new piece of furniture might be.

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Details like these walnut-clad storage areas nicely frame the entrance hall. Photo: Mike Deatsch

How it looks today. Photo: Aaron Snow

One of the bedrooms before the renovation which had stucco walls and ceiling. Photo Lynne Rostochil / okcmod.com

The bedroom as it looks today. Photo: Aaron Snow

There are still several projects to keep us busy over the next few years and in the past few months we just started tackling the landscaping. We don’t plan to go anywhere soon, so we are just going to take our time and enjoy finishing all the details.

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