Mid Contemporary Trend

As we transcend through time, styles change reflecting our likes and dislikes in everyday thoughts of our surroundings. The cars we drive, the clothes we wear and the buildings we inhabit all go through cycles of what’s desirable in any given era. What was once regarded as aging or out-of-style seems to re-surface just a few decades later. The subconscious quest for generational identity encourages separation from anything our parents thought was stylish! But let's go back yet another generation and consider the vintage or classic characteristics beheld in grandma's house, or further, the historic style in great grandma's house! Given enough time, many styles go full-circle and complete the cycle from brand new through worn, dated, old, vintage, historic and ultimately desirable again! An interesting element of generational housing cycles is that home-buyers come in all ages and from all different backgrounds. The median age for buyers lingers around 40 years old, but there's few limitations to how young or old someone can be to buy a house. In turn, as the generations transition through the cycle, trends in popular housing take form. The last few years have brought a re-emergence of a style once thought completely dated; the mid-century Ranch.

In the 1950s and early 1960s American economy was in full swing. Prosperity brought an increase in home ownership across the nation, thus a building boom exposing the needs of the period commenced. Natural resources were in surplus and the unsustainable manufactured products of the 1960s and 1970s were yet to reach the scene. Ranches were primarily constructed as single story, open concept family homes with attached garages. The low horizontal profile, symmetrical shape, and nominal ornamentation created an iconic image of home.

Now fast-forward 50 years and visit the idea of what constitutes a modern house style today: strong symmetrical lines, minimal adornment, open concepts and sustainable products. Because of the basic similarities between the Ranch and today's Modern style combined with the concept of generational separation, a new trend has emerged.

People love the established neighborhoods boasting above average lot sizes of the 1950's, but want to incorporate a new look. These two elements combined have led to remodeling ranches with today’s updates. The general profile and open concept floor-plans are back in style, and with a cosmetic face-lift, we suddenly have the best of both worlds. Today's Modern Ranch is a hybrid of two different era's and may just be worth seeking out!