What would Ralph Haver Do?

Remodeling Tips for your Haver Home.

If Ralph Haver was alive today, how would he design an addition to a home? I own a Ralph Haver home, but how do I appropriately renovate it? This is a question that any one of you have probably asked yourself and if you haven’t yet you should. Well, today is your lucky day! Sit back, grab a glass of wine or scotch (Mad Men style) and let’s get down to business.

Additions. You know the kind where you can tell down to the nail where that second level was added to a classic ranch bungalow, and from the paint color, probably what decade. We’ve all seen them and many of us have probably tossed the idea around a time or two, but obviously with much more taste. The iconic Haver roofline, and the majority of the Mid-Century Modern style for that matter are incredibly simple. Low-pitched gables, butterfly, flat, and sawtooth are the most common. The intent of any addition is to integrate seamlessly with the original home. If you can create a butterfly out of your gable, go for it! If you are lucky enough to extend the current pitch without creating a family room of 3′ ceilings, do it! If you can blow out the back wall and carry the existing roofline, you’re in business! Want to add a single pitch to a flat roof and create a clerestory windows (facing North of course – let’s be green) knock yourself out!

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with an addition is material choice. If you have a beautiful block home, please do not add a guest bedroom and cover it with stucco, siding, or, and I’m repeating myself, stucco! If you can go the extra mile and use the same block as was used in the original construction. Block is actually quite big in Phoenix still, check out SuperLite.com when it comes to decorative block. Sawtooth the new block with the existing and paint to match, or better yet, sandblast and you’ll never know it wasn’t intended to be there.

When it comes to remodeling the interior of your home let your creative juices flow. Keep in mind that the MCM movement was all about exposing raw materials and utilizing man-made materials. Granite did not exist in the 1950’s – let’s see if we can opt of a different countertop! Butcher’s block, formed concrete or resin products are all great options that will breathe character, color, and charm into a tired space.  When it comes to flooring maybe go with the original concrete slab. You can fill in holes where carpet may have been using mortar. Resurfacing them is pretty easy. We used a giant sander that looked like a floor buffer, but with sandpaper. It easily took the top layer of concrete off giving it a very smooth finish. Once done throw on a fresh coat of stain and pay homage to that beautiful slab.

Thinking of refreshing that bathroom? MCM style prided itself with blending the exterior and interior. What about a free standing bathtub planted in a bed of great beach pebble? How does an expanse of glass that leads to an exterior planter or courtyard sound? Don’t be afraid of colored tile, but remember it’s very easy for a color to become dated. Let’s future-proof and try a painted accent wall that can easily be changed if need be. Think flow. If you do concrete countertops in the kitchen, why not do the same in the bathroom? This eliminates the addition of another material and ties the bathroom into the rest of the house. A few simple mindful steps will help add a contemporary touch to your retro homestead.

No matter what your plans are to renovate your home remember, you live in a piece of history and it’s important to cherish that. There isn’t anything wrong with loving a more traditional style. If that’s your thing then great, more power to you, but these homes weren’t meant for a more traditional style. They were meant to be sleek and stylish with a more modern feel. Keep things simple in your plans, symmetry is always a plus, and think outside of the box a little. Haver would of wanted that.