Mid-Century Modern

When we think of the pioneers who shaped American architecture in the mid-20th century, names like Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier often come to mind. However, one name that deserves…

Mid-century modern architecture is a style that emerged in the middle of the 20th century and was prevalent from the 1940s to the 1960s. It is characterized by clean, simple lines, use of new materials,…

When selling a home, it’s important to establish a balance between doing the things essential to ensuring a successful sale and not going overboard. If you do too little, you are unlikely to get top…

Just 68 miles from Washington sits a custom modernist pre-fab by one of the pioneers of the discipline Charlie Lazor, of Lazor/Office and the Blu Dot furniture company. Sited on 32 acres in Rixeyville,…

As part of Docomomo National Tour Day 2022, Docomomo DC is hosting "Modern on the National Mall." The Oct. 29th tour will explore the challenges of caring for Modern Museums on the National Mall. The…

I am honored to be recognized as a 2022 Top Producer in the March/April issue of Bethesda Magazine. Thank you to all my clients and all the mid-century modern fans here in the Washington, D.C. area for…

In the late 1960s, Sam Ashelman, a Washington businessman, and his wife Martha developed the Coolfont resort and private mid-century modern cabins in the woods just outside the town of Berkeley Springs,…

Very thankful to all my clients who put their trust in me. I have been included in this year's WSJ Real Trends America's Best Real Estate Professionals list for 2021. Top 100 in the state for individual…

UrbanTurf writes about the continuing demand for mid-century modern homes in the Washington area despite Mad Men being off the air for the past five years. "Mad Men concluded its television run in 2015…

I am honored to be named a Top Agent in the inaugural Modern Luxury DC Real Estate Awards. Thank you to all of my clients, DC magazine and the team at Compass DMV. I bring a personal passion for mid-century…

A guest post on sourcing mid-century modern furniture from our partner, ATTIC. Nothing completes a beautiful mid-century home like furniture and decor drawn from the same aesthetic. The simple, sleek…

I am honored to be recognized as a Top Producer by Bethesda Magazine. "Residential real estate is big business in Montgomery County and Upper Northwest D.C. (ZIP codes 20015 and 20016)," says the magazine…

Radiant floor heat never felt so good. I had finally made the pilgrimage to Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House on the Fox River in Plano, Illinois, 47 miles west of Chicago. It was only November but…

A brutalist building made of concrete designed to promote the use of concrete is facing the wrecking ball. The Silver Spring headquarters of the National Sand & Gravel Association (NSGA) and National…

The two-dimensional modernist designs by Roberto Burle Marx are stunning pieces of art in and of themselves let alone the how the landscape designs come to fruition in the physical world. Three years ago,…

I'll call this one Darnestown Modern. Take a look at this 1960 flat-roof mid-century modern with clerestory windows and wood-beamed ceilings on more than two acres in Darnestown, Maryland. It is listed…

If you missed my first Open House at my listing at 4789 Western Ave. in Bethesda, you can come see it this Saturday, March 23. I will be holding an Open House from 1 to 4 pm. You can also virtually tour…

I just relisted this early 1940s modernist Tiffey Townhomes along Arkansas Avenue designed by well-known Washington architects Julian Berla and Joseph Abel for $799,000. I will be holding an Open House…

The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF), which made its debut in Washington last year at the National Building Museum (NBM), is returning to to Washington Feb. 21-24. The ADFF is the nation’s…

OregonLive.com The Oregonian’s Bridget Otto highlights Modern Capital as a resource for mid-century modern real estate. Modern Capital is a resource not only for those in D.C. but others around the…

To all my clients and readers: I wanted to say thank you for your enduring support during the past year. I have been honored with Washingtonian’s Top Agent distinction. I am so grateful for the trust…

The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan is housed in the 110-year old former First Church of Christ Scientist building. Right in the lobby, is Full Service Radio studio run by founder Jack Inslee. Jack recently…

  The 2018 edition of the Hollin Hills House and Garden Tour will be held April 28. The self-guided walking tour will showcase stunning examples of mid-century modern architecture. The Hollin…

Washingtonian: If You Love Midcentury Modern Architecture, You Have to Check Out Reston Michael Shapiro is quoted in an article on the mid-century modern residential architecture in Reston, Virginia…

Go see the fascinating--and tragic--story of Richard Neutra’s first East Coast commission, the 1938 Windshield house. The house was designed for the real-estate scion and art collector John Nicholas…

Do you love Brutalism or hate it? Local journalist Amanda Kolson Hurley makes the case for preserving Washington's bevy of Brutalist beauties.  "It could certainly be that on this side of the Atlantic,…

To celebrate I.M Pei, FAIA, turning 100 on Wednesday, the National Gallery of Art will host a discussion at the Gallery's Pei-designed East Building, which opened in 1978. "Designed at a crucial point…

The custom mid-century modern in Owings Mills I listed closed this week. It was originally designed and built in 1960 by noted architect James Grieves, FAIA, as his own home. It was later (1980s) seamlessly…

Good news for all of you Richard Neutra nuts. The modern master's studio and residence in Silver Lake in Los Angeles was just named a National Historic Landmark. “The Neutra Studio and Residences…

If you have modernist family and friends coming into town for the holiday weekend, there are number of new modern exhibits to explore, including at the recently reopened I.M. Pei-designed East Building…

It is only fitting that one of the most iconic modernist buildings in the world was home to one of the word's most iconic restaurant spaces as well. Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building housed The…

Another excellent Hollin Hills House and Garden Tour is in the books. While overcast on Saturday, the weather held out so all the visitors would not track water and mud through the meticulous mid-century…

Senior county architectural historian Clare Lise Kelly's book, Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930-1979, is now available in Kindle e-book from Amazon. The book,…

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. I also wanted to thank everyone for reading the site during the past eight years. I'm in Los Angeles this week so I thought…

As part of growing local efforts to document and preserve local mid-century modern architecture, the Prince George's County Planning Department has launched its Prince George's Modern project to help…

So sad to hear of the passing of Donald Wexler, who put his stunning architectural imprint all over Palm Springs. He was a classy and modest gentleman who created enduring architecture. It was so cool…

If you want to see what initial plans look like for possible changes to Mies van der Rohe's Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the National Building Museum is hosting an event with the architects…

With the second of the last seven "Mad Men" episodes airing now, I wanted to make sure everyone saw this interesting piece by Andrew Romano,  the West Coast Correspondent for Yahoo News who lives…

To mark the 75th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House,  architect Steven M. Reiss has published the book Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House, which tells the fascinating story…

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Thanks for reading and supporting the site during the past eight years. I hope 2015 will be filled with health, happiness and lots of mid-century modern…

Mies van der Rohe's Highfield House in Baltimore this weekend marked 50 years since it opened its doors to residents. Seems like the more traditional-minded neighbors did not approve when it was originally…

Featured in Progressive Architecture in 1958, the Deigert & Yerkes designed Primary Day School in Bethesda opened in 1955. The stark white, sprawling hexagonal design with touches of--how appropriate--primary…

Ken Freeman was a New York clothing designer who moved his family to Maryland in the 1960s to become a real estate developer. He briefly worked with his brother Carl M. Freeman, who introduced the "California…

To mark Walter Gropius' birthday (May 18, 1883) I thought I would pull this post out from the archive. When Gropius first came to the United States in 1937 to teach at Harvard, he and his wife rented…

While the promos and articles about the new season of Mad Men focus more on the action in Los Angeles, I thought this Time magazine peek into the Time & Life Building in good old New York was a nice…

The major redevelopmet of Southwest DC's waterfront is slated to kick off later this month. (See the recent Washington Post piece here.) More than 50 years ago, Southwest  underwent a massive transformation,…

Dan Kiley, one of the most influential modernist American landscape architects, worked with the giants of modernist architecture: Eero Saarinen, I.M. Pei, Louis Kahn and Gordon Bunshaft. Locally,…

Happy Martin Luther King Day. I thought it was appropriate to give an update on the expected renovation and modernization of Mies van der Rohe's Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in DC. In late…

The "Pink Bank" in Rockville at 255 N. Washington St. will be no more. Work has started to take down the 1964 former Suburban Trust Bank building. Despite the city’s Historic District Commission's…

The life and work of Victor Lundy, FAIA, who studied with Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer at Harvard and became a leading member of Paul Rudolph’s Sarasota School,  is being celebrated in a film…

Some good preservation news from Los Angeles. Johnie's Coffee Shop, designed in 1955 by Armet and Davis, was landmarked by the LA City Council last week. The original drawing for the Googie coffee shop…

Today, Rock Creek Woods is known for its park-like setting and explosion of cherry blossoms in the spring. While architect Charles Goodman and the builders sought to keep the topography and trees when…

The film Led Zeppelin Played Here, which explores the debate about if the legendary band played a show in 1969 at the endangered Wheaton Community Recreation Center, will have a one-time showing at…

The Hal Esten-designed Halex House at 814 Thayer Ave. in Silver Spring, which served as the headquarters of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) for 35 years, is slated to become a four-story…

Docomomo US, the American chapter of Docomomo International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the modern movement,…

I just watched the excellent documentary on Joseph Eichler, who developed more mid-century modern tract houses than any other builder in the country. During his career, he built more than 11,000 modernist…

The Historic Preservation Review Board voted Feb. 28  to list Chloethial Woodard Smith's Harbour Square in Southwest in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites. The designation recognizes Harbour Square…

Washington Post: Research, references are keys to finding a good real estate agent Michael Shapiro is highlighted for his specialization in mid-century modern real estate.

Formica, the staple of mid-century modern kitchens and bathroom counterops is turning 100 and getting some notice. To celebrate its 100 anniversary, Formica has launched a new retro-inspired line.…

The Washington Post's regular "Where We Live" column featured the "1950s vibe" of Raymondale, a mid-century modern community in Falls Church.  The 142-homes neighborhood was first developed in…

Hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. With the weather dreadful today here in Washington and the local market quiet, I was looking through recent pictures from LA. Here are a few shots of…

Daniel Donnelly loves clay. After shaping it as a kid and majoring in the medium in college, he is now launching a new line of Decorative Ceramic Lighting. The shapes of the lamps are inspired by mid-century…

There are so many mid-century modern churches, synagogues and others houses of worship that dot the Washington area, that I have been trying to force myself to take time to stop and take some pictures…

If you want to squeeze in some DC architecture before the final presidential debate, the Southwest Heritage Project will be holding  a program on Southwest DC's history, architecture and public parks…

Good architecture needs good furniture. Award-winning architects Hugh Newell Jacobsen and Simon Jacobsen have understood this throughout their careers, designing furniture for private clients…

When Walter Gropius first came to the United States in 1937 to teach at Harvard, he and his wife rented a Colonial in Lincoln, Mass. Thankfully, philanthropist Helen Storrow provided Gropius with four…

"A very special sense of place." That is the appropriate tag line of the The Colony of Wellfleet, 10 Bauhaus-style cottages nestled among soaring pine trees just across the road from Wellfleet Bay.…

Looking for a place to beat the heat? Head to the National Building Museum for some architectural mini-golf and an exhibit on the work of Kevin Roche. Kicking off today (July 4) and running through…

To mark Memorial Day, I thought I would highlight Eero Saarinen's 1957 War Memorial Center in Milwaukee. The center was designed to "create a new home for two previously separate art collections…

When you walk into the lobby of the former American National Bank Building in Silver Spring you think 'Mad Men.' The preserved mid-century lobby (terrazzo floors and marble walls) evokes Manhattan…

When most people talk about the 1964 Wheaton Youth Center (now the Wheaton Community Recreation Center), they are likely discussing the question of whether Led Zeppelin played a show there in 1969…

The current issue of Washingtonian has a  fascinating piece on the construction and politics behind Eero Saarinen's groundbreaking Dulles airport terminal that opened 50 years ago this month. Sudip…

I saw this tweet posted yesterday: (CREATION/DESTRUCTION - S. R. Crown Hall’s interior during finals week at Illinois Institute of Technology) along with this picture. I had a chance to stroll…

Interesting post from DCist about the debate over the composition of a panel that is looking into what should be done with the Mies van der Rohe-designed Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The eight-person…

Frank Lloyd bought two. That's a good endorsement of the bentwood rocking chair known as the Rapson Rapid Rocker. The chair was originally designed in 1939 by Ralph Rapson, a leading American modernist…

I hope you were able to get to the National Building Museum's Designing Tomorrow: America's World's Fairs of the 1930s, which closed recently. The first-of-its-kind exhibit highlighted the innovative…

Every two years since 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy has held its Solar Decathlon on the National Mall to challenge collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective,…

A number of clients, friends and readers have been asking me lately about the process of building their own modern home, including prefabs. One of the best resources on the web for learning the ups…

The Post's Real Estate section has a story out on modern prefabs, including Modern Capital Sponsor Lost River Modern.   The article gives a good overview of  story behind how Chris Brown and Sarah Johnson…

During and after World War II, the population of the Washington area boomed. There was a great need, especially in the growing suburbs, for libraries, houses of worship and schools. Most of it was basic…

Work on Richard Neutra's Rice House in Richmond is now complete and available for retreats and private events. You can see the recent Richmond Times Dispatch story and slideshow here. (Here's a slideshow…

The mid-century modern Marvel Cleaners sits empty at its perch near the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and Randolph Road in Colesville. It has been sitting vacant for a year and is slated for redevelopment. The…

I was heading home from Crest Park this weekend (stay tuned for another Goodman listing I have coming up) and remembered that I had taken some shots last year of the Unitarian Universalist Church of…

I am sick of this weather and ready for summer and the beach. Did you catch the Post's story the other day about The Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City and its retro-style diner Teplitzky's? It warmed…

As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations this year for Fallingwater, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is holding a symposium on April 5 at the Carnegie Museum of Art Theater about preserving…

Some shots from today of the Wheaton Woods Baptist Church located here in Rockville. Nothing spectacular, but a solid mid-century modern church. Or, as this site I discovered recently would call it:…

Some of the most breathtaking views in Washington can be had from the top of Chloethiel Woodard Smith's mid-century modern Harbour Square (1960-1966) along the Southwest waterfront. During the D.C.…

Are you looking for a gift for the modernist who has everything?  The folks at the Philip Johnson Glass House have an idea. Think private tour of the Glass House and then dinner at the Johnson and…

I look at a lot of houses online and in person. I write about many of them here. In this post, I want to highlight some of the smaller mid-century modern details I have come across during the past…

If you are an Eames addict and your loved ones are looking for gift ideas for the holidays (I hope my wife reads this), send them a link to this post as a not so subtle hint on a what they can get…

I stopped at Modern Capital sponsor Home Anthology on Saturday on the way to the Baltimore Book Festival. I checked out Rob and Nini's latest finds and got a great tip about a Mies Van der Rohe-designed…

Summer time is for road trips. Cycling. Swimming. And eating lots of ice cream. In my book, seeing mid-century modern architecture is definitely part of the mix as well. So on the family's recent trek…

One of the mid-century modern "Marina" style Safeway stores in the area will be disappearing. This one on Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive in Wheaton, most likely from the 1960s, will be replaced with…

It's hot in D.C and almost August. Congress is preparing for its extended "recess." With many people planning their escapes (especially those still without power), I thought it would be good to highlight…

Berkeley Springs State Park in West Virginia features two mid-century ways to relax and cool off from the summer heat--one is mid-18th Century and the other is mid-20th Century. You can take a plunge…

The second project J. Irwin Miller and Eero Saarinen worked on in Columbus was the Millers' personal residence, one of the few residential homes Saarinen designed and the second home he designed for…

"Mediocrity is expensive." This quote by the late J. Irwin Miller sums up the ethos behind the commitment to serious, high-level architecture and landscaping in Columbus, Indiana, a small city of roughly…

I'm headed this weekend to Columbus, Indiana, Middle America's Modern Mecca. The town of 39,000 people located 40 miles south of Indianapolis has dozens of mid-century modern and modern buildings by…

The 1968 St. Paul's United Methodist Church building in Kensington is the fourth the congregation has had since its founding in 1885. The current mid-century modern sanctuary was built after fire destroyed…

The 1971 Brazilian Chancery on Massachusetts Avenue was designed by Brazilian architect Olavo Redig de Campos. The Miesian, floating glass box is currently undergoing interior renovations. Stay tuned…

With the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this year, D.C. Modern Luxury Editor in Chief Karen Sommer Shallet recently put out a "green" issue (in which Modern Capital was featured) focusing on local sustainable…

Christopher in Charles Goodman's River Park is the winner of the pair of free tickets to this year's Hollin Hills Home and Garden Tour being held May 1. Here is his submission: "My favorite mid-century…

This 1933 home could be a good choice for a couple that might not see eye-to-eye on design. A 3 bedroom/2 bath traditional colonial home with a twist: a renovation and modern addition by none other…

My custom mid-century modern listing in Mohican Hills in Bethesda is under contract and going to closing, but here are two other mid-century contemporaries on the market in the neighborhood full of…

I've driven by The Inn of Rosslyn on Route 50 many times, but never seemed to have time to actually stop to take pictures. I finally did the other day so here are a few shots of the former Motel 50,…