Name: Liz Eckstein & Chad Molter
Location: Old North Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
Size: 2,134 square feet
Years lived in: 3.5 years
When Liz and Chad moved to Boulder from D.C almost five years ago, they decided to rent for a while so they could take their time and really figure out where they wanted to live. Then they teamed up with a great broker that specializes in mid-century real estate and after looking at close to fifty homes, found the perfect one.
Liz, a crafter, caterer and finance guru, was drawn to the home because of the spacious floor plan and abundance of natural light. An avid estate sale shopper, she's accumulated years' worth of mid-century furniture and artwork that fits seamlessly into the home.
The house is a great shared space for Liz's creative ventures, Chad's music, and lots of wildlife. The couple receives regular backyard visits from deer and other critters that come down from the mountains.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Mid-Century Messy or Mid-Century Crafty
Inspiration: The 1940s through 1970s. We like different elements from all of these decades: art deco, industrial design, space age, and all groovy things! Also, I love the color combination of orange and green. They're so vibrant when you put them together.
Favorite Element: The vaulted ceilings and open living room and dining room area.
Biggest Challenge: Convincing Chad to let me buy things.
What Friends Say: That our house expresses our creativity and sense of fun.
Proudest DIY: Reupholstering our 1960s couch.
Biggest Embarrassment: After recovering the 1960s couch, we realized the fabric choice was not ideal. It's fading in the face of the Colorado sun! It's also a wee bit lumpy.
Biggest Indulgence: Vintage fabrics (mainly barkcloth and feedsack) and buttons (carved, plastic). I can't stop buying them, especially buttons. But really, they're so small and easy to store. Chad's is records.
Best Advice: Scour vintage stores, consignment shops and thrift stores! There are so many treasures out there, not to mention that's it's eco-friendly to buy secondhand.
Dream Sources: Every flea market and thrift store that we haven't visited yet!
Resources of Note:
ENTRY
- • Vintage 1970s dresser from Mod Livin'
• artwork by friends or bought from various estate sales, thrift stores, Etsy
LIVING ROOM
- • vintage 1960s couch from Mod Livin'
• Pillows made by me
• vintage coffee table (George Nelson bench knockoff), Washington, DC estate sale
• rug, West Elm
• vintage TV cabinet, Boulder estate sale
• vintage Paul McCobb china cabinet, Millennium Decorative Arts
• Globe lights, vintage and new
• Various pottery, mid-century pieces from various sources including Miss Pixie's, Brass Armadillos around the west, Mina's
DINING ROOM
- • Danish modern table with leaves, Mod Livin'
• green vinyl chairs, Denver resale shop
• orange swivel chairs, Boulder consignment shop
• art from various thrift stores and estate sales
• artwork by my niece (age 7)
KITCHEN
- • Cathrineholm dishware
• my pottery collection, mostly made by myself at Hinckley Pottery but I have many pieces bought from there as well.
• vintage barkcloth as pantry curtain
• remodeling by ReNew Construction
GUEST BEDROOM
- • owls by Tiger Flight
• blue chair, Longmont antiques mall
BATHROOM
- • Marimekko shower curtain
• ceramic pitcher from antiques mall
CRAFT ROOM
- • vintage 1970s sewing table from Mod Livin'
• bench from estate sale, recovered with vintage barkcloth
• metal file cabinet, FactoryMade
Thanks, Liz & Chad!
(Images: Ashley Poskin)
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Sheex Bedding
Wow, they have really collected a lot of great stuff and the rooms come together really well. The craft room is awesome, lucky lady!
Mid-century messy/crafty. I like that, it describes my place perfectly as well. I like the assortment of chairs at your dining table!
I love the exposed beams, the wooden ceiling and how open the space looks! I also really enjoy the rustic touches, the mostly muted colors, the way the light plays throughout the house - and that kitchen is to die for. Gorgeous house, fellow Boulderites!
Wow - what a house! And in Boulder to boot!
This is a great house. I understand why the owners of the house added sky lights. These MCM houses with their large windows and clerestory windows can sometimes look dark because of the wide eaves. My only beef is with the type of floors installed: slate and blonde hardwood. I don't think that's keeping with the style.
Oh, and the decor is great.
Mid-C Frank finds much to love here.
P.S. -- I have the exact same chair that's in the first pic, but in orange.
Love the house. Big fan of mid-century pieces. What type of crown moulding is that? I have similar ceilings, but without crown moulding and find that smoke and sound travel through the gaps.
Love this tour! I'm curious about the orange lounge chair and ottoman. Anyone recognize the designer?
Oh that's so funny, I was going "shouldn't it be MLM?"
*I thought they were Roman numerals
What people do with mid-century decor today is beyond what one saw in the actual mid-century, at least in the average person's home, as I recall (FWIW). Back then, stunning pieces lived in dark rooms on thick rugs, sometimes under plastic. So when people open up an MCM home with light from above, fewer walls, and contemporary floors, IMHO it's an improvement ~ Mid Century Revival in all its glory.
All Catherineholm. I die.
Liz, You have such an amazing eye for great pieces. There are so many amazing pieces in your home.
My only suggestion for this home is regarding furniture placement in the family room. A common mistake people make with large spaces is placing all of the furniture against the walls. This leaves the room looking empty and a little cold, and isn't as functional as it could be. I would move the sofa, coffee table and rug to the center of the room, in front of the fireplace, with the tv and console directly across from the fireplace. I would then place the orange chair and ottoman next to the console (once you move the rug over, you might not really need to move it that much to accomplish this). I would place the rocker directly across from the sofa, closer to the fireplace but facing the sofa. I would move the bench that is currently on the wall next to the couch over to where the couch is now in front of the windows, and would replace it with the glass front cabinet that is next to your bookcases. This arrangement would allow you to comfortably enjoy both the fireplace and tv from the couch, and would create a really nice conversation area. It would really go a long way to make the space look more cozy.
Thank you so much for sharing your home. It's such an amazing space and your furnishing and art are so unique and beautiful! I really loved this tour!
My favourite tour in a long, long time. Beautiful! And so calm.
Thx for sharing! That was amazing.
Definitely one of my favourites in a long, long time. Thank you for sharing your home with us!
This neighborhood is full of gems that at one time had roofs popped, houses scraped and replaced with McMansions and otherwise ruined the beauty of this mid-century area. I am SO HAPPY to see a house retain many of it's original features yet get updated. And love the craft room. Wish I still lived by Ideal Market, Liz. I'd meet you for a stitch and bitch.
Can you please give me details about your hardwood floors? Are they white oak or red oak and what kind of finish (oil or water based poly?). I'm refinishing my floors next week and want them EXACTLY like these! thanks