A divided entry at a #dwelloctoberstudio mid-century modern fixer-upper

Although this one level house looked small from the exterior, it was deceivingly large on the inside, with spacious rooms and a great floor plan. The front door of the #dwelloctoberstudio mid-century modern fixer-upper opened into the living room and featured a floor-to-ceiling divider that created a separate entry area with a coat closet.

Inspired by the original fixture, we added a custom-built divider made from vertical wood slats to differentiate the living room from the entry, while still allowing the natural light to flow through. An unlacquered brass sconce by the front door also pays tribute to the house's mid-century modern roots.

Our changes to the living room were mostly cosmetic. The most noticeable change was replacing the large, leaking bay window with a series of modern black casement windows.

We refinished the original hardwood floors, using Bona NordicSeal to whitewash the existing red oak. We love the minimalist, matte finish that this product provided, allowing us to extend the life of the original wood floors.

Another change to this room involved replacing the dated stone fireplace hearth and traditional wood mantel with a more modern, sleek surround made from stone. After considering many options, we settled on Nero Borghini honed quartz, a budget-friendly alternative to marble that still provided drama and contrast in this light-filled room. We also converted the wood-burning fireplace to gas and incorporated ceramic fire spheres.