This Mid-Century Residence Demonstrates the Impact of "Gentle" Renovations.

This Mid-Century Residence Demonstrates the Impact of "Gentle" Renovations.

      April 18, 2025

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      With the rapid changes in home decor trends on social media, pinpointing your personal style can be quite challenging. However, Carrie Waller is fortunate to have a clear preference: mid-century modern style. In searching for her current home, she aimed for one imbued with original 1960s charm, which she discovered in her Virginia residence. Through thoughtful updates and what she describes as “gentle” renovations, Carrie and her husband have transformed the dreary pastel-colored space into the retro ranch she has always envisioned. While it remains vibrant with bold wallpaper and unique character, it has been personalized to suit her family's lifestyle and preferences. Scroll down for a complete tour of Carrie’s stunning mid-century modern home and her top tips for transforming a space without a complete renovation.

      Carrie Waller’s Tour of Her Virginia Home

      Key details:

      Name: Carrie Waller

      Location: Waynesboro, Virginia

      Square footage: 2,391 square feet

      Rent/Own: Own

      Source: @dreamgreendiy

      Like many homes from the 1960s, yours originally featured wallpaper and pastel paint shades. Even with some outdated elements, what made this house feel like the right choice for you?

      My husband and I desired to move to a quieter, more secluded neighborhood with plenty of trees and reduced traffic. This house was the first we viewed and the only one we made an offer on because it met all our criteria. Upon entering, I instantly felt at home. The neighborhood was ideal, and I also fell in love with the house's original mid-century charm—the smoked glass light fixture in the entryway, the louvered doors, and the original 1960s botanical wallpaper. It was like a dream come true, and I could envision the potential despite its dated aspects.

      You’ve done a remarkable job of maintaining the home’s original charm while personalizing it. How did you achieve a balance between respecting its character and updating it to align with your style and needs?

      Thank you! It's amusing to recall my initial tour of the house. As I walked through, I claimed I would remove all the wallpaper and cover the bold paint colors. After actually doing that, I revisited the house and put up new wallpaper and repainted rooms in my preferred bright colors. That just highlights how perfectly suited this house has always been for me—I simply needed to exchange the wallpaper patterns and colors for those that better reflected our aesthetic.

      Your home is vibrant, yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming. How did you choose your color palette, and what techniques do you use to maintain harmony?

      The wallpaper I chose for our entry upon moving in became a major driver for the slate/pink/cream/rust color scheme throughout the house. I adore using a distinctive accent—whether it be a rug, piece of art, or a wallpaper pattern—to guide my color and style decisions. Once I have a rough idea of the colors I want to work with, I consciously incorporate them into other room updates to create a cohesive overall look.

      You refer to your renovation strategy as “gentle.” What does that entail for you, and how does it shape your design decisions?

      As devoted fans of the mid-century aesthetic, it’s essential for us to honor the original features of our home. We have no intention of removing walls or altering the authentic aspects of its 1960s architecture. Instead, we aim to “gently” adjust certain elements of the house to better suit our 2025 lifestyle, such as installing modern appliances where necessary and replacing light fixtures that previous owners installed in the '80s. There won’t be any extensive renovations to our retro ranch home, as we deliberately chose this house because it only required a few thoughtful updates—not a full overhaul.

      We adore the moody, cozy tones in your living room. What motivated your decision to use darker shades in this space compared to the lighter colors in the rest of the house?

      Our living room receives minimal bright sunlight due to the covered porch and the large maple tree right outside the windows. The only good natural light we get is in the colder months when the leaves fall. Given the natural darkness, I decided to embrace it rather than resist it. Therefore, I painted the entire room a dark blue-green shade called “Homburg Gray” by Sherwin-Williams. I love the character it brings to the room, and it truly makes it the coziest area in the house, regardless of the season.

      Your dog resting on the couch is absolutely adorable—and you also have two cats! How do you maintain a polished appearance in your home while living with pets?

      My husband and I have chosen to remain child-free, so our pets are

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This Mid-Century Residence Demonstrates the Impact of "Gentle" Renovations.

With "gentle" renovations, Carrie Waller turned a vintage space into the nostalgic ranch she envisioned. View the complete home tour here: