A Condominium Gets A New Media Center and Fireplace

See Before and After Images of this Mid-Century Modern Media Center

We meet our clients in many different ways, and our clients Rick and Cathy came to us as a referral from the company that did the original build-out of their high-rise condominium in Madison. They love their modern condo, with its strong Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, but several elements were not to their liking and were awkwardly positioned within the space.

The fireplace was placed in an unusual position near the dining room table. It was not well utilized nor fully visible within the unit. The television was centered on the available wall space; however, its location didn't provide a comfortable viewing position with the current furniture layout.

Before: The fireplace in the dining room didn't serve the home well.

After: The former fireplace area converted to Art Wall

This project came with some unique challenges. For example, moving the TV to the ideal viewing location from the furniture placed it off-center in the space. Our award-winning design team came up with a creative design solution to solve this problem.

We are extremely proud to announce that this project's fireplace and entertainment wall is a NARI Madison CotY Award-Winning design project!

Problem Solving Through A Creative Design Approach

In the original design, the electronics for the TV were all well hidden in the pantry. While it was convenient, it took away valuable storage space. Our clients wanted the new media center cabinetry and shelving to accommodate the electronics and cables that support the TV and audio system.

Before

After

They had also researched and found a contemporary fireplace they fell in love with to replace the existing gas fireplace – the Napoleon Azure 42-inch, electric fireplace. Because the size and compliance needs of an electric fireplace are significantly different than a natural gas unit, we were able to create an innovative design that met their needs.

Our design moved the fireplace to the left side of the new media center. It integrated all of the elements of the wall to create a contemporary, sculptural, textured, and colorful entertainment wall that ties in with the aesthetic and functional goals of our clients, creating a key visual feature rather than a bland painted wall.

A Love of Mid-Century Modern Design

Rick and Cathy's condo is in a high-rise building in Madison, with contemporary design aesthetics. This works well for our clients who love the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic and chose furnishings that enhance the vibe, with mid-century Scandinavian-influenced furnishings throughout their home.

Having remodeled several homes in prior cities, our clients came to us with a well-developed design aesthetic in mind. After meeting with them to define their style and needs, we build our design on their ideas and preferences to create a visually compelling media feature wall. Our design incorporated natural wood and stone elements along with 20 X 20 tiles from Daltile Veranda Solids and 12 X 24 Venice Rile, with Black Marre Quadac for the edges. The colors and textures of these materials provided visual interest. Out media center and fireplace wall were not to be an ordinary entertainment wall!

Our design moved the TV closer to the window wall to provide a better viewing angle that fits with the prime viewing area of the sectional couch. We incorporated custom-built floating walnut shelving designed and built by the Degnan team and a Shiloh, medium cherry finish floating cabinet with Metro Style doors to accommodate the media center's electronics.

Next, we removed the existing gas fireplace located on the opposite side of the space and installed the Napoleon Azure electric fireplace to the media center's left. This fireplace, along with a column we clad with 20X20 tile, centered the TV on the new media wall to perfectly balance the design.

Adding Visual Interest With An Art Wall

The entertainment wall wasn't the only area we addressed with our design. Across from the entertainment, wall was where the former gas fireplace was located. Once we removed the fireplace, we created a custom-designed art wall. Our design created a plane that extends beyond the hallway, which now creates visual interest as you enter the condo through the main entrance.

Before

After

The wall is a sculptural design in and of itself but is a perfect place to display artwork. We used the same Warner Wallcoverings, Textures VII Grasscloth in a niche within the art wall area that we used on the media wall to create a sense of continuity throughout the living space. We also added light windows above the art wall to bring natural light into the office space.

The Final Result...

The result is a condo that is a classic example of contemporary Mid-Century Modern design and aesthetics. Our design ties in perfectly with Rick and Cathy's furnishing, decorations, artwork, aesthetic, and lifestyle. There are symmetry and balance when needed, as well as asymmetrical visual interest.

By using tile, wood, stone, and wallpaper, we achieved the goal of adding texture! Rick and Cathy's condo is no longer a standard build-out within Weston Place; it's now a unique, beautiful, one-of-a-kind home that showcases their personal style!

If you're planning a remodeling project, and want to explore all of the possibilities, give our award-winning design team a call (608) 846-5963. We're always happy to talk to you about our process and show you what's possible!