Midland Renovation

Midland, Texas

The original mid‐century ranch‐style home was built in 1949 on three lots of what was then a growing suburban neighborhood south of downtown Midland. Over the next 50 years it was modified multiple times by different owners, including the addition of pool house in the 1970s designed by legendary Texas architect Frank Welch.

When the current owners, a couple with three teenagers, bought the house, they wanted a comprehensive update to the interior and exterior, with a focus on creating spaces for family life and entertainment. This included opening selected interior spaces, connecting indoor and outdoor areas more effectively, and creating an updated, cohesive design out of the many previous individual interventions. 

The renovation intentionally respects the home’s good bones and reinforces the clarity of the original architecture. Driven by the client’s vision to improve the flow of activities, and provide a comfortable, welcoming home for contemporary living, Upchurch Architects focused on updating and opening the kitchen and the family room zone, expanding closets, converting an office space into a bedroom, and updating millwork throughout the home. 

Outside renovations made the most of the deep overhangs shading the patio and added an outdoor kitchen to the many existing amenities. The pool house was opened on one side to provide a visual connection between the adjacent tennis courts and pool.  It also received updated millwork, tile and light fixtures. A spa was added by  outside the Master Bedroom the pool, which also received a shelf and a bluestone tile paving surround. Lowering the sound wall between the yard and the tennis court allowed the home’s and pool house’s architecture to be more clearly seen and the composition of all the exterior elements, including the carport and outdoor table tennis area, to create a unified whole