In 2005, this blog began as a “Meanwhile Back at the Ranch” a houseblog chronicling our adventures in renovating a 1950’s blonde brick ranch in central Denver, Colorado. Back then (before Mad Men, gasp!) there wasn’t as much information out there about the look and feel of mid-century homes and so we tried to pull information together for the rest of the Mid-Century fanatics out there. You’ll find our older posts are full of photos of our house, family and renovation dramas, but I’ve left up the ones I thought there might be some good content in. Most of the remodeling and home improvement posts are in these older posts.
As time marched along this blog morphed into it’s current state as a magazine about all things Mid-Century with an emphasis on preservation and recreation of lost styles and passions from the the 1950’s and 1960’s. We try to bring you current events on preservation of commercial as well as residential buildings in danger and we hope to educate people on preserving and not destroying your homes historical value.
We are passionate about celebrating the charm of “Mom and Pop,” independent, and historic hotels and motels across the country—hidden gems often lovingly preserved or restored to offer fabulous and affordable lodging. During our travels, we discovered an overlooked piece of Mid-Century Preservation: the Mid-Century Motels (long before Schitt’s Creek made them trendy!).
These unique motels rarely get the promotion they deserve due to limited advertising budgets, leaving weary travelers unaware of their retro allure. That’s why in 2013 we launched Mid-Century Motels on Mid-Century Style, featuring articles and reviews to spotlight these treasures. Fast forward to 2023, and we’ve reimagined our mission as RetroRoadtrip—expanding to include all our favorite cool retro places to stay.
Go check it out and start planning your Retro Roadtrip today!
Our Etsy Store and Bookstore needed a new home and we still have our podcast – “This Mod Life” on our wish list, so bookmark it – maybe I’ll get enough time and work on it soon!
Mary-Frances O’Dea is a Mid-Century enthusiast, accomplished web developer, devoted mom, and skilled fiber artist. With her work featured in national publications and over two decades of blogging experience since 2004, she brings a unique blend of creativity and technical expertise to every project. As the founder of the successful website development business Apricity Web Solutions, she specializes in creating innovative and effective digital solutions that help businesses thrive.
