Mid-Century Modern

With its emphasis on practicality and functionality, Mid-Century Modern style is seeing a huge resurgence, the modern classic reimagined for 21st century living.

Mid-century Modern design first garnered popularity in the 1950s for its optimistic and experimental qualities and shift away from traditional, closed floor plan houses. This design is characterised by flat or raked roof lines, floor-to-ceiling windows, raised structures, and great indoor-outdoor connections that integrate the home with the surrounding landscape.

Mid-century Modern architecture is known for its "form follows function" approach to design, the style prioritises practicality and purpose over unnecessary, ornate decoration. However, Mid-century Modern isn't wholly utilitarian. Instead, these homes juxtapose clean, geometric lines with organic shapes and bright accent colours, evoking a sense of spirited play and light-heartedness. 

This iconic Mid-century Modern style is now seeing a huge resurgence with the updating of this design to incorporate minimalist sensibilities and ultra-modern amenities.

The Mid-century style is best summarised as being lightweight with low-lying designs that embrace colour and nature. It reflects an optimistic and experimental approach to living that rebels against ornate traditions and aesthetics. It is the 'architecture of ideas', created by those who believe that a forward-looking style could be a vehicle for social change to create a better society.

About the Trend

Design Features

Flat or gently sloped roof: Roofs are hidden behind parapet walls or are gently sloping in skillion, butterfly and gable styles. They often feature large overhangs.
Exposed structure: The building structure is revealed with exposed uprights or beams. The fixtures that attach structures together are often exquisitely detailed.
Dominant roof line: The roofline defines the shape of structure. It is over wide with deep overhangs paying homage to architectural greats including Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier.
Large windows: Floor to ceiling windows fill rooms with light and connect indoors with outdoors.
Interiors: Heavily influenced by the best of mid-20th century chic, interiors feature textured glass, breeze blocks and natural stone crazy paving. A clean, monochromatic palette ensures a feeling of contemporary comfort, with hints of bold colour in paint, furniture and greenery injecting a sense of playfulness, nostalgia and freedom.

Recommended products

Axon™ Panel Sooth with textured paint

Axon™ Panel Smooth:  This versatile panel can be finished with a textured paint for the rendered look or painted smooth.

Axon™ Brushed Concrete

Axon™ Panel Brushed Concrete:  With the embedded swept texture reminiscent of softly brushed concrete, these panels are ideal for creating modern minimalist facades with tactility.

Oblique™ Weatherboard, staggered and vertically installed

Oblique™ Weatherboard: The wide grooves and design flexibility of board widths delivers drama and visual interest to barn facades.

Stria™ Cladding 325mm

Stria™ Cladding: The deep, 15mm-wide grooves create strong, sleek lines ideal for contemporary designs that require a bold but pared-back aesthetic.

Options in select areas:

Stria™ Cladding

Stria™ Cladding:  For stand out interior feature walls.

Hardie™  Groove Lining

Hardie™ Groove Lining: Interior feature walls

Why Now?

  • We are finding renewed comfort in familiar pursuits and products from decades past.
  • The global resurgence for mid-century aesthetics
  • Features of indoor-outdoor spaces and raised structures are optimal for our southern hemisphere climate
  • Mid-century Modern decor has strong correlations with our relaxed and outdoor-centric lifestyle

The resurgence and growing popularity of the mid-century modern house continues to gain momentum, for distinctive exteriors and functional interiors, climate-friendly features and use of natural materials.

Recommended paint colours

Exterior

Dulux
Southern Alps
NZ9H1
Dulux
Manorburn
NZ9A1
Dulux
Remutaka Range
S24A4
Wattyl
Strauss White
LRV 81
Wattyl
Afternoon Nap
LRV 71.52
Wattyl
Colorbond® Deep Ocean®
LRV 9

Interior

Dulux
Mt Aspiring
NZ9H4
Dulux
Optio Bay
Dulux
Tokomaru Bay
NZ10D8
Wattyl
Cotton Grey
LRV 79
Wattyl
Adrenaline Rush
LRV 23.63
Wattyl
Tapestry Red
LRV 12
Standard greentag
Standard healthrate

Global GreenTag™ GreenRate™ Level A and Product Health Declaration™ PHD Platinum Health mean our products have passed the world's toughest standards for health, eco performance and safety.

Design Handbook Cover 2024

The Design Handbook

BUILD YOUR MODERN LIFE

The Hardie™ Cladding Collection has a wide variety of products to select from, creating design versatility, in which It’s Possible™ to Make Modern like never before. It’s a movement that’s reshaping perceptions and changing the way New Zealand builds. This design handbook demonstrates that with great advice, support and inspiration, it’s possible to build a house you’re truly proud to come home to.

Where

To buy our products

Get

The James Hardie Product Guide

See

James Hardie's Modern Design Forecast

Find your nearest Showhome

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  • 43 Belgrove Place, Parklands, Christchurch, Canterbury
  • 4 Homestead Dr, Rangiora
  • 21 Homestead Drive, Bellgrove, Rangiora
  • 40B Johns Rd, Belfast, Christchurch
  • 50, Lochridge Drive, Kinloch, 3300, Waikato
  • 136 Highland Crescent, Te Awamutu
  • 145 Kaniere Road, Kaniere, Hokitika
  • 19 Clydesdale Drive, Holmes Hill, Oamaru
  • 52, Summersfield Boulevard, Appleby, 7081, Tasman
  • 74 Pelorus Avenue, Poraiti, Napier
  • 163 Brookside Road, Rolleston
  • 37 Meadowstone Street, Gleniti, Timaru
  • 21 Skibbereen Drive, Halswell, Christchurch
  • 80, Benashet Drive, Lincoln, 7672, Canterbury
  • 32 Nikau Drive, Redwoodtown, Blenheim
  • 19 Finstock Way, Springston
  • 16 Camberley Road, Richmond
  • 153 Brougham Street, Westport
  • 119 Carters Road, Amberley
  • 72 Hitchen Road, Pōkeno
  • 27 Finstock Way, Springston
  • 7 Oakbridge Boulevard, Marshland, Christchurch
  • 13 Oakbridge Boulevard, Marshland, Christchurch
  • 5 Bannister Street, Jacks Point
  • 46 Arbuckle Road, Frimley, Hastings
  • 9 Montiicola Drive, Papamoa Beach, Papamoa
  • 1, Flounder Drive, Ōmokoroa
  • 62, Maurice Kelly Road, Wainui
  • 108 Fairway Drive, Morrinsville
  • 274, Te Rapa Road, Beerescourt, Hamilton, 3200, Waikato
  • 37, Okaia Drive, Kinloch, 3377, Waikato
  • 7, Tūhua Close, Wharewaka, Taupō, 3378, Waikato
  • 2, Walsh Road, 2110, Auckland
  • Rotorua Grove, Aotea, Porirua, 5024, Wellington
  • 2, Buddle Road, Paerata, 2676, Auckland
  • 11, Highland Drive, Acacia Bay, Taupō, 3385, Waikato
  • 714, Te Kowhai Road, Te Kowhai, 3288, Waikato
  • 501, Webb Drive, Chartwell, Hamilton, Waikato
  • Kahukaka Road, One Tree Point, 0118, Northland
  • Pampas Drive, 0992, Auckland
  • 29, Kimbrae Drive, Hamilton, 3210, Waikato
  • 50, Hitchens Road, Pokeno, 2402, Waikato
  • Jonah Lomu Drive, Paerata, 2676, Auckland
  • Flaxfield Lane, Beachlands, 2571, Auckland
  • 1, Manutewhau Road, Massey, 0614, Auckland
  • 10, Ripeka Lane, Whenuapai, 0618, Auckland
  • 12, Harriet Johnston Drive, Pokeno, 2472, Waikato
  • Podgora Avenue, Kumeu, 0891, Auckland
  • Kapia Road, Massey, 0614, Auckland
  • Walter Lawry Road, Paerata, 2676, Auckland
  • 17, Brown Street, Inglewood, 4330, Taranaki
  • 109, Wairau Drive, Tikipunga, Whangarei, 0112, Northland
  • 60, Stace Hopper Drive, Whangarei, 0118, Northland
  • 1, Kukuwai Avenue, Red Beach, 0932, Auckland
  • 25, Jonah Lomu Drive, Pukekohe, 2676, Auckland
  • 190 Matua Road, Huapai
  • 30 Main Road, Waikanae
43 Belgrove Place, Parklands, Christchurch, Canterbury