How To Bring Brady Bunch Architecture Into Your Own Home
While the last Brady Bunch episode aired in 1974, the television sitcom has left a permanent mark on the industry. As IMDb shares, the series followed the lives of a blended family. When Mike Brady married Carol Martin, their separate families became one, with Mike's three boys (Greg, Peter, and Bobby) and Carol's three girls (Marcia, Jan, and Cindy) all moving in together. Their dog, Tiger, and beloved housekeeper Alice Nelson rounded out the members of The Brady Bunch, all living together in a four-bedroom home in a Los Angeles suburb.
While the characters are what really made the series memorable, The Brady Bunch's home was also quite unique. The home was designed specifically for the family by Mike Brady. As Charactour explains, Mike was a prominent architect. This means that he was the mastermind behind all of the intriguing architectural features that made the family's home so unique.
Whether you've been a loyal Brady Bunch fan since the series came out or recently discovered it on a streaming service or reruns on TV, follow the tips below to mimic some of the interesting and inviting architectural features found in the famous TV family's home.
Add board and batten paneling
One of the most memorable features of The Brady Bunch home is the staircase and the eye-catching wall behind it. One prominent component of the upper right portion of the wall is the dark-stained board and batten wood paneling.
If you want to recreate this look in your home, The Home Depot has an excellent tutorial to help you make a board and batten wall accent. Even better, this project is only rated at a beginner level, with an estimated completion time between 2 and 4 hours.
The process of creating the accent wall involves measuring and cutting the horizontal and trim boards and then attaching the boards to the wall using glue and a nail gun. After you have the boards laid out and properly attached to the wall, you'll just need to apply some caulk to seal the joints where the panels meet one another or the wall. Finally, apply your preferred paint color to the pieces. If you're looking to recreate the color of the paneling found in The Brady Bunch home, consider a dark walnut wood stain.
Embrace wood paneling
Wood paneling was a popular addition to the walls of many homes in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. As CBS News points out, part of the reason it became so popular was because of its lower cost and ease of installation.
Wood paneling can be seen in many rooms in The Brady Bunch home, including the living room and the boy's bedroom. In fact, as Reuters shares, the actors and actresses that played the six Brady children found this design and architectural feature to be such an important part of the home that they made a point of hanging paneling when remaking the television home for the 2019 "A Very Brady Renovation" series on HGTV.
Today, as CBS News highlights, wood paneling is one of the older design trends that is making a comeback. It can be found in the living spaces of some newer homes, and some homeowners are choosing to add wood paneling accent walls during their home renovation projects. Elmwood Reclaimed Timber further explains that reusing old wood paneling is an eco-friendly choice that can make a huge impact in your space. When you use reclaimed wood, you get the advantage of unique pieces, each with their own nail holes, saw marks, and story to tell.
Opt for exposed brick in the kitchen
The kitchen is a place to gather with the ones you love. This is probably why many scenes in the series took place in the kitchen. One notable feature of The Brady Bunch kitchen is the exposed brick wall housing the double ovens.
Unless you're building a home from scratch or doing a complete renovation project, putting in a real brick wall is probably out of the question. Fortunately, there are ways you can recreate the look of a brick wall without actually using real bricks.
In her video, Amy Lynn shares how you can create a faux brick wall for your kitchen using just a few supplies, including brick panels from The Home Depot, white paint or primer, and spackle. She also recommends visiting Sherwin Williams to use their color matching technology for a paint color to match the brick color. This will help cover up the seams for a more realistic finished product.
Create an L-shaped kitchen island
Another important feature in The Brady family's kitchen was the large L-shaped island. Adding an L-shaped island to your kitchen can do more than just help you pay tribute to the look of the kitchen from The Brady Bunch. Rubenstein Supply Company explains that there are many benefits associated with L-shaped kitchen islands.
Some of these benefits relate to their larger size. Not only do they offer a large workspace for preparing food or even seating, but they also offer a good deal of storage space for kitchen essentials. An L-shaped island is also visually intriguing, allowing you to make more of a statement than a traditional rectangular island.
However, before you rush to install a new L-shaped island, there are a few downsides to consider. The larger footprint of an L-shaped island can impede with the overall design and flow of a kitchen. Depending on the layout, they may make some tasks, like meal prep, less efficient with everything so spread out.
Add faux stone walls
You'll find stone walls in several rooms of the Brady Bunch house. Rather than trying to recreate this look by tearing down your walls and putting in real stones, you can mimic the look using faux stone panels. Sawdust 2 Stitches explains how even beginners can achieve this look in their home with just a few materials and a little bit of time and effort.
The first — and trickiest step, according to Sawdust 2 Stitches — is to get the first row of tiles up. You need to spend a little time to make sure that you start with a straight edge at the base of one of the panels. They suggest using a permanent marker to draw your straight line and a utility knife to make the cut. After the first row is in, the rest are much easier to apply because the panels are designed to fit together, much like the pieces of a puzzle.
Putting the faux stone panels up on the wall isn't too difficult either. Sawdust 2 Stitches recommends working with caulk and a few staples. Then, it is just a matter of applying a little spackle to look like grout between the "stones."
Create a faux conversation pit living room
The Brady Bunch living room featured a welcoming space where the family could gather to talk, watch TV, or just relax. The Strategist shares that a true conversation pit common of the 1970s consisted of a built-in sunken sofa offering a space to enjoy the company of those around you. While you can't completely copy this design, unless your home already has a sunken living room, there are ways to create a similar feel.
There are plenty of DIY styling tips to give the illusion of a conversation pit in your living space. Place a large area rug to establish the space and serve as a focal point for the eyes. Around this area rug, place furniture pieces around all four sides of the room. Rather than worrying about grounding your couches or chairs against the wall, don't be afraid to leave some of them out in the middle of the room, facing the seats on the other side of the rug. Another tip is to be sure to include some coffee tables or end tables in your layout. This will provide a spot to hold drinks or plates, ensuring individuals are able to stay comfortable and content as they enjoy one another.
Add Mondrian inspired glass
If you've ever watched an episode of the Brady Bunch, you've surely seen the colorful blocks over the staircase. However, as The Brady Bunch Blog explains, what you may not realize is that these colorful blocks are actually Mondrian-inspired glass. If you pay attention to the look of the glass blocks at different points in the show, you'll notice that their level of brightness changes. The changing brightness indicates the relative time of day and the amount of sunlight that was hitting the glass.
Try this Mondrian Stained Glass adhesive window film to bring this architectural element of the Brady Bunch house to your home. The adhesive film allows light to filter into the space, while also adding a layer of privacy. Add the film to a window or glass door to bring some colorful cheer to your home with the red, blue, yellow, teal, and clear squares and rectangles.