Greg Walsh: Midcentury man

We visited the one-of-a-kind contemporary home of interior designer Greg Walsh, owner of Walsh Design Group, ID-Inside Design and Martin Patrick 3. Walsh talked about paying homage to the modern roots of his 1950s home, how to warm up minimalist interiors and why redwood paneling is still cool.

Q Did you always love modern design?

A I wasn't exposed to it as a kid growing up in Wisconsin in a ranch-style home. My mother collected fussy antiques and my father turned our basement into a 1930s mountain trading lodge. But I've always loved all sorts of design aesthetics. When I bought this house, it made me more attuned to modern design and I wanted to give it personality.

Q Why did you buy the 1950s mod multilevel house in Golden Valley?

A We (Walsh and partner Dana Swindler) didn't want it at first because it looked like it needed way too much work. But we liked it because it was just a very un-Minneapolis home. It had an interesting California, L.A. feel to it. We knew we could build from its good bones and bring it back to its pure and simple aesthetic. Later we discovered it was designed by Curtis Green in 1953, who started HGA Architects here. It was benchmark of what they could do.

Q Describe your home's interior style.

A It's a combination of restoration and renovation. We knocked down some walls to open up some rooms and updated the kitchen. We want to keep the home's modern classic feel but make it function for the way we live today. The vibe is a little bit of glam, but it's still very approachable and hospitable.

A I use lots of texture -- the wool in the upholstered dining room chairs and in hemp rugs and we put in bamboo floors. The home's original redwood paneling really warms it up.

Q Some people might regard redwood paneling as a dated '50s application not worth saving. Why do you like it?

A It really keeps the house rooted in the '50s. The original redwood paneling is the heart and soul of the house.

Q How did you determine your color palette?

A It's gray, ivory, black and redwood tones. The black is pulled from the home's millwork and we painted the walls ivory to provide clarity for the artwork. I used gray in the chairs and rugs. I add punches of color through accessories and artwork. I filled a Gus Modern vessel with red Styrofoam balls.

A I have leather Barcelona chairs, a Mies Van der Rohe daybed, Knoll teak dining table and a 1940s Scandinavian rosewood cabinet. But I also mix in African folk art and a grotesque sculpture from Switzerland. If the room is all one genre, it can feel boring or contrived. This makes it feel more livable.

Q What kind a of mood are you trying to create?

A I'm nostalgic, so it's a nod to the midcentury. But I still want it to feel current and happening.

Q There's striking modern artwork in just about every space. Who are some of your favorite artists?

A I've gone to MCAD [Minneapolis College of Art and Design] student sales for the past 13 years. That's where most of the art is from. They're really talented and always a little forward. I really like to hear the back story on a piece of art.

A They say it's like being on a movie set. Get your cocktail and pose.

Q Tell us about a lucky find.

A I was in a warehouse and spotted the shape of a chrome Brno chair by Mies Van Der Rohe from the 1960s high up on a shelf. It was still wrapped in the original paper. I bought all eight of them and had them upholstered in gray wool.

Q What are some guidelines to decorating with modern furnishings?

A With modern, less is more. Keep it clean and simple. Choose big, bold pieces and make everything count.

A Fill a wall with an oversized piece of art that you love. People will notice it and it speaks to your taste. It also brings in color and texture.

Q Give us the dish on local celebrities' homes you've worked on.

A I did Michele Tafoya's Edina home. It was in Mpls.St.Paul magazine. The rest I had to sign confidentiality agreements.

Q What's some favorite shopping haunts besides your business, ID-Inside Design?

A I like Architectural Antiques and Danish Teak Classics. The skull in my living room is from Historic Studio in St. Louis Park. We also do a bit of eBay.

A There seems to be this gentle modernism movement. In new construction, clients want to introduce modern elements gracefully. They want traditional with a modern sensibility to it. In the Twin Cities market, people are afraid to go too modern because of resale. I tell clients to do what you like -- but just do it well.