In a story posted on retrorenovation.com, Kueber calls 27-year-old Cullen Meyer the "crown prince of kitsch." His apartment illustrates the aesthetic perfectly. As Kueber writes in her manifesto, the style is "unpretentious and exhuberant—the first taste of material comfort for millions. "After World War II, these homes were so desirable that roads were clogged with people going to see the early models for sale," says Kueber. "It was the realization of the American dream. They loved their homes."

When Kueber started blogging about her project, more people described the untouched midcentury modest homes as "hideous" rather than "hip." "I hate the word hideous," notes Kueber. "Millions of people loved and cherished these homes, who are we to say they were wrong?" But a funny thing happened as the years passed—people started to value the charm of the style. "It seems like baby boomers and young people are discovering them," she says. Kueber adds that the boomer generation is drawn by nostalgia and smaller spaces as they downsize, while young people are taking advantage of the still-affordable prices. But the attainable price tag may soon be a thing of the past. "They are becoming more desirable every day," she says. "Especially on the coasts."