Julia Baum captures the “vibrant display of personality” in cookie-cutter tract houses — 50 years later

julia-baum-houses

Take a neighborhood full of cookie-cutter tract houses …  let their owners fuss with them … and 50 years later photographer Julia Baum finds that they have been “transformed from modest white cubes into a vibrant display of personality and present a rebellion against conformity….human individuality cannot be contained. Inevitably it shines through even the most average facade.” I love her study, which demonstrates again that their is so much to love about our jewel box mid-century homes. No matter how small, the opportunity is there to make them our own.  Read more about Julia’s project and see her slide show of 13 same-yet-different homes here.

  • Comments

    1. Carol says:

      If I am not mistaken, many of these homes have been on various HGTV programs; Design to Sell, etc…………

    2. Ann says:

      reminds me of the homes on EDWARD SCISSORHANDS… love it!

    3. Gretchen S says:

      Viva la différence! And boo to most CC&R’s. I can’t imagine someone else dictating what color my front door could be.

    4. Retro Junkie says:

      A few have very nice landscaping that makes them look quite upscale. But a couple look a though the bushes, and ivy have taken on a life of their own. But that is what makes them stand out to be unique! Who wants a home that looks just like 25 of your closest neighbors?

    5. JAVA says:

      i LOVED that gallery! Wow, Julia’s project kind of reminds me of the way I document these 50s/60s homes. she is awesome!

    6. I’ve long said that no home is complete without a statue of a Roman centurion in the garden.

    7. Frank says:

      Gotta love the Trojan on the astroturf. Fight on!

    8. sumac sue says:

      What a really great slide show. Thanks, Julia.

    9. Tikimama says:

      I agree with JAVA – we do the same thing, don’t we?! It’s so much fun to hunt down the time capsules (which I prefer), and fascinating to see what people have done (or let happen) to their homes over the years.

    10. It seems I just ran across this somewhere, but I can’t think where it was.

    11. Joselle says:

      That’s the same model as my 1950 tract house in Sherman Oaks. They are early Trousdale homes! It’s a delight to walk around the ‘hood and see the different takes on a theme. Nice work, Julia!

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