Reader Tiki Lisa did major retro reconnaissance in her neighborhood — and photographed these 57 midcentury exteriors. She’s sharing via this slide show linked to her flickr photostream. Great exterior details here — wood trim, shutters, brick work, roof slopes, paint colors, window boxes, and more. And,  I’m particularly in love with all the Cinderella ranch homes, also known as Storybook ranch homes. You live in a retro-wonderland, TL! Many thanks!

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My name is Carrie, I was not born (actually 1976) during the times you mainly discuss on your blog; however I have been very fond to all things vintage instead of new. I have been an addicted reader of your blog for more than three months now. It is nice to know there are so many others out there who are just it in awe of the 40s 50s and 60s especially mid century modern. I am very much inspired by all the things you have written about, and everyone else who contributes as well. Especially real estate time capsules.  I have just purchased a house where I live and it is a time capsule.  The house was build in 1964 and has only had one owner….

Carrie’s 1964 Storybook Ranch — aka “Cinderella Ranch” or rambler — is a real time capsule purchased from the original owner who never changed a thing – and Carrie pledges not to, either! Speckled laminate…knotty pine kitchen…original pinch pleats… Sears lights… just look at those awnings!  This house is terrific! 14 photos.

Carrie writes some more:

…I have also come to find out that my kitchen counter is formica and it is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! I am not changing a thing in the house everything will stay as it is. The only thing that I had to take out was the accordion shower door because it wouldn’t close and the plastic pieces just broke into pieces when I was trying to remove it carefully.  I will find a nice shower curtain to compliment the room and all its details.  The wood paneling, wallpaper murals, knotty pine cabinets are all staying and pretty much everything else.  I do however would like to get a new stove and refrigerator.  I have already found them – they will come in the fu+ture cause they are pretty expensive.

I live in a small town in the Central Valley of California “Los Banos”……it is about 2 hours south of Sacramento but only an hour north west of Fresno.  It is centrally located to everything, only an hour and half to Monterey or to Santa Cruz.  Also you can get to Yosemite National Park in 2 hours, its GREAT.

Here is a link to more photos — http://www.flickr.com/photos/31338833@N03/

Keep up the good work, Carrie.

Thank you, Carrie — you are an inspiration! Your house is happy it found you!

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On Sunday I took another walking tour of a little 50s neighborhood in Pittsfield, Mass. – which is right next door to my quieter village of Lenox. Pittsfield was going gangbusters in the 50s, mostly due to a big General Electric manufacturing facility that employed some 15,000. In addition, there was still lots of manufacturing all around, feeding the GE business but also paper mills. All are now mostly gone – but the 50s neighborhoods — mostly Capes, colonial and some very simply boxy ranches – remain.

So I’m walking all around snapping pictures of shutters and doors and awnings and lampposts of all designs and colors – when around a bend I spot this amazing storybook ranch. If you look closely, it’s really just a small boxy ranch, but the owners added the trim and voila – this one is ready for Hansel and Gretel. I love it!

I’ve created a special flickr group for Storybook Ranch Houses. There are just two photos — and one member — me — so far. So, if you spot any of these picturesque ranch homes in your hood – grab a pic – start a flickr account (it is way easy) and upload your photo to the Storybook Ranch Houses Group here. I feel a new obsession coming on – help me feed it!

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Click all photos to enlarge.

Note all the details – the mix of horizontal and vertical siding, the bracketed eaves, the decorative roof supports and the jutting roof line, the coach light, the shutters, the roof shingles and window ledges and different mullions on each window…and is that brick under the bay window? This design is all in the details! The living room is a 50s classic, too.

This just might be the most awesome 50s house of all time.

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