Ted and Marzie just closed on their “new” 1948 ranch house. But… do we really call it a ranch house, when the facade also has some delicious Streamline Moderne married to it? And… how should they decorate? Ted wants our ideas — and has sent photos to inspire our input. The invitation is out: time for all of us to put out thinking caps on and play decorator-designer!
Ted writes:
Hi, I have a problem I’m hoping you and your readers can help me with. I just purchased a house because it spoke to me, only I can’t quite figure out what it is saying yet. It’s giving me mixed messages. The house is a 1948 ranch with the typical long, low horizontal lines of a wide, single story house with a hip roof and big overhangs, combined with the strong vertical lines of a curved glass block and brick Art Deco “Waterfall”, or “Streamline Moderne” entry. So is it a mid-century modern ranch, or is it Art Deco or just plain eclectic?
Some details have been lost over the years, but some remain like the original pink and blue bathroom, and there was a swinging kitchen door found up in the attic with a round port in it reminiscent of a ship (think Streamline). The bathroom addition to the right with its high, small windows is totally wrong, and the rest of the interior is just plain vanilla post war ranch with its plain, narrow trim and 8′ ceilings.
I have some ideas, many actually, but I’m struggling to come up with a cohesive direction to go with for this house as far as design inside and out. Do I use the remaining original bathroom with its worn tile as my inspiration, and match the new kitchen to it, or do I go with a more modern (1950’s/1960’s) feel throughout? Personally, I’m seeing red countertops and light birch cabinets for the kitchen on the inside, and sunny yellow with bright blue doors and grey trim for the exterior. I admit, I’m typically drawn to Arts & Crafts/Revival houses of the 1930’s with their warm, custom crafted details, so I’m a little out of my element.
I’d love to hear what ideas you and your readers have, including directing me to vendors that might fit the bill.
Ted, whatever you call it, I love it — thank you for sharing; congratulations; and hooray that this house has made its way into thoughtful hands. And I love your sense of humor. Yes, readers say they listen to their houses, too, and sometimes it even gets… spooky! Okay, readers, here’s your chance:
- What to call the style of this house?
- How to remodel in a way that suits the original architecture — kitchen, bathrooms, colors for the exterior, and general ideas welcome!
Melinda says
I would start with the build date of 1948 as the focus. The house is definitely eclectic, so there will be plenty of room to play.
Do some research on the styles and trends of that year and see what appeals to you there. The streamline elements will allow you to go back to the 20’s and 30’s and the ranch elements can bring you into the 50’s. I would steer clear of any space age design elements.
Hope you will share your projects with us along the way. It’s a very interesting house.
TG says
Agree with Melinda, great advice! Also Ted, step away from the bathroom and nobody will get hurt. Don’t touch the bathroom. 🙂
Bette Jean says
Yes ditto yes. I h*te when House Hunters has a gorgeouse bath like this and they gut it. I don’t even like pink, but would not touch this beauty. When HGTV rips out blue, green, yellow vintage baths like this I change the channel. Can’t watch the news…Match Game 78 is currently running on Game Show Network.????
Ted Crocker says
Okay, I’m going to confess. The pink bathroom is doomed, but I will replace it with something fitting of the house’s architecture and time. Trust me, this was not an easy decision and it kills me too. I do hate when these old bathrooms are ripped out on TV shows. And you should have seen the nasty letter I wrote to Rocket Mortgage when they posted an ad with a photo of a perfectly preserved art deco bathroom (instead of a run down one) suggesting a loan for a remodel. And if that doesn’t convince you that I love these old bathrooms, you should take a look at the brand new deco bathrooms I built for my 1930’s Tudor Revival house posted in the yellow and pink bathroom sections of this blog. That said, I have decided to orient the living space towards the lovely back yard and this means the pink bathroom has to go. The pink tub and sink will be recycled. If it makes you feel any better, the floor tiles are very worn, the shower was already replaced with cultured marble in the ’90’s and the pink toilet is gone. Here’s the 1930’s era yellow bathroom I designed and built brand new. I’m thinking of doing something like this for the new master bathroom if I can still get the tile (Do you hear that B&W?!)
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Edu2XOmYYJoekwSsnl13WerDlqIiE5O-TELmsTJOH1lIY7A093vSaBbbXjQ7wsdNIn_tnTu8jrmpCisyKZyX_Lp0yH2FjMUaOmXg41Zi4YOc40FN36IS9NIN–RNbLco9zQvEyLg0RNDHjDaqIq0VDlm-TXblq-FI08F78CQL1a0cg2VjIhR2AzvPBPuCdusHf9jN5phjMszEYGgOvrmeQBwFA_cvdp3rUEEocl52gzK2gbxSsMEcfpTIMY0tjUs4obkpO3We-iZIvC48ZO80_14wmRoE8_E-LEMRdvfldPYxLvlFPkpI790t75j2w9jR-xXJZ8au5rlMOcbvOzgSz0C2bj0hrSNznmmoMNElkS9JLnvCDHmFskXQRAfsEllsAwlc0rOiocVSWsgvBa1zNzzL_dxeYz6NEMjbbjRMBxO_lxfPMYHbrfdwkB4WVcuqEhayp9qLdWMEdXxrTx3m9Aq_lZiB7-eazOS5NcC0rkh5wGxHPBUwyx3TG6PvIeaD2XOCqTUm4UumGKaMWcUTBnHulJgV70cqXal7tU8bslmJaBIhQOHc-2Aq71OZLG_57IXbJZJieo1JK38ecNx8FdRjLtFpk02DcoyD3mG33DBF8WfYCubFv3B=w711-h947-no
Carol says
You’ve already got this Ted! Don’t forget to try and salvage the wall tile. You probably won’t even need to clean them. Someone will just be grateful for them.
ChrisH says
1. Go slow. The house doesn’t have to be “done” by any particular deadline. Live in it a while and see what you really need/want before comitting yourself and your money. Red counters? I don’t know. Boomerang counters? I don’t know. Tear out the cabinets? Just replace the cabinet doors? Go with a knotty pine look? I don’t know, I’d just live with it for a while and let ideas germinate.
2. Outside you have a lot of scraping/priming/painting to do on the fascia and soffits. I would consider doing the fascia in a different color (I’d do the soffits same color as the walls, and I’d leave the brick alone) The fascia color, probably darker than the walls, could empasize the long low look of the house in a way that white can’t.
Pam Kueber says
Re painting (and all materials issues) remember, everyone: Renovate Safe https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe
ChrisH says
Good reminder Pam. 1948 almost guarantees lead paint. Be careful removing it.
Ted Crocker says
ChrisH, Thank you for talking about the soffit and facia colors. I’ve been struggling with them a bit. Leaning towards a darker grey for the fascias, and body color for the soffits. The brick will remain natural.
Margaret says
First piece of advice is always to live with it for a while, get to know it — where the natural light is at different points of the day. What works, what drive you nuts.
Your house is a GEM — an unusual style in any part of the US.
I’d try to find some old owners, some old photos to give you some inspiration. Not literal recreation, just inspiration. Steel cabinets may well have been the originals for the kitchen. Something unfussy and white might make sense for the new cabinets.
Please share pics as you go!
Lynne says
Does anyone else read ‘Art Deco’? I sure do. The glass block, the front door hardware. Ted, that’s the direction I would take, hands down. Start researching and pick out the aspects you love and leave out the parts you don’t. Get to the library and look for books, maybe old magazines, and certainly old movies. Not for the movie actually, but scan the sets and decorating for inspiration. Then run with it, it will be absolutely fabulous.
Carolyn says
Research cookbooks and kitchen advertisements from the 1930-’40’s for clues and cues for the kitchen. Look at the bathrooms Pam has featured on this site for details, details, details that probably were carried out in other areas of the houses at that time.
I’m wondering if the original owners always wanted the luxe look but couldn’t afford it when it was fashionable, and then when they had the cash, used the Moderne touches here and there.
And what’s the car?! I’m not the only one that’s alluded to it.
Ted Crocker says
Cookbooks of the time…I never thought of that. Good idea. The car is my 13K original mile (yes, you read that right), little old lady from Pasadena (literally) 1965 Chevy Nova Super Sport in its original Evening Orchid (lavender) paint. When I saw the house come up for sale, I just had to drive it there for the open house. That’s when I took the photo.
Lynne says
The very first thing I would do is repaint that red front door. SO wrong for the style of house. Then, move on to the rest. I couldn’t keep driving up and look at that beautiful door covered in red paint!
Ted Crocker says
Turquoise is already in the works.
Dan says
Please stop worrying about how to label your new home. It is its own deliciously quirky thing. And also stop worrying about whether this should coordinate with that, blah blah. Make sure all the important stuff is good – roof and windows tight, utilities in order, basement waterproof – and just live in your home for a few months before you do anything major, in the mean time checking as many shelter magazines and websites as possible for ideas. You’ll be surprised at how the house will start “speaking” to you, telling you what does and does not need to be changed.
I think I’d work on the exterior first. Your house deserves some pops of color – I see a turquoise door in your future – and your front yard look just the place for a succulent garden.
Your home is so wonderfully unusual that it might be fun to try to track down who designed and built it. It certainly doesn’t look like any tract home I’ve ever seen.
And I love your car! 62 or so Nova?
Ted Crocker says
Close… ’65 Nova SS in original Evening Orchid paint. We agree with your color choice for the door. We’ve decided to go with a yellow body and turquoise doors. I’m digging around to see if I can figure out how this house came to be on a street full of bungalows. You just know there is a story there. Hip roofed streamline houses were popular in Australia at the time. Could there be a connection?? All I’ve found out so far is a doctor built it, but I’m continuing to ask and look around.
Amy says
Not sure of the style, but we have the exact same door bell (bottom one) on our 1920-22 center hall colonial. You pull up on it like a door knocker to ring it. Confuses everyone.
Ted Crocker says
No way! How cool. I hope I can get mine working again. I’d never seen one like this before. This is good information to know the age of yours. That means they were likely available over an extended period of time. Where is your house located? I’m in the SF Bay Area.
Carolyn says
The Moderne is what sets this house apart from the average ranch. My summer of HGTV will be informing me of changes I would make. Yank the bushes – they serve no purpose where they are and were a not well-thought-out choice because they are too close to the foundation, will grow too high, and would require too much upkeep to keep them tamed. Research something that is low and slow-growing and plant out at least 3 ft from the house.
Please DON’T paint the brick. Please, just don’t.
The entry – is that wall to the right with the socket load-bearing? If not, and the budget allows, you might consider removing it. If it serves a purpose, then leave it and put a mirror and console table to drop your in and outs (mail/paper comes in, library books go out).
Contact the high school/tech college to make cupboards/cabinets to replace your kitchen and inspired by the fashion from 10 years earlier or later. These current cabinets re-purpose in the basement/garage or donate/sell. You won’t be able to find stock cabinets that fit your boxes of cereal. And you’ll be giving students real-life skills.
You lucky duck! with the brick grill – live with it until it tells what else to do out there.
I’m surprised the realtor didn’t encourage the former owner to gut the bathroom – lucky you. Not knowing how far apart from the K, go with your idea of red laminate counters if they’re not too close to each other, else you may have to re-think the red.
Are those steel cabinets? Look in the industrial/institutional sections to find additional units. My mom looked in the Monkey Ward catalog for our K to coordinate with the steel pantry/broom closet ones we had from WWII or earlier.
Wait for Christmas – where will the tree go? What kinds of other decorations do you already have?
Go with eclectic – for the most part few people will recognize the different eras to call you on your choices except that whatever you get is “old”. When people put the current oversized furniture in, they then complain the house is too small. Sorta like parking a ’61 Caddie in the garage and complain the fins stick out when it’s sized for your Nova(?).
I look forward to seeing this next year to see what you do! And reading the other ideas.
Ted Crocker says
The unpainted brick is safe with me. I really like natural brick and get upset when it is painted in the fixer shows after 100 years of being left alone… just because. The house color will be yellow with torquoise blue doors, both of which work well with the brick, I think. I’ll probably add some kind of narrow banding along the front elevation at the level of the front landing to tie it all in and also add to the horizontal look. I especially like your idea of parking a ’61 Caddy in the garage (my favorite year). Lol. At 23′ deep, it will fit. Marzie and I can’t wait to be able to focus on the landscaping. It definitely needs more of a low, linear look to it than what it has.
Paige says
Ted’s house is fabulous! I’d say modern streamline. I kind of wish the RR site had a side gig where people could do just as Ted is requesting-general decorating help and/or suggestions. I know I’ve been struggling with a couple spots in my house.
Bette Jean says
Your house is clearly saying, “Sell me to Bette Jean!” It seems very electic so I’d mix it up a little. When in doubt, funkify! Have fun.
Ted Crocker says
You’re funny!