tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38177592643727765262024-03-05T12:03:21.510-05:00MidModMich - mid-century living in MichiganAletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-14599444017998668632019-07-29T11:30:00.000-04:002019-07-29T11:30:06.814-04:00In the News | Atomic Ranch Magazine, Fall 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_SXiCbV95NbifY6qB1I4jczb852hBURt6vjpFz3-NCgJPUEJ3FXca7c-bNJKE-7n8yayJnQZXtflH8U6cNadjbiViKanqV0G0YxStPkJwjoTnvFmhT5R89SFJepIVaqNwsWanYh7DSQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-07-29+at+11.23.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_SXiCbV95NbifY6qB1I4jczb852hBURt6vjpFz3-NCgJPUEJ3FXca7c-bNJKE-7n8yayJnQZXtflH8U6cNadjbiViKanqV0G0YxStPkJwjoTnvFmhT5R89SFJepIVaqNwsWanYh7DSQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-07-29+at+11.23.59+AM.png" /></a></div>
Seeing our home in <a href="https://www.atomic-ranch.com/" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch</a> magazine, is always a favorite! When the editors reached out to share our kitchen in their inspirational kitchen issue, of course I couldn't wait for it to arrive in my mailbox. If you've been following along with our home on Instagram, you know it's changed bit since these images were taken, but I still LOVE how it looks here!<br />
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<br />Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-23367315293075983052018-02-15T12:52:00.001-05:002018-02-15T12:52:29.427-05:00Various Midcentury Modern Rooflines Many people ask me what the difference between <i>midcentury modern</i> and <i>midcentury modest </i>homes are, and when it comes down to it, it's the roofline. While I've seen some of the most modest ranches homes full of modern details, I'd still classify that home as a modest ranch with modern details inside.<br />
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What are these rooflines? I've personally documented many of them and try to share them as discovered in real life on <a href="https://instagram.com/midmodmich/" target="_blank">the MidModMich Instagram feed</a>. While there are a plethora of examples in large midcentury modern communities such as Palm Springs, these rooflines also exist right here in West Michigan - many even here in Grand Haven.<br />
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The butterfly roofline is my personal favorite, but the folded plate comes in as a <i>very</i> close second. Our own home has a very common <i>shed</i> roofline, but still stands out on our street of traditional midcentury ranches. The timeless flat roofline is what many people associate with midcentury modern homes, but there are many more. My husband's favorite is the hyperbolic paraboloid, which is a rare breed, but do exist - we even have a couple of local examples on the shores of Lake Michigan.<br />
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Here are some examples of rooflines for you to see the differences...<br />
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<b>Butterfly, </b>this is a local Grand Haven example I snapped from my car a few winters ago.<br />
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<b>Folded Plate, </b>a classic Donald Wexler-designed home in Palm Springs, this is one of the seven steel homes.<br />
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<b>Shed, </b>This is our home here in Grand Haven, Michigan.<br />
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<b>Flat, </b>this is the Stahl House in Los Angeles<br />
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<b>Flat, </b>This is the Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF4zv0C_c8o3ii9qVOJtqxbL3A2hW1el7nZgp7_J6eTW1ZItq_BTuJyghWUXY_YvshrO6x9EE7J85hP3YT_j9afq1YJzA03orevVsLTS76QWKZHdFRFxFId32v4FQFQSDc5E4VJTeHJw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+12.02.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="595" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF4zv0C_c8o3ii9qVOJtqxbL3A2hW1el7nZgp7_J6eTW1ZItq_BTuJyghWUXY_YvshrO6x9EE7J85hP3YT_j9afq1YJzA03orevVsLTS76QWKZHdFRFxFId32v4FQFQSDc5E4VJTeHJw/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+12.02.09+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Hyperbolic Paraboloid, </b>another local Grand Haven home, this one sits on Lake Michigan<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2Cffs5WdYbv5e_YJ5QP7q-N3TVUaP_n__8j-L29WhzsVVbQcEvIUmnfnazIcbOTzWn1IUsEXoBWAgkURmmZ_H0v4YAE1h9VqDg7_VdRtEP_KYoDcs09MIVxcxjER4RPDOIfAiOqoh1E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+11.50.43+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="594" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2Cffs5WdYbv5e_YJ5QP7q-N3TVUaP_n__8j-L29WhzsVVbQcEvIUmnfnazIcbOTzWn1IUsEXoBWAgkURmmZ_H0v4YAE1h9VqDg7_VdRtEP_KYoDcs09MIVxcxjER4RPDOIfAiOqoh1E/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+11.50.43+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Wide Gable, asymmetrical, </b>I snapped this sidewalk photo in East Grand Rapids, Michigan.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Wide Double Gable, </b>Another local favorite here in Grand Haven, Michigan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkE0Njo4dE0uo8Bk6zd2a0UUzrxlUsRqT9SGwuBrIXB8_7L7AnNDQ9EEjZcb2Kktr2VKm3C5m_htOQIjf4-6kHb6tzfMnwoN2D6v_RLMw6aELkR096i7MC5HXkew2N5POTE4DsQUkDOM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+12.01.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="595" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkE0Njo4dE0uo8Bk6zd2a0UUzrxlUsRqT9SGwuBrIXB8_7L7AnNDQ9EEjZcb2Kktr2VKm3C5m_htOQIjf4-6kHb6tzfMnwoN2D6v_RLMw6aELkR096i7MC5HXkew2N5POTE4DsQUkDOM/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+12.01.15+PM.png" width="638" /></a></div>
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<b>Swiss Miss</b>, A classic Palm Springs home snapped by my sister a few years ago.<br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Flat Rounded, </b>this one is an unusual home designed by the same architect as our home, Latvian-born Krisjanis Grants. It is in Spring Lake, Michigan, and was built by the brother of the man who built our home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SfUjw38W0xaPQ90eRHfaDpm_cQMVQsgX5j0dl3BSl-1yYgAShvRGBVXxgAICUYzN8C47NHbeRxYq_WSlxQfLbP9-MkFuVfeH_QpyBqVvlHvo2iiHAzz3Y7fTie4o5ajZmfhL1rr9GRg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+11.50.33+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="596" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SfUjw38W0xaPQ90eRHfaDpm_cQMVQsgX5j0dl3BSl-1yYgAShvRGBVXxgAICUYzN8C47NHbeRxYq_WSlxQfLbP9-MkFuVfeH_QpyBqVvlHvo2iiHAzz3Y7fTie4o5ajZmfhL1rr9GRg/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-02-15+at+11.50.33+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>A Frame, </b>mostly seen as getaway/lake homes. We were going to buy this little cutie in 2016, but inspections were a complete nightmare and we had to walk away. This is located in Ludington, Michigan.<br />
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<b><br /></b>Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-80922826324298802712017-02-07T19:44:00.000-05:002017-02-07T19:44:04.083-05:00In The News || Atomic Ranch Winter 2016/2017<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-07%20at%207.18.09%20PM_zpsewhousm8.png" height="640" width="491" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-07%20at%207.17.37%20PM_zpslgv34z5m.png" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-07%20at%207.17.47%20PM_zpsesgq8rwi.png" width="810" /></div>
A huge thank you to Sarah Jane Stone, the editor at <a href="https://www.atomic-ranch.com/" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch magazine</a>, for reaching out to me about our Malm Fireplace and including it in this article. You can see more about our <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2014/11/our-vintage-malm-imperial-carousel.html" target="_blank">Malm fireplace right here on the blog</a>. Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-34314548936852091272016-07-11T23:40:00.000-04:002017-02-07T19:37:13.518-05:00In The News | Atomic Ranch The Renovation Guide<div style="text-align: left;">
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" />Last year, Elise Portale from <a href="https://www.atomic-ranch.com/" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch</a> reached out to me about our exterior refresh. While our home was in the <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2015/05/in-news-atomic-ranch-magazine-summer.html" target="_blank">Summer 2015 edition</a>, she specifically was looking for quick tips on how to do a <i>Saturday Spruce Up</i> and I happily helped with some ideas.</div>
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Thankfully, we didn't need to make any HUGE changes to the exterior of our home, but we did shine things up a bit. It's amazing what some house numbers, porch light, full planters, and a graphic welcome mat will do to a place! Of course, the new front door doesn't hurt, but sadly Crestview Doors is no longer in business. </div>
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Atomic%20Ranch%20Reno%20Guide%202016%20Cover_zpskz8gvajn.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-12%20at%2010.47.54%20AM_zpsofdvlyha.png" width="810" /></div>
Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-5532690631894902452016-07-11T17:12:00.000-04:002016-07-11T23:24:18.345-04:00In The News | Midwest Living magazine<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" /><br />
Last summer, Tara Okerstrom-Bauer from <a href="http://www.midwestliving.com/" target="_blank">Midwest Living magazine</a> reached out via email about our house project we completed in 2012/2013. I would be lying if I said I said it wasn't a big deal to me - this was huge!<br />
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She had discovered this blog with our before/during/after images of our house and wanted to share it with their readers. Of course, I was on board with the idea from the get-go, and couldn't wait for them to join me at home in September to capture our house.<br />
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Their team arrived at 8am, and didn't depart until after 8pm - it was at least 12 hours of photo shooting fun, and it was an honor to be a part of their May/June 2016 issue. It was crazy fun for me to watch them produce this article. Each photo (and they took MANY more, which I don't have, sadly...) took at least an hour for them to set up, shoot, edit the items in the shot, and adjust. It was wild to see what goes into each shot of a magazine.<br />
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A <b>HUGE</b> thank you to Tara (producer) & Greg (photographer), plus to John for writing the copy. I <b>LOVED</b> being a part of your magazine.<br />
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<i>Fun side story</i> - since the story has been out, I've received two calls from Midwest Living subscribers. One reader shares my first name (Aletha) and wanted to tell me how fun it was to see in print. And another was looking for where we purchased our bar stools from (<a href="https://modernica.net/" target="_blank">Modernica</a>) because she thought her son would really like them at his house. I loved making both of those brief connections!<br />
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If you can't get your hands on a copy, <a href="http://www.midwestliving.com/homes/featured-homes/midcentury-modern-frame-of-mind/" target="_blank">here's the link to the online version of the article</a>.<br />
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Midwest%20Living%20May%20June%202016%20_zpsao2qsyqh.jpg" width="810" />
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Midwest%20Living%20May%20June%202016_zpsuxqn0j0o.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Midwest%20Living%20May%20June%202016%2002_zpsek3pjypz.jpg" width="810" /><br />
<br />Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-70409682830915127432015-10-22T14:03:00.000-04:002015-10-26T14:08:22.401-04:00Visiting The Stahl House<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20001_zps5w2lmaky.jpg" width="810" />A couple of weeks ago I was in Palm Springs for <a href="http://www.modernismweek.com/" target="_blank">Modernism Week's <i>preview weekend</i></a>. Both of my sisters joined me for the semi-work/semi-vacation trip and we scheduled a visit to the much-adored, <a href="http://www.stahlhouse.com/" target="_blank">Stahl House</a> in Los Angeles.<br />
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Victoria and I had the opportunity to visit <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_Study_Houses" target="_blank">Case Study House</a> #8, <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/eames-house-history/" target="_blank">The Eames House</a>, in June of 2014, so we made it a priority to get up to Los Angeles while we were on the west coast to see Case Study House #22.<br />
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We arrived ahead of schedule and grabbed some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochi" target="_blank">mochi</a> at Trader Joe's before heading up the hill to park inside their carport. It gave me a bit of time to admire the unique breeze block pattern with teak wood used between blocks instead of mortar. We had a few others join us on the tour - I think there were 15 people in total, but the group of eight was running late, and left before our hour-long time frame was up.<br />
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Our docent, Scott, was on hand to give us some history on the house & family, and also tell us what the plans are to continue restoring the property, which the Stahl Family still owns today. It was close to 100* that day, and this pregnant lady wanted to "<i>accidentally</i>" fall into the pool to cool myself off!<br />
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Just a note - no "real" cameras are allowed on the property (<i>unless you're a professional who has set up an approved photo shoot</i>), so these are all iPhone photos .<br />
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When the door from the carport opens, and you walk thru the breeze block entryway, it's literally jaw-dropping; I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was from up there! You walk right into the pool area, and the house is an "L" shape which all opens up to the pool. When we arrived it was full sun, but as you can tell from the photos below, it gets darker as we are there. I asked Scott if he could turn the giant globe lights on, which was no problem.<br />
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If you're ever in the area, or possibly live in the area and have NOT be there, go. <i>No excuses</i>. It's $35, which goes to funding future restorations on the property. <a href="http://www.stahlhouse.com/index.php?option=com_jevents&view=month&layout=calendar&Itemid=205" target="_blank">More info on the Stahl House website here</a>.<br />
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Now, here are my photos I snapped to capture the home, the pool, and the views from the Hollywood Hills!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20002_zpsrx3vi2q9.jpg" width="810" />The breeze blocks were such a great feature on either side of the entry door from the carport.<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20003_zpsnjr5yk6j.jpg" width="810" />The amount of glass sliders used was quite unbelievable! <img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20004_zps4q1aablz.jpg" width="810" />I personally loved the plywood kitchen & peanut brittle fireplace - two features most people would "update" in a home today. <img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20005_zpsr4bxnv3j.jpg" width="810" />The views of downtown L.A. are insane.<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20006_zps0nvue1u9.jpg" width="810" />A better view of the kitchen & dining area.<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20010_zpshildpq1m.jpg" width="810" />The famous corner of the home - probably the most photographed<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20007_zpsypejaxni.jpg" width="810" />My sister, Victoria, 'gramming a sweet photo, I'm sure. Then I asked her to look natural, and then I asked her to laugh - love this serious of her.<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20008_zpsyufdfm5i.jpg" width="810" />A panoramic view of the house. <img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Stahl%20House/Stahl%20House%20009_zpssrfqemze.jpg" width="810" />Just stunning with those globes on! It was SUCH a fun time.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-72143187504591452232015-10-15T16:41:00.000-04:002016-07-11T11:18:44.981-04:00In The News | Lovable Livable Home<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" />Just shy of two years ago, in January of 2014, I sent an email to Sherry & John of the now defunct blog, <i><a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/" target="_blank">Young House Love</a></i>. They used to do a series called <i><a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/category/house-crashing/" target="_blank">House Crashing</a></i>, and I thought our renovation would be fun to share to their huge reach of home lovers.<br />
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I didn’t hear anything, but didn’t think twice about the crickets. I assume they used to get numerous submissions a day, and heck, our house wasn’t your typical home renovation. We didn’t have a gleaming white kitchen, or any crafty projects to share. Heck, I swore off IKEA furniture for vintage finds when we left the old house.<br />
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Five months went by quickly while living and enjoy our new home, and in June of 2014, I received an enthusiastic email from Sherry asking if we’d be interested in sharing images of our home in their next book.<br />
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<i><b>BOOK? Um…of course! Who would say no to that?!</b></i><br />
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The images were slotted to run in <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2015/05/in-news-atomic-ranch-magazine-summer.html" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch magazine summer 2015</a>, but Sherry didn’t mind, as they would be highlighting the rooms & their functions instead of the entire house and our personal renovation story.<br />
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I ran the request by Kristen of <a href="http://www.kholly.com/" target="_blank">K. Holly Photography</a>, who captured all the images of our home throughout the process, and she was 100% on board with this project. It was a done deal.<br />
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Almost a year and a half after the initial email, their book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lovable-Livable-Home-Beauty-Organized/dp/1579656226/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443742706&sr=8-1&keywords=livable+lovable+home" target="_blank">Lovable Livable Home</a></i>, hit shelves September 22nd. Eames & I ran to the bookstore to pick up our copy that morning, and I still cannot believe our home is in the mix of all the other gorgeous family homes they share – it’s so darn fun to see!<br />
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They shared our living room (<i>page 36</i>), kitchen (<i>pages 104-105</i>), entryway & Greg’s custom railing(!!) (<i>pages</i> <i>248-249</i>), and Eames’ bedroom (<i>pages 312-313</i>). And both Eames and I made a small appearance - there’s an action shot of me in the kitchen, and Eames is looking through a book in the photo of his bedroom toy area.<br />
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Of course, the house has evolved since <a href="http://www.kholly.com/" target="_blank">Kristen</a> took those photos in December of 2013 and fresh photos are on their way for another project we just took part in a couple of weeks ago, which I cannot wait to share here next summer!<br />
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And in case you didn't pick up your copy yet, here's what it looks like...<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Lovable%20Livable%20Home%20Book%20Cover_zpsbe10nkjv.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Lovable%20Livable%20Home%2001_zpsynglktwj.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Lovable%20Livable%20Home%2002_zpsfmzuwa0a.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Lovable%20Livable%20Home%2003_zpssozgbsnx.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Lovable%20Livable%20Home%2004_zpskhgrbuvk.jpg" width="810" />Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-47076911147312469522015-05-26T15:39:00.002-04:002015-10-01T19:28:01.030-04:00In The News | Atomic Ranch Magazine, Summer 2015<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" />I've been waiting over a year for our home to be in <a href="https://www.atomic-ranch.com/" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch</a>, and if I'm being honest, I've really been waiting for years, probably since I laid eyes on my first copy. I honestly cannot believe our home is featured this quarter.<br />
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From the very beginning of our house project, my friend Kristen of <a href="http://www.kholly.com/" target="_blank">K. Holly</a> (<i>now located in the San Francisco Bay area</i>) was on board with documenting our restoration. Actually, it was all her idea, which sounded fun to me, but I obviously had no idea how long it would take. Kristen was patient with the entire process, and what she captured for us is lovely. I am especially fond of the <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2013/04/DuringTour.html" target="_blank">DURING</a> images because there are a few of Eames, just over two years old in the photos. I cannot believe how long ago that seems to me these days!<br />
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Kristen came out the day after we closed on the house in November 2012 to capture the <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2013/01/BeforeTour.html" target="_blank">BEFORE images</a>. About six months later, she showed up to take the <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2013/04/DuringTour.html" target="_blank">DURING images</a>. And then in December, over a year after we started, she was in town to capture the official <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/p/the-after-tour.html" target="_blank">AFTER images</a>, but then came back when the grass greened up to grab some <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2014/07/updated-exterior-june-2014.html" target="_blank">EXTERIOR</a> shots of the house. And then was back one final time last August to grab some images of us inside our home for a very exciting book feature that I can share more about in the fall!!! Eeeeek!<br />
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Last summer, I saw a call for house submissions on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Atomic-Ranch-Magazine/207716399251685?fref=ts" target="_blank">Atomic Ranch Facebook page</a>. I reached out with a bit about our home & the word we did, plus a few images that <a href="http://www.kholly.com/" target="_blank">Kristen</a> had captured for us. Within a few days, I had heard from editor Michelle that our home was being considered for an issue in 2015. I was comfortable writing the copy, and Kristen was happy to have her hard work published as well. It was really a win-win for both of us.<br />
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Without further ado, here is the article about our home...
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/Atomic%20Ranch%20Summer%202015%20Cover%20Article_zps2yww7qz2.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-1.21pp_w815_h543_zpsr8qgri6r.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-21pp_w815_h543_zpszpdturdg.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-31pp_w815_h543_zpstff53nzc.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-41pp_w815_h543_zpsu7yfjto1.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-51pp_w815_h543_zpsp7xbpey1.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/AtomicRanchMagazine-61pp_w815_h543_zpsmfei0yyg.jpg" width="810" />
Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-74953272240956283462015-04-15T14:47:00.002-04:002015-05-20T14:08:48.909-04:00In The News | Dwell Special Issue<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/True%20Home%20Restorations%20in%20Dwell_zps4nhqr4dv.jpg" width="810" />
Holy MOLY - I am so excited for this photo (circled!) to show up in Dwell's Special Issue, which you can scroll thru for free <a href="http://issuu.com/stylehaus9/docs/dwell_2015-04_979c93d401d7c2/1" target="_blank">RIGHT HERE</a>.<br />
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Dwell asked their <a href="http://www.Instagram.com/MidModMich" target="_blank">Instagram</a> followers to tag images of their own homes, and I tagged this photo, which was taken by <a href="http://www.HetlerPhotography.com/" target="_blank">Hetler Photography</a> when we listed our adorable Alger Heights home for sale in 2013.<br />
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It's a photo of our former kitchen, but this home was my first personal design project, and I absolutely LOVED this little midcentury modest kitchen. We kept the original kitchen layout & cabinets, but had them refaced & replaced the hardware to update it. It was such an itty bitty kitchen, that it made sense to keep everything white and bright in there. I added a bit of color with plants, and a spalsh of aqua inside that glass front cabinet.<br />
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Here's the larger image taken by Kellie of <a href="http://www.HetlerPhotography.com/" target="_blank">Hetler Photography</a>.<br />
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I will always love this house, and I know the new homeowners are enjoying it too - they are actually having dinner at our new house in a couple of weeks - I cannot wait to host them!Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-59139822292029515812015-04-07T10:29:00.000-04:002015-04-07T10:29:46.414-04:00I Brake for Breeze Blocks<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/I%20Brake%20for%20Breeze%20Block%20Bumper%20Sticker%20copy_zps5dpiztyl.jpg" width="810" /><br />
Last summer, I spent a <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2014/07/visiting-los-angeles.html" target="_blank">long weekend in Los Angeles</a> with my <a href="https://dribbble.com/typeis4lovers" target="_blank">graphic designer sister, Victoria</a>. We attended <a href="http://www.dwellondesign.com/" target="_blank">Dwell on Design</a>, and toured a few modern homes. We also had the awesome opportunity to see the <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/how-to-visit/" target="_blank">Eames House in Pacific Palisades</a> and meet Eames Demetrios, the grandson of Ray & Charles, which was certainly the highlight of the trip for me. I am very much wishing I could attend this year, but the stars did not align, which is okay - I'll try to make it back in 2016 for sure.<br />
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I was in the process of putting my business plan together for <a href="http://www.truehomerestorations.com/" target="_blank">True Home Restorations</a>, and figuring out what my next career steps would look like after (semi) retiring from my <a href="http://www.PearlsEvents.com/" target="_blank">wedding planning & design business</a> I opened in 2007. I knew I wanted to use breeze blocks in my branding somehow...thankfully, my sister was on board.<br />
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A few months later, I spent another weekend with my sister, this time in her hometown of Chicago. We explored the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_Hill,_Chicago" target="_blank">southside midcentury community of Pill Hill</a>. It was during that trip I came up with a silly saying, "<i>I Brake for Breeze Blocks</i>" that I thought would be dorkishly hilarious on a bumper sticker.<br />
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You can read about our own breeze block project we hope to do at Mid Mod Mich this summer on <a href="http://www.midmodmich.com/2014/10/breeze-block-screen-wall.html" target="_blank">this post from last fall</a>.<br />
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Anyway, I was so excited when Victoria sent me some ideas, and a couple of weeks later, a box of bumper stickers arrived at my doorstep. I posted the photo (upper right hand corner) on <a href="https://instagram.com/aletha_" target="_blank">my personal instagram account</a> and the next week started sending them to friends who requested them. It has been SO fun seeing them pop up on social media - who knew people would love them as much as I did?<br />
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I haven't yet defaced my own car's bumper, but plan to in the near future - a huge step for me, as I'm not a bumper sticker fan in general. I suppose I will make an exception for my own!<br />
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Keep braking for breeze blocks, my midcentury loving friends! And, if you'd like a sticker yourself, please let me know!Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-31471145656789065152015-02-03T10:05:00.001-05:002015-04-15T14:28:23.557-04:00In The News | midcentury mod magazine<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/Press_zpsd2eb9ef4.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/True%20Home%20Restorations/Press/CoverampArticleforonline_zps2e04d037.jpg" width="810" />A few months ago, Victoria at <a href="http://engagedmediamags.com/" target="_blank">Engaged Enthusiast Media</a> contacted me about our kitchen design for a one-time issue magazine, <a href="http://engagedmediamags.com/" target="_blank">midcentury mod</a>. I happily answered a couple of questions about the design of our kitchen, and just last night grabbed a copy at my local Meijer store to see it in person.<br />
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Besides spelling my last named incorrectly (<i>they spelled it VanderMass; it's actually VanderMaas - easy to confuse!</i>), it looks absolutely fabulous. It is SO fun to see <a href="http://www.TrueHomeRestorations.com/" target="_blank"><b>True Home Restorations</b></a> in print - a <b>HUGE THANK YOU </b>goes to <a href="http://www.kholly.com/" target="_blank"><b>Kristen at K. Holly Studios</b></a> for capturing our kitchen for this!<br />
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Go out a grab a copy today - not a single advertisement means there are 130 full pages of midcentury modern goodness to enjoy!Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-46745336783045250802014-11-03T12:45:00.000-05:002014-11-03T12:54:44.918-05:00Our Vintage MALM Imperial Carousel Fireplace<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/MidModMichPatiowithMALM_zpsf6e7bbbc.jpg" width="810" /><br />
There is a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/midcenturymoderndesign/" target="_blank">big mid-century modern community on Facebook</a>, and today someone asked if mid-century modern homeowners would be interested in house-swapping. Of course, that is something that appeals to me greatly, as I'd love to travel and stay in hip houses instead of lame (and expensive!) hotels. Plus, I honestly LOVE sharing our home, and would swap with another MCM homeowner in a heartbeat!<br />
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(<i>ps - if you're reading this as a fellow MCM homeowner and are seriously interested in house swapping, let's chat. I'd love to make this happen in 2015!</i>)<br />
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Moving along....I posted an image of our home on the post, complete with <a href="http://www.malmfireplaces.com/" target="_blank">Malm fireplace</a> we found on Craig's List in July 2013, and a fellow Facebooker (& Michigander!) emailed me to see where I found our fireplace, as she recently sold one, and was wondering if it was one in the same.<br />
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It wasn't, as ours was from a homeowner's basement in the Kalamazoo area, but she sent along the information that Malm still manufacturers these, and they are still available today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgMPYcjwx2pOTfbZDaNH5g1pUzc5RlZFj-okddhaNu2pdQq9eyI05LNQFR9DQIENiicsjqWATP6vZ2-X8ku_ai63znPhmTsGlJacuBU9fwP5NJMV4Q9oXJ9eTXTyfX9ZebDkW6d_9FDcufOn3gCM45qTI3speGD51gW2AzaSKSkWFv0yhVZab2PGkZfGUsySVR5gRa5x2zPVx6lHADnpx7gZP9dqplUVQ=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/MALMWebsiteInfo_zps6be88d97.jpg" width="810" /></a>When I started looking for info on our fireplace, I knew Malm still made these, but I hadn't realized how expensive a brand new one would be. If I'm reading their website correctly, I think we'd be investing $3,800 for something similar to what we have here. Makes our ~$150 find and a little elbow grease seem like we STOLE this thing!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Malm_zps6a20e44b.jpg" width="810" />On the left is what our fireplace looked like when we picked it up - matte black spray paint with a few orange "scratches" that the homeowners had no idea why they would be orange. After a can of paint thinner, it looked like the image on the right. I had this SHINY ORANGE fireplace, and I was so, so excited!<br />
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Apparently, the <a href="http://www.malmfireplaces.com/carosel.html" target="_blank">Carousel Malm Fireplace</a> fireplace is pretty rare. Obviously, I had no idea - we picked this thing up for under $200 and hauled it home one day. And I wasn't even looking for it on Craig's List - I was looking at how much the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/07468/" target="_blank">MALM bedroom series from IKEA</a> was going for, as we were working on selling our furniture from our old house before we moved. It was just by chance I came across this thing in the first place.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/MidModMichwithMALM_zpsc1e252ee.jpg" width="810" />And here are a few more shots. We put it out in front of our house because it's quite lovely to look at, and when we have a fire, it's the best place to sit and chat. I don't hate the idea of putting it in our three-season porch, but we'd have to vent it out the roof, and that sounds like a lot of work.<br />
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We had a fire in it a couple of weeks ago (only the second one we've enjoyed to date) and it just glows. Such a fun little accessory to our house!
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi281.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk217%2FPearlsEvents%2FAletha%2FMidModMich%2FMALMWebsiteInfo_zps6be88d97.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgMPYcjwx2pOTfbZDaNH5g1pUzc5RlZFj-okddhaNu2pdQq9eyI05LNQFR9DQIENiicsjqWATP6vZ2-X8ku_ai63znPhmTsGlJacuBU9fwP5NJMV4Q9oXJ9eTXTyfX9ZebDkW6d_9FDcufOn3gCM45qTI3speGD51gW2AzaSKSkWFv0yhVZab2PGkZfGUsySVR5gRa5x2zPVx6lHADnpx7gZP9dqplUVQ=" -->Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-59441652762825817812014-07-23T11:50:00.000-04:002022-04-27T14:00:25.415-04:00Visiting Los Angeles<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LosAngelesView_zpsecdc38da.jpg" width="810" />In June, my sister and I went to Los Angeles for a long weekend of fun. The main reason for the trip was to attend <a href="http://www.dwellondesign.com/" target="_blank">Dwell on Design</a>, but we also fit in a visit to the <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/eames-house-history/" target="_blank">Eames House</a>, spent a bit of time at our rooftop pool at <a href="http://standardhotels.com/downtown-la" target="_blank">The Standard</a>, and enjoyed plenty of sushi & mojitos along the way. I have never taken a trip with just Victoria, but I must say we had a great time and I'm looking forward to doing so again.<br />
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<img border="0" src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DwellConferenceDavidBromstadTyPennington_zps2811b0be.jpg" width="810" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">We arrived on Thursday after a long day of travel, and checked into our hotel. Friday morning, we walked over to </span><a href="http://www.dwellondesign.com/" target="_blank">Dwell on Design</a> and explored the conference floor. We sat in on a couple different lectures, and I enjoyed everything about this conference.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DwellHomeTour_zps6db4dabe.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="810" /><br />
Saturday we woke up early and headed to the Dwell Home Tours. Because they were all over the city, we only made it to three of the five open homes before ditching the tour and heading to <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/members-appreciation-day/" target="_blank">Member's Appreciation Day</a> at the <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/eames-house-history/" target="_blank">Eames House</a>. I only snapped a couple of photos, and the one above was certainly my favorite master bedroom on the tour. You just can't go wrong with glass walls and a million dollar views.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesHouse001_zpsfe2e2db2.jpg" width="810" /><br />
The highlight of the trip for me was visiting Case Study House #8, aka, the <a href="http://www.eamesfoundation.org/eames-house-history/" target="_blank">Eames House</a>, in Pacific Palisades, just outside of Santa Monica. Actually, you can spot the Santa Monica Pier from the home's large yard overlooking Highway 1. Just spectacular!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesHouse002_zps253fc05e.jpg" width="810" /><br />
As member's of the foundation, we were invited to actually step inside and listen to stories about Ray & Charles from various docents. While no interior photos are allowed, it's hard not to (kinda) see inside with all the glass on the exterior.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesHouse003_zpsa91a8e1e.jpg" width="810" /><br />
We spent a lot of time walking around the home & the meadow. Plus, we got to meet Ray & Charles' grandson, Eames Demetrios, and their granddaughter, Lucia Atwood.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesHouseMeadow_zps00b7f3d5.jpg" width="810" /><br />
Views from the yard, which they call the "meadow" were second to none!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesHouseRombus_zpsbca485b4.jpg" width="810" /><br />
While enjoying the afternoon, we were invited to write a postcard rebus-style, to someone, which was something the Eames family did. Mine was a bit basic, but it was pretty fun! We also played a game toward the end of the visit with all the other members. The winner, sadly not either of us!, won a brand new shell chair from Herman Miller in their choice of color. It was hilariously fun to watch all of us adults try SO hard to win that chair :)<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/EamesDemetrios_zps8a5ac832.jpg" width="810" /><br />
While there, I had Eames Demetrios sign a copy of his book to my son, Eames. It was a sweet keepsake to hold on to, and I've read most of it already. Mr. Demetrios also gifted me a set of "House of Cards" during the afternoon because I was "cool enough to name my son Eames". I was SO darn excited!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/TheStandardPoolVictoriaAletha_zps9595d13c.jpg" width="810" />Sunday morning was spent at the pool, and then I headed back to the conference center after brunch for a couple of more loops around the floor, and a few more lectures.<br />
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Monday we split ways - I headed back to Chicago and ultimately home to Grand Haven, while Victoria continued on to San Francisco for work.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-87508349033571422062014-03-27T13:01:00.000-04:002014-05-06T10:30:01.670-04:00History of the Front EntrywayHaving a proper entryway into the house was on my "<i>must have</i>" list, but alas, we found a house that doesn't have an actual entryway, and instead you walk right into the house, but it works better than I thought it would.<br />
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The original front door had been replaced long before we bought the place, and this little section of the house didn't make sense to us at all. We didn't love the wall when you walked in, and the half bath seemed to be in a terrible spot. Let me share what we know...<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry001_zpsd1718315.jpg" width="810" />These are the only photos we have of this portion of the house in the little album of film photos we inherited with the house. It's obvious someone took on a wallpaper removal job - although at this point in the photos, they hadn't stripped the front door! I'm not sure if this is the original front door from 1959, but if I had to guess, I'd bet not.<br />
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These two globe lights, however, might have been original to the house. In both of these images you see the doorway to the right - that's the former half-bath, now a landing over the stairs. I don't have any film images of this room, but when we took it apart, we certainly found that blue grasscloth wallpaper on the walls under layers of paint.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry002_zpsb1beb298.jpg" width="810" />Here is the front door we purchased with the house - a lovely 15-lite door painted a tealish-blue. Notice the GIANT mirror on the wall in the left image - the original owner's sister told me she remembered that mirror, but thought it was in the dining room (<i>on the other side of this wall</i>), which makes sense, since where it is in this photo was added on at some point. So, as you can see, there was more of a hallway when you entered the home. It felt too closed off for us, so we took it out.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry003_zpsbca04ed4.jpg" width="810" />This is the half bath when you walked in the front door. I'm so bummed we don't have any original photos of this space - would have loved to see what the original colors were. I'd assume the cabinet was original, since it was built in to the wall. Not sure about the countertop. The room was so tiny, the toilet was recessed into the wall a bit - I would assume this was a replacement toilet, so maybe the original one did not do that.<br />
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The grasscloth walls were still here - just painted over. Something you don't see in photos is that the ceiling was dropped. When we took the bathroom apart, we got rid of the lowered ceiling, and in doing so, uncovered the original doorbell (<i>non-working</i>), a portion of unpainted beam (<i>which was hidden in the ceiling</i>) and the end of the I-beam that supports the garage (<i>which Greg had to cut down, so the new drywall could lay flat)</i>.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry004_zpsca1e4d2d.jpg" width="810" />I shared this old film image in the dining room post, but here's what it looks like on the other side of the front door. Obviously they added this wall on at some point, and covered up the milk door. I believe this is the original dining room light.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry005_zpsb3852849.jpg" width="810" />
And here it is on closing day. Someone replaced the light. Bummer.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry006_zps1447f194.jpg" width="810" />In the middle of our renovation, you can see we took everything to the studs and added insulation, since the house had none. You can see the various floors, how we took out the walls around the basement stairs, and you can kinda see where the toilet sat on the floor right above the stairs.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry007_zps65c3b6af.jpg" width="810" />So now, instead of a half bathroom, we have a little area where you can sit and take off your shoes, and hang your coat when you arrive. The former walls that surrounded the stairs, are now a railing (<i>custom made by Greg, inspired by our Orla Kiely wallpaper that hangs nearby</i>).<br />
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The door has been replaced with a wood Crestview door, stained to match our trim, and we had new floors installed throughout the house - they are all the same now - no patchwork quilt floors!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/HistoryoftheEntry008_zps9c37b013.jpg" width="810" />Another shot of the former half bath/basement stairway.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-78295194297326819082014-03-20T13:34:00.000-04:002014-03-27T12:08:08.126-04:00History of the Dining RoomThe dining room is really a dining area, as there are not four actual walls, and certainly no door. I grew up in a very traditional home with a small formal dining room that I can honestly remember eating in ONE time in my 19 years at home. Having an actual room dedicated to eating was not high on our priority list, so when this house had just an area for a table, it fit the bill perfectly.<br />
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Here's the history of the dining area, as I've pieced together in old photos....<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory001_zps708f8bc8.jpg" width="810" />Based on this wall edition, this is an early photo we have of the space. We have none of the area before this wall extension was added on, and the day we bought the house, I kept wondering why in the world someone would add on to that wall - it just closed the front door off even more. I do think this is the original light fixture, however, and sad it was not here when we bought the place. The beams were already white at this point - not sure when they were painted (or why???)<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory002_zpsb909bed1.jpg" width="810" />This is looking from the living room, past the fireplace (which makes up one of the "walls" in the area), and into the dining area. I'm assuming they took out old carpeting, and this is the "before image", because....<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory003_zpsc79b8461.jpg" width="810" />Here is the after image - ta-da! All new carpet! I'm quite certain carpet in the dining room is never a good idea.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory004_zps58a6b478.jpg" width="810" />And at some point, the people we bought the house from replaced the light fixture, painted the walls & trim, and upgraded from carpet to laminate flooring. It was the nicest looking spot in the house the day we closed! Although taking down that wall and opening it up to the front door was high on my to-do list.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory005_zpsdaf80bd0.jpg" width="810" />Today, it is a far cry from what it looked like in 1995. We took the laminate flooring out, and actually have it in the basement with plans to lay it down (it clicks & locks into place) in our storage room once we get to that big organizational project!<br />
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We had to move the light switch over a bit, since it was housed in the wall we took down. And the milk door is behind the drywall - we actually used it on the outside by hiding outdoor electric in it. I plugged Christmas lights in to it this year.<br />
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Hardwood floors throughout the first floor of the house really make the entire house flow. That little orange bookcase in this photo now lives in our bedroom, and in its' place is a bar cart - it's perfect in here. I LOVE our Rejuvenation light - it's perfect and seems to float about the table perfectly.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory006_zps3eea624d.jpg" width="810" />Backing up a tad, this dates prior to the first photo, since the beams are not painted white yet. This is another view into the dining room. This is looking from the former office area (now kitchen area). You can see the two different floors here - the carpet was long gone, but that laminate floor was still here, under many layers of various floors from over the years.<br />
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This room divider intrigues me. I cannot really imagine what exactly it was used for. Sort of like a floating counter area between the kitchen and the fireplace, I suppose it creates a walkway into the living room. And a storage area up top with sliding doors. That slat detail was in a few spots - just 2'x4'. <br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory007_zps8fe2ae9e.jpg" width="810" />And here the wall divider gets shorter and reconfigured. The base is the same, but the storage cupboards gets put on the bottom, with the counter above it - still the same idea, but opening up the space to the living room more. Ceiling beams are still naked wood at this point; gotta love all the pinch pleat drapes!!!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory008_zps150048cf.jpg" width="810" />This is the day after we closed. Room divider is gone, carpet is long gone, laminate floors actually look pretty great, and the former owners told us the carpet was fairly new. The mauve countertops in the office area match the vertical blinds in the living room - score!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/DiningRoomHistory009_zps572d2cdd.jpg" width="810" />Another shot of what it looks like today. We picked up this dining room set at an estate sale (for the first house we offered on and did NOT get!) Because the walls were so tiny, wallpapering made sense in this area. We LOVE the <a href="http://www.orlakiely.com/usa/" target="_blank">Orla Kiely paper</a> we used - it's perfectly colorful for our otherwise plain walls.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-20273695311964669382014-03-18T15:18:00.001-04:002014-03-20T13:05:01.832-04:00History of the Laundry & BathThis laundry & bathroom area is the most difficult to describe for me because we moved a few walls around. There were only two film photos in the album the former owner gave us, but after chatting with the original owner's sister, it sounds like this is basically what it looked like in 1959/1960 when the home was complete. I also heard it was the first room done, since the family was living in the garage while they completed the interior of the house - they lived here without a working bathroom (and an outhouse from what I hear...) for a year or two.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath001_zps8e9ad99a.jpg" width="810" />This is the original laundry room - round, bubble tile to the ceiling in peach/mauve/goldenrod yellow of all sorts of sizes. We actually uncovered some of this - albeit painted blue - when we took out this room to make way for the hall bath. A door to the exterior of the home, which was not visible when we closed on the house. The cabinets here were metal, and I LOVED the knobs.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath002_zps1a017885.jpg" width="810" />This is what it looked like the day we closed on the house. This is from a different angle, of course, but the washer/dryer and cabinets are sitting in the same spot as the top photo. You can sort of tell that the tile is still on the walls - just painted periwinkle blue.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath003_zpsbb92532a.jpg" width="810" />And here's what it looked like after we had new walls framed in, the tub installed, and the washer & dryer moved onto the other side of the wall (to the left, into the garage, which we made an interior room). On the right is what it looks like today; because there was no window, we decided to turn the old exterior door (which was apparent in the brickwork outside) into a glass block wall.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath004_zpscaf92ed5.jpg" width="810" />The bathroom & laundry room were originally separate. The original owner's sister said this was a "wild" bathroom. She was in awe of the bubble tile - she personally didn't like it, and wondered where in the WORLD you'd get round tile, when "<i>everyone else had 4" square tiles</i>" in their bathrooms.<br />
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Can we talk about the magenta countertops with double vanity and chrome-rimmed sinks for a second? WOW - love it! And it looks like there was a little storage area right above the sinks and under the mirror - maybe a mini medicine cabinet? The wallpaper! The drapes! That pendant is interesting - doesn't look too "modern" to me, but the lighting here wasn't super modern (from photos).<br />
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There was a separate tub (as seen in the reflection of the mirror) and a standing shower. I don't have photos of the toilet & shower, but I'd assume it was Mamie pink like the tub & sink.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath005_zpsffa67e7b.jpg" width="810" />Here is what this room looked like when we closed. The window is in the same spot, and I'd guess the double vanity is where the tub/shower is in this photo. The island double-facing sink that the previous homeowner put in was hilarious to us - and was the first thing we took out.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath006_zpsf4646588.jpg" width="810" />This is looking into that area from our bedroom. We opened it up to the master bedroom & closet, and you can see the left side of the room is plumbed for the shower. I think the toilet was always in that spot, based on the plumbing we took out of there when the floors were out.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath007_zps7f02d8fb.jpg" width="810" />Today it's looking a lot more modern. We went with a simple white subway tile (grouted in gray in the shower, and white on the backsplash). The window is in the same spot, and the toilet isn't far from where it originally sat.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LaundryBath008_zps1563a159.jpg" width="810" />Since we made the original laundry room into a second bathroom, we needed to find a spot for our washer & dryer. Instead of putting them in the basement, we bumped out the garage wall out a bit, and put in a 48" wide room to stack our full size washer & dryer. This also acts as a drop-all spot when we come in from the garage - which means this room is trashed most of the time! Since this photo was taken, we've added hooks & some prints to the walls to make it a bit more "lived-in".Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-48289176425624925502014-03-17T18:10:00.001-04:002014-03-18T15:20:06.046-04:00History of the KitchenFinally, I have scanned in the film photos (<i>minus the duplicates</i>) we inherited with this home. The former owner, who lived here from the 90's until we bought the home in November, 2012, passed along a 4x6 photo album, and I've been meaning to get these scanned in for over a year.<br />
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I wanted to share what we know things looked like in the past, what they looked like when we bought the place, what the demo looked like, and of course what things look like now. I've done a <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/search/label/Before%20%26%20After" target="_blank">before and after</a> of most of the rooms, but it's fun to see what the house looked like before we were even in the picture.<br />
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None of the images were dated, so I have no idea when these were taken, but still very fun to see old (<i>possibly original??</i>) fixtures, colors, textiles, materials used. The favorite find is that they had a hanging side-by-side fridge & freezer installed over the countertops like cupboards.<br />
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Here we go...<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen001_zpse38451a7.jpg" width="810" />
The original kitchen was in the same spot when we bought it, but this photo is a far cry from what it looked like when we took possession. Looks to me like metal kitchen cabinets, ornate pulls, Formica countertops. I actually LOVE the light fixtures here - although they seem kinda low and I'd have to imagine people hit their heads. Ceiling beams have not been painted white yet.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen002_zps5795a113.jpg" width="810" />A slightly different angle of the same shot above. From this image alone, I assumed there were a side-by-side hanging fridge & freezer, double over and stove top between them. I confirmed this with the original owner's sister - she said she'd never seen anything like the hanging fridge & freezer. The flooring here is what we found under several layers of other flooring. Original laminate, I'd guess.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen003_zpsf67791b1.jpg" width="810" />
Someone decided to lighten the kitchen up at some point by painting it white. I believe they are the same metal cabinets, just painted white, with less ornate pulls. You get a better glimpse of the hanging fridge & freezer here (<i>I'm bummed I don't have a straight-shot on this one!</i>) The awesome lighting has been taken down at this point, and track lighting installed. Ceiling beams have been painted white. Not sure what the floors are - possibly peel & stick tiles, which we found on top of the possible original floors.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen004_zps2c2243e6.jpg" width="810" />We are getting closer to what was going on when we bought it - new cupboards, standard side-by-side fridge, electric range. Updated cabinets in white. Now there are two sets of track lighting. Countertops are green Formica.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen006_zps995461f6.jpg" width="810" />And this is what the kitchen looks like when we bought the house. Still has the track lighting, but different cans (they look smaller to me than the previous photo). Updated stainless steel side-by-side fridge (which we sold to the neighbors who were in the market), less wallpaper than the previous photo, but some green painted walls above the wallpaper border. We ended up giving the cabinets away to someone who needed them, and donating the rest to Habitat for Humanity (range, sink, faucet, etc.)<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen007_zpsf3d3756f.jpg" width="810" />After demo, this is what it looked like about one year ago today, March/April 2013. Seems like eons ago already!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Kitchen005_zpsd8d5aed7.jpg" width="810" />And while I keep moving things around, decor-wise, this is basically what that portion of our kitchen looks like today. I'd KILL for those lights in the first image - they would have been perfect in here! You can see many more "after" images in the <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/Kitchen.html" target="_blank">full kitchen post here</a>.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-71734229983505944222014-03-13T13:30:00.001-04:002014-11-10T21:30:50.430-05:00The WANT List | Steel Modern Mailbox<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/WantListHeader_zps22b45f5b.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/ModernMailbox_zps636b0725.jpg" width="810" />Currently, our mailbox is a plastic, big-box-store mail receptacle that was here when we bought the house in 2012. I suppose the only thing I don't <i>HATE</i> about it is that it's black and not forest green. The stickers that make up our street address are falling off on one side, and honestly, I was crossing my fingers the winter plow would bulldoze it over so this project would move to the top of our ever-growing list of "would eventually like to do".<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/FrontEntryway001_zps4a32ef23.jpg" width="810" />
I'm sure you know my husband, Greg, is <i>ever-so-amazing</i>, and if he could fabricate this elaborate stair railing (<i>above</i>) for us, then surely, a simple steel mailbox with cut out numbers should be no problem, right? Right.<br />
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Since last year we focused on the interior of the house, this summer we plan to focus on our yard, which includes crossing our fingers that the grass seed we planted last Fall actually comes up again. Seriously, though, we'd like grass this year. We also have a yard light that needs attention, various planters to plant with annuals, and decide if we're going to fence the rest of the backyard (<i>we have two partial fences - that do NOT match - from different neighbors</i>).<br />
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And then, of course, there is the part where we will have a three year old who LOVES being outside - I'm sure we're going to live out there most days this summer. I cannot wait.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-50963006471213118332014-03-13T13:05:00.001-04:002014-03-13T13:05:51.544-04:00History Lessons on our MCM, Part IIWhen I wrote the <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/history-lessons-on-our-mcm.html" target="_blank">first installment of our home's history</a>, I knew I'd eventually uncover more information regarding the design of the home, plus the lives of the people who built the house. I had visited the library, made phone calls, and did a plethora of internet research.<br />
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Then, a couple of weeks ago, my phone rang with the info I had been looking for - an actual architect's name. One of the original owner's sister, Mary, whom I chatted with before Christmas, called me back with some follow up information from our first conversation.<br />
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<b>Krisjanis Grants. </b><br />
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<i>Kris Grants</i> is what the original owner's son remembered his name to be, however when I asked on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MidModMich" target="_blank">MidModMich Facebook</a> group page, Pam of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WestMichiganModern?ref=stream" target="_blank">West Michigan Modern</a> knew exactly who I was referring to, as she knew of another Grand Haven home designed by the same architect. She informed me his name was Krisjanis Grants, born in Latvia in the early 1900's, and had lived in both New York City and California at one point, but also registered here in Michigan.<br />
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<b>Jackpot. </b><br />
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And so it seems I've reached the end of my "research project" of sorts. We have the architect's name. I know he designed a huge, lovely MCM near Lake Michigan, plus this home, and the home of the original owner's brother in Spring Lake. That's three homes right here, and while I still don't know the connection, I'm going to keep searching for more info.<br />
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The last part of the big, overall puzzle, would be to chat with the men who lived here as children. The original owner, Ted, built this home himself. Ted had two sons - both living out of state now - but I'd love to talk to them. I've reached out to them via email, but to no avail.<br />
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Ted's sister, Mary, mentioned they lived in the garage for a long time (up to three years?!) while they worked on the inside of our home. She said Ted couldn't afford to finish the entire house all at once, so worked on it for years. She remembered them having an outhouse in the backyard before the indoor plumbing was finished - I wonder what our neighbors thought of that!!! She did say the bathroom was first - and she remembered the "crazy round tile" they used. She said it wasn't her favorite (she actually said it was ugly, because everyone else had 4" square tiles and she was so confused on where they would have found that tile in the first place!), and we actually uncovered some of it under multiple layers of blue paint in the old laundry room.<br />
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She also told me a bit about his second wife, and what she remembered of her children. She actually lives just down the road - I need to swing by and chat with her in person; I'm hoping she remembers a lot more random stories and will share with me.<br />
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So, we have an architect's name. That's a bit to go on, I suppose! The search for more stories continues. I would LOVE it if the original owner's sons showed up at my house in a few months for a cocktail on the patio and dove into their childhood here - maybe I should start sending some snail mail.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-89212432836170849692014-03-09T11:18:00.003-04:002014-11-10T21:31:06.145-05:00The WANT List | Breeze Blocks<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/WantListHeader_zps22b45f5b.jpg" width="810" /><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BreezeBlocks01_zps259be27c.jpg" width="810" /><br />
Breeze blocks, aka <i>decorative concrete blocks</i>, were used throughout home & garden design in the 50's and 60's for various reasons. Mostly, it seems, to provide privacy like a fence, but the ability to allow air to pass through. While I think many people see exterior examples, I've also seen some examples of interior use as well on home tours and photos.<br />
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Since our home is currently a/c free, but has many large windows, we were hoping to add a breeze block wall outside our floor-to-ceiling windows in our master bedroom. Currently, we have pinch-pleat drapes, which work fine to filter the sunshine from the East in the morning, however, they are a bit "fussy" for my personal decorating taste and I'd like the window "naked". If at all possible, I'd prefer to combat the sunshine from the exterior.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi6UR-1kKi1Oy5cjYfk3hAoUZ_zW2sl2tS74Mw81uua8cR98TOBzO4zO39zrltprnwmNedX8uyNclFTeGTnO7Ob-b76xG1mNOvyYbt4xB2LuQUT51gWj8XjdqBibz4xkyqXkp7tUQeqeEhYrUGi3TtMGIDzs5w1lshLT27coXPVrXSUjjq-DMskWkPmL_yHPEKV1k8thjb1hm_eg9JAg9p9rjNfMWxZ=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BreezeBlocks02_zps358b8235.jpg" width="810" /></a>In Palm Springs many of the homes have their original breeze block walls. Here's a great example (<i>above</i>) of a private area on the front of a home made possible with breeze blocks. Right here in West Michigan there are plenty of great examples. One of the larger, decorative walls located downtown Grand Rapids is very popular with photographers - I've seen many family & wedding photos taken in this location; it provides a stellar backdrop.<br />
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But, what's a retro-loving gal to do when she'd like to add one to her home, but cannot get the blocks locally? Retro Renovation put together <a href="http://retrorenovation.com/2010/04/26/where-to-buy-decorative-concrete-screen-blocks/" target="_blank">a list in 2010</a>, and much to my surprise, there was a Michigan vendor on there. I called them up last spring, and unfortunately, they had <i>just </i>gotten rid of the inventory they had, because it was just sitting there, collecting dust. <i>Wah-wah; </i>I may have cried.<br />
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So, the search continues. My dream is that someone locally will get rid of theirs and offer it up "for free" on Craigslist if I come haul it away myself.<br />
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The search continues! And if anyone has a resource for me, I'd love to know. Greg & I are even willing to make an out-of-state drive to pick this stuff up!
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi281.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk217%2FPearlsEvents%2FAletha%2FMidModMich%2FBreezeBlocks02_zps358b8235.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi6UR-1kKi1Oy5cjYfk3hAoUZ_zW2sl2tS74Mw81uua8cR98TOBzO4zO39zrltprnwmNedX8uyNclFTeGTnO7Ob-b76xG1mNOvyYbt4xB2LuQUT51gWj8XjdqBibz4xkyqXkp7tUQeqeEhYrUGi3TtMGIDzs5w1lshLT27coXPVrXSUjjq-DMskWkPmL_yHPEKV1k8thjb1hm_eg9JAg9p9rjNfMWxZ=" -->Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-79684092662690117242014-02-21T20:20:00.000-05:002014-03-09T11:11:09.634-04:00Palm Springs Modernism Week 2014<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/002PalmTreesPalmSprings_zpscc2a2a04.jpg" width="810" />How do I even begin to describe my love of Palm Springs? If you've been following for a while, you know this is my <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-2013-palm-springs-vacation.html" target="_blank">second time</a> to <a href="http://www.modernismweek.com/" target="_blank">Modernism Week</a>, but I believe my 13th or 14th trip to Palm Springs. I simply cannot get enough of the palm trees & mountain views, plus spending time with my grandparents ranks high on my personal <i>List of Fun Things to Do. </i>And, because we live in the frozen tundra of Michigan, escaping to 80* and sunny in the middle of February is basically like wining the lotto.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/001JackAlethaGoodale_zps664fc9b6.jpg" width="810" />My grandparents are what bring me back to Palm Springs year after year. My first trip was at five years old, and since then, I've been with my cousins, my immediate family, and high school friends on various trips. <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-2013-palm-springs-vacation.html" target="_blank">Last year I finally had the opportunity to take Greg - we had a wonderful vacation</a>!<br />
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In November, my sister Victoria and I started planning a visit to our grandparents and take in Modernism Week. After planning for a couple of days, we invited our mom and other sister, Jackie, along with us. I was able to fly out a few days before the three of them and spend a couple of days solo with my grandparents.<br />
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The photos above were taken right after we saw the <a href="http://www.psfollies.com/" target="_blank">Palm Springs Follies</a>. I loved the music, the dancing, and the company, and since it is their final season, I was so happy I was able to attend! Grandma also took me to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saving_Mr._Banks" target="_blank"><i>Saving Mr. Banks</i></a>, a movie I've wanted to see since it released in December. I laughed & cried through the entire movie - I seriously loved it! It's set in 1961 in Los Angeles - the sets, cars, and clothing are simply gorgeous!<br />
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And then it was time get to the main event - <a href="http://www.modernismweek.com/" target="_blank">Modernism Week</a>...<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/003CollegeoftheDesert_zps8817b634.jpg" width="810" />Thursday before my mom & sisters arrived, I took a walking tour of the <a href="http://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">College of the Desert</a> with local <a href="http://www.o2arch.com/LANCE.html" target="_blank">Palm Springs architect, Lance O'Donnell</a>. After visiting the college in the 5th grade, I entertained the idea of attending here, but alas, the community college wasn't a perfect option for me.<br />
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The tour was wonderfully lead, and it was fun learning more about the history of the buildings and the future of the local college.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/004LosAngelesLittleTokyo_zps1aa563ee.jpg" width="810" />Victoria, Jackie & my mother arrived later in the week, and Friday we all went to Los Angeles for the day. We spent a majority of the day in the jewelry district, and while I tried on a ton of pretty things, I walked away with nothing new.<br />
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In the evening, we headed over to <a href="http://www.littletokyola.org/" target="_blank">Little Tokyo</a>, grabbed <a href="http://www.japaneserestaurantinfo.com/mrramen/" target="_blank">ramen</a> for dinner, and had a couple of the <a href="http://www.lettemacarons.com/" target="_blank">best macaroons I've ever tasted at <i>'lette macarons</i></a>.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/005SunmorEstatesPoster_zpsa836bcc7.jpg" width="810" />Saturday we woke up and headed to our first home tour - <a href="http://www.sunmorestates.com/" target="_blank">Sunmor Estates</a>. What an amazing tour it was - 13 homes were open officially, another let us in because I think they wanted to be a part of it, one was for sale so we walked through the open house, and another was hosting as estate sale, so we walked through that too. 16 homes in all; what a day! It took a solid three hours to get through all of the homes, and they were so very well appointed.<br />
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The neighborhood is quite close to my grandparent's condo community, and I've never noticed it - so, it was fun to walk through and enjoy the leisure pace of a self-guided tour.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/006SunmorEstatesExteriors_zps9e933b74.jpg" width="810" />A few of the homes in the <a href="http://www.sunmorestates.com/" target="_blank">Sunmor Estates neighborhood</a> - just fantastic details, inside & out! The ones we went into were fabulous; this is just a portion of them.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/007SunmorEstatesInteriors_zpsc3565a78.jpg" width="810" />I took a lot of photos of their interiors, but my favorite was the home with various <a href="https://charleyharperprints.com/" target="_blank">Charley Harper prints</a>. Lots of fun pieces of furniture throughout made this a perfect Palm Springs home!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/008SunmorEstatesBackyards_zps3fa5fbdf.jpg" width="810" />And then there were the exteriors - most had pools, and some did not, but they were all lovely! The one on the left had various fruit trees - grapefruit, clementines, oranges and lemons; a citrus lover's dream. I would DIE to be able to go out and pick grapefruit for breakfast every morning. And that orange privacy wall on the right was a favorite of mine. I'd love to do something like this at our home in the coming years.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/009SunmorEstatesPalmSpringsPool_zpsfd001d39.jpg" width="810" />This pool, by far, was my absolute favorite. Of course, all that green grass in a luxury in the desert, but these homeowners spared no expense for the quintessential Palm Springs backyard. I can only imagine what it looks like after the sun sets over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_Mountains" target="_blank">San Jacinto Mountains</a> - just magical I am sure!<br />
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Sunday was a "down" day, and we relaxed. I laid by the pool at our condo, and in the afternoon, we headed out to Cabazon to do some outlet shopping. I found some killer deals on a few things I wish I would have bought when I was <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-2013-palm-springs-vacation.html" target="_blank">there last year with Greg</a>. Namely, a snappy red Kate Spade purse. I am excited to carry it this spring!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/010ModernismBusTour_zpsd261b81d.jpg" width="810" />Monday was a busy tour day - we did the double-decker bus tour in the morning. Seeing homes from the top of the bus was awesome - a whole new view! The photo on the right is the <a href="http://www.dinahshorewexler.com/" target="_blank">Dinah Shore Estate</a>.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/011AlbertFreyWelcomeCenter_zps3dfb7809.jpg" width="810" />This former gas station-turned-visitor's center is at the middle of the double-decker bus tour. Always a favorite with the dramatic roof line!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/012FreyHouseIIEntrance_zpsafd82495.jpg" width="810" />After the bus tour, and lunch at <a href="http://tylersburgers.com/" target="_blank">Tyler's Burgers</a>, we were finally able to see <a href="http://www.psmuseum.org/palm-springs/exhibition/albert-frey-house-ii-and-archives/" target="_blank">Frey House II</a>. It's an incredible example of living on the Palm Springs mountainside and making things work within 800 sq. ft. of space.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/013FreyHouseIIPoolArea_zpse9d5d54a.jpg" width="810" />When you arrive at the top of the stairs, the pool greets you. As well as the amazing views of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coachella_Valley" target="_blank">Coachella Valley</a>.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/014FreyHouseIILivingRoom_zps861ee9db.jpg" width="810" />You step inside the door into the living room/dining room, and are mesmerized by all the use of glass and steel.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/015FreyHouseIIBedroom_zps483672c3.jpg" width="810" />The bedroom is directly to the right of the living room, and there are no interior doors in this portion of the house, so it's all open. There are no obstructed views to speak of...except the boulder that Frey worked with - it creates a partial wall between the dining area and bedroom. Seriously brilliant.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/016FreyHouseIIPoolView_zps6b3968b0.jpg" width="810" />I am sure if you live here, you spend most of the time in the pool, right? The pool was actually built on top of the carport - I believe it's all cement. You'd park your car under the pool - crazy, eh?<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/017FreyHouseIITourView_zps8e2740c3.jpg" width="810" />And here's the view from up there - rarely seen, as most people live down below.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/018WexlerSteelHouses_zps3acf2d1e.jpg" width="810" />Tuesday, Victoria and I attended a lecture given by <a href="http://www.chicagobauhausbeyond.org/" target="_blank">Joan & Gary Gand of <i>Chicago Bauhaus & Beyond</i></a>. With Victoria currently living in Chicago, and me formerly living there (from 2000-2003), we were both very interested in the lecture. We now need to plan a Chicago tour when I visit her this summer :)<br />
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Afterwards, we went back to the <a href="http://www.racquetclubestates.com/Steel%20History.html" target="_blank">Wexler Steel Houses</a> to check them out on foot. We had seen them (<i>quickly!</i>) on the bus tour, but this time we got to creep on by and take photos. The one on the right is vacant, and by peeking in the windows, it does look like renovations are in process.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/019MartinisontheMountainPalmSprings_zps6dca4f74.jpg" width="810" />And my final <a href="http://www.modernismweek.com/" target="_blank">Modernism Week</a> event was a cocktail party at the <a href="http://www.odonnellhouse.com/" target="_blank">O'Donnell House</a> to benefit Meals on Wheels. We arrived right on time, took a golf cart to the top of the hill, and enjoyed mingling and chatting with other mid-century modern-loving attendees. It was certainly one of the highlights!<br />
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We grabbed a light dinner afterwards, and then headed back to our condo so I could pack the rest of my things, as my flight was the next morning.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/002PalmTreesPalmSprings_zpscc2a2a04.jpg" width="810" /><br />
And I leave you with one of my favorite photos from the trip - palm trees for days! I wish they'd grow in Michigan - our home could use some sprucin' up this spring.<br />
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I highly recommend going to <a href="http://www.modernismweek.com/" target="_blank">Modernism Week</a> if it sounds like something you'd enjoy. It's a non-profit event, and the money raised goes back into the communities to continue preservation of the highest concentration of mid-century modern homes and public buildings in the world. It's phenomenal if you really think about it!<br />
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I realize I am lucky to have family in town and usually end up finding a pretty good deal on airline tickets, but I would tell you to GO anyway! It can be quite overwhelming with all of the events, but a nice mix of events and one per day (maybe two if you have a short trip) has worked well for me both years I've attended.<br />
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Now, back to the snow and cold I go!Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-90338282748652724842014-02-05T16:09:00.000-05:002014-11-10T21:31:18.371-05:00The WANT List | Modern Cuckoo Clocks<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/Graphics/WantListHeader_zps22b45f5b.jpg" width="810" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-s7fqmJJK4hAMxF99zFsC1Z4Yn9k8yoSi2Gs1IAvZxIlIdzDzesL5aI4xztHLT6rF2G7vjF-P36-2hd31VqeeYMbFBINH4Bz63b3u5f0rDskXmrQ68YhN6wXLnMZT0b6y6boePQosR4/s1600/ModernCuckooClocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-s7fqmJJK4hAMxF99zFsC1Z4Yn9k8yoSi2Gs1IAvZxIlIdzDzesL5aI4xztHLT6rF2G7vjF-P36-2hd31VqeeYMbFBINH4Bz63b3u5f0rDskXmrQ68YhN6wXLnMZT0b6y6boePQosR4/s1600/ModernCuckooClocks.JPG" /></a>My childhood has some pretty vivid clock memories...I have no idea why these stick out to me, but they do. I'm certain my grandparent's grandfather clock in their formal living room has a chime I will never forget. Every quarter-hour, it would play a melody which seems to be etched in my mind.</div>
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Then, there was a very wild dream that I had when I was maybe five years old about a clock in my gymnastics class waiting room (<i>I'm assuming I was five, since that was the year I started gymnastics...</i>) which would come alive. It was quite scary to my childhood self!</div>
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And as an adult, I've received more clocks as gifts than anyone I know. I'm not quite sure why, but people must assume I love them. And I suppose I do.</div>
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One thing on my WANT list for MidModMich, is a modern cuckoo clock. A <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=modern+cuckoo+clock&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=EqjyUruVLuPJsQSs2IKIAw&sqi=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1200&bih=940" target="_blank">quick Google search</a> will bring up many options, but instead of just ordering one online, I'd really like to find one on our travels. I'd like there to be a story to go along with it, which is why I haven't pulled the trigger on any one of them quite yet. </div>
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<b>SOURCES <a href="http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2007/06/cuckoo-for-cuckoo-clocks.html" target="_blank">1</a>/<a href="http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2007/06/cuckoo-for-cuckoo-clocks.html" target="_blank">2</a>/<a href="http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2007/06/cuckoo-for-cuckoo-clocks.html" target="_blank">3</a>/<a href="http://www.momentoitalia.com/tutti%20file/moderncuckooclocks_1.htm" target="_blank">4</a></b></div>
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Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-47893913943410469792014-02-03T14:58:00.003-05:002014-02-21T18:09:38.916-05:00Basement Family Room | Before & AfterA basement family room is something we always had in mind. At our former house, we would have loved the extra space for kid toys and a second television. At this house, it worked out because none of the plumbing was in the ceiling in this portion (<i>great planning on someones part!</i>) and the ceilings were actually quite high!<br />
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Welcome to the basement family room... <img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BasementBA001_zpsc95e4e29.jpg" width="810" /> When we bought the house, walls and a door led to the basement. It seemed a bit too "dungeon-y" for us, and while we were taking down drywall, we decided to open the stairs up, add a railing around the opening, and invite people to the basement.<br />
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I LOVE how this part turned out - it makes the main level feel MUCH more open and flow better into the basement. While we haven't hung out a ton down here yet (<i>Eames still prefers to be in the same room as me - hopefully he enjoys playing down here solo soon!</i>), I did watch the first movie down here last week.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BasementBA002_zpsffaee33e.jpg" width="810" />Besides taking out the drop ceiling and (<i>possibly? most likely...</i>) asbestos tile on the floor, there wasn't a ton to do down here except have it framed in, insulated and re-wired for new plugs & lights. Seriously, a fraction of what we did upstairs :)<br />
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The mechanicals - water heater & furnace - stayed right where they were, and we had our builder frame out a little room around them, complete with a door.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BasementBA003_zps38fcba36.jpg" width="810" />After drywall was hung, we had everything painted a very neutral gray (Benjamin Moore's, <i>Ozark Shadows</i>), and trim was put up and stained too. We went with simple recessed can lighting down here, and while there is not one single window, it's quite bright with all the lighting.<br />
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All of the furniture was from our former living room, so we didn't spend a dime on decorating yet. I'd like to eventually get some family photos on the walls, but the walls are quite huge, so I have to think more about placement before I get too ahead of myself.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BasementBA004_zpsb650cf45.jpg" width="810" />Another view looking from the room into the hallway, back to the stairs. The little doorway on the right goes into the storage area of the basement, and to the left goes back up the stairs.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/BasementBA005_zps4d98e5d7.jpg" width="810" />All of our former home's furniture fit down here perfectly. Still would like to have this chair recovered (<i>it's 33 years old - a chair from my parent's house that is so comfy, I cannot get rid of it!</i>)Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-76297775068239758562014-02-01T10:40:00.000-05:002014-02-01T10:40:13.740-05:00Guest Room | Before, During, AfterThis is the first of three bedrooms in the house. It's the first door on the right in the hallway, and the larger of the two small bedrooms. It only has one window, but it gets plenty of light! If we ever have another child, this will become a nursery, but for now, this is our guest room and my home office, which I use daily <a href="http://www.pearlsevents.com/">Pearls Events</a>.<br />
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It was pretty bland when we bought it, but I knew with some new floors, a retro light fixture & some paint, it would be much more our style.
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The floors in here were stick-on laminate tiles. They were right on top of the plywood subfloor, and I doubt they were original, but we have no idea what we were prior. Maybe carpet?<br />
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The windows in this room were non-operable when we bought it; someone, at some point, had screwed them shut. We replaced all the windows in the house with the same type of window they originally were - these are slide-bys, which we love! They open up super wide - the window is 5'4" wide, so on a nice day, you get a great breeze in here. Plus, with the large overhangs we have on this house, we have a lot of shade, so it doesn't seem to get too hot in here.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/GuestRoomBA002_zps5381c591.jpg" width="810" />While it may look like we only slapped some paint on the walls and brought in furniture, the back portion of the house had two layers of drywall - the first layer not finished and the second layer finished - even on the ceilings! Our only guess is that they used the first layer as an insulation, since there was not any in the entire house.<br />
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We also replaced the floors - we used a maple hardwood with a gray stain through the whole house (except bathrooms, laundry & basement). We replaced all the trim with new and had it stained to match the floors, as well as all the doors in the house.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/GuestRoomBA003_zps2a83c1e0.jpg" width="810" />This closet had some sweet wooden square tiles in it - if we didn't take the whole house down to the studs, I wanted to keep this. But, the ceilings in the closets were lowered (for no reason we could determine), so out this came so we could re-drywall in here too.<br />
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While our builder had never installed slide-by closet doors, I did want to stay true to the original design, and requested he replace them with the same type of door. We originally thought we might paint all trim & doors white, but after the doors arrived, I LOVED the wood grain, and we decided staining was more true to the home anyway. Staining cost us a bit more in labor, but it was worth it to us. I think stain will last longer too - it doesn't show as many dents as white paint does!<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/GuestRoomBA004_zps20b15b46.jpg" width="810" />This is no where near the size of my <a href="http://www.pearlseventsblog.com/2010/02/one-year-on-louise-street.html" target="_blank">former Pearls Events office</a>, however, this little Kroehler desk does the job. And that closet is full of my wedding planning arsenal - file folders of invitation samples, linen samples, etc. While I sometimes miss meeting clients in my home, I do love how much more simple things are! (<i>and I have an office space downtown Grand Rapids that I use for client meetings now!</i>)<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/GuestRoomBA005_zpsb975cd63.jpg" width="810" />And remember me mentioning the two layers of drywall? Well, you cannot BELIEVE the amount of nails in each and every stud. It took days upon days of working on removing rusty nails from the walls & ceilings in each room. Here is the "during" photo after our initial inspections and after the wool insulation had been put in the walls. We also insulated the ceiling, but he couldn't do that until the drywall was up - then he shot it into the cavities.<br />
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You can see the room's resource list in <a href="http://midmodmich.blogspot.com/2014/01/GuestRoom.html" target="_blank">the entire guest room/at-home office reveal here</a>.Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817759264372776526.post-41942196578667188832014-01-28T17:28:00.000-05:002014-02-01T10:15:20.469-05:00Living Room | Before, AfterOur living room underwent a less-than-extreme transformation, but it's still fun to see the before & after photos! Here's a list of what we did do, which may not be as obvious as what we did in the kitchen...<br />
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<li>Replaced the three windows that face the front of the house.</li>
<li>Painted the tounge & groove ceiling white to match the beams.</li>
<li>Replace the carpet with hardwoods.</li>
<li>Attached a floating mantle to the fireplace</li>
<li>Had electric properly run to the ceiling fixture</li>
<li>Replaced the ceiling fan with the Sputnik light fixture.</li>
<li>Had floor outlets put in so we could "float" our furniture and still plug in lamps.</li>
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LivingRoomBA001_zps05d83df8.jpg" width="810" />The before shot - we LOVE the AMAZING brick wall! Seriously, it's one of my favorite original details of the house.<br />
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LivingRoomBA002_zpsd796ea90.jpg" width="810" />The after shot with furniture. We love this room - I sit here most mornings with my coffee overlooking the front yard while catching up on my daily reading, and we end each night in here as a family.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LivingRoomBA003_zps57bf3d28.jpg" width="810" />The windows were original and pretty inefficient. The mauve vertical blinds were not our first color choice, and those surround sound speakers they left...um, not even sure where they ended up!<br />
<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LivingRoomBA004_zpsd6734399.jpg" width="810" />We finally decided on what to replace the mauve vertical blinds with - the IKEA system - and love that we decided to add the floating mantle for the television. We've been using our fireplace this winter and love that the sofa faces both the TV and the fireplace.<br />
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<img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk217/PearlsEvents/Aletha/MidModMich/LivingRoomBA005_zps6234d840.jpg" width="810" />Some more view points - before the house read very warm with earth tones. Now that we have gray floors and walls, the stone reads much cooler. We love it!Aletha VanderMaashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12239938128326476970noreply@blogger.com2