Name: Benjamin
Location: Long Beach, California
We bought our midcentury Cliff May ranch home in February 2011. It hadn't been touched since 1969, and it badly needed some updating, but we did not want to change many of the original features which were surprisingly intact.
The windows, including the clerestory windows are all original. We scavenged for the original french doors. We replaced the flooring throughout the house and updated the finishes on the kitchen and bathrooms. We finished the entire remodel in one month!
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Well done ! Lots of great details.
Lucite stools at kitchen bar are fun, I'd like a full house tour.
which *were* surprisingly intact. like the new launch of AT, janel, but copy edit, please.
Very beautiful home. I noticed that there isn't a foyer or hall closet. Where to keep guests' shoes, jackets, etc.? Or would a lot of outerwear be unecessary in Long Beach? I thought it gets pretty cool in the winter. I just wonder how homes like these work on a daily basis in terms of function.
Beautiful house. I'd like to see a full house tour.
wonderful colors - would like to see more. source for the red leather couch? thanks!
I love the small rug under the chair! Thanks for the great idea.
Love the living room!
Nice job, Benjamin. I grew up in Long Beach, by Millikan High. Is this far from there?
Jasminethedomestic
I live down San Diego way now, but to the best of my recollection, Long Beach doesn't get that cold in the winter. After all, it is SoCal. : )
More please! House tour! Love it.
full house tour please!
Fantastic! My husband and I have just sold our apartment and are house hunting right now. We would be over the moon to find something half as nice as your place! Great job! Thanks for sharing.
I grew up in a similar house, though larger and custom, and my parent's friends all had similar. Although we had a coat closet, some houses didn't, and foyers weren't particularly part of the modernist architectural vocabulary. The point was to walk inside, see through the space to the VIEW, and feel outside when inside, in a sculptural space.
Our coat closet was more often used for stored family outerwear, or say for my grandparent's coats when they visited. And anyway...coats ? In SOCAL ? Not for casual visits. Guests' coats, at least for parties, were usually always piled on the master bed. And guest shoes ? Nobody took their shoes off when they visited in those days. The family never used the front door anyway, we came in from the carport, through the utility room with the washer-dryer and into the kitchen. If our shoes were muddy, we took them off outside. Hardly ever "cold" in SOCAL, though we act like we're freezing when it gets down to 54, which is rare :- )
Love the living room! Wonderful light and bright colors.
Nice job! It's really beautiful--especially the living/dining room.
Lovely!
What a tease ...yes we want a full house tour please! The lucite stools are a nice touch, as are so many other things..love that sun cushion...
Very nice! Would love to see and learn more. Like some before pictures- also what all was done in the 1 month remodel?
Love it! Wish we could have a place like this in Central NY, but it's too cold & snowy here in winter. Would also love a full house tour! Coffee table source? I'm after one exactly like it to replace my old, beat up West Elm one.
Your home is really gorgeous but correct me if I am wrong; isn't this Apartment Therapy? It isn't fair for you to post changes because the rest of us really living in apartments can't compete with the changes you can make in a home. It makes the rest of us really posting photos of apartments feel silly....just saying
some very nice furniture pieces in the home and a great end product. it'd be great to see some before and after shots.
question: where's the sofa from?
Benjamin here. Thank you for all the comments. Hopefully, we will get a full house tour. We have lots of before and in-between photos. We don't really call it a remodel or a renovation. It's more just an update of outdated finishes (like floors, tiles, countertops) and replacement of very old appliances (not worth restoring).
Our rancho is but one of many wonderfully restored/updated Cliff May houses here in the Long Beach Ranchos (next to El Dorado Park). In fact, many have been photographed for Cliff May and midcentury modern books.
beautiful house. I grew up going to my Grandparents mid century house and I love this. What color did you use on the walls throughout?
I want this house!
I want to see more pics!!! Love the title - "respectful" updating of a Cliff May house.
An inspiration is an inspiration ~ whether you live in an igloo or an apartment, albeit this "respectful" update seems to be a modest functional home - as envisioned and designed by Cliff May for the masses at the turn of the century.
Can't wait for the full house tour! So light and airy, I just love what I've seen so far.