apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Awesome. Really.

Holy Mother of God. That is my house. I would change nothing. That is my idea of perfection. Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Wow. This is what everyone's parents' house looked like when I was a kid in LA in the 70s. (Granted, everyone I knew had very design-conscious parents.) It's amazing how they've re-created the mid-century period down to the wall hangings. And presumably they did it from scratch without inheriting anything.

yes, the house is lovely, as is the setting, but perhaps i'm just getting bored with all of this because while everything may be perfect, it feels so generic, like it could belong to anyone who goes out and buys all the correctly prescribed furniture, etc. i do not see any personal touches, not much that sets this place apart from 100's of others just like it. it feels like furnish modern by numbers and where i want to go "ooh, ahh" i instead go "ho hum."

Beautiful, but I bet everyone fights over the egg chair because the rest of the living room seating looks uncomfortable!

Amazing! Congratulations for a perfect house! It looks like a lot of sweat and heart was put into it!

Quick question, if you do not mind answering/commenting: where did you get all the Hansgrohe / Duravit Starck fixtures? As I guess online, what was your experience with the store(s) and how long did you have to wait?

Thanks!

i'm sided with BB here...another one of those....i'm taken by houses with some element of surprise or intrigue in it, with unique elements representing the owners, travels, wit, hobbies...anything. that was nice generic mid-century home. painted by numbers. it's perfect in all. but boring to death.

Really, really, really nice and yet somewhat nauseating: Arco lamp. Check. Egg chair. Check. Breuer Chairs. Check. Nelson lamp. Check. Bombo stools. Check. Nelson drawers. Check. Saarinen table and chairs. Check. Eames chair. Check. etc etc.

I was going to say that the only reprieve from the MCM assault was the bed, but I read that this is going to be replaced by a Nelson platform bed. It seems to me that going the opposite direction and mixing it up a bit more might actually be more fun.

i agree with some of the comments...it's furnished like every other house you see in magazines like dwell. there's no element of surprise and no personal touches. it's as if they went on a shopping spree a dwr. come on! use your imagination and mix things up!

lol at particlebored. i guess i wasn't the only one running through the "iconic mid-century modern pieces" checklist when i was looking at these photos.

you guys clearly like MCM, and you've amassed quite a collection of MCM furniture, so that's good.

i agree with the critical comments of this space lacking personal touches and individuality. it's like a DWR showroom. yawwwwwn.

that said, the architecture of the house is stunning, love the artwork and the finishes, fixtures and the kitchen are all drop dead gorgeous. nice use of outdoor space too!

Where can I get the Birds tapestry? Does anyone know?

Come on, this house is gorgeous. They had me at the Poppa Bear chair.

Yeah, the house is fantastic, but seems to lack individual flavour.

It's nicely presented, though I agree with others that there doesn't look to be a comfortable chair in the whole house. I would not want to live here.

I'm just not with the MSM love. To everybody who enjoys it, enjoy, but I'd like to see a little more variety in house tours to include transitional and even traditional-with-a-twist design.

So much jealousy. :)

Beautiful home. Don't mind if mine looks the same!

What an AMAZING home ! It's the kind of house our house wants to be when it grows up. We currently live in San Diego as well. In fact, our neighborhood is full of MCM gems. Is your home in the Floral District in North Pacific Beach ? It looks familiar to me.

This is nice, but I feel like I've seen all this before.

Love the ceiling. See, here is MY dilemma:

God Awful LOW popcorn ceiling in ground floor condo with windows along only one side. I do NOT want to scrape or have someone try to skim coat over the entire ceiling with so much plaster in order to try and make it look perfect. I do NOT want to remove ALL of the ceilings and put in new ceiling board. I DO wish my upstairs neighbor was quieter however I fear losing even 1/4" inch in height.

So.... to cover ceiling in thin wood? If so.... what kind and would it look silly painted HIGH gloss white? Would it look kind of like a deck ceiling?

Opinions please.

Love the place, any chance of telling me where the bench came from (only resource not listed, unless I missed it).
Thanks,
MM

Beautiful home. Every detail is perfect, especially the rubber ducky in the pool!

Love it! I saved almost every picture as inspiration for my home!

Thanks, everyone, for taking the tour and leaving comments. We have poured a lot of our soul (not to mention blood, sweat, and tears) into both restoring this house to its former glory while also making it reflect our personalities, taking it basically down to the studs and even jackhammering out the slab to repair leaky plumbing and redo old wiring. For us, the personal touches are everywhere because we chose each sink, faucet, and toilet, etc., and even decided which walls should go where and how big the rooms should be (our renovation completely changed the original floor plan - the challenge was to do so without losing the mid-century soul of the house). But there are other personal touches, too, in the artwork (I painted several of the paintings in our house that can be seen in the photos) and other objects we have scattered around (such as the little teak monkey that belonged to Elise as a child growing up in France and a fish sculpted out of monkeypod tree that's part of a collection of mid-century tiki luau serving dishes that belonged to my parents when I was growing up in Hawaii).

While it may seem to some that there are too many iconic and recognizable pieces of furniture in the house, they are no less personal to us, as they are the result of more than ten years of coveting, saving up, and searching. We are proud of our collection (which includes many pieces not available at DWR, by the way - if only they were!), and many pieces have a personal story behind them for us. Rest assured, they are very comfortable (as Elise will attest, I fall asleep in the Poppa Bear chair all the time), and guests are very pleasantly suprised by that. That said, the furniture isn't static and we're constantly on the lookout for things on our wish list (a Pierre Guariche floor lamp, Serge Mouille sconces, and a Roger Capron coffee table, to name a few...). When your hobby is hunting for and collecting mid-century furniture, I guess your house is going to tend to look a bit like a catalog or a museum.

For many in Southern California, mid-century modernism isn't just a fad until the next "thing" comes up, it's an indigeneous piece of our local culture. We have a series of photos taken by the "iconic" and legendary photographer Julius Shulman of our housing tract shortly after it was built. A few of those photos hang on our living room wall, and depict the very same model home as ours. The rooms are also furnished as if "they came out of a DWR catalog", even though they were taken 45 years before DWR existed.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that mid-century design is not a fad or a trend, it's a lifestyle, and it's how we live (and what we like). Has mid-century modern peaked? Um, yes. In about 1960 (right when this house was built!). So if you feel like you've seen some of this before, perhaps you have...

By the way, to answer some questions:
-We originally ordered all of our faucets on line. But most of them were stolen during construction and we had to reorder. Because the online provider (homeportfolio.com) took forever to deliver them the first time, we placed our second order with Pacifica Sales.

-Not sure if you'll be able to find the birds tapestry. They are made in Peru for Jonathan Adler but are not available for sale, typically.

-Yes, we are in North Pacific Beach. Good guess!

-Can't help you with a ceiling recommendation unless I could see the space. You may want to try it but it would probably make it seem a lot lower. Another option may be to try to get the powers that be to decide that popcorn ceilings are in again!

oh, and sorry for the long, rambling post. I thought I'd address everyone's comments at once and didn't realize it'd be so long!

I wish I could see this!!! . . . I hope the slide show function will be fixed soon!

Fan of mid century but sorry but it doesn't work for me (I'm the only one!). Pieces are great individually, but they appear to be random in the space - whites, baby blue, marble, animal skin, wood, chrome, plastic, leather, contemporary, MCM, etc. A lot going on. Also, the scale and proportions are off. The beautiful green chair and ottoman next to a small sofa and even smaller coffee table. And the tiny leather bench in the same area as the large egg chair. Large dining table with 4 chairs. I think there is a lack of focus. But I'll end on a high note. Love the house (indoors and outdoors). Bathroom and tub are to die for. Pool is gorgeous.

This is an incredible home with what is obviously a painstaking and thought out renovation. Instead of the criticism, everyone should appreciate the opportunity to be 'invited' into someone's home. Have we all seen some of the iconic pieces in this home- yes. But there is also inspiration in every corner from the pool to the kitchen to the bathroom. I for one thank them for sharing.

Yes, there are a lot of iconic pieces here...but so what? They work! I think it's lovely and inviting.

right angle: I appreciate being invited in, but let's be honest here--displaying pictures of your own house online comes with it the license to narcissistic pleasure. Believe me, there is no burden on either ends.

The house itself is a little boring. Given the climate in LA, how can you have such a calculatedly sparse garden? And the space itself worked more like a showroom: I see the great details that make me covet, but the space itself isn't exactly what comes to my mind in finally giving context to these pieces. I like Saarinen, but I would mind the whole lot of them MCM designers taking over my apartment. MCM is a way of life, but shoot, where's the life?

I am so tired of so many people on here complaining that so many homes have the "usual" MCM furniture. Has it ever occured to any of you that maybe these homeowners LIKE this furniture? Stop making it seem like everyone who has a Wassily Chair and something Eames is just doing it to be like everone else.

The architecture of the house is lovely. I love the glass screen around is in lieu of window treatments, brilliant idea, and you did a great job restoring the place.
About the whole MCM stuff. I think people might be more critical on that front than they other wise would be and jumped to thinking you were following a MCM, DWR check list because the furniture placement in the living room looks a bit off. (maybe it's just the camera angle.) The room looks more like a display case for a collection of chairs than a place for people to congregate and hang out. Would a nice sofa (Knoll?) interest you?

Does anyone know the name of the grass? Saw it in Mexico 2 years ago but have been unable to find anyone who knew what its called. Would love to have some in my backyard.

The grass is called Korean Velvet Grass (Zoysia Tenufolia). It's very soft and cushioned, so our daughter loves to jump and roll around in it. It's a pretty aggressive creeper, so be careful to keep it contained.

I like the high chair! Where'd they find that? Is it Saarinen too?

@msluckster--blueboard--it's like drywall but thinner and you don't have to skim coat.

The place is obviously carefully curated, but it's not my taste. I wish they'd thrown in something whimsical, but not everyone likes kinks.

And MCM in SoCal is part of the local tradition, but so are Craftsman and Spanish revival, and so on. Personally, I'd never live in a place where the interior and the exterior are so matchy-matchy, but whatever.

I suppose all of you West Coasters are jaded when it comes to MCM homes. Move to NYC and take a look from that vantage point. You would be drooling too.
As we sit on the West Side Highway, we would LOVE a dip in that pool!

I absolutely love it. This is what I am striving for in my home, but it's a slow process. Expensive! : (

i love it...

who is to say their home lacks personal touches??? how do we know whats personal to this homeowner??? obviously they are proud of it if they are showing it on AT, and rightly so... i think its amazing!

really beautiful bathrooms and a very clean kitchen, whats not to like? covet the "papa bear" and the pool.

i can understand some of the criticism, however, in that it does seem too literal and a little cold in places. i'd like to see more "now" mixed in with the "then" as you've done in the bathrooms.

and if historical and indigenous are important, as stated, more american and california pieces (think glenn of california, greta grossman, luther conover, milo baughman (inside) and walter lamb, pacific ironworks, van keppel green (outside)). i like the european but would love to see more california thrown in.

good luck with the mouilles. they have been reissued but will cost you about the same as your papa bear apiece. you might look at jielde industrial sconces for a similar vibe.

I think it's a gorgeous space with an amaaaaaaazing looking pool (it's getting really hot here and the nearest pool is a couple of miles away). As I went through the slideshow, I thought, "hmm, they're going to get complaints that they're too into MCM..." but, y'know, it's THEIR house. They seem happy with it, and it's beautifully done.

I wondered a bit about one thing though - I couldn't tell they had a child until I got to the pages with her room. Although I admire people who can keep the design they want while still having little ones running around, I wondered if she was allowed to play and have her stuff around the house too, or it it's all confined to her room. Maybe they just picked up really thoroughly for the shoot, but I hope their daughter feels as comfortable in the house as her parents do.

theseboots -- I grew up in and around homes like this, and can vouch that they're extremely kid-friendly. Everything you see is easy to wipe down. Of course, when I was a kid, these things weren't design icons. They were simply furniture.

Firstly DarrenB thanks for showing your home. It looks great. Pay no mind to the whiners here (few of whom would ever have the cojones to upload their own home).

I have seen the Adler birds tapestry in the rooms at the Parker in Palm Springs - and every time I visit the hotel, I want to take one home with me. I wonder what they'd charge me if I did this?

I assume you had an "in" of some kind to get this tapestry - no need to divulge your secrets but I'd be willing to go to Peru to get one if I knew where to go ;-)

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

MCM puts me to sleep...

Thanks for the suggestions on other California designers. There are actually pieces by Don Knorr and Greta Grossman on our list, and we've seen things by Glen of California and others, too. Of course, it all depends on what we find and what we think works in our space. We have included a lot of European designers for another personal reason - Elise is from Paris, France, and we lived there together prior to moving to San Diego. So many of our mid-century references are more European focused.

Our daughter, Ava, just turned two years old. Don't worry- she plays with her toys throughout the house and loves it because the floor to ceiling windows allow her to see outside easily, and the open plan is practical for pushing her doll stroller around the house. She practically lives in the pool, too. But she's also very good about cleaning up when she's done and we don't leave her toys outside of her room.

As for the bird tapestry, my advice is to get to know somebody who works at Jonathan Adler ;-).

I think many of the posters on here understand mid century modern and how it can be part of a lifestyle. And I think many of them can also appreciate what DWR has to offer. You have the money to buy these pieces. Great. You have some of the most iconic pieces out there. Wonderful. You've filled your beautiful home with pieces you love. Fantastic. You're enjoying the MCM lifestyle which is part of the CA culture. Accomplished. The point of view appears to be "I like MCM and contemporary pieces. If I like it I will buy it." In my opinion (and only my opinion), there is no editing. It is a wonderful collection of pieces.....on their own in individual display cubicles. Have a look at one of the Eames homes. Full of their own pieces and other designers (talk about a catalogue of iconic pieces). Carefully selected, warm, purposeful, perspective, scaled. Maybe this is just my New Yorker viewpoint. Have to admit though - I am jealous of all the space, light, and architecture.

The architecture of the house is awesome -- my comments on this house will be limited to the way the owners have chosen to furnish and design the space.

I like it.. and I don't it. Let me explain: when I worked in a record shop during university and spent much time exploring new music, I found that my tastes grew away from commercial, top-40 music, and more towards independent music that broke new ground and by definition wasn't popular.

This house is like a major label top-40 pop tune, it has all the right hooks, follows the "formula" perfectly, and is undeniably catchy. But part of me expects the best designs to independently break new ground, rather than follow the well-trodden path. Design, like culture, is dynamic, not static. There was a time, about 10-15 years ago, when MCM was the alternative to mainstream furniture and finding vintage iconic pieces was much easier than it is today. Now, MCM icons are so popular that dutifully filling your house with reproductions of those pieces is a safe and easy way (given the money) to attain instant design-cred.

An "indie" house by contrast would layer interesting, unique pieces that both work together in novel ways and also reflect the original taste of the owner, and you can recognize that sort of unique individuality when it's successfully pulled-off.

So I like this house in the same way that I sometimes like an overplayed, formulaic pop song, but I also dislike it for the same reasons.

I really, really love this house and featured it on my blog last month using a link to their Flickr pics. The images from the renovation are flabbergasting, they really had to work hard to achieve what they were aiming for! I think the result is beautiful.

When I think about selling my loft and having a house instead, this is eaxctly what I see in my mind. Bravo!

The bird pattern was also featured on a throw pillow:
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/home/bird-pillow-from-jonathan-adler-159513/

And was on sale last year, according to Decor8's blog for 2/15/07.
http://decor8.blogspot.com/2007/02/jonathan-adler-mega-sale-214-24.html

And the blue-green version:
http://www.hjemmefronten.com/leverandor/JONATHAN%20ADLER/html/birds_pute.html

The pillows were talked about here, Sep 2005:
http://www.sfstation.com/jonathan-adler-a1499

"If upgrading the large pieces of your living area proves too much, there are more subtle enlivening elements, such as the Stockholm Pillow Collection. These "scandalously priced" canvas pillows are inspired by Scandinavian designs and feature blue-green or orange-brown silk-screened designs of rays, fishes, birds or waves. Depending on the sizes you need, the prices range from $58 to $98."

Fish pillows shown here, along with the birds and some other things:
http://www.hjemmefronten.com/diverse.html

Here is another tapestry shown:
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/jonathan-adler-leaves-tapestry

" From pillowsandthrows.... | added by harshtruth on 04/28/07
Jonathan Adler Leaves...

Jonathan Adler Leaves Tapestry
Happy Heirlooms. This hand-hooked dense pile wool tapestry has such a cool retro vibe to it. Comes with hanging hardware. Colors are orange, brown, greens and yellow on a natural background. 34 x 27...."

But it's not actually on the Pillows and Throws site now.

However, you have more ideas on how to find it, if there are any out there at all.

I love the desk in the 11th picture (P1040327)! Know where I can find something like this?

As my name might suggest I do love Modernism - and I agree with many of the people above - these are classics for a reason. Liking them isnt (always) about being faddish or not having personal style.

My beef with this house is mostly in the livingroom area. I forget who mentioned it above, but the relationships do seem very off. The quirky organic shapes of the Poppa Bear and Egg are juxtaposed with some serious geometrics in the Wassily the bench the coffee table and the rug. Also - all of the squared pieces are very solid, heavy colors - which makes the Egg seem off balance and out of place. Pulling some of the heavy elements would, I think, resolve some of the issues people have with the place :)

I like everything - except the kitchen which looks very cold and austere to me (and I'm a fan of minimalism). I'm kind of liking the baby's room the best! The antique school desk/chair combo is very cool. I also love the bird tapestry in the living room.

I agree with previous posters that there are a few too many of the obligatory design icons, it's a bit tiring... But overall a lovely home. Sweet kitty too. :)

I'm with gryt - the kitchen throws me off, it's a little boxy and cold. I like the pieces they've collected, but not crazy about the placement of everything. It doesn't gel for me. BUT I love the pool and the whole curbside appeal.

MapAbbey:
The item is listed in their furniture as being a George Nelson pedestal table.

Here are some I found online to look at:

Description:
GEORGE NELSON for HERMAN MILLER "Thin Edge" rosewood veneer single-door cabinet with black porcelain pull and interior shelf, over single drawer on white enameled pedestal base. Missing drawer pull, some minor nicks to base. Herman Miller foil label. 37 1/4" x 17 1/2" x 19 1/2"

Sold at auction for $3,173 in 2003

http://www.ragoarts.com/onlinecats/03.03MOD/030.jpg

======

This dining table has a similar leg design, description:

GEORGE NELSON for HERMAN MILLER swag leg extension dining table (no.5559) with white micarta top, two integral leaves, and white enameled legs. Some losses to enamel and discoloration. 29" x 72" x 40"

Sold for $881 in 2002

http://www.ragoarts.com/onlinecats/10.02MOD/015.jpg

======

If you have time to browse, this site is great:
http://www.ragoarts.com/index.php

THOUSANDS of items from past auctions with descriptions and measurements and one good photo.

You can search their past catalogs too, using keywords or only looking in categories.

The catalogs are also nice because they are easy to read, like here:
http://www.ragoarts.com/results_2003_3MOD03.php

Very well organized, with the names in capitals.

Oh, and there are others to look at (I didn't look at one of the search pages I had up before posting!):

Here is the actual table as seen in the home, $1,349:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1459&cid=38&cid2=285

Tall, narrow version, $1,399:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1460&cid=38&cid2=285

End table, round top, $549:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1472

Coffee table, round top, $699:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1473&cid=38&cid2=285

The vintage desk and chair in my daughter's room actually belonged to me as a child. It's part of that "personal touch" that some people on this site are claiming that this house lacks.

Darren, not to worry too much about what is said. Many people here know all about the various furnishings, know the names of the furniture. And so do you. It can be sort of blinding? If that makes sense.

So that instead of seeing "YOUR HOME", they see "this famous chair" and "that famous chair" and "that other famous chair". I don't think it would be any different than experts on any subject, viewing any topic on their subject.

For instance, with landscaping, landscape experts might say: ...Oh, yes, of course they have "this grass" and "that bush" and "that other bush".

If it is a classic car expert: Oh, yes, ho-hum, they have this classic car, that classic car, and that other classic car.

But when a person doesn't know about those furnishings, those bushes, or those cars, the EFFECT is entirely different. I remember attending a classic car show that had cars I have never even heard about and styles I had never seen. While I'm walking around gaping, most of the other people don't really seem to be all that amazed. Why? THEY ARE USED TO IT.

So the folks here ARE USED TO IT.

We all feel that way, we're all specialty experts in some way. Even kids are like this "There's nothing to dooooooooo, that's all boring, want something NEW to doooooo."

Business certainly takes advantage of that particular human trait by either offering NEWWWWWW things or improving something they already make, to appease the consumer (and increase their own profits to maybe attract new customers).

But what they often miss, these businesses, is that there are a lot of people who were completely satisfied with last year's offerings. Or last season's offerings. Or last week's offerings.

How many times have you seen something somewhere, decided not to get it that day, and next week, it's gone. Whatever it was that you thought you wanted, it's gone.

And you're totally devoted to a certain style, so you don't think to put in something else. Right? You KNOW what you like, you know where to find it, you've spent a lot of time working on picking out pieces to fit in with what you have and that are an example of you love.

For instance, what if you had this table (refinished) in your living area:
http://tinyurl.com/6z8p9q

No one would expect to see that in your home. It doesn't "match" the period or the style and would NOT be something the experts on Mid Century items would be used to seeing.

Everyone would be fascinated with THAT TABLE because it would be something NEW. And not only NEW to them, but far enough out of their range of expertise that they would have no clue as to what it was or if it was expensive or not. If it was a common table or a priceless antique. If it was an heirloom or custom built.

It's a square table. whoop-tee-doo. It could be used as a coffee table, but it doesn't have a first and last name. That table is NOT on their checklist of things to look for and identify.

I look at that $25.00 table and I personally DO find it more interesting...BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. I don't know it's history. How it came into being. What the style is based. What meaning it has.

I am not used to it.

I do think folks get jaded or tired over time seeing the same things...but I also know what it's like to have found "IT"...that something that fulfills my needs and preferences. Then I don't WANT to try something new. I don't want the old formula to be "improved" and I don't want it altered at all.

You have found your "IT". And what's really cool is that you found your "IT" while you are young enough to enjoy it. You found the style that you love. That you are comfortable with. That brings you pleasure.

You have your fine home fixed up just the way you want it. And hopefully you are now content. You may now live life and enjoy your home without feeling driven to seek out "something new" because there's nothing to DOOOOOOOO.

@TrueBlue That's a great POV. Maybe you should contribute to the site.

I find so many of these comments odd, given the obvious slant of this site towards MCM--I think it's an aesthetic that brings us all here every week, and it's obviously a wide umbrella, allowing lots of individual interpretation. Darren, thanks for the reminder that modern isn't modern at all, but a movement that is being rediscovered by a new generation. How generous of you to share your space here!

I want all of those chairs, and the house.

@Palmetto...

What do you think I'm doing? LOL! I'm contributing in my own way.

I did look at the requirements for blogging on this site, and I don't know how to do the things they would need me to do.

I've been trying to find a niche here that will allow me to contribute somehow, without actually doing posts. LOL! I think the best I can do is to go into the weekly SF thread and post whatever I find. Since I am in SF.

And that way, if it is interesting enough, the AT-SF team can see it, and use it for a post of their own. And it can also be viewed by other readers who can view it if they have time. There are no neat pictures to go with my posts, but I try.

I try to add on to other posts if I have information that might be helpful to someone. I enjoy looking for things. So if someone asks about something, I might try to find it for them. I'm not always successful.

And if I was doing posts for AT, I don't know if I would have to opportunity to do as much looking for things for people as I do now. I probably wouldn't be allowed to "help out" in other AT cities. And I wouldn't be able to criticize. LOL! I'm not very good at biting my tongue and holding back reactions.

So it's better that I do what I do the way I do it. And if it gives you pleasure, that's wonderful.

But I wouldn't be at all against AT sending me checks. ;-)

I don't see how adding a table that doesn't suit the look of this house AT ALL would improve it. Just because it is unexpected doesn't mean it is better.

I don't understand that obsession some have to make everything "unique and quirky". Those are usualy the same people who buy foo dogs and owl figurines not because they love the items but because they are "in" with the "my house is oh so unique" crowd.

One of the things I love about this house is that the owners DID include personnal touches (vintage furniture from their childhood, paintings). But we are so used to people buying a look wholesale (here MCM) that we can't even put our heads around the fact that some people DO live the MCM lifestyle, it's not about trends for them.

I was raised in a house that was full of Poulsen, Kartell, Pantone and Nelson stuff, so I know how you can feel at home surrounded by items that are now seen as trendy.

Ok I'm rambling now...lol! I just love this house!

:)

The reason why this house is great is because the people who own it and live in it absolutely love it.

Darren B and family, thank you for inviting us all into your home. You are a most gracious and benevolent host.

:)

Thanks so much True Blue. That was such a huge help!

@Eve, I never said that the table from eBay would IMPROVE the home. I said it would draw the ATTENTION of the people here. And it would not necessarily be good attention either. Because I suspect that some folks might say "well, it looks great, except for that crappy eBay table you have".

That's when I hope one of the Antiques Roadshow guys drops in and says "Insure that crappy eBay table for $1,000,000". ;-)

Abbey, you're very welcome. You know, I was thinking....
(struggle in background)
"Hey! Who are you and why are you taking my keyboard?"
BAM! POW! WHACK!
"I wasn't done yet....."
(goes to bed, only to find a mouse with a cut cord)
AAAIIIIEEEEEE!!!!

Darren and Elise, thank you so much for the tour. I felt right at home , and I especially love that carpet of grass outside the bedroom sliding door. Is that the "Korean Grass" I have been reading things about lately? It looks like it's nice and somewhat maintence free, is that so? (well, at least more than a typical lawn)


I also love what you said about MCM being a comfortable part of our lives. Also, thanks to some of the always fun and insightful posts like from Modfan and especially True Blue, taking the time to write out such nice remarks and observations.

As for the crashing bores that keep attacking Modernism with their incessant and glib little remarks, well I'm so happy they've found a reason to keep coming back to AT. Perhaps they should go start their own blog somewhere, about something they like...if anything.

Cheers!

Thanks, btoddster. Appreciate the comments. That is Korean grass. It's fairly maintenance free, in that I don't have to mow it or anything, and there aren't many weeds. But it does creep so you have to keep it contained, and eventually (about every three years or so) cut it down a bit to let it grow again, so that it doesn't get too thick and lumpy. Nice photos of Hawaii on your site, by the way. I'm from there and they made me homesick!