The all encompassing mid century modern appreciation thread

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I think we had one of these back in the old country, or something similar.  I have always loved this kind of design and aesthetic.  From mid century architecture and decor to sci fi book covers and everything in between.  I guess people throw around the word "googie" and "atomic age" too.  I also dig signs of all types, especially motels.  Two things popped up recently that made think about starting this thread.  First was a friend telling me about "The House of the Century" down in Angleton.  This may or may not fall into the mid century modern theme depending on how strict one is.  I had never heard of it, but now I want to go and photograph it.  Would make a great black and white shot.  How it looked when it was built in 1972, and how it looks now:

More photos and information here:  http://www.hiddenarchitecture.net/2016/05/house-of-century.html

Then I was looking for other abandoned places in Texas and came across a church in Kingsville with a tower that has a very mid century modern feel.  It made me think about some of the courthouse and other local government buildings in towns around Texas that have mid century (and also art deco) designs that are seemingly out of place or unexpected.

I also salvaged this from an abandoned building that I believe has been demolished now.  I have yet to restore the legs, but talking with Ldogg who is a big fan of this stuff, he felt they were the real deal.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Patricio Swayze

[PRONG HORN 3131]

That’s in Angleton?  Cool.  It reminds me of the shell house in Mexico City

You’ve  seen the clam house off of

I-70, right?

Edited November 17, 2018 by PRONG HORN

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

That’s in Angleton?  Cool.  It reminds me of the shell house in Mexico City
You’ve  seen the clam house off of
I-70, right?

No I haven’t. I looked it up it is pretty damn cool.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

10 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

I think we had one of these back in the old country, or something similar.  I have always loved this kind of design and aesthetic.  From mid century architecture and decor to sci fi book covers and everything in between.  I guess people throw around the word "googie" and "atomic age" too.  I also dig signs of all types, especially motels.  Two things popped up recently that made think about starting this thread.  First was a friend telling me about "The House of the Century" down in Angleton.  This may or may not fall into the mid century modern theme depending on how strict one is.  I had never heard of it, but now I want to go and photograph it.  Would make a great black and white shot.  How it looked when it was built in 1972, and how it looks now:

More photos and information here:  http://www.hiddenarchitecture.net/2016/05/house-of-century.html

Then I was looking for other abandoned places in Texas and came across a church in Kingsville with a tower that has a very mid century modern feel.  It made me think about some of the courthouse and other local government buildings in towns around Texas that have mid century (and also art deco) designs that are seemingly out of place or unexpected.

I also salvaged this from an abandoned building that I believe has been demolished now.  I have yet to restore the legs, but talking with Ldogg who is a big fan of this stuff, he felt they were the real deal.

Yeah that house wouldn't be considered mid century modern IMO. MCM is sleek, minimal, it was jet age modern. Plastics .

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Yeah that house wouldn't be considered mid century modern IMO. MCM is sleek, minimal, it was jet age modern. Plastics .

Yeah, perhaps. But I kind of wanted an all encompassing thread of MCM, Atomic Age, googie.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 minute ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Yeah, perhaps. But I kind of wanted an all encompassing thread of MCM, Atomic Age, googie.

Gotcha.  I take a more literal meaning to the word modern (and mid century modern) as it was an actual term for a specific style of design.  People use modern and contemporary as generic terms.  That home could be designed today as its reflective of  an organic style of architecture popularized by many architects working today.

[DaysOff 7946]

I love "contemporary" modern homes. Clean lines, functional layout. Don't necessarily dig a flat roof because of the problems it brings.

[Rip76 4924]

Great thread idea.

Cool neighborhood near Hobby Airport.  Problem is, it's near Hobby Airport.

http://www.glenbrookvalley.org/Glenbrook_Valley/Home.html

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Great thread idea.
Cool neighborhood near Hobby Airport.  Problem is, it's near Hobby Airport.
http://www.glenbrookvalley.org/Glenbrook_Valley/Home.html

I was just talking about this neighborhood last week with a guy at work. I agree, shitty area.

[Thetexashammer 1062]

I understand the Miami Vice appeal. It's slick, it's neat, it's crisp and modern. But actually living in that, it's fucking garbage.

[troph 24781]

Redid my living room with some mid century modern influences just in time for thanksgiving... I really like it. These chairs totally do it for me.

 

 

Pic is from sitting on a mid century modern leather couch.

 

 

 

 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Just dropping in to say I like this thread. Carry on.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Need more folks contributing. I’ll try to pick up the slack in the next few days.

[Pato del Muerto 52485]

I think this fits. Wife got a pair at a garage sale for $10 and her nyc colleagues swear they could sell them for $1000 in the city.

 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

We have midcentury styling for our kitchen and living room furniture as well. Will probably eventually try to get the whole house that way.

[Okie State 3804]

I've been gravitating toward this style of furniture recently. I'm not a purist so not sure what fits the actual definition of MCM, but we bought this couch recently and love it. I also pretty much love any and all furniture made from black walnut.

Need to ditch the generic rug and get one that really ties the room together man.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

Here's what we've got. The house is also for sale if anyone is interested.

[wd40 1976]

I appreciate MCM.  my only problem with it is my wife can't stop buying pieces off craigslist with the thought of restoring them.  so we have 2 or 3 half-started projects, mostly out in the shed now, because I got tired of working around them in my garage.  

we had a chair like the ones in the OP, but it was kind of a dark purplish brown with chrome legs.  it was comfortable, but it lived in the kids' room, usually filled with stuffed toys until she sold it for some reason.  it was a good chair for reading to them.

[troph 24781]

Man I just had a full on trauma response to the never ending, always beginning furniture restoration projects. I don’t miss that!

[Chad Fuck 17658]

In.

[WBT 20561]

There are some cool houses from the 40s and 50s still standing in Lake Jackson

[Rip76 4924]

Here’s where I am these days.

I’m torn between MCM homes or Craftsman type homes.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

12 minutes ago, Rip76 said:

Here’s where I am these days.

I’m torn between MCM homes or Craftsman type homes.

Both are great styles. The craftsman style has been butchered a bit of late. Craftsman details get slapped on colonial boxes, Battered box columns have started jumping sharks, but I love a craftsman when it's well executed.  

There was an amazing little 50's MCM in a neighborhood near us. The new owners covered it all up with some bizarre, traditionally detailed addition that looks like hell.

 

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I saw this clock hanging in an abandoned farmhouse just outside of Houston.



Atomic age aesthetic often makes me think of the coast for some reason. Maybe because as a kid in the 80s, going down to Rockport there was a lot of that still around in the way of signs and things.

[AUinHsv 579]

still waiting for the mid 60's entertainment console TV - with an RCA 25 inch monster and turntable. Once you got that in the house it almost never got moved until it broke. Also no remote unless you count the parent telling a kid to go change the channel.

[Okie State 3804]

still waiting for the mid 60's entertainment console TV - with an RCA 25 inch monster and turntable. Once you got that in the house it almost never got moved until it broke. Also no remote unless you count the parent telling a kid to go change the channel.

My Grandpa had one at his lake house. When the original TV broke, it just became the stand for the new TV.

[Armybrat 40819]

My brother made a wine cabinet out of his old tv console. Pretty well made solid wood furniture.

[Jack Handey 57]

Love the Eames lounge chair and have thought of buying one for a few years now but shit is it an expensive chair 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

4 minutes ago, Jack Handey said:

Love the Eames lounge chair and have thought of buying one for a few years now but shit is it an expensive chair 

Veeeery expensive.

[Okie State 3804]

Yeah, my budget won't quite support a $5K chair at this point. Looks cool though.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 minute ago, Okie State said:

Yeah, my budget won't quite support a $5K chair at this point. Looks cool though.

And don't buy a knock off because they typically fail at the molded plywood panels to the connectors.  That little detail is part of the success of that chair. 

[Okie State 3804]

And don't buy a knock off because they typically fail at the molded plywood panels to the connectors.  That little detail is part of the success of that chair. 

Makes sense with the wood. I do have a knock off of the aluminum office chair and it's been okay. Maybe someday I can get the real deal.

[pops 6980]

Subscribed. I go to Palm desert a couple times a year and will usually take a day to just go by myself to Palm springs and mentally jerk off on all the mcm stuff there. 

Also a huge fan of mcm commercial buildings. Love how they can be tucked into places you wouldn't expect. Like those grocery stores that are basically a huge a frame with all glass along the front. 

My grandpa was pretty fucking bad ass and he started making pretty good dough in the 50s and 60s and basically just furnished his homes with what was popular at the time. I'm pretty sure that's where the bug was planted in me. 

[Armybrat 40819]

On ‎11‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 1:42 PM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Both are great styles. The craftsman style has been butchered a bit of late. Craftsman details get slapped on colonial boxes, Battered box columns have started jumping sharks, but I love a craftsman when it's well executed.  

There was an amazing little 50's MCM in a neighborhood near us. The new owners covered it all up with some bizarre, traditionally detailed addition that looks like hell.

 

Mrs. Brat grew up in this "craftsman" built by her grandpa in 1910. It's located in Taylor, Texas and has been extensively remodeled inside so it doesn't quite have the same floor plan. Plus the exterior was always white with dark green trim around the windows only (not on the porch pillars).

Edited November 23, 2018 by Armybrat

[ohchaucer 1443]

We have the eames lounge chair and love it. At one point we almost succumbed to the temptation to go with a cheaper version, but there really isn't a comparable version out there. Design within Reach does a sale once a year and we just pulled the trigger after deliberating for years. We also have two eames rockers that are great. And indestructible with two little kids and a lab. 

Would love to outfit our bedroom in Heywood Wakefield but we can only afford to buy one thing at a time. 

Great thread, btw. Will read again. 

Edited November 25, 2018 by ohchaucer
*two

[Okie State 3804]

I've looked at Design Within Reach before and was having trouble reconciling the name with the prices. Within reach for the Surly 1% I guess.

[Okie State 3804]

Read their 'About Us' and by within reach, they mean available to purchase...not affordable. So I guess that makes sense.

[Chad Fuck 17658]

I've looked at Design Within Reach before and was having trouble reconciling the name with the prices. Within reach for the Surly 1% I guess.

Design Out Of Reach. Fo sho.

Luckily there’s a consignment store in my hood that often has a lot of stuff from there.

[texasdago 7563]

In on anything related to MCM.  

 

DWR is a joke... their prices are absurd and only worth pursuing when there is a specific piece that you want that just doesn't get discounted (ex: Knoll Saarinen table). BUT, if they have it on sale, Knoll does too and you just have to find the better shipping deal.

I'm a sucker for Eames fiberglass chairs.  Hate how Herman Miller now makes them in plastic but I love the Modernica ones.  Found a nice burnt orange Modernica rocker in burnt orange once... that color and the style just do it for me.

We were in Palm Springs this past week... its like one giant crack house for MCM addicts.

 

[texasdago 7563]

On a side note, this is boner inducing...

https://www.curbed.com/2017/4/26/15434996/bruce-mccarty-knoxville-midcentury-modern-home?fbclid=IwAR35ZptpaZYknv7VfBR4IUc-m-T-YsEcifwESzmqxoqkpfARLUo1wquWURU 

[ohchaucer 1443]

I should elaborate that the DWR purchase was no cheaper or more expensive than you can get from others that can sell Eames, but they did have, at the time of our purchase, at least, the best shipping deal and had exact chair we wanted ready to ship faster than Herman Miller could.  

I agree the "within reach" bit is a misnomer, but they do have some special deals and outlet inventory, so if you're already looking to get a silly expensive chair, it's worth looking at.  We also were super paranoid about buying something off eBay, etc. because we don't know nearly enough to detect fakes so wanted to play it safe.

[Speedtrucker 2071]

My wife is super in MCM, our living room and dining room have probably gone through 15 changes each since we bought the house 12 yrs ago.

Even these pictures from last year are outdated except for the pipe shelving in the living room.

[Tigersnake 670]

I'm in. Usually lurk the football and recruiting pages---first time I've ventured this way. I'm a real estate agent and a bit of a MCM freak.  Live in a mid-century home in San Antonio, Oak Hills neighborhood. Oak Hills has great mid-century architecture and a good value in S.A.  May post pictures of things I see when I'm out and about.

[thrillhammer 683]

On 11/17/2018 at 1:46 PM, Rip76 said:

Great thread idea.

Cool neighborhood near Hobby Airport.  Problem is, it's near Hobby Airport.

http://www.glenbrookvalley.org/Glenbrook_Valley/Home.html

I grew up in that neighborhood and know it well.  It did go in the shitter in the late 90's/early 2000's.  It will come back, just like the East End did.  Huge houses, huge lots, close proximity to downtown/I45/610, low prices.  

[Rip76 4924]

It’s already coming back.

[huge 3793]

I like this stuff.  I won't ever get to buy any but I appreciate your appreciation of it.

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

My company seems to work on a ton of projects that fit into this motif from an architectural standpoint.  It's one of the styles (along with true modern) that I don't care for personally, but have a true appreciation of from a stylistic and craftsmanship perspective.  It's so simple, sleek and elegant, but hard to pull off properly.  It accentuates space and compliments it instead of dominating it.  Really a tough design concept to do well, but when done so properly, it makes a space.  And, it's a really great feeling to see the true MCM architecture complimented by true MCM furnishings.  

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

25 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

My company seems to work on a ton of projects that fit into this motif from an architectural standpoint.  It's one of the styles (along with true modern) that I don't care for personally, but have a true appreciation of from a stylistic and craftsmanship perspective.  It's so simple, sleek and elegant, but hard to pull off properly.  It accentuates space and compliments it instead of dominating it.  Really a tough design concept to do well, but when done so properly, it makes a space.  And, it's a really great feeling to see the true MCM architecture complimented by true MCM furnishings.  

Proportion, scale and materials.  That and there are no rules, which I love having spent so many years working on historical styles that require a set of stylistic and detail rules.  

The mid Atlantic was captured by Colonial Williamsburg for hundreds of years. It's only in the last 25-30 that the break away from that very pretty but boring and predictive style has been happening (but the simple, clean and well proportioned forms of that style have made a bit of a resurgence in modern farmhouse).   I've worked on more contemporary/modern architecture in the last 5 years than I the last 20 in my practice.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I was watching Tom and Jerry with my daughters and the classic episode “Buddies Thicker than Water” (1962) came on. It had some pretty cool mid century design in it. A few screen grabs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Damn. That stereo console tho