Ultra Swank - Retro Adventures

Architecture

1960s Whitney Smith Designed Modernism Home

This lovely modernism designed home was built in the 1960s by architect Whitney Smith who was made famous through the Case Study Homes program in post WWII California. The house is located in Alhambra in the US and like many other Mid Century homes it was built in the typical ‘glass box’ theme with high ceilings and positioned conveniently on a hilltop, creating a spectacular...

Video

Interesting trailer from the upcoming documentary entitled Coast Modern which takes you on a trip back in time to look for the origins of Modernism architecture and how its style and look became associated with the west coast of the US. The release date for the documentary is set for autumn this year, meanwhile you can read their blog. Filmmakers Michael Bernard and Gavin Froome...

A Mid-Century Gem Exposed in Los Angeles

Located in Los Feliz, in the East Hollywood district of Los Angeles, this stylish 1953 house going under the name “The Chew House” was built by architect Eugene Kinn Choy and is now up for sale if you got a cool $1,850,000 to spend. What fascinates me about this property is that there are so many original elements still intact, from the the tiles to...

The Desert House
Written by Christopher in Architecture

The Desert House

Here is another very swank and swizzle cool house for sale in California for those of you who are immune to the recession. Located in Desert Hot Springs and nick named The Desert House by architectural firm Marmol-Radziner & Associates. Built in 2005 with the use of prefabricated modules and environmentally consciousness using solar powered energy, high efficiency glass and recycled steel framing. In total...

Twin Palms for Sale – Frank Sinatra’s Desert Bachelor Pad

Frank Sinatra’s former desert hideaway “Twin Palms” in Palm Springs, California is up for sale. In the late 1940s old blue eyes had just made his first million and he wanted to celebrate in style, so he commissioned architect E. Stewart Williams to design a lush weekend getaway house for throwing parties and lounging by the pool to be ready before New Years eve 1948....

At the top of the World
Written by Christopher in Architecture

At the top of the World

This house, located in Santiago, Chile was designed by native architect Mathias Klotz Germain and was built for a family with eleven (yes eleven!) daughters. The first floor houses entertainment and social areas, the second floor all of the bedrooms and the top floor includes the kitchen, viewing area and the master bedroom. The base of the construction is made up with concrete and steel...

Mid-Century Houses in Southern California

I have been passionate about the mid-century homes that was built in southern California by great visionaries such as Joseph Eichler and John Lautner ever since I first saw one. The Eichler mid-century-modern houses are especially sought after today and the prices to own one of these babies, are getting higher and higher by the day. Perhaps common people (aka squares) have finally realized how amazingly simple and...

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