Mid-Century Modern Tour Tickets
Now available. Click here for more info.
1 comment April 30th, 2008
Archive for April, 2008
This Weekend Open Houses
Sunday
Fairfield — $217k — 1pm to 4pm.
Possum — $795k — 2pm to 4pm
Add comment April 25th, 2008
Mid-Century Modern Homes Tour
16th Annual Heritage Homes Tour
May 17, 2008
Day Tour: 10a.m. - 4 p.m.
Moonlight & Martinis: Mid-Century Modern Twilight Tour: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Party: 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Advance Tickets available in late April
President-elect Dwight Eisenhower had just returned from Korea. A first-class stamp was 3 cents. America had just seen its first magazine-style TV show, something called “The Today Show” starring Dave Garroway. And “Singin’ in the Rain” was playing at the Paramount Theatre across the street from Scarborough’s Department Store.
The Heritage Society of Austin pays homage to the city’s modernist roots and honors some of Austin’s premier mid-century architects during the Mid-Century Modern-themed Heritage Homes Tour on May 17th. This 16th annual tour has been revised to include both a daytime driving tour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm then a Twilight Tour beginning at 6:30 which will conclude at a Mid-Century Modern bash starting at 8:00 at the final featured home.
2 comments April 19th, 2008
Upcoming Open Houses
Sunday April 20
Avenue G - Hyde Park — $790k
New York Ave - East Austin - $399k
Camp Craft - Westlake - $1.1Mk
Kinney St - South Austin - $499k
There also is a Stenger open house in Rollingwood but when I posted the original listing the realtor tried to have my site shut down for copyright infringement (obviously, that didn’t get too far). I’ll let you find that one on your own now.
Any others I missed?
4 comments April 19th, 2008
For Sale - $747k - Mell Lawrence
Very, very cool farmhouse by Mell Lawrence. This home is a 2005 AIA Award winner and on 10 acres in Dripping Springs.
Add comment April 19th, 2008
For Sale - $498k - Spek Projects
Michael Parkes has done a couple of these very unique remodels / decontructions. I haven’t been through this place yet, but it looks very interesting and compelling. So far beyond your average remodel / flip that it qualifies as original work.
3 comments April 19th, 2008
Cottam Hargrave Photos
Went to visit this Cottam Hargrave house tonight that is for sale in Travis Heights, thanks to Ryan Brown who was kind enough to take me. When I posted this prior there was some dismissiveness based, I think, solely on the pictures and the description. The listings photo don’t do it full justice. The house is a bit hard to photograph (I had the extra challenge of trying to do so at dusk).
I am a big fan of Cottam Hargrave. I consider them one of the top 5 firms in town. I find their designs very warm and livable. Livability is a big thing for me. To me “modern design” is less about a given style but more a premise on designing from the inside out and around how people live today to today. It is why so much of contemporary modern around town lives me cold. Cottam Hargrave is one of the few that never leave me cold. Mell Lawrance is another example.
Another thing I love about Cottam Hargrave houses is how solid they feel. I’ve been in a few of their homes ranging across the cost spectrum and they all just feel solid. The Gillespie home is no exception. It feels like a rock which is a wonderful feeling for a home. It helps create this feeling of a home that you can live in; that will protect and care for you (corny perhaps but it is a huge undercurrent to why people select homes).
I highly recommend going to see this house in person before passing any judgement. There is an open house tomorrow (Wednesday) from 11am to 2pm. It isn’t flashy. The are some great details like the finishing around the windows or the baseboard trim. I love the lower level big room with the glass ceiling windows. There is still room to grow in the house and make it your own (another issue with many designs is that they are not flexible to allow for changing needs or desires).
In the end, it just feels like a house that would be easy and comfortable to live in. As basic as that sounds, it is rare that you actually find it. Is it a masterpiece? That is subjective and thrown around way too often. That is likely the case here (I reserve that tag for a much rarer few). However, it is still wonderful house in my opinion. It is a home that I feel will stand the test of time much better than many of the contemporaries here in Austin.
Here are some more photos (takes you to flickr). Sorry about the quality. They are still not a fair representation of the home.
2 comments April 15th, 2008