cincinnatimodern's favorite things, 2012 edition

as many of you know, our house was designed by fred pressler for his own family. in this vintage scan, fred, eileen, betsy and skip are displaying the christmas loot of 1961 in ‘our’ living room. and in case you are wondering, the album skip is holding is 'shout' by cincinnati's own isley brothers. photo courtesy of the pressler familyBack by popular demand is our second annual installment of our 'favorite things' gift guide.   In case you are stumped as to what to get the modern lover in your life, check out a few things that we love (or would love to have).  Some things are available locally and others, just in time for cyber Monday:

~Susan

 i fell in love with these bowls when i saw them in one of our listings. very versatile, and they look great sitting on the counter so no cabinet space needed! there are two very similar versions - with slightly different shades of white if that kind of thing matters to you. the ones on the left are from crate and barrel in kenwood. the ones on the right, from sur la table in rookwoodswoop bowls from crate and barrel and sur la table

my daughter, kirsten, gave me one of these several years ago and i love it. just like the stovetop popcorn we used to make when i was a kid, but no burning! it's low fat, too. not modern, but very good (and fun)Whirley pop another really fun old fashioned kitchen tool. we use ours all fall to prep apples for arlen's homemade apple sauce and my sour cream apple pie. hmm - i'm sensing a crank theme here....apple peeler and corer

 we are true coffee achievers at our house and we take home brewing very seriously. i also refuse to cave and buy black or stainless countertop appliances. we bought this purely because it was a burr grinder (the ONLY way to grind coffee) and white. turns out, it's a damn fine grinder and becuase the cup you grind into is glass, there is no static (which can be a huge annoyance with other grinders). my only beefs are that it is actually slightly off white and the cord is black (?!). but all in all, a great find worth sharing!bodum coffee grinder

i have a major weakness for jonathan adler pottery. the shapes remind me of the pottery i grew up with in the '60's, and the matte white is so classic modern. would love to add a large one of these to my small but growing collectionjonathan adler hitch vase

 this is cb2's version of a much more expensive original. i actually prefer this one because the base is smaller and does not take up so much room on a desk or nightstand. i like this so much we have 3 of these saarinen-esque beauties!cb2 ada lamp

 i hate to repeat a suggestion from last year, but in my defense, this book was not actually published until last march. midcentury eye-candy and good suggestions for renovation and restoration. it also happens to include our house in chapter two. i like looking at it just to see how clean our house actually can be!atomic ranch midcentury interiors

another quasi repeat, but everyone needs a new calendar, right? 3 photos of our house that did not make the book are included (january, march and june). and best of all, our cat, harper, is now known as 'mr. january.'  atomic ranch calendar

 Arlen and me at the cf3 coffee chat earlier this month at the gwathmey/siegel house in indian hill. if you can't plop down the cool 2 million to buy the place, the next best thing is to join cf3 so you can see the coolest homes in town in a unique social setting. best bargain around! and if the house itself is on your wishlist, we can help you out there, too!cf3 membership

 the only book ever written dedicated to the diversity of modern architecture in cincinnati. all proceeds go to modern preservation.50 from the 50’s 

 we LOVE this tray with the stylized charley harper fish images. there are many other items in this line and they are all very affordable.cool harper items

i am a sucker for anything kelly green, and these appliances certainly made my wish list this year! dear santa, i have been a very good girl. please send me a green espresso maker or a toaster or a kettle :) delonghi small appliances

similar to the classic aalto (savoy) vases, this umbrella stand would look awesome in any modern entry!nuvola umbrella stand

SHOP LOCAL!  In case nothing above fits the bill, Cincy has many great opportunities to shop locally for truly unique and one of a kind gifts as well.  A great way to combat the homogenization of retail in America:

•  City Flea Wrapped Up Holiday Market  - Saturday, December 8 from 5:00 – 10:00 at Washington Park
• MiCA 12/v – corner of 12^th and Vine in OTR 
• Park + Vine – 1202 Main Street in OTR
• Leftcoast Modern – 323 4^th Street, Downtown
• Mainly Art – 3711 Madison Road, Oakley
• Modern Art Jewelry – 8316 Plainfield Road, Deer Park
• Fabulous Frames and Art – the definitive source for all things Charley and Edie Harper.  Several locations around town including Montgomery, Kenwood and Downtown.  And don't miss the annual Harper Art Show - Saturday, December 1 11-5 at the Montgomery Gallery.

FOR MORE IDEAS, CHECK OUT OUR 2011 FAVORITE THINGS LIST!

top 10 turn offs for midcentury homebuyers

this kitchen actually replaced the inappropriate cherry kitchen (pictured below) in an MCM in Wyoming. Kitchen design by Chris Magee.this insensitively remodeled traditional kitchen was in an MCM home in Wyoming

We have been in A LOT of houses over the years.  We probably get so excited about the untouched original owner MCM’s (no matter what their condition) because of all the dastardly deeds we have seen done to perfectly innocent MCM houses.  Since I am feeling rather snarky today, I thought I would share our list of the TOP 10 TURN OFFS FOR MIDCENTURY HOMEBUYERS.  If you are reading this, we are probably preaching to the choir, but here it goes.  If you are thinking of putting your house on the market, here is our top 10 list of things to avoid, or un-do as the case may be: 

• Brass – quite simply, buyers hate brass or most anything gold-toned.  If you have an original brass sputnik fixture, OK.  If you have brass door knobs, or cabinet pulls, get rid of 'em.

• Clutter – buyers have to be able to see the house and the architecture.  They really cannot see through piles of your stuff.  Rent a storage locker if you have to, but clear out your house as much as possible.

• Currently leaky or signs of previously leaky roof – people are very wary of flat and low slope roofs anyway.  Don’t give them any more reason to worry!  Flat roofs are very fixable, and associated inside damage must be repaired, too.  Make sure your roof, flashings and ceilings are in tip top shape!

• Dropped/Popcorn/Swirley ceilings – there are some very cool Midcentury acoustic tile ceilings.  But some other ceilings do not go over as well with buyers.  Smooth ceilings in good condition are greatly preferred. 

• Remuddling – ANY type of remodeling done poorly implies that the overall quality of the house is not up to par – whether it is or not.  Make sure that whatever work you do (or was previously done) is done properly and to code.  Extraneous trim pieces used to cover imperfections fall into this category. 

• Time-stamped ‘updates,’ furnishings, color schemes, walls of mirrors – If your midcentury home looks like the 1980’s, we have a problem, Don Johnson!  Take your house back to its midcentury roots, paint your walls,  and put the inappropriate furnishings in storage.  You want buyers to focus on the architecture, not your (dated) stuff!

• Non-sensitive ‘updates’ (aka: the boob light & home depot door syndrome) – need I say more?  If it ain’t mod, don’t do it!  There are so many great alternatives available today if your original bling is missing – check out the Midcentury Modern hardware and lighting collection available at Rejuvenation.com, hardware from Ikea, and door options from crestviewdoors.com to name a few. 

• Wallpaper – some people really love retro wallpaper, but true retro paper is usually not in great condition after all these years and most people really don’t want someone else’s taste on their walls.  Opt for plain walls if at all possible.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so don’t make the mistake of waiting for negative feedback to come in and then dealing with it - head it off before it becomes an issue!

this *lovely* paper was in the powder room of our previous house. not even kidding!!

• Fuse boxes and old electric panels – let’s face it, a 50-60 year old house was not built for the electric loads of 2012.  If your electric has not already been updated, this is an excellent time to do it.  A new upgraded panel and service costs about $2,000 and is always money well spent! 

• Carpet over hardwood (or cork or tile) – if you’ve got it, flaunt it!  Buyers want hardwood!  Even if your floors need refinishing (or you don’t know the condition), uncover those puppies and let buyers see them!!

Not sure what to do (or not to do) to your house?  Contact us for a no obligation consultation.  We’re always happy to share our opinions and expertise with current and potential clients!  We could very well save you money – and make you more money in the process!

~Susan

master bedroom of an amberley quad level 'before,' with carpet over hardwood and a 'boob' light.same room 'after' - with beautiful hardwood floors exposed and a retro looking light fixture installed. windows were also replaced with modern casement windows.MCM in North Avondale 'before' with light fixtures added by a previous owner.same original 1955 kitchen 'after' with simple globe fixtures from Lightolier (available online for under $100 ea)midcentury ranch 'before' with multi panel front door.midcentury ranch 'after' with plain slab door from home depot with lite kit from crestview doors.

preservation vs. renovation, part 1

architect woodie garber's personal residence, circa 1966, as furnished by the architect himself (complete with bertoia sculptures), and perfectly preserved in this photograph

We like to think that we can preserve things forever.  But as any homeowner knows, things break or lifestyles change and modifications are the only way to improve the quality of life.  As our Midcentury housing stock passes the half century mark, it is often no longer a question of aesthetics (old vs. new), but a matter of necessity.  Faucets break, refrigerators or wall ovens need replacing and newer models no longer fit the old spaces.  And then there is the whole issue of improving energy efficiency.  What is a homeowner to do?  As our previous post points out, often one thing leads to another. 

To me, the biggest no-brainer of all is undoing a previous renovation.  It is absolutely a license to do what you want, or what YOU think is best for the house.  But what about ripping original elements out of a midcentury home?  Is it ever a good idea?  I always go back to the principle of ‘form follows function.’  My #1 advice to clients is to live in a house for a while if you can before you make any changes.  You never really know how you are going to use the space until you are there.   Shortcomings usually present themselves quickly.  Improvements to the flow of the space are priceless.

the garber house kitchen after a previous renovationgreat room as it is today with partial walls removed and NO MORE CARPET!

Case in point, the Garber House we just listed.  We had the great pleasure of selling this house to the current owners 3 years ago.  When the house was designed by Woodie Garber in 1966, it was his concept of ultimate modern living.  His mother owned one of the grand old Glendale homes and even though the house was huge, everyone hung out in the modest kitchen (designed for servants, not family gathering).  He vowed that he would design a better house.  The resulting creation is basically a huge 20 x 40 ft open rectangle with a large open kitchen at one end.  4 bedrooms were located behind the kitchen and opened into the communal space.  The lower level of the home was parking for up to 12 cars and freezer and root and wine cellar storage for all of the fruit and vegetables grown on the property.  There was no direct access from the main living level of the home to the lower level because there was not living space there.

Fast forward about 20 years.  The lower level had been divided into a 3 car garage with a mother in law suite beyond.  But still, the only way to access this level was from the outside.  Not a huge deal for the garage, but very inconvenient for accessing the suite and storage areas.  The house stayed like this for another 20 years or so, until the current owner, an architect, took it upon herself to modify the house for the way we live today.  A lovely open stairway was added in the entry of the home to provide direct access to the living area below.  The laundry was then moved to this level to allow for a larger master bath, and the 4^th bedroom was converted to an amazing walk-in master closet (actually part of Garber’s original grand plan – to expand the master as the children left the nest -  that was never executed).

the former 4th bedroom is now a spacious and beautiful modern walk in closet and dressing roomview of the walk in closet as it connects to the master bedroom in this modular and flexible post and beam floorplan

Several energy efficient updates were added by the previous owners (r22 roof insulation, low e argon filled insulated windows) and current owners (high efficiency two stage furnace, smart thermostat).  Simple but extremely impactful changes that dramatically improve the efficiency and functionality of a home designed for modern living.  I think Woodie would approve, and appreciate that ‘state of the art 1966’ was just that close to being ‘state of the art 2012.’

new modern stairway to provide direct access to living areas on the lower level~Susan

COME SEE THIS HOUSE IN PERSON - OPEN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2:30 - 3:30 - 90 Coral Avenue in Glendale

one thing leads to another

plan for our carport addition by architect chris magee. the post and beam construction of the original carport (now garage) will simply extend to the left and creat a 3rd covered parking space - all part of our plan to re-roof the house!

May 6, 2012.  The day that started it all.  It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday evening.  Arlen and I were taking a walk in the neighborhood when we got a panicked call from our daughter, Tenley, saying that something crashed through the roof and there was glass all over!  We rushed home to find that a limb from one of our giant oaks had smashed one of the skylights in our bedroom hallway.  There wasn’t even any wind!  Our trusty roofers, THE Roofing came out first thing the next morning to provide a temporary shower cap type cover to the skylight and inspect the roof.  Turns out the impact of the hit made the roof material ripple and buckle.  It also smashed the gutter on the back of the house.  An inspection by our insurance company confirmed the findings.  We needed a new roof!

Now, as many of you know, when you buy a house with a flat or low slope roof, we always tell you to put your roofer on the speed dial because you will need it!  Seams let loose, flashing pulls away, limbs or other debris can puncture.  It just happens.  Good news is, it is relatively easy to put band aids on this type of roof.  Bad news is that a new membrane roof is very expensive.  We bought our house in the fall of 1997.  Our roof is in two distinct parts – a lower part over our bedrooms and a higher part over the living areas and garage.  We knew when we bought the house that the higher part of the roof was in bad condition.  THE Roofing has been putting band aids on it for us for much of the last 15 years.  The bedroom portion of the roof was newer and had never given us a bit of trouble until that fateful Sunday….

So with a broken skylight and an insurance check for a partial roof in hand, we decided to bite the bullet and put a new roof on the whole house, and I am kind of heartbroken about it.  Don’t get me wrong – I am excited about not waking up during a rain storm and wondering if I hear water dripping into the house.  But along with a new roof comes ‘new’ roof technology.  Our current roof is some sort of built up material covered in white marble chips.  Because our house is in a heavily wooded setting, the marble chips are more like petri dishes for moss, and it is impossible to keep all of the leaves, acorns and sticks off of the roof.  Believe me, Arlen tries, but it is a losing battle.  But our house sits down below the street level and the roof is very visible from the street.  I am so hesitant to change the look of the house with a sleek rubber membrane roof.  We could put the marble back on the roof over the new surface, but everyone (the roofer included) is talking me out of it.  Arlen is ecstatic about a clean and clear roof surface, and new gutters that aren’t full of marble chips.  So the plan is to do the membrane roof without rocks….

mossy lower roof - view from street. the orange buckets that are part of the 'temporary' fix on the broken skylight are now officially halloween decorations!view of house from street. what do you think of the messy rock roof? i still kind of like it....

Then, as often happens with home ownership, I had an epiphany.  If we were going to go to the trouble and expense of putting a new roof on the house, why not extend our garage and add a carport?  For years, we had a boat in the existing parking spot next to our garage.  But once we got rid of the boat and started parking cars there (we now have 3 young adult drivers in and out of the house), we realized that parking cars under Hawthorne trees where birds hang out is a terrible idea!  What a mess!  A carport would not only solve this problem, it would take our house back to its architectural roots of having an open carport (before the original carport was closed into a garage).

our house today. The open parking spot to the left of the garage is where the carport will be.

our house before we bought it with the original carport. note the lovely 'lincoln beige' color scheme!

Fast forward 5 months.  We are finally beginning construction.  This simple idea was anything but.  First, we realized that because of the way our house sits angled on our rectangular lot, we were going to be outside of the Amberley Village setback requirements.  We applied for the variance the end of July, and had to wait until the September meeting to have our case heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals.  Our wonderful neighbors did not object and our variance was approved on September 4.   Architect Chris Magee got to work on the plans, which then had to be submitted to the village for approval, and then taken to the Hamilton County Building Department for a building permit.  We picked up the permit last Wednesday, and our contractor started digging the post holes on Friday, October 12.  Mind you, this is the simplest structure imaginable, and still all if this red tape!

construction has begun! it took the better part of a day to dig the post holes in our rocky, clay soil.

Stay tuned to see how our roof and carport project progresses!

~Susan

a thousand words

“The subject is the power of photography”  ~Julius Shulman

It’s time.  I’ve always prided myself on my listing and visual tour photos, but recently I’ve noticed some other photos look better than mine.  This cannot be!  My trusty 8 year old Sony point and shoot camera with ‘wide angle’ lens attachment just wasn’t capturing interiors like I would like.  For the last two years, I have shot my exteriors with a Nikon DSLR, but was still using the Sony for interiors because of the wide-angle capability. 

After much online research and talking to the folks at Cord Camera, I decided on a Tamron 10-24 mm lens and a Nikon SB 700 flash.  This stuff was not cheap – but was so worth it!  A 3 way comparison is below.  I took these standing in the exact same spot – the top photo is with the old Sony, the middle is the Nikon with the original 18-55 mm lens and standard built-in flash, and the bottom is the new lens and flash on our Nikon D3000.  I’m sure I still have a lot to learn about the capabilities of this equipment, but I think the difference is dramatic!  What do you think?  Would you rather have an agent with an eye for architecture and knowledge of your home take professional quality pictures or rely on another brokerage’s staff photographer taking pre determined shots?  Or worse yet, photos taken on a standard point and shoot or cell phone?   When it comes to listing your property, it does not cost any more to get the best. It’s your choice!

sony point and shoot with wide angle attachmentnikon d3000 with standard 18-55mm lens and integrated flash (miller + harper jumped in this shot for fun)nikon d3000 with our new tamron 10-24mm lens and nikon SB 700 flash
 ~Susan

“I have four Ts. Transcend is, I go beyond what the architect himself has seen. Transfigure—glamorize, dramatize with lighting, time of day. Translate—there are times, when you’re working with a man like Neutra, who wanted everything the way he wanted it—‘Put the camera here.’ And after he left, I’d put it back where I wanted it, and he wouldn’t know the difference—I translated. And fourth, I transform the composition with furniture movement.”  ~Julius Shulman