You know the road that's paved with good intentions?

I believe flippers generally think they're doing the right thing. I also believe they generally fail to do their homework about what they've bought...and in the case of mid-century homes, about what mid-century lovers find desirable.

Before we bought the house we're in now, my daughter and I considered buying this house. We finally decided it would require too much work to restore.  While we knew it was going to be a huge project, we also knew the end result could be absolutely breathtaking if done right.

When we saw the restored exterior recently, we were encouraged. Very little was changed. The new balcony was an improvement, and the front doors and garage doors were nice choices. Overall, the look and feel of the house remained the same, and that boded well.

But remember the entry, with all its beautiful trim?

Now it looks like this. Some of the trim was restored. Some was removed when one of the rock walls was knocked out. The removal of the dark paneling brightened the entry...but the original cone wall fixtures didn't get put back up. That was the first sign something was amiss.

And remember the rock fireplace and the gorgeous screen beside it? The slate floor?

Now it looks like this. Slate gone, screen gone, rock fireplace gone, replaced by the most lackluster and predictable materials anyone could have chosen.

And the Pomona tile designed by George Nelson for the Distinguished Designer series in the late 1950s or early 1960s? That's right...gone. It was in pristine condition. It just needed to be re-grouted.

Now the bathroom looks like this. It breaks my heart to think those tiles were tossed into a dumpster. With a little knowledge about the period, the owners would have at least known to resell them. (I've seen them listed on eBay recently for $10-15 each. In the past, I've seen tiles from that series bring as much as $45.)

This 2556 sf house is currently on the market for $459,900 (originally listed at $475,000). It's been for sale for almost two months. I may be wrong, but I predict the current owners won't get the quick turnaround they hoped for...or the profit they expected.

In effect, the flippers have created a white elephant. They've stripped the house of all its mid-century character, and anyone who truly wants a mid-century home would have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to return it to its former beauty.

And, to make things worse, even at its reduced price, it's overpriced for that particular neighborhood. If the flippers chose to give it a generic look that would appeal to the broad market, I think they overlooked the fact that buyers wanting a similar sized house could...and probably would...opt to buy a brand new, similarly unremarkable McMansion for far less.

As I said...homework, people. If the sellers had cleaned the rock and slate, done minimal restoration to the room divider, and re-grouted the George Nelson bathroom tile, they could have saved themselves considerable expense, making it possible to list the house for far less and still make a hefty profit. And I can almost guarantee that some mid-century lover would have scooped it up already.

The ultimate in mid-century bathrooms

Again, I've let far too much time pass since my last post. It's hard to believe I found time to post daily for five years. But that was then...when I was living alone...and this is now. Being part of a busy multi-generational household with a daughter whose job keeps her on the go and two grandsons, ages six and seven, who keep me on the go, I seem to have put the blog on the back burner.

However, sometimes things come my way that are just too good not to post. Candace Ramirez, public relations manager for Estately, found my blog a couple of years ago, and she's always thoughtful enough to share amazing mid-century homes with me. This time, she sent me a link to a house in Los Angeles with a bathroom that will make the "pink bathroom crowd" (You know who you are!) swoon with delight.

The only thing I can think of that could make a pink bathroom lover happier than original pink fixtures is this room...original pink and turquoise. Enjoy!

Fort Worth home for sale

Was my last post really in December? I've really been neglecting the blog lately. Gone are the years of daily posts, but this is ridiculous. I'll make a real effort to be more diligent from now on.

This local mid-century delight is owned by an acquaintance of mine. I've been in the home socially, and I can honestly say that it's more beautiful than the photos.

Built in 1952, this 4593 square foot marvel boasts soaring ceilings with skylights, huge indoor plants and tons of built-ins. With 5 bedrooms and 4 updated bathrooms and an updated kitchen with a gas stove which includes a grill, wok attachment, convection oven and warming drawer, it is larger and offers more amenities than many homes built in the early 1950s. It also has a stacked stone see-through fireplace, as well as refinished terrazzo tile and new cork flooring.

The home is located in Fort Worth's prestigious Monticello neighborhood and has a park view. It is listed at $599,000.

More my style...and close to home

While the 1970s time capsule featured in my last post was wildly colorful and fun to look at, the house featured in this post is far more my style.

Built in 1956, it is nestled on a creekside .35 acre wooded lot in the sought-after Tanglewood neighborhood of Fort Worth. The 2439 square foot home has two dining areas, three bedrooms, two baths, a wet bar and a greenhouse. With its flat pitched roof, teak cabinetry, and walls of windows, it offers classic mid-century design. The asking price is $560,000.

All images from realtor.com

The Teddy House

We always give our homes names. The place where we built the Modernist Nest was officially known as the Malvey House. My daughter's former house was the Lotus House.  The house we're selling is the Juneau House, and the house we're in the process of buying is another Lotus House, as far as my daughter is concerned, because it's only three houses down from the first home of that name...the one that was sold so the store could be opened, for you longtime readers. (She's excited about living by old friends again!)

But Grandsons #1 and #2 are having none of calling it the Lotus House. The first time we went to view the property, they found a giant teddy bear that the owners were using to stage the garage apartment and immediately fell in love, so it's the Teddy House, as far as they're concerned.

When we made our offer, we asked that only two things convey: the teddy bear and a Japanese maple tree in a huge turquoise ceramic pot. The owners declined to leave either behind, so the search has begun for a suitably large replacement bear.

The search has also begun for furnishings for the garage apartment, which we plan to rent via Airbnb. (There are already other plans afoot for a fantastic space for me. You'll want to stay tuned for that.)

Point A to Point B...again

After living at our present address for slightly more than a year, during which time major life changes have taken place, we put our house on the market last week. Three days later, we had a contract on it. Yesterday we made an offer on a house, and today we got word that the offer has been accepted. Now the option period begins. Two inspections pending, can the minutiae be worked out to the satisfaction of all so that both deals go down? The next few days will tell.

Point A - What we are trying to sell

Point B - What we are trying to buy

Moving may make posts a bit sporadic for the next few weeks, but I'll update the blog whenever I can and try to keep you abreast of what's happening with our nomadic family.

Eichler for sale in Walnut Creek, CA

My last post was about a Dallas teardown.  After sad news, it's nice to feature a home that has been lovingly maintained and will be appreciated for years to come. This beautiful Eichler home was designed by architect Claude Oakland and built in 1969. The colorful double doors enter into the huge atrium of this 2,435 square foot structure, which features 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. Updates are tasteful and period-appropriate, making this home very desirable.

Whoever buys this property will own a little piece of Utopia.

All images from fogmodern.com

Beautiful day in the neighborhood

Well, not exactly my neighborhood, but nearby. While this gorgeous home is five blocks away from our house, it is officially in the exclusive Westover Hills neighborhood. Driving across the imaginary boundary from our neighborhood to theirs means leaving behind $300-500K homes and entering into the world of multi-million dollar real estate.

It was built in 1959 and has 4740 square feet, including 3 bedrooms, 5 full baths, and 2 half baths. It was last listed at $1,799,500 and has a current estimated value of $2,136,494. The home features travertine floors throughout, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a lush multi-tiered backyard. The master bedroom has its own den, and the chef's kitchen has Carrera countertops and top of the line appliances.