Logs to Lustrons

Every year Indiana Dunes National Park with Indiana Landmarks host a ‘Logs to Lustrons Tour‘, it takes a full day to get to see all the homes and really is a fantastic event. This was our second year attending, and each year they add a few new homes or there are some amazing updates to learn about. We recommend that you keep an eye out for next years event and buy your tickets, it is typically the first weekend in May. Here are some of our photos from the event. Please excuse us – we were enjoying the narrative too much that we didn’t really get good shots.

Let’s start with our new favorite house in our area  – Read Dunes House. The owners of this home [and within the this home] advocated for the Dunes preservation and successfully so, the Dunes just became the 61st National Park in the USA. Phil Benham Read and his wife Irene commissioned their architect son Herbert P Read to design the weekend house. It is currently managed by the National Park Service and they are hoping to restore it and make it available for rentals. Let’s hope their plan works – it is a gem.

Another highlight on the tour [not all homes are open for interior tours] was the Schulhof Lustron home. What is unique about this Lustron is that it is a three bedroom model, and fewer than 200 models were made. This house was built in 1949, originally it sat on the lakefront, and in 1956 had to be moved due to beach erosion. Lucky it was a Lustrous, they were designed to be moved. Anyone want to help out and lease this one and restore it? Contact the parks for details on their leasing program.

Oops – I guess we shouldn’t be nosey and look in peoples drawers.

Loads of original features – but it needs some serious work to get it back in working order.

OK two more highlights to share. This one we are SUPER excited about. It is stunning.

Right next door to the Lustron, is Dr. John & Gerda Meyer House. Originally built as a one story home in 1961, it had an addition added to it in 1965. The lower level opens onto dune woodlands, and the upper level overlooks Lake Michigan. It was designed by Harold Olin [who also was an advocate for preserving the Indiana Dunes]. What makes us excited about this home, is that it will soon be available for rentals. If you want to get in to be one of the first to stay at this stunning home – you can do so thru this program. We didn’t take any photos that do this place justice – the bedroom is filled with clever storage ideas. such a beautiful home with incredible views – again photos we didn’t take – we were too excited to be able to finally get inside this gem.

This wall panel below is brilliant. Between the two horizontal wood strips are removable glass panels – that you can place art behind, and switch-out. Perfect for displaying photography straight out of the darkroom that is on the right. Downstairs has the original kitchen with another upstairs.

The dining room has panels that can be closed to convert the dining room into a bedroom, and it is cleverly attached to a jack + jill bathroom too.

Lastly, the Solomon Enclave. Party central. These homes / apartments are also on the list for being converted into rentals homes, managed by the National Park Service. Three homes built on a sub-divided lot, with views to the lake. The homes have plenty of the original features in tact, designed for summer vacations there is plenty of glass and screened porches. This will truly make a great spot for family reunions and large gatherings once it is back up and restored. We can’t wait to see life back in these building.

Anyway, just a quick tour – we are not going to share all the details – you just should sign-up and go next year. It really is a great day, and there is a stopping point where you can grab some lunch from the newly opened Goblin & Grocer.

Screened Porch – The Aviary

The screened in porch, we call ‘The Aviary’ is our favorite spot in the house, it is a vacation just to sip coffee in or listen to the birds in the garden. We are entering into our third season using the porch and it is always evolving. Originally, it was furnished with Woodard ‘Rose Vine‘ outdoor furniture [as pictured below from the real-estate listing].

These are a few shots just after we closed.

Whilst we still have the original furniture in storage, we have replaced it with the design classic ‘sculptura’. We mainly switched it because we have always coveted the design pieces, and when we had the perfect spot to put them – we started collecting vintage pieces. They were all white when purchased from etsy + eBay + charish, and we had a local company powder coat them black for us.

Year-after-year, the furniture remains in the same spot and is divided into two zones: a dining area that is located close to the kitchen; and a lounging area with views over the garden onto the pool. Planters are used to divide the ‘rooms’ up, and this year we are adding ‘flor’ tiles to make a rug. The rug will be placed under the main seating arrangement, just to mix things up, and to make it cozy under our feet when the sun goes down, the terrazzo can feel too cold for most of the year.

For plants, we have found that ferns seem to be the least maintenance, and will tolerate some hot weather and long spells without remembering to water them. The added bonus with the ferns, they can be found in Lowes in April and they last until January when the temps really drop.

The flooring is the original terrazzo Fritz tile, we found a box with some spare tile in the crawl space under the house. We used the same brand to add terrazzo inside.

Back to the Sculptura Chairs – we have been searching for a pattern, or an example of the cushions for the lounge chairs. I was able to buy a set of original pads for the dining table from F&F Vintage. As for the loungers, we had some made, they were expensive and not well constructed. So the search continues … but here are some photos of the original cushions in case anyone is looking for inspiration:

Even in the winter the space is lovely. We switch out the screened panels back to plexiglass-glass and hope that the ferns make it thru.

Frost House – Art

We frequently get asked about the art in the house, so we thought we would share some details for our art loving friends on the key pieces that we have hanging on the walls.

First off [pictured above] is the most frequently asked ‘who is the artist’ piece. The piece was purchased from Trilogy Antiques in Three Oaks, MI about 7-8 years ago. It is titled Birds and was painted by Albert K. Pounian, a local Chicago artist and art professor who served for a decade as the corporate curator for Continental Bank’s art collection in its branches throughout the world. He died Oct. 25, 2000 at the age of 76 after battling with Parkinson’s disease. Here is a little more detail found in his obituary that appeared in the Chicago Tribune.

Mr. Pounian began to excel in art at a young age, said his brother, Arch. While a teenager studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, he was recruited by the Army to draw maps for military operations during World War II. He served in the Army from 1942 to 1946, attaining the rank of second lieutenant and receiving a Bronze Star Medal and four battle stars.

After the war, Mr. Pounian received bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Art Institute, specializing in drawing, painting and illustration. He began teaching at the institute and other local art leagues and schools, including Barat College in Lake Forest.

Franklin McMahon, a friend of Mr. Pounian’s and a fellow artist, said his friend painted in the social realist style and later moved into abstraction–although his works continued to feature recognizable objects.

Mr. Pounian’s brother said he had a strong social conscience that led him to create paintings with social themes, such as his opposition to Vietnam War, and also to participate in marches in Selma, Ala., during the height of the civil rights movement.

Mr. Pounian was also known for his pen and ink drawings of landscapes and street scenes, and he traveled to England, Ireland and Wyoming to paint and teach. His work was exhibited at local galleries, schools and other public buildings from the 1950s through the 1980s.

He held leadership positions for local art programs, exhibitions and galleries, and was well-known among artists in the Chicago area.

From 1979 to 1989, Mr. Pounian was the corporate art curator for Continental Bank, managing the artwork the bank exhibited at its headquarters in Chicago and at branches worldwide. He also helped organize an association of local corporate art curators, serving as its chairman from 1981 to 1982.

You can read other articles here and see other works here by Albert K. Pounian.

When we purchased the house, we acquired this original piece that was hanging in the formal dining room [pictured above and below], it was created by a local artists Chiquita Mueller and it is titled ‘Muted Sun‘. It is a mix of oil and what we assume is local gravel & sand. We are doing some searching to see if we can find out more details on this artist. It came with the original receipt even.

 

Next up [pictured below] the ‘Jack + Queen + King + Joker‘ pieces came to  us through a instagram follower that alerted us to the story of the artist Mark Coomer. We loved the connection to the area and knew immediately we had to buy some pieces to add to the house. Most of the homes items that remained when we purchased the home were noted: to be made in America; and frequently sourced ‘locally’, so we saw these as an appropriate addition to the walls.

Mark Coomer was born in Bay City, MI in 1914.  He studied in Chicago and Detroit.

Mark Coomer visited La Porte, Indiana with his wife Sally in 1952, and the relationship with our company to sell his serigraphs began.  They would only do 100 of each subject, to make these truly limited edition pieces of art.  All but the last 24 subjects were done on Masonite.  The larger ones were done on paper.  Mark and Sally loved each other and loved the art they created together.

He lived in the Chicago suburb of Prospect Heights for a while, and later in Arizona while exhibiting his paintings and limited edition serigraphs nationally.  Coomer passed away in 2004.

All the details can be found here at Midcentury Serigraph where you can also buy some of his serigraph pieces too.

This piece [pictured above] was added to the collection in 2017, purchased from an instagram account called The Art of Object. We do not have a great deal of information other than: it is titled ‘Sadness’ and it was painted by Paul Werth. From some brief research it appears that he was born in Germany in 1912 and died in 1977. He is said to be a Work War II camp survivor. The piece has since moved from the family room into the dining room, to create a gallery wall.

We also purchased the following additional pieces pictured above: Far Left – from The Art of Object in 2017, a 1950’s French cubist still life, the medium is oil on board and the piece is ‘untitled’ by Jean Wullaert. We have searched for details on the artist and so far have come up with nothing; Top Right – this piece was picked up locally in Michigan in early 2018, from one of our favourite stores – Trilogy Antiques, actually these came from their outpost in Harbert, written on the back is Lappen Zimmerhan;  Bottom Right – came from Dial M for Modern, it is from 1972 and by R.Ball we have no other details.

The final piece we are sharing for now was also spotted on instagram. It joined us in August 2017 and came from an Atlanta store – Distinct Modern. It is an abstract piece by T.Webb created in 1964 and is also ‘untitled’.  We stare at it daily in the family room.

We have some other bits & pieces, and loads of sculptural pieces hanging on the walls – we will share those another time.

Morse House – Palm Springs

We first met Joan & Gary Gand through Chicago Bauhaus and Beyond in 2017 when their non-profit organization, which celebrates and promotes 20th century modern architecture and design, did a tour of The Frost House. When we headed out to Palm Springs for Modernism Week they kindly invited us over to their home – the Morse House [1961].

The original home owners where Teddy & Claire Morse. Teddy had selected a ranch model in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs. This area is know for it’s Alexander Homes, and the house model originally chosen is suspected to be a design by William Krisel. Claire Morse, a fan of Harold “Hal” Levitt designs [a modernist architect for Hollywood elite] wanted something fancier than the standard.  So they hired a builder to intervene and add the ‘Levitt’ design effect to the partially finished home.

The previous day to our visit, we had aimlessly being stalking homes, randomly driving up and down streets, we stopped outside one particular home and said to ourselves “OMG – now that house I want to peek inside”. It really stands out from the crowd. Fast forward to the next day, Joan texts their address, we slap it into WAZE and head on over. When we turn the corner, and WAZE announces you have arrived – OH BOY! had we arrived – right to the very house we wanted to peek at. As it stood right before us – we squealed – EEEEeeek! We couldn’t get out of the car fast enough, both rushing to the doorbell, dying for the door to open. WOWZA – what a house.

Nominated by the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation as a Class 1 Historic Site, and it deserves to be, and needs to be on the list – totally AMAZING. The minute you enter – you feel like you are apart of a glamorous MCM moment – walking right into a ‘set’ – it is so mid-century perfect. We gushed over every room – every view – every detail. We are still gushing thinking about it. This home wraps up into one perfect parcel – everything quintessential about Palm Springs Mid Century Modern. The Architecture coupled with the Gand’s impeccable taste in art and collectibles makes this house feel that way. Now – how do we get ourselves invited to the next cocktail party.

Look at that garden. We could be happy here living outside in the pool on a float, where we can admire the garden and be mezmerised by the kinetic sculptures as they dance in the wind. Those windows you see, they are giant sliding doors that open the house up to: the swim-up bar; and the sunken living room.

Back inside – who doesn’t love a Malm fireplace in their master bedroom? A dreamy house – every room is fabulous – see we are still gushing. For sure this is our Palm Spring MCM fave. Thanks for the invite Joan & Gary, and thanks for putting up with our ‘teenage fan club’ behavior. You can read more about the house here and here.

And one last note, that is equally impressive – the living room / pool is the subject of this SHAG piece of art called “The Impostors” you can purchase it here. Gary Gand is sporting a hat on an eames lounger, whilst Joan Gand is looking glam sipping a cocktail – seated on the stairs. Can you see why we want to go to party here – this piece captures the feel of the home perfectly. Cheers!

Eames House – Case Study House #8

If you find yourself in LA, make sure before you arrive that you make a reservation to tour the interior of the EAMES HOUSE. You can find out all the details here. The tour is intimate and incredibly special, it feels like a morning or afternoon as a house guest, with an opportunity to sit on the rug and have a chat with the docent. It’s something that we could see ourselves returning for another interiors tour, there is so much to absorb, and so much packed into an efficient and somewhat compact space. It is a splurge, but it is work every penny – the money is reinvested into the preservation of the property.

The most surprising element to the property was the proximity of its location to the ocean. Perched on a hillside, the home is set back, and overlooks a meadow in which you can see the ocean framed through tall beautiful eucalyptus, the setting is incredibly magical. We can see why Ray when she would arrive back to the house + studio, she would ‘inhale deeply and smile’, we did too.

We did notice some similarities, and I am sure Emil Tessin was influenced by these case study homes. We noticed that the exposed steel beams and colors had some likeness in our Alside House, maybe that helped us feel comfortable when we were on this tour.

There was so much to be inspired by on this visit. For example, the ferns in the garden [pictured above] are something that we want to place into our garden, and we definitely want to introduce more house plants into the interior. Photography is not permitted of the interiors – but check it out for yourself – the vignettes are so inspiring. Oh! And we must be the last people on earth to learn that the ‘house bird’ is a replica of a decoy that Charles & Ray picked up in Indiana when on a road-trip after getting married in Chicago [yep – we purchase one – but on the hunt for a ‘decoy’]. Lots of inspiration here, that is why we can see that return visits would be of value – so much to experience.

Indianapolis Monthly – Feb 2018

It is here! Our first feature in print thanks to Indianapolis Monthly – Feb Edition 2018. It is a lovely piece written by Gina Bazer and photography by Bob Coscarelli. Our favorite quote in the article ….

Constructed of steel and aluminum modules in different colors, the Frost House winks at passing drivers like a Mondrian painting in the middle of a forest.

Thanks for the enchanting chat about the house Gina, we had fun reliving the story, and we continue to enjoy finding out more facts – it is like a good archeological dig.

 

 

Look for the FEB 2018 Edition on news stands or pick up a copy for your favorite digital reader through an app like Zinio.