Eclectic Collection (122)Patrick Sutton and Lark Pfleeger's 200-year-old Baltimore row house remained virtually untouched since 1946. Join us as we admire their renovations, which kept the original look of the exterior, but created an interior with a surprisingly contemporary style.
Then, visit Jim and K.C. Gavin's Rancho Zorro, which once belonged to the actor Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Designed by William Neff, an architect renowned for his work in the California style, the home displays a mixture of Spanish colonial and Mediterranean elements.
Next, take a look at Mark Leithauser's 1920s Washington, D.C., cottage. The artist and curator painted the kitchen decoratively to surprise his wife, and since then, the room has become an integral part of the home. In addition, the house is decorated with an interesting collection of found objects, vintage signs and 18th Century carpentry tools.
Lastly, we'll tour Ted and Betty Pappas's suburban St. Louis dwelling. The home is one of the last by Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the bright, private house for the couple when they were just newlyweds.
Row Home Facts:
- Rehabbed homes are still available and range in price from the mid-$100,000s to about $500,000, depending largely on location.
- Old-style row houses are generally 14 feet wide and two to three stories tall.
- Veneer is a thin layer of wood applied in sheets over underlying layers of plywood.
- Unlike the more random graining of solid wood, uniform graining can be achieved.
- Water used for mixing cement should be clean and free of oil, acid, and vegetable matter. It is best to use water that is fit to drink when mixing cement.
Resources
Renovating Old Houses
by George Nash
Renovating and Restyling Older Homes: The Professional’s Guide to Maximum Value Remodeling
by Lawrence Dworin
The Narrow Home Plan Collection
by Carol Shea and Bruce Arant
California Ranch Facts:
- Wallace Neff (1895-1982) was a noted architect whose designs combined European styles with Southern California living.
- The galley kitchen is a layout which looks like a hallway with cabinets and appliances on both sides. A big benefit of the galley kitchen is that everything is within reach.
- It's always a good idea to store and cover outdoor furniture during the winter—even if it's aluminum or iron.
Resources
Wallace Neff: Architect of California’s Golden Age
By Wallace Neff, Jr.
Casa California: Spanish-Style Houses from Santa Barbara to San Clemente
by Elizabeth Jean McMillan, Melba Levick, Elizabeth Jean McMillan, David Gebhard
Outdoor Furniture Covers
Brookstone
www.brookstone.com
Frontgate
www.frontgate.com
Work In Progress Facts:
- Kitchen cabinets require a hard finish that will resist scratches and chips. The hardest paint available to homeowners is an epoxy modified alkyd paint.
- Stencils allow the reproduction of a pattern or design as many times as you wish.
- Stenciling brushes are round with short, stiff bristles. Use a quick up-and-down movement to dab paint onto your stencil—this prevents paint from getting under the edges.
- When displaying your antique collections, remember that sunlight, heat and humidity are an antique's worst enemy.
Resources
Stencils with Style: Creative Ideas for Applying Patterns to Every Room
by Jill Visser, Michael Finn, Michael Flinn
The Art of Display: Creating Style with Decorative Object
by Katherine Sorrell
The Painted Kitchen: Over 60 Quick and Easy Ways to Transform Your Kitchen Cupboards
by Henry Donovan
Wright House Facts:
- Wright believed that the home should fit into nature and not vice-versa, so he designed homes which "grew from" the land, rather than sat upon it.
- Wright believed in the open-house floor plan. To accomplish this, his designs increased the size of living rooms and added large windows to reduce the degree of enclosure.
- In tinted concrete, liquid pigment is added while the mixture is wet so it becomes an integral part of the concrete.
- Tropical hardwoods are more durable than rot-resistant softwoods, but are also more expensive. Philippine mahogany costs about $3.18 per square foot.
Resources
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
www.frankllyodwright.org
A Frank Lloyd Wright Companion
by William Allin Storrer
50 Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright
by Diane Maddex
