We have had the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM in our Motel Directory for a long time.It’s as much of an icon along Route 66 as the WigWam Motels. Owner Lillian Redman, a legend along Route 66 ran the motel from 1958 to 1997. By a stroke of luck, owners over the years after she sold the motel managed to restore instead of modifying (and thus destroying the charm) the old motel. The rooms
What is characteristic of Modernist architecture? Do the major design features involve steel and glass? Was the design machine-inspired? (does it look somewhat like a machine?) Do the upholstery’s and fabrics look like those found at www.maharam.com? Does the design lack unnecessary details? Does its form follow its function? Does the design emphasize linear qualities? Are there a lot of horizontal and vertical lines? So, when exactly did Modernism develop as an architectural style? Modernism
Every February, Palm Springs comes alive with a vibrant celebration of mid-century modern design, art, architecture, and culture during Modernism Week. This highly anticipated event draws design enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious visitors from around the globe to experience the city’s unique architectural heritage and embrace the glamour of a bygone era. With its dazzling lineup of home tours, exhibitions, lectures, and parties, Modernism Week showcases the best of Palm Springs’ retro-chic allure. At the
Mid-century design isn’t just about interiors; it also extends to outdoor spaces with striking landscaping styles that marry function, simplicity, and natural beauty. Drawing inspiration from the 1940s to 1960s, today’s mid-century landscaping trends blend timeless features with contemporary updates to create harmonious and inviting outdoor spaces. Here are the top trendy mid-century landscaping styles gaining popularity right now. Geometric HardscapingMid-century landscaping is characterized by clean, geometric lines that complement the home’s architecture.What’s Trending: Modern
This week we see how to arrange furniture in a 1950’s home. Do you take into account traffic patterns? Or do you deal with scale and balance and a center of interest in your room? Taken from the “Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book” Copyright 1956, we thought we’d turn Mid-Century Photo Friday into a learning experience. As usual you can leave a link to your Mid-Century Photo Friday in the comments.
I love this because about 15 years ago I heard one designer refer to this as “spin art” decorating (all the furniture goes along the walls). In a 50’s house tho, I’ve found this to be a much better way of decorating. From the 1950’s Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Binder.
After having this picture (below) go viral on our Facebook page, we decided to conduct further investigation into their history. There are several sites dedicated to tracking the whereabouts of current houses as well as the history of them. Here’s what we found in brief: The Futuro, or Futuro House, is a round, prefabricated house designed by Matti Suuronen made in the late 60’s and 70’s. Completely furnished and could accommodate 8 people, it was originally
The Lloyd Wright-designed Moore House in Palos Verdes Estates, a well known example of modern architecture, has been demolished. The gorgeous house (pictured here – and you can take a tour of it here, was built in 1959. The current owner bought it in 2004 and says he never even knew who Wright was – he’s the son of Frank Lloyd Wright and an accomplished modern architect. According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, the house
This photo, taken by a friend of mine (Studio Whimsy) – is of the Apache Motel in Moab Utah – great sign and apparently a fantastic 50’s motel! Be sure to check on older Mid-Century Photo Friday posts to see other photos posted in the comments! (and be sure to link here to any of your mid-century photos you want to share!)
The fun thing about having a website like this is when your friends travel – they send you photos. This one was taken by my friend Dianna in Santa Rosa NM
A fantastic Mid-Century Motel located in Alamogordo, NM! As always, leave a link to your Mid-Century Photo in the comments below!