We're within a hair of buying this house. Beautiful property, house needs a lot of work. The far left is the original A-frame house, built in the 40s. Middle was added later, not sure exactly when (early 70s or before.) In-law suite over garage added within the last 10 years.

The original part of the house is pretty cool. It has real, wormy wood paneling and a brick fireplace with barn beam mantel. It retains the a-frame with vaulted ceiling. There's a loft at either end and a balcony on one side, with wood beams running across.

I love A&C, especially the contemporary interpretation and would like to steer the house in that direction. (The gawdawful fuschia bathroom has got to go!)

Anyway, assuming we get the house there isn't going to be anything left for hiring architects or for that matter general contractors, so I need help! What could be done to make the exterior more appealing and more A&C? I could see maybe extending the roofline a bit on the gables and adding some detail there, but thought I'd throw a pic out and ask for suggestions.

It's really not Arts & Crafts at all or A-frame for that matter, but rather a 40s minimal traditional. The additions with the center section took it in a more Colonial direction. Considering two different additions at different times, it's a remarkably coherent house. From 1925 to 1955, Colonial ... not midcentury modern ... was the hot design style. Ranches were just getting started by 1950.

In the 40s, a simple minimal traditional along the lines of the original house would have been every couple's deepest desire ... modern, but traditional, roomy but affordable. Certainly roomier than an Army barracks or one-room defense housing.

I'd love to see the fuschia bathroom. There's a midcentury modern group interested in "Saving the Pink Bathroom."

If you buy the house, I suggest living in it a year or so before making any dramatic changes. Take your cues from the house itself. It's really a rambler now and quite handsome. Making it into an A&C style ... nah. Find an A&C house that you love and restore it and leave this to a midcentury lover.

Rikki

Here's the early part, which is the only area (aside from the pink bath) that has any character at all.



Now the bath, okay, I can understand why folks might get a little protective of that. The fuschia part is actually just painted, so it could be toned down. The walls and floor are more carnation pink. Problem is that the room makes me claustrophobic... and if I give up on the house I really want to build (but can't really afford) I want a jacuzzi out of the deal, along with a separate shower.

So, while I do appreciate midcentury (I actually deal in MCM furnishings), the bath is really at odds with the older part of the house and everything in-between is very non-descript.

The tile and the neo-angle tub look original to to me. The tub was advertised quite a lot from the 30s to the 50s, but most people stayed with the boring rectangular tubs. It's way cool. True, the fuschia is pretty awful.

The living room was nice ... but that loft was probably added to give it an updated 1970s feel. There were probably smallish bedrooms up there before they vaulted it. I now understand why you call it an A-frame ... from the inside it sort of feels that way. I'd open it up entirely and get rid of the loft. It looks kind of useless. Are those sky lights off to the side?

R.

Yes, there are a couple skylights on the one side. I guess it's not a true a-frame as the roof doesn't come all the way down on the sides, but it does have that feel with a high pitched roof and the vaulted ceiling.

It's really hard to guess what was done and when. The loft area floors are cedar and definitely have some age to them. The original kitchen and a small enclosed porch are at the front of that section, and a tiny bathroom and bedroom at the back. (Would have been just a 1/2 bath originally - there's a tiny shower squeezed in now, but barely.)

The loft is accessed from what is basically attic stairs going up in the middle section. I don't see any sign of stairs up or down in the early part and there isn't much room for them, but I guess there had to be some way. The basement under that part is actually pretty nice for its age, as it is a walk out.

I've seen a couple pictures of loft-style designs during the early 50s, but they are kind of unusual. From the exterior, it appears that the improvements were done pretty consistently along that MCM meets Colonial theme. At least they left the original living room intact. The paneling and FP are nice. And overall, it's bound to be nicer than any new construction.