Atomic Ranch Fall 2024

editor's letter I’VE OFTEN TOLD THE STORY of how I fell in love with Mid Century Modern style—or, rather, how I fell in love with simple yet bold yet futuristic designs, warm walnut wood, turned legs and brass details, and then later discovered they were all called Mid Century Modern. It was a furniture-first love affair born out of thrift shops and garage sales and, later, a collectible obsession fueled by eBay and antiques markets. My furniture collection was built haphazardly and opportunistically, and every once in a while I find a mate out in the wild. Such was the case last month when an estate sale Instagram account I follow (I’ve been following more and more of these kinds of accounts and they are hands down the best deals…

CREATING SPACES that look and feel personalized with a cohesive design is one of the benefits of taking on a major renovation project. For the homeowner of this West Seattle mid-century home, keeping things fun and colorful was a big priority. “She was purchasing her first home and wanted it to reflect her young, fun character as a gamer,” says Michelle Linden, owner and architect at Atelier Drome. “She requested playful colors and patterns, pink accents and consideration for her cat, Jemima.” Here are some ways to customize your own remodel to suit your style and lifestyle. REWORK THE SPACE TO FIT YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS The original layout involved a completely enclosed shower perpendicular to a small vanity. After reorienting the direction of the shower, Michelle also relocated the vanity…

IT’S NO ACCIDENT THAT the most successful small businesses are sprung from the love of a hobby. And in the world of Mid Century Modern-inspired décor, filled with mass-produced knockoffs and soulless replications, it is especially evident when there is passion behind a company’s products. With purposeful design and a dedication to craftsmanship, Fenway Clayworks is a team of artisans the MCM community can stand behind. Fenway Clayworks is the brainchild of Sean VanderVliet. “The truth is that I knew I wanted to do this when I was in high school and since I was 14 I've never stopped throwing pottery,” Sean says. After a decade in traditional office jobs, Sean took the leap to make pottery his full-time work in 2017. Since then, Fenway has been churning out everything…

curb appeal It takes a keen eye to see past years of neglect to visualize a home's potential. Luckily, Roy Ley, homeowner and principal at Hoke Ley, was able to look beyond the layers of disrepair of this Lawrence, Kansas, home. The list of problems the 1957 build had was extensive. “There were several trees too close to the house that were on the verge of falling, vines were completely obscuring the brick fireplace and fin wall, the yard was partially dead and planting beds were overgrown to the extent that you could barely see the house anymore,” Roy says. The “anemic” green exterior paint did it no favors and the warped roof fascias and crumbling gutters added to the feeling of dilapidation. “To the untrained eye, the house looked…

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT DESIGNED iconic buildings across the United States, but possibly his most unique home project is found in an unassuming neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Meyer May House, located in the Heritage Hill historic district of the city, is a historic-home-turned-museum, with guided tours and a visitors’ center. In a neighborhood of Victorian-era homes, it stands out from the rest. Yet, it is also an oddity in the great architect’s repertoire. It is the best preserved of all his works and was specifically constructed for a man of 5-foot-4 in stature. “The Meyer May House offers visitors a comprehensive vision of what the home was like 115 years ago and how it was used,” says Don Dekker, director of the Meyer May House. “Many of Wright’s homes…

JUST ABOUT ANY OBJECT CAN BE considered a collectible, but traditionally two major components define what makes an object a valuable collectible: interest and quantity. If people have an interest in a particular object and it is available in only a limited quantity it becomes a valuable collectible. Because of its simplicity and functionality, Mid Century Modern furniture remains highly sought after. The names Eames, Bertoia, Mies van der Rohe, Wegner, Breur, Jacobsen and Evans remain significant for collectors. Works by Breuer, Bertoia and Mies van der Rohe are still available at Knoll International. Other places to search for original pieces include auction houses, online and private sales. For anyone interested in purchasing or finding out the value of an authentic piece of MCM furniture, there are a few tell-tale…