Atomic Ranch Design Issue 2020

What keeps your spirits lifted during the hard times? For me, it’s embracing the simple joys of good design, whether you’re admiring from afar or enjoying the special pieces in your own home. When I look throughout my own Mid Century Modern condo, each object brings wonderful memories to soothe the soul. There’s the Formica kitchen table from our local Antique Gallery (the friendly workers helped us pack it into the car), the Heywood-Wakefield vanity (that one required a truck rental!) and of course the reproduction Predicta TV from our local vintage market (yes, it works and yes, we use it). In this issue, we celebrate the Mid Century Modern icons that created something beautiful and inspiring following a time of war and depression. These innovators sought to find the…

THE PHOENIX RISING A-FRAME A new-build Lake Tahoe cabin evokes the cozy cool of an A-frame mountain getaway. Find out why this particular roof is one of a kind. COOL AND COLLECTED IN CAROLINA Take a closer look at this 1960 Mid Century Modern home in Charlotte, North Carolina, that’s almost entirely furnished and decorated with gorgeous vintage pieces. GO GREEN WITH HIP HOUSEPLANTS Bring the outdoors in with greenery set off in mid mod style. Find a guide for bullet planters, other containers, and our favorite plant varieties to add some botanical life to your home this winter. NOW’S THE TIME FOR RETRO CHEER No need to go overboard, but a little retro cheer won’t do any harm. Gather tasteful holiday inspiration, and learn how to make a DIY…

WITHIN A MERE 20 YEARS, this industrial designer’s dinnerware line had sold over 200 million pieces and skyrocketed him into nationwide fame. It’s still an iconic houseware known for its fun silhouettes, rounded edges and muted, earthy colors. The dinnerware? American Modern. The designer? Russel Wright. BEGINNINGS Born in Ohio in 1904, Wright got his start studying art and sculpture at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and went on to design theater sets in New York City. His career found its beginnings in the midst of the Great Depression—people were no longer interested in fine china or silver that needed constant polishing. So Wright began to create beautiful, easy-to-care-for housewares that were affordable. His career found its beginnings in the midst of the Great Depression—people were no longer interested in…

Choosing the perfect palette for a room can be challenging, whether you’re starting from a blank slate or working with existing colors. But the right combination can truly transform a space. Designer Danielle Fennoy of Revamp Interior Design describes her first encounter with this Manhattan condo as “one of those jaw-dropping moments where you walk in and go, ‘Oh! This is nice!’” The space’s gray-washed oak, curved walls and floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Hudson River below, and Danielle calls it a “perfect white box.” But the condo’s owners realized it needed a boost of personality to help it seem more inviting and less sterile. Enter Danielle. She was tasked with making the condo feel more casual and friendly for her clients, so she got to work with one of the…

• Not quite white. Interior designer Danielle Fennoy painted the walls an off-white color to make the space feel warmer and more inviting. • Use what you have. Danielle took inspiration from the condo’s breathtaking lookout on the Hudson River by incorporating blues throughout the space. “It became all about accentuating this beautiful view,” says Danielle. • A really great rug. The living room rug is custom made and provides continuity between the teal tones of the sofa and the orange hues of the chairs.…

Finding the right home for your family often requires an eye that can see past what is and envision what could be. Built in 1958, this home located in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, was pretty rundown by the time its future owners encountered it. But with an MS in Interior Design from Pratt Institute, owner Francesco Luparello of Parell Design Studio and his husband, Richard (Rick) Frey, Chief Creative Officer of Marketing for CW TV, were inspired to renovate this forgotten space and bring it back to its original state. ABANDONED TREASURE After six months of searching, Rick and Francesco happened upon the house of their dreams in 2001 and decided to take a closer look. “We drove by this house and basically broke in because…