Atomic Ranch Exteriors & Landscaping 2023

/ EDITOR’S LETTER / A few years ago, I was in a beautifully restored and maintained Mid Century Modern home in Riverside, California. The home was designed by Clinton Marr, a prolific local architect. Riverside is a sprawling desert suburb founded in the Victorian era that had a growth spurt during the post-war period. It’s the kind of place where the lots are large and the neighbors not always nearby. I was shooting the home for a future issue and chatting with the homeowners, who told me that the house was one that the architect designed for himself—always a special treat. It was on a cul de sac and set back in the lot, its backyard just as spacious as the front. I couldn’t help mentioning how tiny the bedrooms…

Landscape Architects Who Defined Mid-Century Design Mid-century landscape architects shaped the modern aesthetic through their groundbreaking work. We tip our hats and spades to three influential MCM landscape architects. MCM Exterior Paint Colors Mid Century Modern architecture is made for curb appeal and MCM exterior paint colors can take it to the next level. But where do you start? We got some tips—a few are as easy as taking a drive around the neighborhood. Mid-Century Gardening Supplies and Décor MCM style focuses on building a bridge between indoor and outdoor living, so it makes sense to bring your love of retro style into your garden. We gathered some tools and accessories to help you with your mid-century outdoor gardening this summer. MCM Landscaping in a Midwestern Climate Although mid-century home…

/ SMALL SPACES / DON’T LET A SMALL YARD stop you from growing your own food at home. You don’t need acreage worthy of a farm to get a productive veggie garden right in your own backyard. Not only are there plenty of varieties that perform well in pots, as a novice you’re more likely to gain momentum when starting with containers that are close by and easy to work with. Like any other type of container garden, you’ll still need lots of full sun to help your fruits and veggies grow. And there are a few extra tricks and steps that you’ll need to consider to make up for with technique what you lack in cubic inches. Here are some tips to get you started. Use the right mix…

/ GOING GREEN / THE IDEA OF EMPLOYING sustainable and earth-friendly elements in your home and garden is attractive. Who isn’t conscious of the threatening effects of global warming and doesn’t want to try and do their part to mitigate the damage? But starting doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as you think. Here are a few easy features and simple swaps you can incorporate into your landscape design that will earn you some carbon offsets and better your local environment in dividends. Reduce Your Lawn As accustomed as we are to seeing that sea of green in the average front and back yard, lawns really are eco offenders. Not only do they require lots of water for upkeep, they don’t provide any habitat for local animals and insects, and…

/ INDOOR STYLE / ARE THERE TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF PLANTS? Actually, there are. But before you bemoan yet another craze to keep up with, the current fascination with new and unique plants is beneficial to your home’s greenery. Thanks to the proliferation of plant and flower hashtag posts that are sprouting up on social-media feeds from Instagram, TikTok and the like, rare and beautiful specimens are now easier to find than ever. If you’ve ever wondered what kind of plants would look best to frame your mid-century home, you’ve got a wide and varied feed to browse—just follow the hashtag. If anyone knows about both social media and plant trends, it’s Hilton Carter. He’s a plant and interior stylist who has amassed more than half a million followers…

/ CURB APPEAL / SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE CHANGES for your home’s curb appeal are the hardest ones for passersby to detect. That was the case for this handsome Salt Lake City, Utah, gem built in 1957. The original architect is unknown, but what the current homeowners did know is that they wanted to keep the changes to the original exterior design as seamless as possible, while addressing a few functionally aimed improvements. “The existing entryway was odd,” says Olivia Lucas, design coordinator for Source Construction Inc., the firm that handled the home’s major renovations. It was awkwardly enclosed and unwelcoming, and the homeowners felt like it could be better utilized. “Turning [the entry] into a grander space added a sense of largeness to the home,” she says.…