Atomic Ranch Summer 2020

Growing up in California, it’s hard not to be hugely influenced by Joseph Eichler, the man who brought Midcentury Modern to the masses. And in Southern California’s Orange County area, where I went to school and recently put down roots with my home, the Eichler tracts in Orange are like a proud emblem of the area, a trophy marking our own spot in the grand scheme of mid mod history. When you think about Eichler’s tract developments with architects like A. Quincy Jones and Fredrick Emmons or Claude Oakland, I think you truly see how they embodied the new American dream at the time. They are equal parts innovation and quiet simplicity. Marketed to middle-class America, they were designed to appeal to the everyman. And yet to see them today,…

Inside Scoop! Color Your World If you think this space is full of colorful character, you’ll love our roundup of inspiring and brightly hued interiors that bring a rainbow connection to the retro look. Swim Club Tour some of Atomic Ranch’s favorite backyard pool designs; then bring the Palm Springs pool party to your house with this list of pool must-haves. Be Steel My Heart Are midcentury steel kitchens your thing? Check out this gallery of some stunners, and read all about the history of these hard-working cabinets. On Deck Everything you need to know about caring for and maintaining your midcentury decks and wooden patios. Follow us online on Facebook , Pinterest and Instagram daily! LOOK FOR THIS THROUGHOUT THE ISSUE TO SEE WHAT EXTRA CONTENT YOU’LL FIND ONLINE.…

The postwar housing boom was the catalyst for many of the most important developments in 20th-century residential architecture. In the 1950s and 1960s, large tract developments of ranch homes first appeared in American suburbs and soon became synonymous with the American dream. While these developments greatly impacted midcentury residential architecture, they were frequently designed to create maximum profit for merchant builders, sacrificing cohesive design and style in the process. Joseph (Joe) Eichler (1900–1974) was the first merchant builder to work closely with architects to develop stylish, mass-produced tract homes constructed with quality materials that gave the homes a custom-designed look. Eichler’s unwavering commitment to quality design and materials produced homes at the pinnacle of accessible and stylish Midcentury Modern residential architecture and are highly sought-after today. USONIAN INSPIRATION Eichler Homes,…

Sometimes an appreciation and understanding for an art form is passed down like a family heirloom. That’s the case for David Eichler, architectural photographer and owner of David Eichler Photography. A rich history predates him—his grandfather, Joseph Eichler, was a renowned real estate developer who brought affordable Midcentury Modern designs to American families—and set David on his own life path to a creative profession. “My interest in architectural and interior design subject matter began as a child, from being around my grandfather’s home-building business,” he says. David wasn’t exceptionally close to his grandfather, but he grew up around him and looked up to him as a figure of energetic confidence. As a student at the New England School of Photography, David was initially interested in street and photojournalistic photography. However,…

Homeowners are drawn to the open floor plan in midcentury homes for a number of reasons. For Elsvette Buenaventura and her husband, they wanted that free-flowing space because they like to entertain. When the couple purchased a 1962 Eichler in Northern California three years ago, they knew the kitchen had to be the star attraction. “We wanted to make [the kitchen] the central hub of the home,” the homeowners say. “We love food and hosting, and our house needed to reflect that. We also wanted the kitchen to be completely open and easily accessible for day-to-day use.” To achieve this goal, the couple enlisted Pamela Lin-Tam and her team at Urbanism Designs to lead the renovation project. The owner of a modern home herself, Pamela knew how to accentuate the…

TYPE OF HOME: 1962 pitched-roof Eichler. BACKGROUND: Purchased three years ago, the home was missing much of its original midcentury charm. The homeowners enlisted Pamela Lin-Tam and her team at Urbanism Designs to lead the renovation, with a particular focus on the living areas. COLOR SCHEME: Black, white and warm walnut. INNOVATIVE IDEA: For the backsplash, the design team laid out the half-hexagon tiles in a braid pattern rather than recreating a hexagon. Paired with the slight color and shape variations in the handmade tiles, the backsplash gives subtle dimension to the kitchen space.…