Atomic Ranch Summer 2023

I AM FAR FROM THE MINIMALIST MODERNIST. As much as I love being in pristinely edited and meticulously curated homes, my love for collecting gets the better of me. It’s too much fun trolling vintage markets and, like a magpie, I can’t resist the lure of a charming retro object, be it a piece of art I have no idea where I’ll hang or a candy-colored bar glass that woos me with its pattern or font. Case in point, much to my husband’s chagrin, I recently picked up an 8-inch-tall green giraffe pepper shaker from the 1950s. My husband’s eye roll came when I told him I was sure I’d come across its salty mate sometime in the future. But I think it’s this exact level of patience and faith…

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Build Your Architectural Awareness Here are some common terms that will likely come up during a discussion of MCM renovations. NORMAN BRICKS Unlike the rectangular shape of standard brick s, the sleek lines of Norman bricks make them the quintessential choice for Mid Century Modern architecture. Just over two inches high and about a foot in length, their elongated appearance accentuates the low-slung façades of mid-century homes. FLOATING PAVERS They come in many shapes and materials, but the way they are used in mid-century home landscapes is distinctively different. Made of concrete, the slabs are rectangular or square and are bordered by decorative rock , grass or a combination of both. Layouts can be straight or offset, but always take a linear path. ANGIE GRAHAM, an interior designer…

Mercedes Austin started her entrepreneurial journey in the Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis 21 years ago. Using her basement as a studio, Mercedes was a commercial painter and just beginning mosaics. After apprenticing for a tile maker in exchange for materials, she started a business selling her one-of-a-kind mosaic art. Eventually, Mercedes’ dedication, unstoppable drive for success and ability to ignore her harshest critics is what led her to become a master at her craft and later the founder of Mercury Mosaics. “The driving force behind Mercury Mosaics is a steadfast conviction that an artist shouldn’t have to starve to create their masterworks,” Mercedes says. “It became more natural to sell standard kitchen tile than one-of-a-kind mosaics. I leaned into the functional side of the art form to grow a sustainable…

Mid Century Modern style has a long and storied history in Southern California. The area is like a living architecture museum, dotted with homes built and influenced by the iconic period designers. From Palo Alto to Los Angeles to Palm Springs, you can encounter entire mid-century neighborhoods. Sean Beardsley, owner of Beardsley and Sons Construction, says, “As a contractor and carpenter, I’ve done several Mid Century Modern projects because the style is so popular here. Homeowners are drawn to the clean lines and the focus of letting the outdoors in with well-placed windows and doors to utilize all our glorious California sunshine.” His task was to transform a basic and boring tract-home kitchen in Hermosa Beach into a vibrant Mid Century Modern space. The default expectation for MCM style is…

When they started looking for their “forever home” in Florida, Patrick and Nancy Dowling, who previously lived in Dallas, Texas, struggled to find a house they liked in the usual Mid Century Modern hotspots. “We never really considered St. Pete, though, until one night Nancy found this house,” Patrick says, “It was love at first sight—the lines, the details—and once we started learning the history of the house, we knew we had to figure out a way to get it.” The home, a 1954 build by William Harvard, is surrounded by dense, jungle-like foliage and features the clean lines and indoor-to-outdoor transitions that mid-century homes are known and loved for. After purchasing the home, Patrick and Nancy enlisted the help of architect Jody Beck and her team at Traction Architecture…