Table of contents for Exteriors & Landscaping 2024 in Atomic Ranch

THEY’RE UNMISTAKABLY identifiable and instantly eye-catching. And while their invention and use predate the mid-century period by more than a hundred years (more on that on page 110), they’ve become an icon of the era. We’re talking about breeze blocks. And if you’re looking to add, imbue or amp up your mod style, they’re the perfect material to add to your space—inside and out. Use them as a floating wall or top an existing wall, as a room divider or as a sculptural focal point. Build a breeze-block wall to hide the pool filter or the trash-bin stall. Breeze blocks can make garden greenery feel extra lush when layered into plantings or side gardens and they can be part of a dynamic design for a built-in barbecue or outdoor-bar top.…

The first time that architect Kristi Byers saw the home built by Richard George Wheeler in 1952 for Ruth Dryer Dick and her husband, William Dick, in the coveted Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego was at the real estate open house in 2017. The home, which had been in the same family since it was built, was for sale and Kristi had been contacted by potential buyers Jennifer and Josh Habig to take a look at it with them. “When Jennifer and Josh contacted me about the home, I looked up the address and immediately said, ‘I will meet you there!’” Kristi recalls. “Although it was unusual to meet potential clients before they had even bought the home, it was quite the opportunity to see a home designed by…

REGIONAL MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE SHINES BEST when the landscape that frames it aligns with the local flora. That’s what Miami native and landscape architect Carlos Somoza did for this 1950s Mid Century Modern home in Coconut Grove, Florida, designed by Tripp Russell. The subtropical garden was the finishing touch to the renovation by award-winning architects Jacob and Melissa Brillhart, who added a new two-story, steel-and-glass ribbon addition. Carlos designed the gardens and the contemporary outdoor living areas, including the swimming pool, wood decks and terraces. “We love to design gardens that make you feel like Mother Nature is winning.” Distinctive Spaces The outdoor living area is comprised of three separate spaces organized around the focal point of the single-family home: a majestic 40-foot-high Ficus aurea (Florida Strangler Fig) tree. The tree…

WHEN AMBER SOKOLOWSKI OF SOKO DESIGN first saw her future home, she told her husband, “The all-white house is going to become the all-black house.” While it sounded amusing, she wasn’t joking. The silhouette of the home and its location in the Rossmore neighborhood of Long Beach, California, called for something dramatic, and black was just the answer. But this renovation was more than just a fresh coat of paint. Originally designed by famed architect Ross Cortese Rossmore in 1959, the home has since taken on new life with Amber at the helm. “We renovated the house from top to bottom, including a 215-square-foot addition to the front of the house,” Amber explains. The driveway has also been reshaped and concrete pads interspersed with gravel leading to the front door…

CURB APPEAL WHEN DANA JENKINS AND COLIN DAVIS first bought this charming 1966 split-level in Chamblee, Georgia, it was apparent that it had fallen victim to the housing market. “While in good shape, the home was clearly quickly and cheaply flipped. You could tell corners were cut,” Dana says. But with their own design plans and the help of a contractor, the couple was able to execute their vision and “re-flip” this incredible home design by Ernest Mastin. “Since many of the original details, like the brick, tongue-and-groove eaves and exposed beams, were already painted over, we decided to go more modern than preservationist,” Dana says. The first addition was a proper front door, which was originally hollow core and had no business being on the exterior of a home.…

House hunting is always a challenge, but it’s even harder if you live 3,000 miles away from the location where you want to move. Alex Quintana of Alexander Desert Designs and interior designer Alan Beardslee were looking for a Mid Century Modern home in Palm Springs, California, but they still lived in Miami, Florida. “We were looking for a home to retire into for the future,” Alex says. “It was 2014, and after nine months of searching, Alan befriended a realtor in Palm Springs. The realtor said he had a home about to hit the market and was curious if we wanted to see it even though it might need some work.” Their expectations low, the couple agreed to drive by the house. “It didn’t look like much from the…

“Ornamental grasses provide year-round interest and can lend a Palm Springs vibe to landscaping.” MERGING MID CENTURY MODERN AND ASIAN STYLES in landscaping is not a stretch. “We find that Asian elements work extremely well with mid-century architecture,” says James Drzewiecki, CPLD, landscape designer at Ginkgo Leaf Studio Landscape Design. Bringing order to an overgrown Wisconsin bluff and adding a front-yard garden encouraged the owners of this home to spend more time outside year-round. While the goal was to add Asian flavor to the yard, new outdoor spaces and special features tie the styles together functionally. “Our client had some Asian art pieces and she was interested in carrying that vibe out to the landscape,” James says. To open up the home’s covered entry, the walk was redesigned with eye-catching…

“We used low-maintenance plants native to the area. Faux turf was used around the walkway by the pool to keep things simple and easy to clean.” THE HIGHLIGHT OF any Mid Century Modern outdoor design is the landscape. Pared back and practical, MCM design favors clean lines, geometric shapes and a streamlined look in its approach. Joe Raboine, vice president of design for Oldcastle APG, took this philosophy to heart when he created this beautiful outdoor space for a Mid Century Modern house in Fort Worth, Texas. Being an outdoor enthusiast, Joe says connecting people with nature is very important to him—and it is evident in his design of this outstanding space. The backyard is a beautiful oasis for the entire family or for someone looking for peaceful solitude in…

IF YOU LOVE MID-CENTURY DESIGN, you probably have a soft spot for breeze block (also called screen block): simple concrete blocks with decorative holes that can be stacked as walls to deflect precipitation, allow for ventilation and provide privacy as well as outside visibility. The blocks themselves have been around since the mid-century era, but their basic concept goes back further still. “In Israel and Morocco, carved wood screens have served a similar purpose for hundreds of years,” says Lundy Wilder, the founder of Villa Lagoon Tile, a company that manufactures breeze blocks and cement tiles. In the United States, the first real burst of enthusiasm came when an architect named Edward Durell Stone Jr. designed the American Embassy in New Delhi, India, in 1954. Designers took notice of the…

IN THE ELEMENTS ONE MAJOR EXTERIOR ELEMENT some people don’t consider when updating curb appeal is hardscape. This is any manmade, ground-covering material that’s not plants or vegetation, like your driveway, front path, backyard patio, pool deck and even side-yard walkway. “Often, it’s the last thing people consider in their project because they see their hardscaping in contrast with their new renovations,” says Christi Flanigan, CEO at Farley Pavers, a Southern California company that has been installing pavers for over 50 years.“You just painted your home, and then you realize the driveway looks outdated next to it.” But when well-chosen, your hardscape not only complements your exterior elements, it amplifies it. Pavers Versus Concrete The most common hardscape material is a poured concrete slab. While it’s generally the most cost-…

When homeowner and stylist Mary Jane (MJ) Cripe first walked into this Mid Century Modern home located in the coveted Rossmoor neighborhood in Southern California, her heart started to race. While she and her husband, Jason, were not initially looking to move as they had just completed a renovation of their house in nearby Long Beach, something about the home drew them in. “We loved that it was Mid Century Modern with a single level and four bedrooms and it had a large lot and a pool,” MJ says. After her husband walked through the home, they agreed it was perfect for their family, especially regarding their special needs daughter. In the competitive housing market of 2022, and with an incredibly busy open house, neither of them thought their dream…

In the world of landscape design, there are projects that challenge the boundaries of creativity and craftsmanship. One such endeavor was recently taken on in Los Angeles, California, by Terremoto Landscape, which turned a chaotic and worn-out exterior into a serene oasis that seamlessly blends with the architectural essence of the home. The Before: Quite Frankly, a Mess Designed by Johnston & D’Agostino Architects and built in 1953 for the Los Feliz Estates, the home’s landscaping had fallen apart. “It was, quite frankly, a mess!,” says David Godshall, principal and owner of Terremoto Landscape. “The backyard paving had failed and had already been removed upon our arrival, though the footprints were interesting in an idiosyncratic MCM sort of way, and we kept what we were able to,” he says. The…

Setting the Stage This mid-century Edelman gem in New York received an exterior refresh that accentuates the best of its original design. By ERIN LAWRENCE l Photographed by DROR BALDINGER SOMETIMES, a home stands out because of its paint color or an interesting architectural or landscape detail. This home in Pelham Manor, New York, is “eye candy” not only because of its striking form, but because it’s the only mid-century home in an entire neighborhood filled with 1920s buildings. “There are people stopping and getting out of their cars and looking at this house all the time because it’s so different in the context of what’s around it. I think that enhances its appeal,” explains Scott Specht of Specht Architects, who oversaw the home’s renovation not long after a large…