Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes [Hardcover]

Michelle Gringeri-Brown (Author), Jim Brown (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2006

Atomic Ranch is an in-depth exploration of post-World War II residential architecture in America. Mid-century ranches (1946-1970) range from the decidedly modern gable-roofed Joseph Eichler tracts in the San Francisco Bay area and butterfly wing houses in Palm Springs, Florida, to the unassuming brick or stucco L-shaped ranches and split-levels so common throughout the United States. Authors Michelle Gringeri-Brown and Jim Brown, founders and publishers of the popular quarterly Atomic Ranch magazine, extol the virtues of the tract, split-level, rambler home and its many unique qualities: private front facades, open floor plans, secluded bedroom wings, walls of glass, and an easy-living lifestyle. From updated homes with high-end Italian kitchens, terrazzo floors, and modern furniture to affordable homeowner renovations with eclectic thrift-store furnishings, Atomic Ranch presents twenty-five homes showcasing inspiring examples of stylish living through beautiful color photographs, including before and after shots, design-tip sidebars, and a thorough resource index.

Atomic Ranch reveals:

Hallmarks of the ranch style

Inspiring original ranch homes

Ranch house transformations and makeovers

Preservation of mid-century neighborhoods

Adding personality to a ranch home

Yards and landscaping

Plus, a helpful resource section and index!

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Atomic Ranch

At the close of World War II, during a time when the United States was suffused with optimism about the future, America began a love affair with the ranch house that lasted for the next twenty-five years. From the decidedly modern gable-roofed Joseph Eichler tracts in the San Francisco Bay area and butterfly wing houses in Palm Springs and Sarasota, Florida, to the unassuming brick or stucco L-shaped ranches and split-levels we see every day, midcentury ranches can be found all over the country.

Today there is a growing new enthusiasm for ranch houses and the midcentury furnishings that go with them. Atomic Ranch illustrates in stunning color photography the virtues of the ranch house, often decried as "cookie cutter," and shows why these homes worked so well for their first residents and still function beautifully today. With private front facades, open floor plans, secluded bedroom wings, and walls of glass that bring the outside in, midcentury ranches mix function, comfort, and style with ease. Instead of trying to turn your ranch house into a bungalow, Spanish adobe or two-story Tuscan villa, why not let it be what it was meant to be-a modest one-story house with a casual, comfortable lifestyle.

From updated homes with high-end Italian kitchens, terrazzo floors, and modern furniture to affordable homeowner renovations with eclectic thrift-store furnishings, Atomic Ranch presents plenty of inspiring examples of stylish living in America's favorite house.

About the Author

Writer Michelle Gringeri-Brown and photographer Jim Brown publish the quarterly magazine Atomic Ranch, which features ranch homes built all across America. Their first book, Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes, was published by Gibbs Smith in 2006. They live in Portland, Oregon, in a 1952 brick ranch.

Michelle Gringeri-Brown and Jim Brown publish Atomic Ranch magazine, a quarterly devoted to mid-century homes. Gringeri-Brown was the editor of American Bungalow magazine for nine years, and her freelance work has been published in Westways, the Los Angeles Times, Photographers' Forum, and Sunset magazine's View. Jim Brown is an editorial photographer with degrees in photography and English literature. His photo-graphy has been published numerous times in Motor Trend, Sunset, Motorcyclist, American Bungalow, Westways, Car & Driver, and Hot Rod. They both grew up in postwar ranch houses and strongly support the preservation of this overlooked architectural style.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1 edition (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423600029
• ISBN-13: 978-1423600022
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Home Design
  • #28 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Interior Design > Decorating

More About the Author

I'm the editor of Atomic Ranch magazine, a shelter publication focusing on postwar ranch homes, primarily built in the '50s and '60s. With my photographer husband, Jim Brown, we write about and photograph inspiring homes from coast to coast. We both grew up in Southern California but now live in Portland, Ore.

Our first book, "Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes," focuses on both modernist and transitional ranch houses, from the exteriors and landscaping to the furnishings and decorative details. Think your aunt's ranch house but with really cool furniture and fresh modern finishes. What most interests me are the homeowners' stories, not hipper-than-thou coverage of celebrity pads or the latest starchitect of the moment. The homes in the book (and magazine) are inspiring yet attainable--interior design for the rest of us if you will.

"Atomic Ranch: Midcentury Interiors," is our March 2012 coffee-table volume published by Gibbs Smith. In it we share eight fantastic homes located all across the U.S. and discuss what works best about their interiors. Styles range from a split-level and several modernist customs to California tract homes and a traditional ranch in Tulsa. There's even an aluminum prefab house in New York state with amazing details. The homeowners' stories of their renovations and remodels contain lots of tips that you can translate to your own ranch. Get ideas on flooring, appliances, window coverings, affordable finishes and furniture you can live with and enjoy without needing to be a design fanatic. Whether your taste runs to vintage furniture and retro kitchens or you're a clean-lined modernist collector, "Atomic Ranch: Midcentury Interiors" delivers lots of eye candy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, Important Topic, October 10, 2006

By 

Rob Keil (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes (Hardcover)

This is a great book that finally gives America's "average" midcentury tract houses their due. The photos are beautiful and the information is great. Eichler, Levittown, Westlake, and other midcentury neighborhoods are pictured along with detailed information on remodeling, restoring, and preserving these underappreciated little gems of modernism. It's a nice coffee-table presentation of the subject that is pleasing to just flip through for the sake of the photos, but also informative enough to spend some real time with.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mid century modern for the real world!, January 25, 2007

By 

Ard A. Michaels "Fester" (Lafayette La. U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes (Hardcover)

I have purchased many books on mid century modern style to get ideas for my remodeling project and while they were full of excellant examples of the style the biggest part of them only showed examples of high dollar showcase homes. (example: Frank lloyd Wright's creations) While they are beautiful they are far beyond my means and impractical for my life style. Atomic ranch fills the gap of real world affordable design and livablity that I was seeking. I have gotten many great ideas from Atomic ranch that I will likely use in my own home remodel. The book is excellant to browse, to read, or to use as an example when conveying your ideas to contractors or builders. Atomic ranch is a joy to any fan of serious modern, mid century, googie, or boom generation cold war living and style!! I can't recommend it more. Nuff said.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virtues of the Ranch House, October 11, 2006

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes (Hardcover)

"These modest homes were the fulfillment of the American middle-class dream, bringing a higher standard of living to average people, and giving birth to a whole new way of life. There is a type of beauty in their simplicity, their efficient use of space, and the creativity with which they employed inexpensive materials to deliver a modern look." ~Rob Keil

Twenty-five inspiring homes are showcased in Atomic Ranch. Outdoor red walls are gorgeous with greenery and stone fountains while indoors we find warm sunny rooms with fireplaces and stylish comfy shag carpets.

The beautiful windows of walls on the exterior of the houses allows an open expression and brings nature indoors. The front of the houses retains privacy while the backyards open up into landscapes filled with unique rock pools and lush foliage.

"Escape to the Islands" is one room filled with rattan furniture, tiki mugs, island art and sea grass mats. The collection of Fiestaware pitchers and colorful housewares adds nostalgia and a longing for the serene simplicity of the past.

I'm always intrigued by the Eero Saarinen Womb Chairs (Shown temptingly throughout the entire book numerous times!) and there is a beautiful red chair in a cozy corner beneath a wall lamp which can I say costs about three thousand dollars for the chair and ottoman. It is on my eternal wish list! Rarely has any piece of furniture so captured my attention.

The kitchens all have a classic streamlined appeal and it makes you want to go look for your Betty Crocker Cooky Book (ISBN 0764566377) and bake up something with vanilla frosting and coconut like Bonbon Cookies. The turquoise, orange and sunlit white (very mild yellow) cabinets in one kitchen create a playful lime/lemon/orange citrus theme that is surprisingly appealing and playful.

With many of the furniture pieces being reissued you can truly recreate the magic of a bygone era. Personally, I'm dreaming of a shag carpet in the living room. You don't have to redecorate the entire house, but you might want to incorporate elements from various settings to create the cozy warmth you desire. Unique features like a fireplace filled with river rocks and candles or the patio with an outdoor dining table presents comfort and practicality. The pictures show you how you can mix and match a variety of colors and furniture styles to create inviting spaces for entertaining or relaxing. The use of purple, red and green as wall colors enlivens the rooms and reminds me of reading about famous literary figures and how they painted each room a different color. It is striking and adventurous.

~The Rebecca Review