Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Jim Brown (Photographer) "Monika Kafka and Tom Borsellino had already lived in this San Jose neighborhood before relocating to Chicago..." (more)
Key Phrases: Atomic Ranch, Cliff May, George Nelson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Atomic Ranch is an in-depth exploration of post-World War II residential architecture in America. 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. 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, and much more!

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.

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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 x 9.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,668 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #2 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > International > United States
  #2 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > Building Types & Styles > Specific Styles
  #5 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > History & Periods

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 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 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.

15 of 15 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)

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.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"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