Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House [Hardcover]

Daniel P. Gregory (Author), Joe Fletcher (Photographer), Joel Silver (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2008

Cliff May’s modern homes epitomize the indoor-outdoor lifestyle characteristic of the American Dream, fusing the open plan/open living philosophy with the traditional ranch house. Starting in the 1930s, the modern ranch house took the country by storm, migrating from California to Arizona, and Cliff May was the chief proponent of this style. His long, low designs managed to be both modern and traditional, celebrating a casually elegant, indoor-outdoor lifestyle, and drawing inspiration from California’s Spanish Mexican ranchos while embracing the latest technological gadgetry. With their low profile, large carports and garages, patios, and expansive horizontality, May’s modern ranch houses became synonymous with the nascent California lifestyle and were enthusiastically promoted by the popular Sunset magazine throughout the U.S. He personally designed and built more than 1,000 homes and commercial buildings, and over 18,000 designs are attributed to his office, including the Robert Mondavi Winery and the offices of Sunset.Complete with new color photography, Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House celebrates the best of May’s work, from his start building homes during the Depression to how he evolved a brand of regional modernity that fulfilled the public’s desire for informal living in the 1950s and 1960s.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gregory and Fletcher bring May back to the attention of architectural mavens with a well-written, highly informative text and photographs of May's houses as they exist today." ~Modernism

"...the overdue reappraisal of Cliff May...has enough recently photographed houses to suggest that the Ranch's relevance isn't lost on everyone." ~Architectural Digest

"The mod yet traditional abodes designed by Cliff May, the style's chief progenitor, seamlessly fuse indoors and outdoors--the epitome of Califonia easy living." ~Angeleno

"...tells the colorful tale of this self-taught architectural Johnny Appleseed who scattered the ranch style from coast to coast." ~Men's Vogue

About the Author

Daniel P. Gregory is Senior Home Editor at Sunset magazine. He has a Ph.D. in architecture from UC Berkeley. Joe Fletcher is a photographer based in the Bay Area with clients that include Wallpaper*, Dwell, and Interior Design magazines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (March 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847830470
• ISBN-13: 978-0847830473
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.3 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #307,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific retrospective on the "Father" of Ranch House design, September 4, 2009

By 

Roger V. Meeker (Kapoho, Hawaii USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House (Hardcover)

Another stunning effort by Rizzoli International Publications documents the career and widespread influence of Cliff May on mid-20th century residential architecture. Dan Gregory's text is informative and entertaining, and provides excellent insight regarding the early-California ranchos influences and thinking behind May's design ideas. Joe Fletcher's photography offers a lot of diversity, showing both contemporary period shots as well as numerous beautiful modern-day views of many of May's most significant residential designs. Floor plans, original sketches and renderings are also included, which makes "The Modern Ranch House" a wonderfully diverse and comprehensive retrospective on May. When one realizes that May was never formally trained as an architect, his broad influence is even more amazing. As fulfilling and singular in its coverage of May's career as this book is, this reader was left wanting for even more. Highly recommended.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cliff May and the Modern Ranch house, April 24, 2008

By 

J. Riera "Retired and loving it!" (Hillsboro, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House (Hardcover)

I bought this as a gift for my son and daughter-in-law as they live in a Cliff May that they need to update. They need to make changes to the kitchen but want to maintain the integrity of the design. They have both told me that this is a wonderful book and it has given them many good ideas. So, based on their recommendations, I would have to rate this highly. I am looking forward to a visit with them so I can actually see the book in person!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The California Ranch House Design, April 17, 2009

By 

Kelly (Riverside, Ca.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House (Hardcover)

I was planning to remodel our 1965 California ranch house. Wanted to retain the orginal character while upgrading with current designs/materials. Over the years, previous owners had added or changed the kitchen and family room spaces. It was difficult to visualize what the original "look" was conveying. I now have my copy of Cliff May's designs on our coffee table. Enjoy the history and flavor it adds to the "feeling" of our home.