The addition rises above the original shack’s 400- square-foot concrete foundation, which is partially visible in the living room. A Cricket patio chair by Hershy Way is used for indoor seating opposite a Morsø wood-burning stove.
Built with a steel frame, the Frost House features panels of styrofoam between aluminum sheets for the exterior walls and styrofoam between plywood for the roof and floors. Bold, primary colors accentuate its geometric form.
Shortly after Karen Valentine and Bob Coscarelli purchased the home in 2016, they began to unearth nuggets of information about its pedigree. Their realtor had provided a brochure that identified the prefab as designed by architect Emil Tessin for the now-defunct Alside Homes Corporation based out of Akron, Ohio, which had held a patent for the structure’s aluminum paneling. Their new neighbors provided a stack of Alside Homes sales materials, floor plans of various models, and even a script that had been written for salespeople during home tours. They determined that the Frost House had been a sales model for the company, and that Tessin had been the son of Emil Albert Tessin, the legal guardian of Florence Knoll.
The house incorporates a variety of wood finishes, all in the same general color palette: unfinished ipe for the pool terrace, Douglas fir for the trellis and windows, and stained cypress for the siding mixed in with the exterior’s original redwood.
Tucked into one end of the house, a desk by Florence Knoll displays Stacey’s mid-century pottery.
For homeowners on a budget, the Internet is your best bet when making upgrades. “What we should all really be excited about is how much access we have to furniture and accessories at any price,” Berkus said. “I started my design firm pre-Internet and now we source 85 percent of what we use online because we have so much incredible access online.” Berkus recommends shopping globally by scouring websites like ebay.fr for more unique pieces of furniture that will stick with you for many years. 1stdibs and One Kings Lane are other good options.
Pictured is a mid-century modern living room renovation designed by contestant Lukas Machnik> in Palm Springs for American Dream Builders. Photo courtesy NBC.
In Week 2 of American Dream Builders, Lukas was the team leader in charge of renovating a midcentury modern home in Palm Springs. Lukas divvies up assignments amongst his teammates, giving himself the living room and the outdoor dining area. While midcentury modern is not Machnik's forte, we see his potential as a designer and a team player, as he turns a neglected midcentury mess into a modern masterpiece. Photo courtesy of Lukas Machnik.
Grove Desk for Room & Board. Handcrafted by Pennsylvanian woodworkers, the Grove desk features a natural oil-and-wax finish that showcases the grain of its solid wood construction. Mid-century details like turned tapered legs and beveled edges lend an air of refinement.
In Kohn's living room are classic mid-century pieces and a DIY coffee table made from a ping pong table and boxes.
The Mid-Century Mosaic House by Solutions is another one of the homes on view during the Saturday, September 11 Home Tour.
Look behind the mid-century facade, and a back patio offers an unexpected 180-degree view of the Los Angeles basin.
The design has been reproduced in black, white, and crystal-clear plastic in the same proportions as Colombo’s original, a process that Kartell treated with reverence, according to CEO Claudio Luti: “We have been reluctant to approach re-editions because they may not be respectful of the original. This new chair is just the right balance between celebrating the past and making it topical in today’s world.”
"There's a sort of peacefulness that envelops you," says Sam Ferris of the house he grew up in, show in 1955.