In this Bloomberg Pursuits article, Lisa Selin Davis takes note of the fact that the appetite for midcentury modern homes never seems to abate, at least not according to the real estate agents who sell them, and looks at 5 of these architectural beauties located across the country from East Hampton to Bel Air.
According to a Zillow Digs study, homes with "Midcentury" in the listing sold on average 2.7 percent more and 40 days faster than those without. In real estate circles, “Midcentury” means more than just built sometime in the middle of the last century. It connotes clean lines, a home stretched out horizontally on the land, and big windows that blur the lines between indoors: simplicity, elegance, and naturalism. Lisa notes that real aficionados of midcentury modern homes know that keeping up, let alone restoring, a classic can be a money pit. Since they're so unique, there's no blueprint for exactly how much it will cost or how much time it will take to do right by them. Meanwhile, the luxury market has been churning a bit more slowly of late. On the plus side, if you have your heart set on one, now may be the right time to invest in a midcentury icon.
Here's the five houses that Lisa features in her article, with links to the listings:
Wiley House, New Canaan, Conn.
The four-bed, five-bath Wiley House was designed by Philip Johnson, one of America's most important modern architects. Originally built in 1952 and renovated and expanded by Roger Ferris + Partners, it includes a double-height glass pavilion over a fieldstone base that harks back to Johnson’s famous Glass House, which sits just three miles away. Wiley House is set on 6.33 acres, with a circular pool, original diving pad, and a newly built pool house. Listed for: $14 million. To view the listing, please visit: http://www.williampitt.com/search/real-estate-sales/218-sleepy-hollow-road-new-canaan-ct-06840-99109872-1183969/#
Miami Vice House, Palm Springs, Calif.
Because of a preponderance of glass blocks and its Art Deco-inspired curved walls, locals in Palm Springs call this the “Miami Vice House.” The four-bed, five-bath, 4,581-square-foot home is in Old Las Palmas, which Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties’ very own Louise Hampton describes as “the Beverly Hills of Palm Springs.” Originally built in 1954, it got “Miamified” by designer James Callahan, who added pink neon lighting around the property. It has several patios and roof decks, and many of the furnishings are on offer, as well. Listed for: $2.295 million. To view the listing, please visit: http://www.louisehampton.com/homes-for-sale/520-W-Via-Lola-Palm-Springs-CA-92262-164167123?sli=0
Sedacca House, East Hampton, N.Y.
Charles Gwathmey, another of America’s most famous modern architects (see: the Guggenheim renovation), designed the two-bedroom, two-bath Sedacca House, known in the Hamptons as a “living sculpture,” in 1968. Set on almost three acres, the 1,200-square-foot home broke the mold of shingle-style Hampton houses with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows, its spiral staircase, and dramatic geometrical forms, including a curved wall behind the kitchen and bedroom. Listed for: $1.995 million. To view the listing, please visit: http://www.sothebyshomes.com/hamptons/sales/0037830
Earl House, Los Angeles
This 1963 Bel Air home was designed and lived in by architect Robert L. Earl. The L-shaped house, with four beds and three baths, sits atop a 0.61-acre promontory overlooking the city, ocean, and canyons below. It offers an example of one of Midcentury Modern's most beloved tenets: the seamless transition between indoors and outdoors, manifested in floor-to-ceiling windows and streaming light. There’s a private yard and swimming pool. Listed for: $4.495 million. To view the listing, please visit: http://www.theagencyre.com/for-sale/1394-casiano-road-bel-air/.
Elrod House, Palm Springs, Calif.
The Arthur Elrod house is one of the most splendid of Palm Springs’ midcentury homes. Designed and built in 1968 by a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright named John Lautner, the almost 9,000-square foot, four-bed, five-bath home includes a circular living room with a concrete dome and an oval-shaped guest wing. Elrod, an interior designer, reportedly told Lautner: “Give me what you think I should have on this lot.” It went on the market on Feb. 1. Listed for: 10.495 million. To view the listing, please visit: http://www.christiesrealestate.com/eng/sales/detail/170-l-78253-f1602022252700031/2175-southridge-drive-palm-springs-92264-palm-springs-ca-92264
To read Lisa Selin Davis’ original article and view the accompanying pictures, courtesy of Bloomberg Pursuits, please visit: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-16/midcentury-modern-mansions-palm-springs-la-new-canaan-east-hampton