I Still Dream About This Oakland Mid Century Home

This property was on the market late last year by Tarpoff and Talbert. I showed this house to several of my mid-century enthusiast. This home, located in the Redwood Heights District of Oakland was an untouched 1960's mid-century modern. The beauty of this home was in the wonderful lay-out, the large oversized rooms, the floor to ceiling windows, and the preserved original details. With its Nutone integrated sound system, original frigidaire appliances, private views of lush trees, and double sided flagstone fireplace, I still fantasize about living here.

Mid Century Home on Blake in Berkeley

Last Thursday on Broker's Tour I was happily surprised by this mid-century home in Berkeley. This home had the great features, an open sensible floorplan, easy outdoor-indoor living, and (not included in the sale of the house)great fifties furniture.

So here is my question to you. Do you like when mid-century homes are mixed into neighborhoods dominated by bungalows? Do you prefer when neighborhoods consist of homes built all within the same era. This home is situated among bungalows...

What is a Mid-Century Modern Home?

1964 Eichler Home

Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes post-war developments in modern design from roughly 1945 to 1965. Mid-century architecture was a further development of Frank Lloyd Wright's principles of organic architecture combined with many elements reflected in the International and Bauhaus movements. Mid-century modernism, however, was much more organic in form and less formal than the International Style. Scandinavian designers and architects were very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Like many of Wright's designs, Mid-Century architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor-plans with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century homes utilized then groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form in Mid-Century designs with an emphasis placed specifically on targeting the needs of the average American family. Examples of residential Mid-Century modern architecture are frequently referred to as the California Ranch style.

Pioneering builder and real estate developer Joseph Eichler was instrumental in bringing Mid-Century Modern architecture to subdivisions in California and select housing developments on the east coast.

Well-known designers of the mid-century modern era include: Alvar Aalto, Al Beadle, Harry Bertoia, Chris Choate, Thomas Scott Dean, Charles and Ray Eames, Craig Ellwood, Max Gottschalk, Ralph Haver, Edith Heath, Arne Jacobsen, A. Quincy Jones, Louis Kahn, Denys Lasdun, Cliff May, Paul McCobb, George Nelson, Richard Neutra, Isamu Noguchi, Harvey Probber, Jens Risom, Eero Saarinen, Rudolf Schindler, Avriel Shull, Alison and Peter Smithson, Raphael Soriano, Hans Wegner, Russel Wright, and Eva Zeisel.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photo from the California Online Archives

Mid-Century Home in Lincoln Heights, Oakland

Mid-Century modern

Here is an Oakland Mid-Century home in the Lincoln Heights Hills of Oakland. Notice the use of natural brick, wide plank floors, floor to ceiling windows and the warm wood ceiling.

Immediately off of the patio is a swimming pool with city views. This home is a great example of great outdoor-indoor space.

This property was my favorite from last week's broker's tour. Listing is courtesy of Coldwell Banker.