Amy Hayes
Rock Solid Realty

Mid Century Modern Architects have been QUOTED as saying they don’t care about other peoples tastes…

So when closed minded people start talking about how their taste is what everybody else should do… just makes me laugh…

In this case…

The Windows are the same aluminum frame, size and “slider” style… just replaced with double pane low e argon filled.

The Rock Work on the Addition was done by an old Austin Mason to match the Original Rock work in the front… probably the same guy who did much of the original MCM rock work in Austin.

The Addition and Remodel was Designed by an AUSTIN NATIVE… who knows better than any of the non- Austin luddites, what Austin Style is all about.

The AC system was located in the Garage, pulling hot air in, very inefficient… so the HVAC was redesigned and updated.

They agonized over the loss of the “tail fins”… they were too far gone and rotted out… it would have required taking off the whole top of the house and rebuilding it… not just a New Metal roof, which was done.

There was special TV wiring the MCM Architects built in to the living room… so it is totally consistant for a MCM Remodel to have a whole house Computer Network.

The Mohagany Doors from the Kitchen to the Living room were reused in the Study… so where possible, items were refinished or reused.

What was taken out, was re-purposed… those kitchen Cabinets found another life in someones rental re-hab.

I could go on and on…

So before everybody rushes to judgement… let it be known that every effort was made, without an unlimited budget… to save, preserve and stay in the intent of the original architects and materials…

Just updated to be Efficient in the Mid Century Modern ideal.

Thanks,

Will
Construction Superintendent
2708 Rae Dell

The house still has clean lines, open rooms, plenty of windows to bring the outdoors in. The roof lines in the addition match the lines of the original house, it’s post and beam construction, the eaves are extra deep, they used natural materials throughout…. How is that “no longer MCM in any way?”

I agree that they might have gone a little overboard with the remodel. I mean, who needs a trash compacter?

And from the photos it looks like they might have lopped off the beams that used to extend out under the eaves. In my mind that’s a little like cutting the tail fins off of a ‘58 Cadillac!

On the whole, they did a nice job. I have seen some truly horrific updates, and this is definitely not one of them.

The whole back section is new. The roof line is certainly not the original on the back section.

The master bedroom looks expanded or at least modified.

I don’t think the kitchen was originally an open kitchen or the whole living area was quite so open. My guess is a wall came down in there.

Don’t know about energy efficiency upgrades. My guess is not much outside of the obvious upgrade you get working with modern materials over what they used 60 years ago. I’d have to go over a peek at the windows to see one obvious example. He certainly didn’t install the high-grade windows in our place. However, he did install heat reclamation for the AC system to the water heater.

Sucks those awesome kitchen counters and pink bathroom are gone. Yes, the house needed work indeed…but that much work is a little nuts.
Rae Dell once was awesome :(

just build a new house and leave those ones for people with taste.

please :)

or a Zillow listing
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/29343008_zpid

Someone should buy this baby and let me do the restoration…;)