Cliff May was an artist: a saxophone player turned furniture designer who inspired a modern housing movement. Today I meditate on his 1946 style book, Western Ranch Houses.
Features in actual Cliff May homes or in Cliff May designs/sketches are shown with corresponding features in our home. Sketched entry door & Living Room fireplace, compared to ours: image from CAREFREE CALIFORNIA: CLIFF MAY AND THE ROMANCE OF THE RANCH HOUSE Unusual entry doors & deep, tapered entryways are seen on early Cliff May hacienda-style homes: Note the colorful tiled-in home address number (another Cliff May characteristic): Cliff May liked beehive fireplaces (ours is on the right): Wall-art comparison: a painting in Cliff May's own home at left, a sculpture built-in to our LR wall on the right: image on left from The Regents of The University of California, UC Libraries, powered by the California Digital Library. Interior door comparison: image on left from Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May Our doorbell is operated by pull-string: A comparison of lighting fixtures: image on left from Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May The original gutters in our courtyard were wooden "Vee" like the pic below: image from Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May Links To Blog Posts: 1. Discovering a Cliff May Home | 2. Comparing to known Cliff May designs | 3. Olive Tree | 4. Floor Plan | 5. Backyard Brick Path and Clothesline | 6. Pine Tree | 7. Driveway & Mechanic's Pit | 8. Wild Parrots | 9. Misc Pics
Inside the 1954 Cliff May Residence
The 2360 sq ft Experimental Ranch was designed by Cliff May, the father of the ranch-house movement, as his personal home. It is often se...
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
Today on our list: 8 ranch house plans inspired by Cliff May — available, like the others, from houseplans.com. Wow, those historic-minded folk at houseplans.com are working overtime, it seems. While these are not original Cliff May plans — they have been updated for current building codes — they are “Cliff May-inspired” — and that’s important because Cliff…
Vintage "Cliff May homes" brochure from 1953. Cliff May "The Father of the California Ranch Home" designed many unique homes here in Califor...
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
Art collectors and lovers of classic California architecture and midcentury modern furniture will appreciate this extensive look at architect Cliff May's Alisal Ranch, a classic ranch style home, which just went on the market with an asking price of $1,750,000. Filled with Eames classics and Nelson lamps, these 34 images of the home's interior and exterior will get any art and architecture fan salivating. Cliff May, known as the father of the California Ranch Home, was the architect of the Alisal Ranch in the incomparable Santa Ynez Valley, which is now on the market after an extensive renovation by the current owner, architect Barry Berkus. Timeless, but not dated, the 4,388 sq. foot four bedroom, five bathroom home situated on 1.6 acres is located outside of Solvang, CA and has light-filled interiors, an open floor plan, four fireplaces, a large pool with overhang and an interior ceiling made of grape stake. The Living/Dining/Great Room: The Kitchen with Nelson Bubble lamps, Thermador range and Viking wine cooler: Bedrooms and baths (including a Japanese style soaking tub by Ofuro): The classic mid-century style ranch home is set on a high hill within the preserved 10,000 acre Alisal Ranch and is surrounded by verdant mountain and hillside vistas. The pool area with overhang and outdoor barbeque: A meticulous restoration with careful updating and special lighting to accommodate an art collection will please both the sophisticated art collector, as well as the architectural aficionado. Numerous built-ins are perfect for showcasing art, books and collectibles: To inquire about the home or schedule a viewing, contact Matt Berkley Crosby Doe Associates, Inc. [email protected] phone:(626) 665-3699 Cliff May, Architect Address: 3130 Oxbow Place, Solvang, CA 93463
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
From stunningly gorgeous and utopian to cold and soulless, there are probably as many opinions about modernist buildings as there are people in the world. In the eternal discussion about whether function or form is more important, the balance might arguably be skewed in favor of the former when we talk about modernism, the architectural style that dominated much of the 20th century. Though who’s to say that modernism doesn’t allow for beauty and balance?
Inside the 1954 Cliff May Residence
Cliff May — Father of the modern day ranch house After our initial discovery of 8 historical plans inspired by Cliff May and now available on houseplans.com, Daniel Gregory, Ph.D., editor-in-chief, was kind enough to connect me with one of the Cliff May inspired home designers — Steven Murphy. Steven was more than happy to…
A collection of images & info documenting our early California hacienda-style home, possibly an early Cliff May design.
A few years after Cliff May started winning his reputation by designing ranch houses, he came upon the book 'House of Tomorrow: America's First Glass House.' He was not impressed. The boo
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
From stunningly gorgeous and utopian to cold and soulless, there are probably as many opinions about modernist buildings as there are people in the world. In the eternal discussion about whether function or form is more important, the balance might arguably be skewed in favor of the former when we talk about modernism, the architectural style that dominated much of the 20th century. Though who’s to say that modernism doesn’t allow for beauty and balance?
Designed by the "Father of the California Ranch Home," Cliff May prefab homes, like this 1950s dwelling here, were completed in just a few days after the concrete slabs were poured.
A collection of images & info documenting our early California hacienda-style home, possibly an early Cliff May design.
A few years after Cliff May started winning his reputation by designing ranch houses, he came upon the book 'House of Tomorrow: America's First Glass House.' He was not impressed. The boo
Southern California is famous for its extraordinary architecture, its built history particularly resonant with exceptional examples of Mid-Century Modern residences. It was a fruitful era for many architects with varying focus, some determined to experiment, others concerned with down-to-earth pragmatism. Among them, one prolific builder undoubtedly stands out as someone that combined both tendencies – an architect... Read More
Vintage "Cliff May homes" brochure from 1953. Cliff May "The Father of the California Ranch Home" designed many unique homes here in Califor...
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
Della chats with Denver area mid-century Realtor, photographer, designer, and advocate Atom Stevens about becoming the hometown expert on Cliff May homes in Denver and across the country.
The 2360 square foot Experimental Ranch was designed by Cliff May, the father of the ranch-house movement, as his personal home. It is often...
Tucked behind a concrete block wall and shaded by mature California Sycamores, this 1954 midcentury offers a peaceful oasis in Long Beach.
Inside the 1954 Cliff May Residence
