Tidy Vintage Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Parkwood La Mirada – La Mirada, CA

Up for grabs is this 1955 Palmer & Krisel-designed home in Parkwood La Mirada. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is 1,384 square feet with a  two-car garage on a 6,200 square-foot lot and carries an asking price of $449,985.

This home is filled with some great vintage mid-century goodies, starting with the exterior. The side of the garage features some great decorative stonework, while the front holds some great patterned decorative screen block.  There’s a neat wooden sunscreen over the southeastern most window on the front façade to screen it from morning sun, a feature which was originally found on many Krisel’s but has been disappearing over the years.

Out front there’s even the original Olive tree, which was one of 51,000 planted on Andrew McNally’s Windemere Ranch, in which Parkwood La Mirada was built upon by the Devon Construction Company. It’s because of Krisel that this tree still stands – he was able to convince Devon Construction that salvaging the trees and using them in the landscape would be a positive selling feature.

Inside the home features plenty of great Krisel hallmarks – walls of glass looking out to the backyard, open, beamed vaulted ceilings, and a large, low & dramatic fireplace with vintage wood paneling. There’s even a large light soffit spanning the distance between the living and dining areas as seen in other Krisel models.

Living Room

Dining, Entry & Kitchen

Dining & Living

The kitchen is immediately off of the dining room and tucked from view from the entry, and holds what appears to be a treasure trove of vintageness – original cabinets; original saucer pulls; what looks like the original range hood and what appears to be the original Western Holly Deluxe built-in range.  Too bad the wall-oven is out of view from the photograph – we’d love to see what that looks like.

Original Kitchen

The hall bath retains the original double pink sinks and pink tub along with original light fixture and ventilation fan; the door fronts, tilework and counters appear to be newer. Imagine how cool that vanity would look with a charcoal boomerang Formica top, flat-faced cabinets and large reproduction saucer pulls (to match the kitchen) from Rejuvination. The master bathroom appears to have been redone at some point in the late 1980s, but retains the original layout and stall shower. There’s no images of the bedrooms, so we have no idea what’s happening with those spaces.

The backyard is relatively simple, featuring a small covered patio area and a small patch of lawn. Also seen, presumably for a bedroom or bathroom window, is another wooden sunscreen running from the fascia board to the ground – a great outdoor Krisel design feature.

This is a neat home – listings in Parkwood La Mirada usually don’t last very long, so check this one out before it’s gone.

Hall Bathroom with original pink fixtures

Backyard - check out the original sunscreen in the far left corner

Check out Redfin for more photos: 14209 Gandesa Road

Or Zillow here: 14209 Gandesa Road

Swanky Butterfly-Roofed Las Vegas Krisel in Paradise Palms For Sale – Las Vegas, NV

Situated on the 9^th hole of the Las Vegas National Golf Course is this 2,744 square-foot modified 1963 Palmer & Krisel butterfly-roofed home.  Rumored to have at one point hosted actress Betty Grable this home includes three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms and a large in-ground pool with an asking price of $378,900.

This is the first time this home has been on the market since 1977. It’s filled with old-school Vegas swank and charm from a long-gone era, making this home pretty unique and interesting. The front of the home is fairly classic, with a low maintenance desert front yard and two covered carports. The clerestory windows have long been removed from the façade of this home, and vintage board-and-batten covered what would have originally been stucco.

Living & Dining

Kitchen

Den

Former Carport

The foyer opens up into the combination living and dining room which in turn opens up to the kitchen. There’s a small breezeway/atrium off of the living room which leads to the former carport, which now functions as a detached family room/den/mother-in-law suite. The kitchen and dining areas feature plenty of faux-brick, updated cabinetry and an added skylight to help illuminate an otherwise dark space.

Off the kitchen is a large family room/den addition, that features plenty of retro wood-paneling, a large built-in wet bar with a wood-block veneer, and wooden shingles helping to define the space. There’s lots of great vintage pieces to appreciate here, including the lighting.  The bedrooms appear to have been reconfigured somewhat, and have been expanded from their original sizes. There’s lots of wallpaper throughout to appreciate, along with several different styles of carpeting.

The backyard is fairly low-maintenance, holding the large in-ground pool, a small grassy area and covered patio. There’s sweeping views of the 9^th hole at Las Vegas National, giving the backyard a park-like feel. This is definitely a vintage Las Vegas home full of character and history, and whether maintained, restored or renovated will definitely make a great home for one luck new homeowner.

Master Bedroom

Bedroom

Pool & Backyard

Covered Patio

Check out Redfin for more photos: 3398 Seneca Drive

Or Zillow here: 3398 Seneca Drive

Lowest Priced Krisel-Designed Sandpiper Condominium – Palm Desert, CA

Happy 4th of July everyone! Here's a special for the holiday  - priced at only $299,900 is this 1964 two-bedroom, two-bathroom 1,796 square-foot Palmer & Krisel-designed condominium unit in Palm Desert’s Sandpiper complex. This unit includes a one-car detached garage and comes with monthly homeowner’s association dues of $650/month. This was once an atrium model, with a private, enclosed atrium off of the entry, which has since been enclosed to tack on additional square-footage.

This flat-roofed model features a striking diamond-pattern shadow block façade and a signature-Krisel raised sun flap roofline. As one enters the home through the original flat-panel double doors, the entryway is immediately greeted by sweeping views of the common area through walls of glass beyond the living and dining rooms. The former atrium space is off of the entry, and still features skylights helping to illuminate what would otherwise be a dark corner, currently tiled with white ceramic tile, and storing a china cabinet and a few chairs.

Living, Dining & Former Atrium Space

Living, Dining & Patio

Kitchen

The combination living and dining rooms offer a raised ceiling (part of that sun flap roofline) with clerestory windows allowing the space to fill with natural light. Sandpiper is known for having great decorative screen block, and this unit doesn’t disappoint. The dining room patio features a floor-to-ceiling ‘cross’ design screen block wall that adds visual interest and texture to the living areas.

The kitchen opens to the dining area while remaining private to the entry and living area, and features original cabinetry in what appears to be great condition, along with white Formica counters and chrome-ringed kitchen sink. The bathrooms also appear to have original laminate counters and cabinetry, along with tub and shower surrounds. All appear to be in great move-in condition.

The bedrooms are generous in size, and share a private balcony lined with more fantastic decorative ‘cross’ screen block. Unfortunately the patio has been caged in with iron bars, which may provide security, but also adds some visual distraction. Overall this is a pretty solid mid-century Krisel unit at a great price, and offers plenty of room for personalization.

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Guest Bathroom

Living/Dining Patio

Check out the Redfin photos here: 72483 El Paseo #1115

Or Zillow here: 72483 El Paseo #1115

Paradise Palms 1963 Palmer & Krisel Fixer on the Market – Las Vegas, NV

Here’s a bright 1963 Palmer & Krisel home in Las Vegas’ Paradise Palms community that’s relatively new to the market. It’s a 1,215 square-foot three-bedroom, two bathroom home on a 9,100 square-foot lot with an in-ground pool and an asking price of $169,000. The home retains its basic original exterior lines, but has been fairly modified over the years.

The front yard is blank slate, with the exception of three large statement palm trees, and is sited on a corner lot creating the opportunity for this place to really stand out & become a showplace. There’s a garage door on the former carport out front, but it’s a fake – if you look a little closer you’ll see that there’s two air conditioner units on the front of the former carport, along with an entry door next to the phony garage door. The carport was converted to a garage, then converted (without permits) to a separate apartment complete with its own kitchen and bathroom, in about 500 square feet.

Original rendering

Floor plan

The clerestory windows have long disappeared from the front of this west-facing home, as have the front aluminum windows, replaced with differently-sized big-box store mullioned white vinyl windows, along with a steel fan light front door. Interestingly the porch light next to the front door is the same one that has been on the home since 1963, a lone original survivor.

Inside, the home features soaring vaulted ceilings with the living, kitchen and dining areas all oriented towards the rear of the home. The living room features an original light-well soffit, and a gas fireplace box in front of the original wood-burning fireplace. We’re not sure why there’s double fireplaces, perhaps to hold the television, but there’s another fireplace behind that projecting traditional box.  

Living Room

Entryway

The kitchen has been expanded into the original dining/family room and reconfigured into an ‘L’-shape,  and while all the cabinets are newer, the hangar at the end of the upper cabinets is original to the house. The laundry room has been moved to the backyard, and the former laundry is now part of the secondary bathroom. Also, a portion of the family room has been claimed to create a walk-in closet for the secondary bedroom.  The original master and master bathroom aren’t pictured.

Out back there’s a large in-ground pool and a small covered patio area. The backyard, like the front, is also pretty much a blank slate, with lots of opportunity for personalization. You'll notice the color of the home changes from pink out front to white in the backyard and sides of the home. This home has great lines, and is begging for a restoration or renovation. The price may be slightly high for the existing condition of the home compared to others in the area, but it’s definitely a bargain when compared to the $500,000, 1,200 square-foot Krisels in Palm Springs.

Dining Room

Kitchen

Backyard & pool

Check out Redfin.com for more photos: 3240 Seneca Drive

Or Realtor.com here: 3240 Seneca Drive

Valwood Estates Krisel Restoration Opportunity – Pomona, CA

Relatively new to the market is this 1,312 square-foot , three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a two-car garage on a 5,900 square-foot lot in Pomona’s Valwood Estates with an asking price of $345,000. Built in 1955, Valwood Estates offered affordable three and four bedroom homes built by Weber-Burns, architecture by Palmer & Krisel, and interior design and color selection by C. Tony Periera.

Most homes in Valwood Estates have been heavily altered over the years – many have deferred maintenance, walled-in front yards, vinyl replacement windows, have had heavy stucco finishes added to exterior, and suffer from lack of care. This home is in good condition, truly one of the cleanest and well-maintained ones we’ve seen in Valwood Estates to date, and has an open front yard, but has had many of its original Krisel hallmarks removed or covered over.

This home is a Plan F1, and maintains its original floor plan. The signature large Krisel windows have all been removed, replaced with mullioned white vinyl big-box off-the-shelf specials. The front door is Victorian in style, interesting choice for a mid-mod home, but an easy fix to change out to a solid core or mid-century inspired replacement. Inside, the home has been wholly been updated, leaving very few traces of the mid-century modern bones of this home.

F1 Floorplan

F1 Elevation

The open beamed vaulted ceilings have been drywalled and textured over – potentially accommodating additional insulation or utility runs, but changing the interior character of the home. The clerestory windows at the ends of the home have actually been ‘arched’ over – we’re not sure why arches would be considered an update over angled clerestories, but apparently they are. The walls of glass in the living room have been replaced with ½ height vinyl windows, limiting the amount of light which enters the home.

The kitchen features newer big-box do-it-yourself store style cabinetry with arched uppers, and are finished with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. True to the original floorplan, the kitchen opens to the laundry, which in turn provides access to the backyard. The bathrooms feature the same style of updates, with granite counters and redone tub and shower surrounds.

Entry and potion of dining area

Dining area

Living room

Kitchen

Kitchen & breakfast bar

The backyard is fairly open turf, with minimal landscape, while the front yard features mature landscape with a green lawn and large trees. The biggest positives about this home is that it’s move-in ready and priced well, so if you’re looking for an affordable Krisel in Pomona, this is it. There’s a lot of work which will need to be done to restore this home back to its mid-century modern roots, and there’s no way of knowing what condition the open-beamed ceilings are in under that drywall, but if you’ve got to move quick and have vision, this is definitely one to consider.

Front yard with mature landscape

Backyard with minimal landscape

Check out the Redfin Photos here: 2237 Belinda Avenue

Or Realtor.com here: 2237 Belinda Avenue

Kings Point 1969 William Krisel, AIA-Designed Condominium For Sale – Palm Springs, CA

Situated in south Palm Springs, California sits the late mid-century modern condominium development of Kings Point developed by Bob Grundt between 1967-1971. This particular unit was completed in 1969, and features two bedrooms (originally three) and three bathrooms in 2,500 square feet on a 6,500 square-foot lot with an asking price of $675,000.

The entryway features a striking trellis structure which provides dramatic shadow lines in the entry courtyard. The entry opens up into the expanded living room area, which sits at the back of the home and gains it’s cavernous layout from claiming the original master bedroom, currently used as a dining area. The living and dining areas offer walls of glass to the north-facing common area, along with views of Mount San Jacinto. The cavernous living room currently features two sitting areas, and a dining area at each end of the room.  Opposite the rear windows the living room is anchored by a large, horizontal fireplace lined with mirrors maximizing opposite views.

Entry Courtyard

Living and Dining Area

Living and Sitting Area

The kitchen has been updated, and features composite counters, stainless steel appliances and glass-tile backsplashes lining the walls, and is tucked off to the side of the home. There’s also a small breakfast nook placed at the rear of the house, bringing the total number of interior eating areas of this home to three.

The two bedrooms each feature their own bathrooms, and function as masters which are positioned at the sides of the home.  The hall bathroom features an interesting original piece – the built-in toilet paper holder and magazine rack combo unit. All three bathrooms have been updated, and feature natural stone, a naturally-lit step-down shower in one bath, and a soaking tub and dual vanities in the other.

Hall Bath with original toilet paper holder/magazine rack

Master Bath

Bedroom

The backyard consists mainly of patio space that extends the length of the home, offering three distinct seating areas off of the living, dining and breakfast nook areas. While much of the furnishings in the home read traditional, this is a great piece of later mid-century modern architecture that is priced lower than many of its competitors, allowing the opportunity for renovations or restoration of the original layout.

Backyard as seen from the Kings Point common area

Check out the Redfin listing here for more photos: 962 East Murray Canyon Drive

Or Zillow here:  962 East Murray Canyon Drive