Introduce Yourself!

[Kelsey]

Hi! We're Kelsey and Chris, a young couple with a love of modern design stuck in a stucco in Gilbert. But we're doing all we can to give our home a modern and cozy feel and to shake things up in an otherwise ho-hum neighborhood. We do really love Gilbert and we're trying to bring some good design and unique elements to our house - as much as the HOA will let us! I've just discovered this website and am so excited to connect with other modern-minded folks in the valley, can't wait for Modern week in April.

[benjiashley]

Hey everyone! My name is Ben, I'm 29 and I just moved here from the east coast (Virginia Beach, VA) a little less than two years ago on a job relocation. I recently started looking for a home and after getting sick of cookie cutters, I moved on to lofts/condos. After having difficulty with the financing fairy I moved to single family homes.

I've become obsessed with some of these homes and really battled with myself over what to do. I've decided to buy something small to start with and save over the next two years to buy something bigger. I'm in the midst of closing on a tiny 1947 bungalow up on the slope in Sunnyslope that has been upgraded/modernized to a great degree. It's small but I call it my "Micro-Mansion" and I'm looking forward to getting my foot in the door on these homes.

Ultimately I hope to buy a Haver as I'm really taken with the exposed beams in many of the ceilings.

I'm a bit of a mixed bag. I tour/perform/record as a art rock musician and I've shown on the east coast as a photographer and sculptural artist. I'm currently in a career in investments/finance.

I'm excited about joining this community!

[PixelPixie]

Welcome Kelsey and Ben!

[benjiashley]

Thanks so much! Looking forward to being active on these boards!

[northernmod]

Hello - My name is Elfriede, I am a native of Austria and have been living in Ottawa, Canada for the past 20 years. I have been renovating on a shoe string budget a sad little bungalow, that was doomed for tear down. 3 years ago, while I was researching Arizona as a place to get away to for a few days of sunshine, I stumbled across a Modern Phoenix House tour announcement. I have been inspired by Phoenix ever since, by its modernist architecture, its mountains, its desert, by its creative atmosphere and by the warm and creative people at Modern Phoenix. So much so, that last year my now husband David and I returned to attend another home tour and ended up buying a Unit at Three Fountains.

I will be returning to Phoenix for this year's home tour and would love to meet up with some people who would be willing to share what they know about phoenix with a newcomer, I would especially appreciate tips on where you can get things done, gardening tips, renovation tips for our home in Three Fountains, etc. I will tell you all you want to know about Canada and Austria in return. Looking forward to seeing you in April.

[jon@dzynwrld]

Hello all,

I'm Jon, and I currently live in northern San Diego county. My girlfriend lived in Scottsdale from 2005 to 2009 and owned a condo in the cool little mid-century mod Bon Vie complex at 2nd Street and Miller. This nicely renovated little complex went a long way toward developing my appreciation for the mid-century architectural style and overall vibe. We still try to make a couple of trips a year back to Phoenix/Scottsdale to visit friends and soak up the modern lifestyle that we miss a lot.

I studied architecture and environmental design for 4 years in high school before switching over to graphic design in college and received a BA in Applied Art and Design. I'm also a big fan of modern pre-fab architecture as seen in the pages of Dwell magazine and am currently launching a website offering mid-century/modern inspired products. I hope to learn much from you all and look forward to enjoying what this cool community has to offer!

jon@dzynwrld

[MudFlap]

Hola,

New to the board because we finally pulled the trigger and escaped from Stuccoville.

The new digs has a modern vibe happening (without being trendy) and we intend to keep it that way.

The new place is near Chaparral High School (S'dale & Shea).

I hope not only to learn from you folks but look to contribute as well.

Already the 'wheels are turning' about some landscape ideas.

(We currently have our 15 year old daughter working on some 'mailbox concepts' --- teach 'em young.)

anyway, I'm glad to have this forum as a resource and part time playground.

mf

[matthew]

Hey MF welcome to the boards. Pics of the place? I spent a good part of growing up at Golddust and 77th st. I know the surrounding areas well. Are you east or west of scottsdale rd?

[MudFlap]

Thanks for the line..... we will be just north of Cholla in the 70's. (west of D'dale road)

no pics yet. we just bought the place and close in a few weeks.

[matthew]

Nice. I figured west of scottsdale when you said you had escaped from stucco. Congrats! Nice hood.

[ryansvs650]

Hey there,

My wife and I are rookies to modernism in Phoenix. We recently purchased a Haver from a couple who did a lot of beautiful work to it. We are loving all the available natural light, thanks to the extra large windows on the front of our home. We plan to do a few small changes to the home like sandblasting the front block wall that is currently painted white. Overall there isn't too much left to do since the previous owners had such fine taste when it came to remodeling. I find it interesting and obvious that some folks appreciate the mid-century homes in our neighborhood and some people don't. To each his own. I realize that some people have different tastes, but it's too bad when a perfectly good Haver gets covered in stucco. Anyways, I am looking forward to connecting with other like-minded folks and hope to draw some inspiration from the message boards.

-Ryan

[PixelPixie]

Welcome Ryan!

[modernbuilding]

Greetings Modern Phoenix -

My name is Troy Strumpfer and I have been a long time lurker here at modernphoenix.net. I am a native born Phoenician and I continue to enjoy the growing social scene, sub-currents, and thriving modern preservation efforts throughout the city.

I've always managed to be either ahead or behind the curve, never really in the apex. I fell in love with downtown Phoenix during the boom of the Willow House coffee era and lived in a 1920's spanish revival duplex in the Willow and then into a work/live mixed use art building next to the pawn shop on 3rd Ave and McDowell...well before places like My Florist Cafe or the Starbucks on 7th Ave moved in. I've rented a tiny house in the Roosevelt District built in 1908 and stumbled across a lone building installing a sound system and plywood stage that would eventually be named "Modified Arts"....so again, just missed experiencing the center of the art scene that followed.

And during the coarse of living in the downtown community and watching the rejuvenation of these abandoned buildings, which in turn began to lead the renovation of their adjoining residential neighborhoods, I got excited. I felt like perhaps I might be able to become a part of "generation renovation" here in Phoenix.

So I purchased a 1950's ranch home in the Westwood Terrace neighborhood near Phoenix College and began my version of a modern ranch renovation. Concrete floors, wide-open loft style living areas, preservation of the turquoise tile bathroom and milk-box in to mailbox solutions. I was hooked and decided to begin taking steps toward becoming a modern builder.

Although my introduction feels long overdue, I usually wait to speak until I have something to say. Today, that something is the announcement of my General Contracting company, finally realized. In January of this year, I partnered with a long time friend and mentor to become Modern Building and Design, LLC. I specialize in bringing both form and function together in a simple, attractive and affordable way.

Photos and information about my company and our offerings can be found at http://www.modernbuildinganddesign.com. I hope that I have been respectful to the forum with my ad and I would be delighted to assist anyone within the modern phoenix community with renovation or construction services.

All the best!

Troy Strumpfer
Modern Building and Design
http://www.modernbuildinganddesign.com
602-725-1524
ROC:273072
Licensed / Bonded / Insured

[sir_eccles]

Hello everyone.

The wife and I just bought (I say just but it has actually been about 8 months now!) a mid century ranch house in what we term "Little Arcadia" that little bit below Indian School between around the 40s to 60s streets. We had been previously renting in a Bennie Gonzalez early 1980s gated community in Scottsdale. I would say our ranch house has been sympathetically modernized. No silly wall knocking down business but the previous owner did add on a master suite. I don't know who built it but from looking through public records I found that only 4 previous families had lived here. The first bought it off "Modern Builders Inc" for about 15k in 1958 staying for 30yrs then each of the next three families for about 10yrs each. Anyway, we hope to enjoy it for many years ourselves.

At the moment I'm looking for some nice furniture ideas, does anyone locally stock a good selection of dining chairs?

[vintagehappy]

Hi all,
I'm Allie. I somewhat recently bought a house in central in an area of 50's houses. My goal is to bring the block ranch back to some of it's former glory. I have enjoyed browsing your posts and learning from your projects. I wish I would have found your site before I started my flooring. I do have 2 rooms of the original stained concrete, although one bedroom still has black marker on it from the installers that put VCT tile over it. Does anyone have any suggestions? Rubbing alcohol has lightened it, but I don't want to damage it like I did in the other BR with a Harsh cleaner.
Best wishes to you all!