Has anybody been to the 2008 Parade of Homes?

[googie2525]

Originally Posted by Paka

Liked #7 the best...thought the house that had the "best floorplan" hanging from the info board outside was a joke...both DH and I thought it was the worst floorplan of them all.

I think that, while fun to look at, they certainly don't deserve the $$$ being asked for them...but LOVED the innovative/retro feel of #7. It was one of those, you love it, you hate it homes...but I heard very favorable comments, so we were not alone in loving it.

Is this number 7?:

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s247/theweirdone1971/2008parade.jpg (broken link)

If so, and Paka, not to be judgemental on your taste, that being a pretty subjective thing and all...but "RETRO?"

That monster has about a 0% retro vibe. It's really just a more curvy McTuscan with a few mod flourishes...oh, I give up, it's just a mish-mosh faux-Euro architectural mess IMHO. So, yeah, I'm a "hate it" on this one...but agreed, none of those places deserve the $$$ being asked, especially in a non-established area (Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Monte Vista, sure, but a newly developed hood sandwiched in-between not-so-pricey homes just seems weird).

Now, THIS I would consider a modern contemporary "retro" home (in Dripping Springs of all places, about 20 miles outside Austin) - built by Dan Fawcett:
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...ingsprings.jpg

Austin, naturally, has a ton of modern homes with a retro feel: Modern Austin

...sadly, San Antonio not so many - the most notable exception in this category being Ken Bentley (and of course Lake/Flato), who is STILL trying to sell one of his homes in Terrell Hills (it's been on the market FOREVER): http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...ABOR672636.jpg...of course, it's only a piddly little 4000 sq foot shed compared to these goliaths.

This article in the Express (2008 Parade of Homes: Earth-friendly designs) cracked me up when I read "the look" section: Old World Tuscan, Italian Villa, Tuscan, Tusca, Tuscan, European, European Traditional, etc., etc...granted they do include the French and a Texas Craftsman...but what about the Irish, the Australian, the German, the African? What's with all this faux-Italian baloney? Do they even HAVE homes like these in Italy (I seriously doubt it)?

Okay, time to step down off my soapbox and get to work on my 1950's mod ranch (a mere cottage at 3200 sq ft. and embarressingly under 500K ) - the living room planter needs a good coat of KILZ...yes, I said a LIVING ROOM PLANTER...and all brick no less.

[scuba steve]

THAT is seriously cool! I'm wishing I could've picked up a nice 1950s place, but the locations they're in weren't good at all for me or my fiance.

Post more pics, I need inspiration and am planning on what I'll do with my place over the next couple of years. All I'm getting at the moment are the gobs of downtown Seattle furniture stores which are nice, but I need to see some bigger pictures.

[Cookiemeister]

Here is something interesting... AIA (American Institute of Architects) SA and Austin Tour of Homes. SA tour is on Oct 4 but can't find any info on it yet. The Austin tour is on Oct 4 & 5 for $25 in advance or $30 on the weekend of the tour and will exhibit 12 homes of outstanding architects... all modern or contemporary in style. The website is aiaaustin.org. I went to the one in SA a few years ago and there was one modern home that was really great in the Shavano Park area. The architects name was something like Joe Smith and his home was by far the best of the show. Hyde Park in Austin also has a tour of homes every year but I think they skipped this year. Found a great resource for things to do in Austin and San Antonio called Austin or San Antonio Big Weekend Wall Calendar but I cannot locate the calendar for SA. How come I didn't know about this before?

[scuba steve]

If I'm in Texas then, I'm there! Seriously, since moving to San Antonio I've been back in Seattle more than anything else.

[googie2525]

Originally Posted by scuba steve

THAT is seriously cool! I'm wishing I could've picked up a nice 1950s place, but the locations they're in weren't good at all for me or my fiance.

Post more pics, I need inspiration and am planning on what I'll do with my place over the next couple of years. All I'm getting at the moment are the gobs of downtown Seattle furniture stores which are nice, but I need to see some bigger pictures.

Yeah, a lot of the cool (AND affordable) San Antonio 50's digs are in pretty dismal surroundings. It all depends on your budget in San Antonio really.

Terrell Hills has some really cool 50's/60's MCM's, BUT pricey! Now, East Terrell Hills has a LOT of very cool smaller 50's Eichler-inspired homes, but I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to live over there...in any case, in terms of design/sprucing up your pad, I'd get a subscription to Atomic Ranch Magazine toots-sweet (they always sell out quickly at the local Borders and B&N, so I just got the 2-year sub), but they'll give you myriad design ideas (and most on a budget - unlike DWELL, which I feel, like many, has become pretty elitist, and they're just too fixated on the same old furnishings from DWR (Eames, Nelson, Noguchi, etc.)...BTW, the last Atomic Ranch featured a Seattle MCM (in an area called Shoreline I believe) on the cover:
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...1971/bi_18.jpg

...also, here's a GREAT forum for MCM enthusiasts, you can get tons of great ideas and photos from this group of folks: LottaLiving.com :: Index

[sapphire]

I dunno........that Ken Bentley in Terrell Hills that has been on the market forever--to me it looks like a city library. Is it just really cool on the inside?

[Cookiemeister]

Actually that architects name was Joseph (Joe) Smith and I think he is with JMS Architects in SA but couldn't find any of his work online. He designed the home on the tour for his in-laws and I think it was in Inverse around Huebner and NW Military. It was the only modern style in this very hidden ritzy neighborhood. The interior was really, really fantastic. It takes alot of dinero to build a home like that but I am sure they got a good deal considering their architect was also there son-in-law.

[Turtle_Mom]

Originally Posted by Bowie

The process of getting to and from there wasn't very green, either. We were made to park at a lot that was over a mile away and rode from the lot to the site on an air-conditioned 60-passenger shuttle bus that probably burns diesel fuel at the rate of 5 or 6 miles to the gallon. Oh, and the bus that took us to the site carried a grand total of 5 passengers as it lumbered down Bulverde Road. I may fall out of my chair laughing if I read about the parade folks crowing about their event's carbon footprint.

Not to mention the trees that were cleared out just the week before for the parking. That is supposed to be a future home development in that area and entrance to the golf course, and I would have thought they wanted the greenery to stay to act as a buffer between Evan's and the development.