By Philip Ferrato
Homes by Mid-Century architect James Allen Walter are not easy to find, but there’s a prime example of his work open this weekend (scroll down for details). Only thirty-two of Walter’s designs were built, and while he seems to have been somewhat difficult and intense (according to this) that intensity translated into a series of subtly elegant but authentic wood houses, and a body of work now being rediscovered as part of Southern California’s rich architectural history.
Recently returned to the market after a sensitive and comprehensive restoration, Walter’s 1967 Siodmak House is a perfect example of his work, comprising a pair of long, spare sheds joined by a glassed-in hallway and flanking a central patio, a structure that’s both light-filled and visually weightless in the best Post+Beam tradition.
What We Love: There’s no brash Mid-Century kitsch here thanks to the sensitive renovation, giving the interiors a timeless quality, somehow managing to synthesize Japanese, Arts+Crafts and Mid-Century influences into a visually cohesive whole.
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