Paradise Palms

Even Elvis is Eccstatic About The Fun Fixtures and Features Found In This Foreclosure

July 21st, 2008 Categories: Foreclosure Fixtures, Paradise Palms

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Update: 11:35 pm That’s my younger brother Joe who’s in the pictures. He does Elvis just for fun. And.. I added an exterior photo that I had missed when I originally posted.

Very few of you will get to see the ridiculously cheap Paradise Palms Bank Owned REPO because it’s going to sell in just a few days. It’s over 3000 sf with a pool and garage and tons of Modernization, Tuscanization, Funkinization, and all kinds of other izations.

But it’s NOT a 259,900 home. But that is the list price. Don’t ask me why.

If it’s not already sold, or they’re stacking up multiple offers, I’ll make it the open house for a week from Tuesday, but it’s not likely that I’ll get to do it. (And I’ll have to have permission either way)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of it’s real vintage. Some of it’s retro. Some of it is suburban modern, some of it’s deco, but it all seems to work well together.

 

I’m just going to publish a bunch of the pictures. If you can’t pass up a REAL bargain, or think this might be right for you, then give me a call.

 

 

 

 There’s more pictures below the fold, and if I get a chance maybe I’ll add in some descriptions later tonight.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

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Bill Krisel, “Mid Century Modern is not a style. It’s a language”

June 19th, 2008 Categories: Las Vegas Real Estate News, Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

Yesterday, a client I’m shopping with asked me to explain Mid Century Modernism. We were looking at some of the Cinderella Ranches, because he absolutely has to have a garage. I was telling him that the Cinderella’s as well as most post-war ranch homes as we know them fall under the umbrella of modernism, though they’re not the “classic” design that we see in the work of Palmer and Krisel, who were the architects of 40,000 living units in California as well as here in Las Vegas. They designed the  neighborhood of Paradise Palms,  for Irwin Molasky.

What’s important about modernism is what Bill Krisel calls “the language” of modernism. Open living areas, walls of glass, allowing the outdoors to come in and the indoors to get out. It’s about natural light, and natural materials. It was an idea or concept of living.

We still see it manifested today in loft style living. We see it in the great room concept that you can find out in the suburbs. Unfortunately, except in the most expensive of newer homes, the lot sizes don’t give you any real outdoors, that can be allowed to come into your living space.   

Some of Bill Krisel’s remarks tell the story, as well as some of the history. This is a 2005 lecture  and slideshow he presented to a Mid Mod Conference in Palm Springs that was hosted by Dwell Magazine.

Paradise Palms is mentioned, as well as how he created the sunscreens, and textured concrete blocks that are prevelant in his work.

(UPDATE: I had a report from a reader that there was no sound when they tried. It works perfect on my computer, as hard as THAT is to believe. If you have problem, here’s the direct link )

Thanks to Zane Donaldson, one of the many Mid Century Modern Enthusiasts here in Las Vegas, for sending me this link. 

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The Decorative Concrete Sunscreens And Block Walls Of Vintage Vegas - Pattern #41

June 2nd, 2008 Categories: Decorative Concrete Block Designs, Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

A pretty similar pattern, at first glance, to the one I showed you in #39 of the series. In fact I had only one sub folder that I’d labeled “square in a square”. I had both patterns in it, without realizing the subtle difference.

Just as a reminder, here’s pattern #39 again.

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the photos from all of these patterns were taken over a year ago. I’m sorry I didn’t keep notes on where I found many of them.

At the party in Paradise Palms on Saturday, one of the many “unknown” readers came up to me and told me she loved this series. She’s lived in Paradise Palms for years and had never really paid attention to them before. She’s been printing them out as we go and has made a game for herself to find each of the patterns. I’m impressed and gratified.

 

 

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The Mid Century Modern Las Vegas Neighborhood Of Paradise Palms Has Some Of The Most Unique Decorative Concrete Block Patterns

May 19th, 2008 Categories: Decorative Concrete Block Designs, Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

Here’s a favorite of mine that I’ve only ever found in the part of  Paradise Palms that’s north of Desert Inn.

Pattern Number 33 In the series of Mid Century Modern Decorative Block Designs

 

 

I know it’s not really American Indian, but I’m reminded of an Indian Blanket pattern, though I’m not sure why it invokes that thought in my mind.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s on Golden Arrow, in a fence and the picture above is from the home on Sombrero that has the topiary garden in the front yard.

If anyone has ever seen this pattern outside of Paradise Palms, please let me know.

 

 

 

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Paradise Palms Is Paradise For The Mid Century Modern Enthusiast

April 12th, 2008 Categories: Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

We’re working with several different buyers who specifically are looking in Paradise Palms because all of the homes were designed by Palmer and Krisl, the noted California Architects.

There’s 43 homes for sale. Some are spectacularly interesting, and some are just abominations. There’s several bank owned properties, a few short sales which aren’t worth even discussing, and a LOT of really great homes.  The lowest priced home for sale in Paradise Palms this week is 119,000 (TOTALLY A FIXER with a pool), and the highest is the amazing custom mansion that we had listed last year at 1.1m which is now reduced to 900k.

Our listing on Brazos is reduced to 250,000 and deserves to be considered if you’re thinking of Paradise Palms

Here’s just some random shots of things I’ve seen lately in Paradise Palms.

 

 There’s some really great yard art and ornamentation spread around in Paradise Palms. It’s a really fun neighborhood to take a drive thru on a lazy day off.  

 

 

 

 

 

A FSBO Foreclosure. He’d rather the bank get it than let some investor make money on his hardship. There’s 3000 sf, and a terrific pool and yard. 350k would take it, or wait a few more months and try to get it from the bank.  

 

 

 

Remember the RUMPUS ROOM? This one is at a home for sale in Paradise Palms. It has a 3^rd bath also, as part of the rumpus room, which is accessible to the pool. 

It’s 269,000, and has lots of mid-mod features that are covered up by stupid drapes and shutters and all kinds of easily corrected weirdness. But in spite of all of that, it’s a real gem.

The pool has a tiki hut patio cover next to it and a whole “tiki” themed outdoor kitchen. Call me, and I’ll show it to you.

 

 

I’m reminded of the Kohler bathroom ad where the lady tells the architect to design a house around a Kohler Faucet. In this case, let’s rebuild the bank owned repo  around this suspended chimney and gas burning fire pit. The rest of it needs a LOT of work, but it’s a steal at only 225k.

 

 

 

 

 

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Video Proposes They Put The Las Vegas Art Museum At The National Golf Course Which Is Surrounded By The Mid Century Modern Neighborhood Of Paradise Palms

March 19th, 2008 Categories: ART, Paradise Palms

Yesterday we were emailed the link to a video created by someone in Paradise Palms. It’s a great idea for how to save the National Golf Course from being re-developed into a 600 home housing tract.

We didn’t know who created the video, and until we did, we didn’t want to publish something without having vetted it first. That mystery is now solved, as Kristen Peterson wrote about the idea in today’s Las Vegas Sun.

 

Neighborhood Dream: A Place To Putt And To Ponder Art

The idea is to merge the golf course with the Las Vegas Art Museum which is coincidently looking for a new permanant home. We have the link to the video that was made.

You can watch the video yourself, which really makes the point, but I’ll quote Kristen as to why I turned off the music half way thru it.

“Set to a choral rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday,” the 3 1/2 minute choreographed slide show is a little precious, a little over the top and, much like Sondheim’s song, a little dreamy.”

You can watch the video from this link at SAVETHECOURSE.COM

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How To UN-Butcher A Mid Century Modern Home In Paradise Palms

February 21st, 2008 Categories: Home Repair and Remodel, Las Vegas History, Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms

There’s an abomination for sale in Paradise Palms.

Driving up to it,  you would never know it was actually a butterfly roof, Palmer and Krisel Design, or that it was on the golf course! 

I’ve had these pictures for a while, but was reminded of them when I saw the drawings of the original designs that you can see in the next post today.

 

 

Yes, this is the same home! But somewhere along the way, someone decided that adding a prison barracks looking front would be a good idea.

Inside however…. still has the original floating concrete hearth under the fireplace, all the clerestory windows, walls of glass, and vintage kitchen and baths. It’s on the golf course, with a pool and a view deck with circular staircase looking over the National Golf Course and Southern Mountains.

We’d love to see someone turn it back into something like the original rendering. It’s been reduced to 359,500 and has been on the market since last June, when it started out at 415k.

This last photo was taken from the other end of the house, and you can see where the original roof lines are still intact, if they weren’t hidden by the front add-on.

Someone could do very well for themselves by tearing off the addition and restoring it to it’s fabulous mid century modern design.

It’s a probate sale, and the listing agent says to bring all offers. Give me a call or send me an email if you’re curious.

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Retro Flickering Away On A Rainy Evening In Vintage Las Vegas

February 20th, 2008 Categories: Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, Paradise Palms

Lynn Zook’s Classic Las Vegas History Blog sent me to Alan Sandquist’s Roadside Pictures to look at original drawings of the Paradise Palms Palmer and Krisel drawings. All of the renderings for the Paradise Palms homes are there if you flash forward and backwards in the collection gallery, and they’re all on the Classic Las Vegas Blog also

 

 

One of the people who commented on them was Java1888. He, like alan, uses flicker to store his images of all kinds of fun retro stuff. He’s got 3 different collections of mid century modernism that you can browse. There’s Designs, Signs and Architecture. I picked up this great Better Homes and Gardens Ad for FORMICA in his Mid Century Modern Architecture collection.

 

 

 

 

I’ve never played around on flicker, but one of the commenters on the formica ad, was Retro Kitchens In Aqua, Pink and Yellow! Believe it or not, This is the EXACT Aqua Blue Boomerang Formica that was in the bathroom of our 1954 tri-level in Columbus Ohio! I’ve never come across it in Las Vegas. I’m going to go digging into my mother’s 700+– albums to see if there’s perchance a bathroom picture from my childhood home.

If there is, I’ll be sure to share it with you.

 

 

Of Course, Retropro commented on the blue formica, so we found our way to her collection including this terrific 50’s wall clock.

Of Course, there were comments on it, and from them I found my way to:

 

 

 

 

Thrift Store Addict is a majorly compulsive collector of all things Retro. Flashing thru his picture collections, I found this photo of the Westclock Moonbeam. I have one also, which I picked up at a garage sale for a dollar back in the 80’s. He paid 2.99 for his. Ha Ha!

 

Well, that’s enough RETRO for one day. Retro is a word I rarely use, but since I’m refining my “elevator speech” it’s a word that I should start to use more often.

 

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Another Chance For The Best Deal In Las Vegas For A Mid Century Modern Home

January 26th, 2008 Categories: Home Repair and Remodel, Mid Century Modern, Paradise Palms