Home Sweet Modern Home: Mid-century Masterpieces For Rent

If bullet planters, Nelson platform benches, Eames lounge chairs, slate rock, clerestory windows and dry heat set your heart a-beating, you might want to consider renting one of the following mid-century modern homes in Southern California next time you need to 'get away'.

Designed by such legendary architects as Rudolph Schindler, Albert Frey, William Cody, William Kisler, Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner the following homes are available as vacation rentals. Terms and prices vary - a lot. But one thing's for sure... they are all über hip.

Madras Oasis by William Krisel



This classic mid-century designed home by the famous Alexander Development and Architect, William Krisel, was built in 1958 with beamed ceilings and butterfly roof featuring floor to ceiling glass blend in breathtaking symmetry and clerestory windows. The home was recently refurbished for today’s living including three bedrooms in 3,018 sq footage of indoor space. Landscape Architect, Steve Martino created a garden poolside-pavilion in the recent renovation.







Martino’s landscape canvas includes a 52-foot long wall in the back yard seen through the glass front-door of the home. The wall has a high-voltage color including a fireplace surrounded with desert flora of succulents and palms for a sunset feeling. The geometry of the backyard landscape with sculptural plants is set against the rugged backdrop of the mountains with beds of thorny ocotillos, strappy yuccas, and agaves.



Sleeps six, three night minimum. Rates are $1,195.00 per night from Oct. 1st - May 30th and $835.00 per night from Jun. 1st - Sept. 30th, go here for more information.

A smaller, less expensive Alexander House by William Krisel


Part of the 1950s tract housing built by the Alexander Construction Company, this airy three-bedroom is owned by Chris Menrad and was recently renovated under the direction of the home's original architect, William Krisel. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and swimming pool.





$295/night; vrbo.com/8740. Or contact Chris through this site.

William Cody House


A sprawling three bedroom (each with private bath) is situated in Palm Springs amid a garden with citrus trees. The home is equipped with a full kitchen and a swimming pool. A private chef and other services are available at an additional cost.







Palm Springs architect William Cody designed this house, which includes original (albeit reupholstered) furniture by Arthur Elrod and a bathroom clad entirely in Carrara marble.



Two-night minimum. $1,400/night; 760/323-4848, escape2palmsprings.com.

Twin Palms by Stewart Williams


Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs home has four bedrooms (each with private bath), a full kitchen, cabana bar and a piano-shaped pool.




Designed in 1947 by Stewart Williams for Frank Sinatra and his first wife, Nancy Barbato, Twin Palms is a spectacular example of mid-century contemporary architecture in the heart of Palm Springs’ Movie Colony community. Located just around the corner from residences once owned by Al Jolson, Jack Benny and Cary Grant, this luxury vacation rental estate boasts both luxury and historical significance.




In this desert oasis, no house is complete without a pool. The one at Sinatra's place is shaped like a piano and comes with a cabana bar.




The home was also witness to some of Sinatra’s most memorable bouts. One of the most outrageous was when Frank threw then-wife Ava Gardner’s possessions onto the driveway after she appeared at the house in an attempt to catch him with Lana Turner. You can still see the chip in the sink where Frank threw a bottle in a rage.


Concierge services are available for an additional fee. Three-night minimum. $2,600/night; 877/318-2090, go here for more info.

The Russell House by Albert Frey


A mountaintop one-bedroom in Palm Springs comes with majestic views of the city and an infinity-edge pool designed by Swiss-born architect Albert Frey, who studied under Le Corbusier in Paris.









Three-night minimum. $1,925/night; 877/318-2090, beaumondevillas.com.

The Seth Peterson Cottage by Frank Lloyd Wright





Located less than an hour from Madison, Wisconsin, this serene, one-bedroom cottage was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1958. The house, which overlooks Lake Mirror, comes equipped with canoes.


The centerpiece of this design, one of Wright's last commissions, is the massive stone fireplace. Among the rental amenities: firewood. Two-night minimum, reserve well in advance. $275; 608/254-6551, sethpeterson.org

The Roth Residence by Rudolph Schindler



Built in 1946 by Viennese-born architect Rudolph Schindler, this three-bedroom Modernist hillside residence in Los Angeles has stellar views of the San Fernando Valley.




Vacation Rental Amenities include: Wi-Fi, 3 LCD HD flat screen TV’s each with a DVD player, DirecTV satellite with premium channels and an HD digital recorder; Bose iPod sound dock; Central A/C, 4 digital wireless telephones and unlimited local phone service; one Weber gas BBQ grill and one Weber charcoal BBQ grill; Kenmore high-capacity washer and dryer; and a queen-size raised Aerobed. Rental Rate: $2,295 per week. Daily: $327.86. Seven night minimum. Cleaning Fee: $250. Fresh linens & Towels: $15 per week per person.
Refundable Security Deposit: $1,500. Seven-night minimum. $328/night. vrbo.com/133464 or email Cindy, Jim or Erin at vacationrentals@gressingergroup.com

Got deeper pockets and want to stay a little longer? Consider leasing one of the following mid century modern masterpieces.

The Polin House by John Lautner


Following a painstaking renovation, this fully-furnished lease offers the quintessential Lautner living experience. From its hidden Hollywood Hills site, Lautner's plan creates a cineramic experience within the views. Surfaces and systems have been restored to museum quality standards, and all is furnished and equipped with the finest accoutrements.










The residence incorporates two bedrooms, two baths, a den, carport, and expansive grounds into a private retreat among the towering trees. Living here will invigorate, refresh and constantly inspire. $9,3000. a month, contact them here.

The Bonnet House by Richard Neutra

This highly-published example of early modernist architecture has been tastefully restored & renovated to 21st century standards without sacrificing authenticity. Impeccable kitchen & bathroom fixtures (incl marble, top-end hardware & apps, HDTV Plasmas) make this a luxurious rental. Available furnished as photographed at $6,9500/mo. Located in the Hollywood Hills, gated access w/ security, surrounded by bamboo & pvt gardens. Canyon, sunset & city lights views. Go here for more information.

Please note that prices quoted here are concurrent with when this post was written and may have since changed.

sources: architecture for sale, vacation rentals by owner and beaumonde villas

Tomorrow's Transportation Today: The Uno by Ben Gulak

It has zero emissions, a simple on off switch, one wheel (okay, two wheels but they are really close together) and killer looks. And, it was invented by an 18 year old from Ontario.


The Uno by Ben Gulak. Tomorrow's Transportation Today.
Cost to Develop: $45,000
Time: 2 years



The inspiration for the cycle came when 18 year old Ben Gulak visited China in 2006 and was amazed at the overwhelming pollution that completely blocked the view of the surrounding country as his airplane came in for landing. He realized that much of that smog was coming from the thousands of motor scooters whizzing through the streets and figured that there had to be a better way.


Above: Ben Gulak, an incoming member of the MIT Class of 2012, rides the 'Uno'--a scooter-like vehicle he invented that was named the top invention of the year by Popular Science. Photo courtesy / Glenn Roberts, Motorcycle Mojo Magazine

The design he came up with has two wheels mounted side by side, very close together, and powered by electric motors. A computerized control system keeps the vehicle balanced, in a system similar to the Segway personal transporter. But unlike that vehicle, which is ridden in a standing position and is not considered a street vehicle, Gulak's "Uno" is ridden like a motorcycle and designed for ordinary roads.




Operating the Uno is so simple that it requires no controls at all. There is only an on-off switch. Once it's on, the driver accelerates by leaning forward, stops by leaning back, and steers by leaning to the side. By sitting upright, the driver can balance in one spot.




Above: inventor Ben Gulak with his Uno.

Gulak put off college for a year (now 19, he enrolls at MIT this fall) and began building the Uno at a motorcycle shop outside Toronto. He modified the frame from a Yamaha R1, which is wider than most motorcycles, so it can house the side-by-side wheels.


Above: Ben Gulak sits on his self-balancing electric “unicycle” in its early stages outside his home near Toronto. Photo by John B. Carnett

But he quickly realized that he was out of his depth in the electronics department: He would ride the Uno for a few seconds, and the circuitry would catch fire. So he contacted Trevor Blackwell, a robotics engineer who specializes in self-balancing software. With Blackwell’s help, Gulak equipped the Uno with a gyroscope and a control system that both keeps the rider balanced over the tires and manages the suspension.

The Uno’s two wheelchair motors should, theoretically, give it a top speed of 40 mph, but for safety’s sake, Gulak hasn’t taken it above 15 mph yet. “The only way to figure out if an alteration works is to jump on and ride the thing,” he says. “I’m pretty sure I chipped my kneecap in one crash.”

Gulak’s next task is reworking the suspension to handle more drastic leans, but he says he may need some help writing the code that keeps the Uno balanced at faster speeds. “The fundamental tech is figured out,” he says. “It just needs the right people to tweak it.”



Above: testing out the cool new green transportation


above: Inventor Ben Gulak, of Milton, Ontario

Thanks to Popular Science, Motorcycle Mojo magazine and MIT news for images and info

Want to invest in it?
Contact info:
BPG-Technologies
ben.gulak@hotmail.com
Phone - 416 727 4794

Major Bling For The Brrring Brrring: 6.8 Carat Diamond Case for Apple iPhone 3G

Above: The diamond iPhone case in Sandy Vintage Leather



Noreve St. Tropez, a luxury leather case designer, has recently released a new diamond studded leather pouch for the Apple iPhone 3G. Each case is magnificently handcrafted in genuine leather adorned with 272 diamonds. Each diamond is between 18 and 22 points and of VS1 quality and G color. The total diamond weight is approximately 6.8 Karats. The Apple iPhone 3G Diamond Pouch price tag is $14,990.00 and is available in North America at NoreveUSA.com.


Above: The back of the pouch is embossed with the Noreve St. Tropez logo.





Above: Each pouch is available in any of Noreve’s 15 color choices from Black to Pink to Sandy Vintage.

Following up on the success of their leather cases (some of which are shown below), Noreve has decided to further customize their already elite designs. “This case is yet another step we are taking to help the Noreve brand become one of the most unique and recognized case manufacturers in the world,” says Sam Brust, Vice President of Sales for NoreveUSA. “We look forward to working with additional types of precious stones in our future designs.”

Don't want to shell out 15 grand on an iPhone case? They have several nice leather cases for the 3g iPhone without diamonds as well:


Above: $39.99, leather case in Sandy Vintage. Available in several colors.

Above: starting at $42.99, leather case in Sandy Vintage. Available in many colors

Above: starting at $49.99, leather case in Sandy Vintage. Available in many colors.



About NoreveUSA:
Since 2004, Noreve has specialized in the manufacturing of high quality, hand made, leather cases for mobile devices. Now the Noreve brand offers you protection, not only in leather, but also in fashionable and original textures.

Noreve offers today the largest selection of cases for MP3 players and cases for mobile phones, laptops and more. The unique design and style of the south of France can be appreciated in its entire selection of products, in both of its versions: Noreve 'Perpetual', classic soft leather protection and Noreve 'Exception', a unique selection of vintage leathers (shown below).



NoreveUSA is a luxury leather designer of cases for mobile devices. Opened in April of 2007 NoreveUSA is the North American division of Noreve St. Tropez in France, which began operations in 2004. Noreve’s products are available in a multitude of colors and are guaranteed by a lifetime warranty. For more information, visit NoreveUSA.com.