Hi Folks! As life has given us a departure from the normal please allow me to take a departure today from all the cool things we like to showcase here. Underneath what we aesthetically enjoy is a desire to be present to what is truly in front of us and mindful of choices around it whether its regarding our home or our health. Typically, we would might be together showing you a home and considering those choices relative to the property we are standing in. Today, we are having a collective experience of a very different nature. The following essay by Stephen Dinan was shared by a dear friend and, I find, is one of the more comprehensive pieces of writing for this collective experience. Yesterday, I was in a place where I could ground myself and be productive at home and see the long term potential of what is happening. I saw hope. Tomorrow I may be in a more troubled place. There is a great list of ideas here that you might find helpful when you are feeling weighed down.

Here is an excerpt I appreciate: The best case scenario is ultimately for us to approach this global pandemic as something that calls us into a higher level of collaboration, creativity, and conscious living. We can emerge living more sustainably, peacefully, and enjoyably with our local communities. We can develop more skills for independent lifestyles. We can cultivate a higher-quality, less-expensive lifestyle with less stuff. Let’s do our best to write the story of 2020 as a year not defined by a global tragedy but as a challenging but ultimately successful birth of a new way of being. Just as the toughest life experiences can catalyze our greatest personal growth, so can this planetary emergency lead to real growth of our species. For the rest of the arcticle go HERE.

Know we are thinking of you. And we are still here. Reach out anytime if you need help or an ear. Cheers!

Thank you Kim Winters for sending us this article this morning and keeping us up to date on the changing mortgage world. Homeowners who have lost income or their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak may get some relief. Depending on their situation, they should be eligible to have their mortgage payments reduced or suspended for up to 12 months. Check out the full article on NPR here.

While Palm Springs, CA represents the height of mid-century design, modernism both proceeds that period and continues to be explored today as in most places. That is my way of saying it isn’t a one note mid-century town. There are layers here worth exploring. At the modernist heart of our tour were some of the pioneering architects of the 40’s who were working counter to the Hollywood Spanish Revival architecture at the time. Here are a few cool examples we were able to see.

John Lautner | Architect John Lautner’s Desert Hot Springs Motel was designed in 1947 to be part of a resort owned by a Hollywood film director. After completing only 4 units and a pool pavilion the project was halted and become a hideaway for several years. Having sat abandoned for many years the remaining units have been fully restored and reinvented. A business pair purchased the abandoned property and have slowly restored the cabins and developed an event venue around the architectural rentals.

Richard Neutra | While we didn’t get to go inside either of the homes we drove by the famous 1947 Kaufman House and were able to take a private external tour of the grounds at the 1937 Miller House. Both homes have been meticulously restored by their current owners and are lightly being lived in.

Albert Frey | Probably the highlight of our trip was touring both the 1964 Frey House II and the 1955 Cree House. Both homes are in 99% original condition having either been kept as is or restored. The Frey II house is now owned by the neighboring Palm Springs Art Museum and available for limited tours. The Cree House was purchased by a local business man who had grown up in the home. He hired high end craftspeople to lovingly restore the home. Witnessing the architect’s use of space, materials and simplicity in both homes was inspiring.

Stay tuned for more layers to our Palm Springs trip in upcoming weeks. In the meantime be safe and well. Cheers!

Need something to loose yourself in? Here are some movies suggestions by domus. I would suggest there are many more movies where design and architecture are fundamental, but it is a good start. Enjoy! And, of course, be healthy and safe.

Thank you Kim Winters for sharing this post to help us navigate this unique time. We wanted to pass this along to our community and clients. I hope it helps. Cheers!

As I sit distantly in my home office today I was trying to find helpful resources to share outside the normal news channels out there. Fortunately, I was able to find a few sources that have gathered that for me. Apartment Therapy shared this post with a variety of home and health tips for this unprecedented moment in our time. Dwell Magazine did the same thing here. And as with any event such as this it is an opportunity to come together in new ways and realize the importance of community. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. We are all in this together. Here are some more pragmatic things to consider in your home and neighborhood. Wishing you all a healthy and safe time at home. Cheers!

We were honored yesterday to receive an award for our 2019 team success at Keller Williams Professionals. It was a pleasure to be surrounded by other caring and successful folks from our office. It is nice to have another good year behind us as we continue to venture into 2020. Know we would love to help you, too. Cheers!

Premiere modern "loft style" home dreamed and constructed from the bones of a former neighborhood church. With a clean and modern sensibility the simple and smart architect designed space offers flexibility for live/work, along with, separate guest quarters. The open main space encompasses a dramatic vaulted and trussed ceiling, original polished concrete floors, European kitchen, thoughtful and sleek accent lighting blended with original sanctuary fixtures and a floating wood burning fireplace by Fireorb. Flanking the main space is a frosted glass partition dividing a bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet. At the other end is a convenient half-bath and doorway leading to another bedroom en suite with built-in kitchenette and bath with a stainless Japanese soaking tub. Hansgrohe fixtures throughout. The home is located near Malvern Hill Park in West Asheville and just a few blocks from Patton Ave amenities and a few minute trip to downtown.

Give Kelly or Troy a call today for information or a personal tour. We love showing this one. Cheers!

Kelly and I recently got back from Modernism Week in Palm Springs. While it was great to immerse ourselves in California culture again it was over the top stimulating to see some of the roots of modern design in the US. Our tour put together by our friends at the US Modernist organization was very comprehensive touching on the roots of Palm Springs development to the heyday of experimental modern design up to new construction today. We saw great examples from designers such as Lautner, Frey, Neutra, Wexler, A.Quincey Jone, Lloyd Wright to name a few. We will be featuring them in a bit more detail in the weeks ahead so stay tuned. Cheers!

Hi Folks! We are well into 2020 and spring is approaching soon. A new year means a new season of the every growing and changing {always cool} Uncommon Market. Being the loyal sponsors and fans that we are we will see you there starting in April at the Foundation. PUt the dates on your Calendar and come an look for us. Cheers!