Step into mid-century America to get your modern fix at Mod50s in Tulsa. As one of the regions premier retailers of mid-century modern furniture and furnishings, there is quite a bit to take in while strolling through the isles of this unique retail space. Stacks of Eames chairs, vintage dish sets, Danish pottery, designer mid-century living room furniture and colorful artwork decorate this space like an eclectic museum.
Owner, Maurice Powell, has been collecting modern furniture and art for years and has become the local authority on the subject. Between his years of experience, books read and numerous national conventions and auctions attended Maurice is an expert in his field. As a visitor to his store Maurice’s passion is apparent and contagious as he obviously enjoys discussing his merchandise.
“I began collecting 50s items in the 1980s, buying my first red analine dye Eames chair at our local flea market for $15.00. After reading Greenbergs Mid-Century Modern, I began buying designer items and became hooked! I am still hooked to this day, and love dealing in all aspects of the 20th century, from early to late,” said Maurice. “I specialize in mid-century modern furniture and decor, but deal in all genres of antiques. I also have expanded into the art field over the past several years.”
Originally opened as Deco to Disco, Maurice and his sister Jennifer were in business together selling vintage clothing and modern furniture on Cherry Street. They mutually decided to split the business several years ago, according to Maurice, who kept the phone number while Jennifer kept the name. Today both remain in their separate locations down 15th street from one another.
Customers of Mod50s range from avid collectors visiting weekly to hip college kids on the hunt for unique decorations for their dorm rooms. Maurice has also been seeing older customers recently fulfilling desires from years ago. They are purchasing mid-century modern furniture today, which they could not afford back in the 50’s and 60’s when it was released.
Over the past five years, according to Maurice, recognition and demand for modern furniture have flourished. With Mass media and large retailers such as Target and Pottery Barn carrying product lines of renowned designers, modern design has become more mainstream. Mod50s has considered selling some replica pieces though currently stocks primarily vintage collectibles. Mod50s also buys vintage furniture and art.
Visit Mod50’s Modern (Wednesday-Saturday 11-5, Sunday 12-5) at 2921 E 15th St Tulsa, OK 74104 918.749.3620
story from tulsa young professionals newsletter. (www.typros.org)
On March 14, Tulsa will join Oklahoma City and Edmond as the state’s third city to operate a trolley system. The trolley will be free to ride – unlike the other two systems – however, each passenger will need to redeem a token from one of the bars or restaurants along the trolley route.
The free trolley will run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The T-Town Trolley currently has seven stops, one stop every half hour. It will hit Sharkies, the Empire Bar, the junction of 3rd and Elgin, McNellie’s, 18th and Boston, Jewel and the Crow Creek Tavern and Restaurant. Additional stops on the route are planned for the future.
“Tulsa’s Young Professionals pledges its full support to this initiative,” TYPros Chairman Shane Fernandez said. “The addition of a trolley system will give people a new reason to visit our venues as well as advance Tulsa’s development into an urban city filled with vitality and energy. It will help us showcase Tulsa as a cool place to live, work and play.”
Please help TYPros show its support for this new privately funded project and attend the official T-Town Trolley press conference at McNellie's, featuring Mayor Kathy Taylor and John Bolton, the General Manager of the BOK Center. Stay for a trolley tour and refreshments.
You also won't want to miss the official launch party for the trolley system at McNellie's on Friday. Be one of the first to hitch a free ride to some of Tulsa's hottest night spots.
T-Town Trolley Launch Party March 14 9:00pm McNellie's Public House Game Room, 2nd Floor 409 East 1st Free appetizers will be provided. Trolley will begin running at 9:30pm and run until 2am.
Gen X’ers are speaking out across the nation and setting a new trend towards walkable urbanism - a place you can live, work, shop and play - all within walking distance. This trend has already hit critical mass in cities such as Washington DC., Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Portland and Seattle, which are rated as our country’s most walkable cities. Will Tulsa follow this trend?
Tulsans have been living the so called American Dream for the past 50-60 years. Consumers have dictated a low density suburban lifestyle becoming more and more dependent on the automobile. Is this American Dream changing?
The problems are becoming more clear as developments continue to rise further away from downtown. We drive to work, we drive to the grocery store, and we drive to the gym. Effects of sub-urbanism have begun to take their toll on our health and environment, with driving being linked to an increased rate of obesity and higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
According to Chris Leinberger, author and authority on this subject, the problem with sub-urbanism comes down to MORE=LESS. As we build more sub-urban homes the quality of life goes down. People move further away necessitating driving longer distances with more cars on the road, making this lifestyle less convenient, efficient and desirable. But the pendulum can swing.
With pent up demand from Gen X-ers for what they consider a safe, hip, walkable urban lifestyle we can shift the tide. And the best part is with Walkable Urbanism MORE=BETTER. In contrast to sub-urbanism, the more people that join this movement the better these areas become. As more people move into walkable areas more restaurants and entertainment open and the area becomes even more attractive and desirable, amplifying the effort.
The tide is turning for Tulsa. Brookside, Cherry Street and downtown are drawing the younger generations in with the convenience of everything in one place. With revitalization of these areas underway it is apparent there is a healthy and growing demand.
Cost of housing in these areas already exceeds the city average but appreciation is not over according to national estimations. Chris Leinberger, author of The Option of Urbanism, and authority on the subject says walkable areas command between 40%-200% higher prices than suburban properties (based on $/sq. ft.) nationally.
Tulsa is currently subsidizing housing projects all over the city. We need focus our efforts and invest in the future, urban renewal. Stop social engineering and let the market choose. If we look to more progressive cities and learn from example we will see that the trend is arriving and we just have to embrace it.
Great opportunity! Lease this Mid-century modern home designed by renowned architect Cecil Stanfield. This home has all of its original charm including floor to ceiling windows in the dining room, living room, master bedroom and guest bedroom along with modern updates. It has a very open and airy floor plan with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick inside. The large living area with wood burning fireplace is connected to the dining room and kitchen. There are 3 bedrooms total with the master having a private half bath. The main bathroom is good size and nice and bright with skylights in both baths. Newer, clean carpet, central air, high end fridge provided. The home is located in Mid-Town tulsa close to downtown and just down the street from shopping and eating. Great highway access. Lease for $900/mo. before it gets away! -sorry, furniture not included.
I want to let all of you know about the launch of my new social bookmarking website for Modern design and architecture, idigmodern. It works like Digg, Reddit, or Slashdot, allowing users to share links with our community of readers and rate their favorite stories. It’s a democratic system giving the highest rated articles the best placement. Idigmodern.com is still in its infancy, but we are optimistic that this merit based resource will take off quickly among readers.
There are already some great articles posted for you to see but the beauty is you can share what you think is important to the design community by submitting links you find and voting on articles you find interesting. Take a look, see some cool articles and let me know what you think! Oh, and tell all your friends. cole
This three-day event showcasing contemporary architecture and independent contemporary design is a must see for anybody into modern design. Professionals and design enthusiasts will be exposed to a stimulating array of contemporary and non-traditional architecture, interior design, furniture design and landscape design through a provocative and entertaining mix of gallery-like exhibitions, guided home tours and speaker conferences.
I attended this event last year, had a great time and would highly recommend it to anyone able to attend. I will be attending this year also.
MoveModern is giving away five pairs of tickets March 1. See details at movemodern.com. Also save 20% off your tickets with their discount code.
Show Details Santa Monica, CA (March 14-16, 2008) —Open to both the design trade and design savvy consumer, CA Boom has become a must-attend event for specifiers of quality design and architecture. The show’s fifth year anniversary will feature an impressive line-up of domestic and international fine-furniture manufacturers and architects, many of whom will be debuting products and projects at CA Boom V.
CA Boom V: The West Coast Design Show is North America’s only multi-discipline non-traditional design trade fair and exhibition combining the highest caliber of architects, designers and design manufactures. The mid-century designed Barker Air Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport makes for an appropriate venue that can accommodate a larger number of exhibitors and the crowds of specifiers that visit each year.
“The caliber and uniqueness of CA Boom V’s participants cannot be found at any other design show. CA Boom is the only show in the world where the architects are part of the event’s community and are not just a desired attendee. We’re pulling out stops to set a new attendance record this year with an anticipated 10,000 visitors, at least 40% of attendees being trade specifiers, and at least 130 exhibitors.”
CA Boom V happens Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16, 2008, at Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Exhibit Admission is $20 per day, which includes panel discussions. Design + Architecture tour tickets are $75 a day or $205 for a three-day tour pass and include a same-day or return visit to the exhibit. For more information about CA Boom V and to purchase advanced tickets, please visit caboomshow.com
This great mid-century modern home is currently for sale. I would love to see this home go to a caring owner for restoration rather than be destroyed. It is currently active on the MLS for $500k based on lot value according to the listing. This is not my listing.
Situated in the prestigious Bolewood Estates near 41st and Lewis, this home is located on a very nice street with luxurious homes surrounding. It is unique to the neighborhood as the only modern flat roofed home on the block and looks quite impressive from the street. The interior appears original, still sporting the vintage carpets and finishings. It features wonderfully crafted custom built-ins throughout the home. It has a center atrium, which is currently overgrown with shrubbery, but could be an unbelievably cool feature with some work.
Does anyone know anything about this house? I understand it was built by Murray Jones Murray architecture firm. I have spoken with the listing agent who did not provide much information regarding the structure. Please share. Address is 1836 43rd st.
No huge explosions or candlelight vigils for this oldie. Though not exactly Modern, the Camelot Inn near Brookside certainly had a Mid-Century charm to it. Pictured below in it’s prime, the building had fallen short of required maintenance over the years and destruction has now commenced.
It could be argued that landmarks such as this have a historical significance to our city and should be preserved to tell their tale. Interestingly enough this building is falling silently. No rallies to stop the processes or even any spectators on the scene.
Why did the Camelot Inn fall? Did it deserve to be destroyed? Was another Quicktrip really what you wanted? Does anyone care?
The demolition process began this month and will drag on for at least a week or more. No dramatic explosions on this jobsite. Instead, a more controlled approach of hydraulic scissors has been employed slowly knawing the structure to the ground.
I will personally miss this building. Not because it was particularly attractive, but because it was unique and interesting. Each time I drive by this site, instead of thinking about the many memories had at the Camelot I will look over and see the semi trucks lined up for diesel fuel and corn dogs.
“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore” said baseball legend Yogi Berra, whose sentiment sums up much of the United State’s current real estate market. Talk of the slipping housing market is hard to avoid and home prices have slowed in their increase or dropped in American cities.
With so many homes and neighborhoods being developed and foreclosures flooding the market, it is interesting to question what effect this have on the price of Mid-Century Modern (MCM) homes. In my experience, these homes sell for a premium when compared to similar homes of a traditional style. I believe modern homes are subject to the same market forces as other homes on the market, but there are a few factors that distinguish the market for modern homes.
The home loan market for MCM houses is paradoxical in nature. MCM homes tend to be more valuable than comparable houses with less unique architecture. If there is one modern jewel tucked into a neighborhood of ranch houses, the buyer of the modern home will probably need a strong down payment and/or less favorable loan terms to justify paying a relatively high price for the neighborhood. Appraisers don’t set the prices, but weak comps make financing a relatively expensive house more challenging. Theoretically, these borrowing constraints should result in permitting only the most qualified buyers to purchase a modern home, even though they could afford a larger loan on a non-MCM home.
Difficulty in financing MCM’s is exacerbated by the structural problems that are all to common in Modern houses. That cantilevered master bedroom, as cool as it looks, is going to be a red flag to many lenders. Same goes for flat roofs, Bucky domes, challenging lots, and many of the attributes that make Modern homes appealing. Any home that is unique and not a “cookie cutter” house places the buyer at a disadvantage when it’s time to secure financing.
Demand for Modern homes is surely curtailed by other factor as well. With relatively large amounts of glass, MCM homes are inherently inefficient and more expensive to heat and cool. Houses of from the 50’s and 60’s are often outdated in their systems as well. Frequently, failures in the electrical, AC, heating, and plumbing systems require major upgrades that would unnecessary in many other equivalently priced houses.
With all of these disadvantages, why do Mid-Century Modern homes oftentimes spark bidding wars and set record high prices in neighborhoods? I would suggest the largest factor is the current popularity of MCM homes. There is a limited (and decreasing) number of MCM homes, and an ever increasing pool of potential buyers. This has resulted in elevated prices that are atypical for the industry.
So can we expect our MCM to weather the current slump while more conventional designs continue to depreciate? It’s hard to avoid talk of the home loan industry dramatically overstepping prudent boundaries and offering exotic loans to risky borrowers. In 2001, sub prime mortgages to less creditworthy buyers accounted for only 5% of new home loans. In 2006, that number had increased 4 fold to over 20%! (source) There are currently about 2 million homeowners who are delinquent on their loans. (source) What will happen to all the people who lose their homes? How will the housing market respond to a glut of foreclosures on the market?
Will Mid-Century Modern homes be subject to the current price dip, or are the more sophisticated buyers of MCM properties less likely to default on their loans? Are MCM home truly insulated from the greater housing market?
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Owner, Maurice Powell, has been collecting modern furniture and art for years and has become the local authority on the subject. Between his years of experience, books read and numerous national conventions and auctions attended Maurice is an expert in his field. As a visitor to his store Maurice’s passion is apparent and contagious as he obviously enjoys discussing his merchandise.
Customers of Mod50s range from avid collectors visiting weekly to hip college kids on the hunt for unique decorations for their dorm rooms. Maurice has also been seeing older customers recently fulfilling desires from years ago. They are purchasing mid-century modern furniture today, which they could not afford back in the 50’s and 60’s when it was released.
It could be argued that landmarks such as this have a historical significance to our city and should be preserved to tell their tale. Interestingly enough this building is falling silently. No rallies to stop the processes or even any spectators on the scene.
The home loan market for MCM houses is paradoxical in nature. MCM homes tend to be more valuable than comparable houses with less unique architecture. If there is one modern jewel tucked into a neighborhood of ranch houses, the buyer of the modern home will probably need a strong down payment and/or less favorable loan terms to justify paying a relatively high price for the neighborhood. Appraisers don’t set the prices, but weak comps make financing a relatively expensive house more challenging. Theoretically, these borrowing constraints should result in permitting only the most qualified buyers to purchase a modern home, even though they could afford a larger loan on a non-MCM home.
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