Architect Will Price’s Arts & Crafts home in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, gets a new lease on life thanks to a thoughtful—and meticulous—restoration. Old-House Journal January/February 2010
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Editor’s Note
Too often, we hear stories of beautiful old houses disappearing in a cloud of dust, a byproduct of the value of land today. Such was the case in Philadelphia recently with La Ronda, an Addison Mizner-designed Spanish Gothic/Mediterranean house that by all accounts took architecture to dizzying heights: The 1929 mansion boasted 17,500 square feet, 51 rooms, and a great hall that was truly spectacular; it was also the only Mizner building in the Northeast—he was known for his work in Palm Beach, Florida. By all accounts, the place was in good condition for its age, but it didn’t match the new owners’ tastes, so after paying several million dollars for the house, they fought to tear it down. Unfortunately—and despite a valiant effort by the Lower Merion Conservancy to stop the demolition permit—the homeowners got their wish: The house was razed in early October. I’m still reeling from the loss of this unique building, but it brings to mind the house in this issue’s Insider—a building that was in far worse shape than La Ronda, but one that had the good fortune to meet with caring and devoted owners in Geoff and Saundra Shepard. After researching every original element of the English-style Arts & Crafts house, the Shepards thoughtfully, lovingly, and thoroughly restored it. It’s a heartening story, and when you see the results of their efforts, you’ll be amazed.
We cover some other distinctive homes in this issue as well: a fairy-tale housing development in Charlevoix, Michigan, that puts the term “organic architecture” into a whole new light, and an array of George Barber plan-book houses in Knoxville, Tennessee. We also explore the wide, wide world of Arts & Crafts lighting. Regular contributor and noted bungalow author Jane Powell walks us through the subject’s formative years, and OHJ’s managing editor, Clare Martin, takes us on a tour of modern-day artists who’ve made the movement’s ideals their own. We also introduce two new departments in this issue: House Helpers looks at new working products, and A Page from History examines artwork from an old catalog, gleaning hidden meanings along the way. As always, we’d love to hear what you like—and what you don’t—about the magazine.
Demetra Aposporos, Editor-in-Chief of Old-House Journal
