Renovate a 1950s Bathroom | Family Handyman

Read article : Renovate a 1950s Bathroom | Family Handyman

Big splash, low budget

Some say that if you wait long enough, Everything—including 1950s bathrooms— comes back in style. But “in style” doesn't necessarily mean “in perfect shape” or “in sync with today's lifestyle.” Such was the case with the bathroom shown here. Moisture problems had caused peeling paint and sticking vanity drawers, while 50 years of wear and tear had taken a toll on the grout, fixtures and hardware. However, the owners, Mary Jane and Bruce Pappas, saw too many things going for the space to completely gut it, such as unique tile work that was still in excellent shape.

“The whole point of buying this fifties house was to create our 21st century life here while honoring the original architecture and detail,” says Mary Jane, who is a professional interior designer. “Bruce and I wanted to complement and elevate what was already here and reuse as many materials as we could.” And by doing so, they were able to reach their goal of updated function on a modest budget. The couple were able to avoid expensive demolition work and get the bathroom they wanted for just under $5,000. “The results for the investment are extraordinary,” says Mary Jane Pappas.

Updated, But Still Original

This bathroom now has greater utility and a clean, contemporary look— without breaking the bank.

Updated bathroom

ReDO, reuse, recycle

Vintage tile

The vanity's vintage “Sputnik” tile pattern inspired the khaki color scheme of the bathroom and adjoining bedroom.

New rollouts, old cabinet

The vanity cabinet is original, but for about $1,500, the new door and drawers were constructed with wipe-clean Melamine bottoms and maple sides decked out with metal slides.

Updated storage closet

Adjustable shelving with Melamine surfaces was added along with a replacement tissue box holder. A hidden cabinet outlet keeps a hair dryer ready to roll and the electric toothbrushes charged.

After adding an exhaust fan to handle the moisture problem, they began dealing with the cosmetics, as explained by Mary Jane Pappas.

Freshening tiled surfaces
A professional tiler was brought in to repair the period tiles that had seen 53 years of bathroom life. By tuckpointing broken edges and freshening the grout, the tiler brought the surfaces up to standard. “The tile is unique to the era; we embraced the retro feel of it. It was in great shape and worth saving.”

Vanity drawers and doors
Another great example of the couple's “reuse it” philosophy lies in their treatment of the vanity. Years of water damage had made the drawers difficult to open, but instead of scrapping the entire piece, the Pappases hired Thomas J. Ross of Ross Custom Cabinetry Inc. to build new rollout drawers and cabinet doors for it and adjustable shelving for the attached linen closet. “Before, the cabinet drawers were only simple wooden boxes resting in a wooden cabinet. It was a struggle to pull 'wood-on-wood' drawers, especially when they were damp. Now that they're equipped to glide on rollers, it's like having a new piece of furniture. And when you think of the floor, tile and drywall work that we would have incurred had we demolished and installed all new cabinetry, that decision saved thousands.”

Paint, pulls and hinges
The vanity face-lift continued with several coats of an enamel paint and re-chromed hinges and the addition of contemporary drawer pulls. “We re-chromed the hinges because the plates had a unique screw pattern and I didn't want to add any additional screw holes to the vanity and risk the old holes showing.” The original mirror was saved by painting its trim the same color as the vanity.

Sink faucet
The Pappases wanted to add a soap pump and a water filter to their bath sink. By changing the old, widespread faucet for a single-lever faucet, they were able to avoid the expense of either buying a new sink or drilling new holes. The change in style left two unused holes for the new accessories.

Lighting
The old sconces were replaced with lights that better match the new drawer pulls and add a contemporary flair to the room.

Keepers! The '50s heat fan and tissue dispenser
The couple wanted to maintain the items that, like the heat fan, were still stylishly serving a useful function in the bathroom. “It's a nice amenity and it still worked, so why get rid of that?” They were even able to save the original metal tissue dispenser housed in the linen cabinet. It could no longer hold tissue boxes because the dispenser slot was vertical instead of the modern horizontal style. “But the same company, Brobick, now offers a replacement dispenser that fits tissue boxes perfectly.”

The tub
Replacing a bathtub affects the tile surrounding it, the walls above it and the plumbing below it. Keeping the existing tub saves tremendous time and money. So the tub stayed put, while some of the more easily changed elements around it were replaced. One of the first changes was to oust the shower door. “In a small bathroom, a flexible shower curtain creates a sense of spaciousness. And I use my bathtub every day, so a shower door is just not practical,” Pappas says. The original tub had a single showerhead with a bathtub faucet. Now a low-cradled hand shower, perfect for tub bathers, easily sets into an adjustable height showerhead fixture, adding to the usefulness and elegance of the bathroom.

Simple details make the difference

Custom blind

Instead of settling for an off-white window blind in the bathroom, Pappas used a window blind company to create a custom window treatment to match the wall color. (Small rooms appear even smaller with a different color window treatment.) “For $175, getting an exact color match is a great deal,” says Pappas.

Towels and rugs

The towels and bathroom rug proved to be a shopping challenge. “I wanted to find rich colors to work with the khaki walls and the cabinetry. I found high-quality towels I love from an online store, but searched and searched for a matching rug that would stand up to a wet environment. Finally I had a custom one handmade to match,” says Pappas.

Shower curtain pull

A last little splurge of elegance lies in the Kravet silk tassel shower curtain pull ($75). Costing half as much as the Restoration Hardware shower curtain itself, the tassel adds a touch of luxury to this otherwise thrifty remodel.

Having saved a bundle by retrofitting many existing systems in the bathroom, the Pappases had some budget left to indulge in a few accessories.

11 Most Badass RVs You Can Buy Today

Read article : 11 Most Badass RVs You Can Buy Today

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Driving cross-country in a multi-million dollar RV is an experience few Americans will ever get to enjoy. While many may fawn over massive machines like the unstoppable Zetros 6×6, few of us have the means to obtain a purpose-built doomsday machine. Sure, there’s the obvious financial obligation, as luxury RV setups can run north of $3 million, but concerns about parking, maintenance, winterizing, insurance, and who’s going to drive the damn thing are also factors to consider.

Earthroamer XV HD is about as ferocious as it gets outside of military spec | Earthroamer" />

Riding atop a Ford F-750 chassis, the Earthroamer XV HD is about as ferocious as it gets outside of military spec | Earthroamer

Fortunately, many of the world’s elite moneymakers have the means to hire a trained driver, and with some of these land yachts running well over 40 feet long, merging and parking can be a real pain for the untrained. But RV enthusiasts aren’t just into slate tile floors and crystal chandeliers, and hardcore 4×4 vehicles are still a hot commodity as they crush terrain by day and then raise their rooflines at night for spacious living.

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Newmar’s King Aire line takes a unique, but very ornate approach to RV-making, and the amount of time, money, and energy that goes into making one is insane | Newmar

We recently took the time to peruse the web in search of some of the most over-the-top RV options money can buy, and came up with a surplus of unique options. There really is something out there for everyone, and if your pocketbook is up to the challenge, you can have an entire penthouse suite on wheels built to your personal taste.

1. IKON by Renegade

The IKON by Renegade is one purpose-built RV, with trailer towing being one of its strongest suits | Renegade

The IKON by Renegade takes semi-truck styling and combines it with luxury amenities and industry leading self-sufficiency. From handcrafted solid hardwood cabinetry and plush Villa Ultraleather furniture to quartz countertops and heated porcelain tile floors, the good life comes standard in this RV. Tech-wise, it also features things like Samsung 4K LED TVs, Bose Home Theater Sound, and a set of high-tech stainless steel appliances that deliver the goods when it’s time to eat.

It also features VegaTouch control systems, which have dual 10-inch touchscreen controllers with iPad, smartphone, and tablet compatibility. This means you can integrate interior lighting, systems monitoring, HVAC controls, window coverings, awning and slide-out controls, and a whole lot more into an all-in-one touchpad that doubles as a monitor for the perimeter observation camera system.

The Renegade IKON can be outfitted with all manner of amazing interior amenity | Renegade

Buyers will love finding features like hand crafted hardwoods, and a Theater Mode that automatically lowers the shades, dims lights, and raises the 50-inch Samsung UHD 4K TV so it can automatically tie into the Bose home theater system. While a porcelain tile shower and adjustable LED vanity lighting systems are also nice, it’s the Renegade’s attention to towing capacities and ability to be lived out of for weeks on end thanks to its oversized water, septic, and fuel tanks that make it a preferred RV for motorsport enthusiasts.

2. Winnebago Brave

Winnebago Brave takes vintage styling and applies modern technology and mechanics to form a restomod RV | Winnebago" width="757" height="424" />

The Winnebago Brave takes vintage styling and applies modern technology and mechanics to form a resto-mod RV | Winnebago

Back in the late 1960s and 1970s, there was no mistaking a Winnebago motorhome for another RV thanks to its bold “Flying W” badging, iconic “eyebrow” designs, clever interior, and boxy body lines. But over time the iconic styling of yesteryear began to morph into a mish-mash of ho-hum engineering and bland RV styling.

But now it’s time to fall in love with classic RV styling all over again, because Winnebago has followed in Dodge’s Challenger footsteps and has rolled out a resto-mod version of the machine that got America hooked on RV life in the first place.

Vintage interior within the Winnebago Brave looks straight out of the 1970s | Winnebago

The all-new Winnebago Brave takes vintage styling cues and blends them with modern practicality, efficiency, safety, and useful amenities in order to give the next generation of motorhome enthusiast an RV that is both retro and reliable. While you won’t be able to pick one up for the $4,000 price tag associated with the original, these classic and quirky motorhomes are priced to fit a more modest budget, and can be customized in a wide array of colors and interior design layouts.

3. Global X Vehicles Pangea “Perky Mog”

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Global X Vehicles takes safety orange and gives it a new purpose on this Pangea roof lifter | Global X Vehicles

Global Expedition Vehicles’ Pangea Lifting Roof version of the unstoppable Mercedes-Benz UniMog can be built on either a medium or heavy duty chassis, and can be tailored around various cab configurations. Referred to as the “Perky Mog,” this clever 4×4 RV has a unique lowered position that allows the windows to be covered with the hard side top section, while maintaining full walking height within. Once in the raised position, a huge loft area becomes exposed, which can be reconfigured to the buyer’s preferred sleeping layout, and can hold up to two queen size beds.

Pangea Lifting Roof monster are gorgeous living quarters that feature ornate wood floors, and a loft for sleeping | Global X Vehicles" width="757" height="504" />

Inside the Pangea Lifting Roof monster are gorgeous living quarters that feature ornate wood floors, and a loft for sleeping | Global X Vehicles

Since each vehicle is tailor-made to the buyer’s specifications, there is no cut-and-dry approach to purchasing one of these machines, so be prepared for a lengthy build list and turnaround time. A few of our favorite touches include the G-KAS mounting body isolating mount system, having cab-to-cabin access, exterior tool/utility boxes, how the seating area converts into an additional sleeping space, and how the stair treads are hinged and lift to reveal hidden storage. Add on a duo of high efficiency 200-watt PV solar panels, a 140 gallon fresh water tank, amazing off-road capabilities, and the ability to buy one in 16- to 18-foot lengths, and you’ve got one hell of a capable 4×4 RV on your hands.

4. Newmar King Aire

Engineered to embody “the pinnacle of luxury travel,” the Newmar King Aire takes style, comfort, and technology to a whole new level, with the 2017 model sporting a restyled exterior, and a Spartan K3 tag axle chassis that has been attached to a steel superstructure. Inside, contrast cross stitching highlights the dash, which features a wireless non-slip charging pad, full LCD driver display, and two 12.1-inch touchscreens for system controls and 360-degree outward visibility. Meanwhile, a one-off 11-speaker JBL cockpit audio system and exclusive fabrics from Ralph Lauren add additional flare to the front of the cabin.

King Aire line takes a unique, but very ornate approach to RV-making, and the amount of time, money, and energy that goes into making one is insane | Newmar" width="757" height="482" />

Newmar’s King Aire line takes a unique, but very ornate approach to RV-making, and the amount of time, money, and energy that goes into making one is insane | Newmar

For tailgating purposes, two Girard Nova side awnings extend over a specially designed sidewall housing a 43-inch Sony 4K UHD TV and a Bluetooth-compatible Bose soundbar, which rests atop one of the tallest basements in the Class A segment. Buyers can choose Maple, Cherry, or Rift Oak hardwood cabinetry, while polished porcelain plank tile, heated and cooled Pompeii leather front seats, and a 49-inch Sony 4K UHD TV come standard, with a Blu-ray/DVD player and Bose CineMate home theater system. The King Aire’s master bath is available with an industry-leading 50-by-34-inch shower, complete with full tile and a Fresca panel with massage sprayers and a foot washer, and even comes finished with a Whirlpool stacked washer and dryer.

5. Earthroamer XV HD

Earthroamer XV HD is about as ferocious as it gets outside of military spec | Earthroamer" width="757" height="409" />

Riding atop a Ford F-750 chassis, the Earthroamer XV HD is about as ferocious as it gets outside of military spec | Earthroamer

EarthRoamer has just expanded its product line in order to offer the highly anticipated F-750-based XV-HD. Designed to accommodate up to eight people comfortably and sleep six, this off-road RV features enough ingenuity to make living off-grid for a few days a breeze, as the HD offers anyone looking for wilderness adventures both driving prowess and fantastic amenities.

Extra windows and a raised roof allows living quarters to feel anything but confined in Earthroamer’s XV HD | Earthroamer

The XV-HD takes luxury off-grid ingenuity and infuses it with solar panels, a monolithic battery bank, 46-inch military tires, 200 gallons of fresh water, a compact washer/dryer, and a whole lot more. At just over 35-feet long this is no mini RV either, giving all the more reason for Earthroamer to utilize Ford’s 6.7-liter PowerStroke Diesel engine and all 725 pound-feet of torque.

6. Bespoke Coach Sprinter Van

typical Bespoke Coach Sprinter is not overtly adorned with external upgrades, but leans more toward a VIP look | Bespoke Coach" width="757" height="466" />

A typical Bespoke Coach Sprinter is not overtly adorned with external upgrades, but leans more toward a VIP look | Bespoke Coach

This next road trip specialist is a bit of a hybrid, because while it isn’t a massive RV, it isn’t really a van either. Bespoke Coachworks has been customizing vehicles in Southern California since 1985, and over the past 30 years has created countless custom audio, video, interior, and exterior solutions for celebrities and the elite. So when the Sprinter van finally began getting imported and badged by Dodge and Freightliner back in 2007, requests for customized versions flooded their ears.

After decades of working with companies like Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Mercedes-Benz, the thought of pimping out vans seemed a bit strange, but after one luxury van conversion spawned the next, Bespoke Coachworks knew it was on to something. From opulent mobile offices, to family coaches with built-in beds and entertainment suites, this unique chassis offers an endless array of options for anyone wanting a small and swanky RV, all without the headaches associated with piloting a land barge.

The interior of one of Bespoke Coach’s Sprinter vans may not be large, but it certainly is luxurious | Bespoke Coach

Bespoke Coach’s luxury mobile office incorporates the best technology, design, and materials into a first-class experience, tasking top engineers, designers, and fabricators to make coaches that are both user friendly and innovative. A few of our favorite options include the driver wall partition with motorized privacy window, custom upholstered walls and ceilings, the marine-grade circuit breaker panel, and those Maybach inspired captains chairs. There are also standard iPads, Samsung TV screens, power inverters, customizable lighting, Focal audio upgrades, and Dynamat sound deadening throughout, with a laundry list of unique upgrade options waiting on the wing for the right price.

7. Marathon Show Coach

Marathon Coach, Inc. is widely revered as the world’s largest luxury bus converter and dealer, and specializes in taking commercial buses supplied by Prevost and customizing them into the most opulent RVs imaginable. Built around a Prevost H3-45 chassis, these custom buses feature engineer-driven technologies and a unique “California design viewpoint” that leans toward shades of warm taupe and rich chocolate brown, with deep indigo blue accents inside and out.

Inside, buyers will find things like a marble, limestone, and travertine “basket weave” floor inlay that has been surrounded by Italian porcelain tile, as well as a custom fireplace enclosure designed for both ambiance and warmth. There are soft touches like velvet tufted sofas finished with chrome nail heads, and a stitched leather recliner at the large work desk for when duty calls on the open road.

Marathon Show Coach is a swanky, multi-million dollar cruiser designed for the world's elite | Marathon Coach Inc." width="757" height="504" />

The Marathon Show Coach is a swanky, multi-million dollar cruiser designed for the world’s elite | Marathon Coach Inc.

In the back you will find features like an oversized glass and limestone mosaic shower with a telescopic, glass pocket door that goes opaque at the touch of a button, an integrated, 8-inch rain shower head, as well as a hand-held shower wand. There also are Hans Grohe faucets and fixtures, custom-made hammered stainless steel sinks, a walk-in closet, a TechLink electrical system, and Crestron controls.

8. Sportsmobile Classic 4×4

With the camper lowered and doors closed, this house on wheels turns into a 4×4 Ford battering ram | Sportsmobile

The Sportsmobile Classic is one of the most recent creations in a long line of heavy duty 4×4 “Adventure Vans” coming out of Sportsmobile. After a successful prototype testing phase, the Classic 4×4 can now be had in a Ford Cutaway body that molds it with a steel reinforced fiberglass shell and an integrated penthouse top that drops flush into the shell for streamlining purposes.

The Sportsmobile 4WD Vehicle is designed to appeal to the most discerning off-road enthusiast, and in order to do so only the best heavy-duty components are installed for a balance between maximum off-road performance and on-road comfort. Over five decades of experience in the designing and manufacturing of van campers has led to this point, and while these machines can only be had on 2008–2014 Ford E-350 models equipped with the 6.8-liter V10 and barn doors, sourcing a gently used donor shouldn’t be an issue.

Sportsmobile has long been synonymous with hardcore off-road vehicles that can be lived out of | Sportsmobile

Full production of the Classic started in late 2016, and the 4WD Conversion model includes a lot of hardcore 4×4 upgrades. A few key features include an Advance Adapter Atlas II All Gear Driven transfer case, a Dynatrac Pro-Roc 60 front axle, Dana 60 rear axle, Fox 2.0 Performance Series Shocks, a high knuckle front end for extra tie rod clearance, and an extra heavy duty steering arm.

We could go on about the military wrap springs that were specifically designed for this van, or how the front sway bar comes with a quick disconnect system and custom shocks, but it would take forever to go over this list of performance upgrades. Finished with a practical and rugged, adventure-ready interior, this RV is a pop-top for the most discerning 4×4 enthusiast.

9. ShowHauler Motorhomes

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ShowHauler specializes in melding semi tractor trailer strength with high dollar RV resplendency | ShowHauler

ShowHauler Motorhomes are heralded as “the safest motor coach on the road,” and their coach frames utilize a unique tubular steel structure consisting of super strong floors, sidewalls, and ceilings. The underbelly is completely undercoated, block foam is placed between steel side-wall supports prior to bonding aluminum exterior walls to the frame, no rivets are used, interior walls are reinforced to create a structural cage, and adhesive bonding is used to apply a bubble type insulation.

Being built on a standard truck chassis with a higher Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) than a typical motorhome allows for greater carrying capacities, so weight is never a concern and neither are highway crosswinds nor oncoming traffic. Internally, buyers get to choose the hardwood they want for cabinets and fabric patterns and colors, all window framing is finished with hand-formed hardwood, counter-tops are genuine Corian, and buyers can choose either polished ceramic tile floors or carpet.

A ShowHauler interior can be outfitted with anything the buyer desires, it just depends upon how deep your pocketbook goes | ShowHauler

We personally dig the cab pass-thru, having 7-feet of interior headroom, the cab-over bunk and vent, the 12 gallon gas/electric water heater, 30,000 BTU ducted gas furnace, and the ability to tow damn near anything. ShowHauler Motorhomes are part luxury living quarters, part big-rig, and all cross-country cruiser.

10. Mercedes-Benz Zetros 2733 A 6×6

Mercedes-Benz Zetros 2733 A 6×6 is one hell of an intimidating RV | Daimler

We eluded to it in our intro, and here it is up close. The all-wheel drive behemoth commonly referred to as the Mercedes-Benz Zetros 2733 A 6×6 is based off a semi with a cab-behind-engine layout, and offers sensational traction and versatility, plus customizable living arrangements.

This triple-axled truck typically weighs in between 25 and 27 tons, and while its powertrain and chassis configuration either come out of the Actros and Axor series of full-size work trucks, it also utilizes a unique Unimog/G-Class 6×6 approach. Powered by a 7.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine, this lumbering beast only puts down around 326 horsepower, but generates around 1,000 foot-pounds of torque in the 1,200–1,600 RPM range.

With room for ATV loading in the rear, this 27-ton monster is all you need to dominate the wild | Daimler

Buyers can opt for either a hydraulically/pneumatic nine-speed manual transmission (eight forward gears plus crawler), which has a direct-ratio top gear, or they can get the six-speed Allison 3000 SP/PR automatic. The permanent all-wheel drive VG 1700 transfer case has an off-road ratio that is about 20% lower than its all-wheel drive cousins, so crawl control is a strong suit here. Towing capacity has also been increased by about 70% when compared to the on-road gears, and torque distribution between the front and rear axle(s) is 1:3.21 thanks to the splitter box, which becomes 1:1 if the differential lock is engaged.

All told, the Zetros has three mechanical differential locks, all of which can be easily selected via a rotary control that shows the logical sequence in which they need to be engaged. Drivers must start with the center-axle before engaging the rear, with the front remaining the final option, reserved for when terrain is at its most extreme.

11. Iveco Astra HD8 8×6 Expedition Truck

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Expedition Trucks always has something insane on its for sale page, like this 8×6 behemoth for instance | Expedition Truck Brokers

Our final contender today comes from Expedition Truck Brokers, a company that has specialized in connecting buyers and sellers of expedition trucks for over 20 years thanks to a crew that tackles every aspect of the purchasing and customization process. Everything from buying and building, to long distance overland travel and selling transactions get attended to by this highly trained team of 4×4 specialists, and getting things right requires “first hand experience with vehicle based travel in rough conditions through remote regions.”

Simply put, Expedition Truck Brokers sources hardcore off-road “wheel estate” for private individuals and professionals in order to provide the ideal vehicle for overland journeys, expedition support, promotional events, and film. While most people would never need something as insane as an 8×6 diesel behemoth, there is a very particular kind of clientele out there that has the bankroll and need for something like what you see here.

Iveco Astra HD8 8x6 also features 8 wheels and more torque than an ocean liner | Expedition Truck Brokers" width="757" height="504" />

It may take eight hours to parallel park, but this Iveco Astra HD8 8×6 also features eight wheels and more torque than an ocean liner | Expedition Truck Brokers

While plenty of other heavy-duty RV options are available on the Expedition Truck Brokers’ website, it’s this Iveco Astra HD8 that has our vote for most badass of the bunch. Professionally manufactured in Germany, this chassis has been widely revered internationally as a construction and mining industry staple, but never a weekend getaway machine … until now.

A few of our favorite highlights and features outside of the Astra’s massive cabin and practical living quarters are the highly autonomous multi-climate design that handles both tropical and frigid environments, and the 600 horsepower EURO-5 Cursor 13 diesel engine. There’s also that dedicated motorcycle platform, all those external storage units, and a slew of locking differentials designed to tackle any terrain.

(cheatsheet.com, https://goo.gl/I0gYaI)

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For sale: Mahtomedi cottage where architect Edwin Lundie lived and worked

Read article : For sale: Mahtomedi cottage where architect Edwin Lundie lived and worked

Lamese McDowell sighs as she looks around her vintage Mahtomedi cottage. With its walnut-stained hardwood floors, its Versailles-reproduction wallpaper and its antique glass windows, it almost feels as if McDowell is seated inside an exquisite jewelry box that an artisan crafted more than a century ago.

In a way, she is: This cottage, built in 1910, was the longtime residence of Edwin Lundie, the late architect whose body of work includes the lodge at Lutsen, various buildings and structures at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and many private homes — including 17 Scandinavian-designed timber cabins at the North Shore. Although he didn’t build this home in Mahtomedi, he modified it with his traditional finishes, flourishes and trims.

McDowell sees herself as caretaker for the place that a Minnesota great called home. So, even though there is a “for sale” sign in the front yard, the idea of actually letting go is difficult for this widow.

“I really don’t want to sell it,” said McDowell, “but I feel like it’s time.”

But time is passing as she waits for a buyer. The two-bedroom, two-bath house, currently priced at $399,000, has been on the market for more than two months.

“I want to find someone who is going to love it,” McDowell says. “To me, it’s a very special and unique and unusual home. I picture someone buying it who appreciates architecture and history, who appreciates something unique that is handmade.”

EDWIN LUNDIE’S LIFE

Peter O’Toole is someone who “appreciates something unique and handmade” — he lives in a Lundie house in St. Paul and is the author of the sumptuous art and history book “Edwin H. Lundie — Five Decades — A Journey of Art & Architecture” (Artist Book Press, 2016).

“It’s a gem,” O’Toole says of the Mahtomedi cottage, which is featured in his book.

While researching Lundie, O’Toole spent many hours at the Northwest Architectural Archives at the University of Minnesota, the keeper of Lundie’s papers, including his drawings and blueprints and other materials from his life’s work. It was there that O’Toole began mapping out the story of Lundie’s life.

Lundie was born in 1886: It was the year that Cocoa Cola was introduced to the world. It was the year that the Statue of Liberty, finally assembled, was dedicated. Grover Cleveland was president; Emily Dickinson died; it was the debut of the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Edwin Lundie, architect who worked under Cass Gilbert, circa 1931.

Although Lundie was a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, his family later moved to Salem, S.D., where he attended high school. He didn’t stay.

“He was a teenager when he left Salem, setting out to St. Paul to be an architect,” O’Toole says.

Back then — believed to be 1904 — there was not yet a formal school of architecture in Minnesota for this artistic young man to attend, but it didn’t matter. Lundie received a superior education in the Endicott building in downtown St. Paul, where he settled in as a student draftsman in the St. Paul office of Cass Gilbert. Gilbert was America’s first “celebrity” architect, designer of buildings like the Minnesota state Capitol in St. Paul, the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., and the Woolworth Building in New York (the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1912).

Several years later, after Gilbert closed his St. Paul office to focus exclusively on his New York base, Lundie began working for Gilbert’s colleague, architect Thomas Holyoke: “I was there for eight years,” Lundie told the Pioneer Press in a 1969 interview, “but I would not yet have called myself an architect.”

Lundie’s extensive study and training continued when he was invited to work for yet another celebrity architect in the Endicott building: Emmanuel L. Masqueray, the French architect behind both the St. Paul Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Mary — as well as many other places.

“Emmanuel Masqueray ran a very busy office with a very heavy workload,” O’Toole says.

It was good fit for Lundie, who was a bit of a workaholic.

“He kept a drafting table in his bedroom,” O’Toole says.

The studio at architect Ewin Lundie’s former home at 1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi, which is for sale. (Courtesy of Planomatic)

Eventually, Lundie “graduated” into his own practice, which included many well-to-do clients in and around St. Paul. This was after the Summit Avenue housing boom, however, and it might be one reason why Lundie’s name is not as familiar.

“Lundie came along the generation after the lumber barons’ homes were built,” O’Toole says. “It was post-World War I; people were more interested in smaller homes — it was the birth of the Arts and Crafts era. People were interested in homes with an intimate scale and craftmanship.”

Perhaps this is why Lundie’s work speaks to today’s generation: One could see Lundie feeling at home with the tiny house movement, with his attention to every detail; his use of natural and locally sourced materials; his collaboration with local artisans and designers.

“Because of his efficient floor plans, he was a precursor to Sarah Susanka’s idea of the ‘Not-So-Big House,’ ” O’Toole says.

In 1969, while Modernist architect Ralph Rapson was heading up the University of Minnesota School of Architecture, Lundie talked to the Pioneer Press about his quieter, more traditional style, a style reminiscent of European cottages and country houses, as well as strong Scandinavian influences.

The living room at architect Ewin Lundie’s former home at 1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi, which is for sale. (Courtesy of Planomatic)

“In his office today,” the Pioneer Press wrote, “he has a huge carved wooden chest which was given him by Masqueray. His office, hung with the renderings of his houses, is pure Lundie. There are samples of Dutch blue tile on his table-desk and a mantel piece carved in wood on the wall behind his chair.

“The workroom is the second one of the suite,” the story continues. “There, Lundie takes off his coat, rolls up his sleeves and goes to work with a pencil he sharpens with sandpaper rather than a mechanical sharpener. The pencil drawings in such fine detail that they might have been done under a magnifying glass. But that is not the case. It is the way Lundie works. The beautiful drawings of his houses — complete with stables, guest houses and gate houses — are a record of the joys of his life.”

EDWIN LUNDIE’S HOME

“The joys of his life” included his own home and hearth in Mahtomedi.

“The house was apparently purchased as a wedding gift for Lundie and his wife by his in-laws,” says Gayle Meador, a Keller Williams agent who is co-listing the property with her colleague, Sally Bradford, who has a personal connection with the Lundies.

“I was a neighbor of theirs,” Bradford says. “I lived there when they did. It was so cute, when Mr. Lundie was on his way home from work, Mrs. Lundie would come down to the garage ahead of time and open the door and wait for him, so he could just pull in with his Ford Thunderbird.”

Although the house is not a Lundie original, the garage is.

The garage at architect Ewin Lundie’s former home at 1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi, which is for sale. (Courtesy of Planomatic)

“He designed and built the garage,” O’Toole says.

The single-stall garage, covered in wood siding painted red and white to match the house, is accessed via a set of elegant carriage doors. It looks more like an upscale shed or perhaps an artist’s studio — it is only missing the cupola that Lundie originally designed to adorn its roof. For Lundie, this garage was an important form of shelter.

“Some people say his only luxury was his 1958 Ford Thunderbird,” O’Toole says.

It’s unclear how many luxuries Lundie could afford. He was a working architect who coveted the respect of his peers, but he was not a celebrity like Cass Gilbert or Frank Lloyd Wright. His star has been rising posthumously, though, especially after another Minnesota architect — “cabinologist” Dale Mulfinger of SALA Architects —  wrote a book, “The Architecture of Edwin Lundie” (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1995), that explored and celebrated Lundie’s legacy, something that Lundie never really did for himself.

“He didn’t seem to seek fame,” Mulfinger says.

Instead, Lundie’s world seemed to revolve around work and his family (especially work). The Lundies, who were married in 1917, had one child, Ellen, born in 1920.

When Lundie wasn’t meeting with clients at his house — he had more than 30 commissions in the area for remodels as well as new builds — the family’s home life was full of simple pleasures: a porch, two wood-burning fireplaces, a charming garden, a swim at the lake across the way. When they wanted to get away, the Lundies headed to their cabin on the North Shore of Lake Superior — the only place that Lundie ever designed and built for himself and his own family (and not his Thunderbird).

EDWIN LUNDIE’S LEGACY 

Grace Lundie died in 1968 at the age of 76. After her death, Lundie sold their home and moved back to the city, to the St. Paul Athletic Club. He passed away a few years later, in 1972. He was 85.

The couple who bought the home from Lundie didn’t live there long: Instead, they sold it in 1971 to Fred McDowell, an artist.

“He loved it from the minute he saw it,” Lamese says. “Both of us did; neither of us would have lived anywhere else.”

Lamese, who is also an artist, moved into the home after she and Fred were married in 1977.

Together, the couple spent a lifetime asking themselves: “What would Lundie do?” before embarking on any changes or updates to the house (as well as consulting with the Lundies’ daughter, who passed away in 2000 at 79).

Mulfinger applauds the McDowells.

The fireplace in the master bedroom of architect Ewin Lundie’s former home at 1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi, which is for sale. (Courtesy of Planomatic)

“Some of the items which Lundie designed — such as the fireplace in the bedroom and some of the trim characteristics — are significant,” he says, “but equally significant is how the McDowells, upon buying the house, have improved or altered it to make it feel more Lundie than when Lundie himself lived there. And I think that’s very significant — it says something about the influence of someone’s work going beyond that person’s own life. And the McDowells are extremely proud of their place — they have treasured it.

“Is it a significant house in his body of work? No, but at times there is a distinction between where someone lived and what someone did.”

Lundie lived simply, Mulfinger points out.

“I think it’s equally significant that it’s a very modest house,” Mulfinger says. “His work spans some beautiful mansions and country houses down to some intimate cabins and very small houses — and even his big houses seem like assemblages of small spaces. I think this house shows where his heart was; this was where his heart was. He was not a man who needed luxury in his life.”

Lundie might have agreed. In his research, O’Toole unearthed this quote:

“I have had a wonderful life,” Lundie said. “I have done just what I wanted to do.”

EDWIN LUNDIE’S STEWARDS 

Lamese McDowell sighs again as she sits in the parlor of the little jewel box of a house on Mahtomedi Avenue.

“If I could move this house to where I want to be, I would,” she says.

McDowell’s husband, Fred, passed away in 2014; just like Lundie, the widow wants to move closer into the city now — closer to her relatives and her church.

The shutters at architect Ewin Lundie’s former home, 1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi, contain the finial Lundie designed. The house is for sale.<br />(Courtesy of Planomatic)

On a tour of the home, she points out its details — the first-floor den with its wall of built-in cabinetry (and its exquisite hinges); the free-standing mirror that Lundie left behind; a custom door. She sounds like a docent at a museum. She kind of is, says her real-estate agent.

“Lamese and Fred have been wonderful stewards of this house — they only brought in the best people to do any type of work, and even some people who worked with Lundie,” Meador says. “What we are looking for is really another steward for this house.”

1823 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi

This Mahtomedi cottage was the personal residence of Edwin Lundie (1886-1972), a St. Paul architect who got his start as a student draftsman in architect Cass Gilbert’s St. Paul office and whose own notable work includes the main lodge at Lusten, 17 cabins on the North Shore of Lake Superior and many remodels and construction of private residences of the well-to-do, with last names like Dayton, MacMillan, Weyerhaeuser and Griggs. Although Lundie did not design this house, he did work on it through the years — including adding a fireplace in his bedroom and (probably) the exterior shutters and garden gate, as well as building a garage in the back (his blueprints have survived). The home is on a terraced and wooded lot that shares access to White Bear Lake across the street.

• Price: $399,000
• Year built: 1910
• Square feet: 1,392
• Bedrooms: Two (plus den)
• Bathrooms: Full (main floor); three-quarters (second floor)
• Basement: Walkout
• Heating: Forced air
• Cooling: Central air
• Garage: Detached, single stall
• Lot size: 0.28 acres
• Waterfront: Property includes access to White Bear Lake.

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