“Atomic Ranch”
by Michelle Gringeri-Brown, Jim Brown (Photographer)
Gibbs Smith

So right about now you are wondering if I’m nuts for reviewing a book about houses (okay, ranches) in a punk-rock Web zine, and you might have a point. However, “Atomic Ranch,” a quarterly magazine devoted to mid-century ranch homes, tops my guilty pleasures list, and the book by the same name is nothing short of awesome.

Just shy of 200 pages, “Atomic Ranch” takes you on a tour of dozens of Eichler and similar style ranches locate primarily on the left coast. The interiors range from tooty fruity pastel chaos to Tiki wonderlands, but the most important feature is the home owners’ drive to preserve the original design of the home. These ranches were never intended to be big money homes. Most are small by design, but the open-floor layouts littered with vintage ’50s boomerang tables, surf blue formica counter tops, and chairs with more lines than a ‘59 Caddie, can make a reader swoon.

The book focuses on a different home every three or four pages, and the graphic intensive chapters leave little room for copy, but for the most part, the pictures speak for themselves. I would have liked a little more insight as to why some of the homeowners did what they did to the homes, and maybe a little more info on the furniture, but all in all this is a really kick ass book that recalls the days of hotrods and pink flamingos.

For those that still think I’m nuts for reviewing this book, keep in mind, this site is called Life In A Bungalo for a reason. And yes, we know bungalow is spelled wrong.