Two weekends ago, we were out for a rainy day walk and decided to follow some Open House signs to see what was up - luckily, I had my camera as we had stumbled upon Boyd House. Built in 1954 by Pacific Northwest architect Ron Thom, Boyd House reminds me of a mini Taliesin West in the rainforest.
The home's exterior is virtually impossible to photograph as it blends perfectly into the environment - Frank Lloyd Wright would approve. Other Wrightisms are evident in the fireplace, the corner-to-corner glass walls (also seen at The Staples Residence), the angled ceilings, the use of raw materials (cedar, concrete), the intelligent use of windows and skylights, and the overall sense of calm and stillness the home evokes. If you've toured a Wright home, you know the calm and stillness I'm referring to. The home is settled.
Unfortunately, the cynic in me doesn't think that presenting this stunning mid-century Pacific Northwest Modern home in West Vancouver as 'a work of art by renowned architect Ron Thom' will keep it out of the hands of Rondelle and Ronald McDonald and their McMansion-loving ways.
Unfortunately, the cynic in me doesn't think that presenting this stunning mid-century Pacific Northwest Modern home in West Vancouver as 'a work of art by renowned architect Ron Thom' will keep it out of the hands of Rondelle and Ronald McDonald and their McMansion-loving ways.
I highly commend Judi White and Robbi-Layne Robertson for presenting the property so thoughtfully - they have created a website specifically for Boyd House which not only showcases the home but also notes the importance of preserving what little is left of Pacific Northwest Midcentury Modern here in West Vancouver - please visit their site to learn more - ronthomhouse4sale.com.
At 1669 sq. ft, the same size as the mid-century home we rented in Palm Springs last summer, Boyd House is the perfect size. It may be the ideal size for Ronnie's Escalade as well.
While we were touring the home, architect Peter Pratt - son of mid-century West Van architect Ned Pratt, also came by for a look-see. Pratt's comment about the home that stuck with me the most was, 'The nice thing was, the concrete slab floors could just be hosed down." Now that's an architectural feature I could live with.
More of my Boyd House photos and outtakes are here.
PS - the home is listed at $1.9 million.
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