1433 Meeker Drive, The Townsend House
Rob and Helen Gray, bought in 1994
Style: Mid-Century, built in 1962

The beautiful home of the Grays is a wonderful example of a Mid-Century Mashup, part 1962 and part 2020s! While the home has had several dramatic remodels, the original bones of the classic Colonial Ranch style are still evident. Built in 1962, probably by the Townsend family. There were only a few owners until 1994, when the current owners purchased it. The ranch style house evolved in the late 1930s, born out of a need for compact, affordable housing that complied with FHA financing guidelines. Cliff May, a noted California architect, introduced his own version in Sunset Magazine in 1946 to great acclaim. More popular in the west, ranch style houses became the standard home style for growing western cities. Builders varied the houses by emphasizing different styles.

This lovely home retains many of its original features: Colonial-style shutters, a rounded bay window, low ceilings, a double-sided fireplace, and a sunken living room. The house was built in 1962, had a major remodel in 1974, and then subsequent remodels in 2016 and 2020. The sunken living room with double sided fireplace has been modernized, and the tiny dining area at the end has been reimagined into a hip cocktail lounge. The original kitchen was a small space walled off from the rest of the main area, unusual for a ranch. The current kitchen is open to the family room and sun-filled dining area. The dining area was added in the 1990s, at first as a separate solarium and then opened up and upgraded in 2020.

Other remodeling included replacing the original two-car garage with a three-car garage plus a new master bedroom suite in 1996. The basement includes a family room, a wine cellar, a craft room, and a cozy, flagstone patio off the family room.

-Robin Stitzel

See the Townsend House, 4 additional Mid-Century homes, and more on the 38th Annual Historic Homes Tour!