The IKEA kitchen sale is BACK!

There had been some indication that the semi-annual IKEA kitchen sale was to become a thing of the past. Too many people waiting for the sale, which led to slow sales in the other parts of the year, or something like that. But apparently someone saw the light in the Netherlands (no mean feat in winter) and the sale is back, mod babies. So if you have been waiting and pondering and tweaking that planner schematic for the last year or so (I know who you are) now is the time to leap.

Everything is 10% off with a purchase of $2,500. Buy two appliances and the discount increases to 15%. A third appliance gets you to 20% off the whole shebang. Not too shabby.

We can have the philosophical debate of preserving the original vs. updating, but this is really for the folks who have already crossed the line from the land of the strict restorationists. There are some great original MCM kitchens out there, but not in most of our houses. And while I admire the custom work done by Henrybuilt, Kerf, et al., the fact is that I am on a budget. And I know most of you are, as well. That is what led me to IKEA.

You'll recall that this is what we started with back in the dark days of 2009:




And through Ikean elfin magic (with my own sweaty pixie dust and that of the mister and my dad), it was transformed into this:









We purchased during the fall, 2009 sale. All of the cabinets and hardware came in at around $2,600. You really can't beat that. So, there it is. Your IKEA testimony for the day. I don't know that there are a lot of IKEA kitchens in Birmingham yet, but it is totally doable. If you've got any questions about it, shoot them to me. I might even consult with you in return for chips and a bowl of queso. The sale runs through May 1, so hop to it!

Spring, she has sprung!

Today I've got some shots of random local beauties, to get you all ready for spring. I'll have another post shortly with new listings on the market, and stay tuned for a post or two from our first guest blogger, Alx, who is freshly returned from Modernism Weekend in Palm Springs. Where I'm crazy about the houses, she's crazy about the furnishings, so you all will love her, I'm sure. She and her hubby have a fabulous MCM place, too. I'm going to try to nudge her just right so she'll agree to let us feature it here at Magic City Modern.

Time is of the essence, mod babies. Spring brings with it many goodies, like sunny days, balmy breezes, and bountiful foliage. But that means the clock is ticking on that window of opportunity for MCM viewing that we in the Magic City call "winter". So I made the rounds last week to bring you shots of a few fab places that soon will be again seasonally sequestered behind their carbon-based curtains.

But first, a hearty welcome back for the previously shuttered shopping center at 280 and Hollywood/Oxmoor Road. The ill-fated towering condo project abandoned at last, Mexico Lindo will soon be back where it belongs, joining an egg joint (is that a new trend, like all the yogurt spots?), and whatever is going into the newly Dwell-ed up Coffee Kettle. I know the purists will balk at our new retro, but I say we should take what we can get!



A drive into Mountain Brook, on Brookwood, Woodridge and thereabouts, brought these beauties:

See that wall of glass beneath the vaulted ceiling? Yeah, I didn't think so. Stinkin' trees.



This one, when viewed in a sat photo, looks to have two enclosed atrium areas. From the road it appears as a blank facade until you look more closely. The Facade is actually a screen that appears to hide a lot of glass. I'd love to see more of this place, as it looks as though its owners embrace its MCM-ness.







Another lovely on Brookwood Road:





And on Cherokee Road, about the fourth house on the left when you turn off 280, one of my favorites. My photos don't do it justice:





On the other side of Cherokee, tucked up behind Brookwood Village, is a little section of Mt. Brook with some nice MCMs. I'd encourage you to pop in there and drive around on a pretty day. You'll see lovelies like this:



Turning off 280 at the Water Works and heading up Shades Crest and poking down Big Springs leads you to these:









Happy hunting!