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January 21, 1940. "Stephen A. Lynch Jr. residence, No. 3 Sunset Island, Miami Beach, Florida. Living room, general view. William Pahlmann, decorator; Robert Law Weed, architect." Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size.
I would hope those walls are a deep rose color and the drapes a dusty rose, but if I remember the decade correctly, they are more likely to be a deep green with chartreuse drape.
What is that item in the extreme left foreground that looks like the underside of a trampoline or of an industrial-strength cot?
UPDATE: Ah, it's a screen. I found this image on EBay.
Yes, the room is a cold space —- in black and white. But the deep tone of the walls suggests a vibrant color that most certainly would have warmed the mood.
Based on visits to other rooms just like this, I bet there's a crystal bowl containing 10 year old hard candies.
It would be great if the hands on the table on the right clapped to turn on the lamp.
Star Island, but I guess it will just have to do.
Cozier than a doctor's waiting room, but not by much.
My eye was immediately drawn to the floor tiles. I can well imagine this same shot taken forty years later with the edges all dried and curled.
[Those are ceramic tiles. - Dave]
As a young fellow in the late forties and early fifties, I can say these sorts of rooms were found fairly often- and were never comfortable to be in. I can't imagine this would have been any different even earlier. Glad it's over, like the others have said.
but Mr. Lynch's collection looks like it was assembled in a hurry from the local thrift store. Still, tastes change. Eighty years from now, what will folks think of the homes of 2018?
Too sterile looking for me. Let's live in it for a little.
The Sunset Islands are man made islands in Biscayne Bay created by Mr. Lynch. The area is home to the rich and maybe famous. Mr. Lynch was the son of a Civil War veteran. He made his money in the early days of the film industry.
That looks astonishingly like 1950s/1960s mid-century modern furniture. I've never seen such futuristic design in a photo as early as 1940. Mr. Lynch was definitely ahead of his time.
[The credit belongs to Mr. Pahlmann, avatar of mid-century design. -Dave]
And some joints ready to go. Gotta love Miami.
Having spent my formative years in the 1950s, I recognize some of the sparse and weird design influences going on here, but, it's still very strange by today's norms. Glad we moved on from this strangely spartan and cold design model.
I'm guessing Mr. Lynch doesn't have a dog. Or a cat. Or kids. Or friends.
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