That Vintage Girl

Built in 1926, the 260-foot Franklin Avenue Bridge in Los Angeles, California is a very unique and charming storybook-style bridge with arches, turrets and towers that is more reminisce of Elizabethan London than Southern California. Because of its romantic and old-world style architecture, it has become know as the Shakespeare Bridge. It was designed by civil engineer J.C. Wright to provide a vital roadway across a deep ravine and to complement the aesthetic style of homes being built in the Franklin Hills neighborhood of Los Feliz during the 1920s.  The Shakespeare Bridge also provided access to the early Hollywood production companies, like Vitagraph and Disney Studio, that were located just a few blocks east of the bridge.  It was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1974 and it is a unique example of early 20th century Los Angeles historic architecture that continues to charm both locals and visitors.  Shakespeare Bridge Source: Los Angeles Public L...

The Neutra Reunion House is a unique Mid-Century Modern home that is located in the "Neutra Colony" of homes within the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Richard Neutra designed the Reunion House in 1950 as a concept home for grandparents that could accommodate family reunions while ensuring privacy for different generations.  The residence features signature Neutra designs such as extensive use of glass, stucco, projecting "spider leg" beams, and an emphasis on indoor-outdoor living through walls of glass and private gardens. Richard Neutra was an Austrian-American architect who was one of the most influential modernist architects in the twentieth century that helped define "California Modernism". His architectural style blended modernism with the biorealism design philosophy that aimed to harmonize nature and the environment, human physiology and psychology, and functionality and culture. His designs used industrial materials like steel and expan...

The Art Deco style emerged in France and was formally introduced to the world a century ago at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris.  The exposition included pavilions showcasing Art Deco style in architecture, furniture, jewelry, textiles, and glass. Art Deco reflected modernity, glamour, and technology.  It combined opulent craftsmanship with industrial aesthetics using geometric forms, luxurious materials, and stylized motifs such as zigzags, chevrons, and sunbursts.  The Art Deco style quickly influenced architecture, fashion, industrial design and decorative arts worldwide.  Art Deco design had a significant impact on the architectural landscape of America that shaped many of the most iconic and beautiful structures built during the 1920s and 1930s.  Despite their historic and architectural significance, some Art Deco buildings have been lost to make way for modern developments and urban renewal projects....