The 50’s and 70’s Meet in this Midcentury Modern Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Northridge College Estates, Northridge, CA

Northridge College Estates is one of our favorite Palmer & Krisel subdivisions in the San Fernando Valley. It’s got moderate sized homes with a variety of rooflines set on large, deep lots. Todays featured Palmer & Krisel-designed home was built in 1959, features four bedrooms and two bathrooms in 2,395 square feet, a large in-ground pool, and a two-car garage all on a large 11,300 square-foot lot.

Original H-shadow block (to the right) on the former garage is hidden behind landscape

With both original elements and updates from the later 1970s, which are now vintage in their own right, this home is loaded with well-worn treasures. The original two-car garage has been converted to a workshop, and a second garage that is nearly identical in architectural style to main home has been added to the front of the property. The front of the home contains mature plantings, a full lawn and a large sweeping red-brick driveway. Hidden behind those dense front yard plantings along the south wall of the former garage is a full wall of Krisel’s signature shadow H-block, waiting for the new owner to expose it.

Living room features original open, beamed ceilings, walls of north-facing glass and hardwood floor

Living Room with signature Krisel modernist fireplace

Dining Room with awesome 1970's chrome lighting

Dining Room opens to the kitchen with built-in dispaly cabinets

The living and dining areas sit at the rear of the home overlooking the large backyard and swimming pool through Krisel’s signature walls of glass. The living room is anchored by one of Krisel’s hallmark modernist fireplaces, surrounded by clerestories and built-ins. There’s great wood paneling below the original soffit which joins the living and dining rooms, highlighted with some great 70’s track lighting. The ceilings are the original open-beamed wood, while the floors are vintage hardwood that need some attention. In the dining room hangs a really intriguing 1970’s chrome chandelier that isn’t necessarily original, but one of the coolest fixtures we’ve seen in a while.

Kitchen overlooks dining room

Kitchen updates date from the late 1970s/early 1980s

Kitchen overlooks front yard

The kitchen looks into the dining room, and looks to have been updated in the early 1980’s or late 1970s. The layout of the appliances and cabinetry are as they were with the original kitchen, and interestingly enough the original kitchen wall exhaust fan is still in place. The cabinets are laminate while the counters are tiled, and there’s a fantastic reeded-glass paneled display cabinet looking into the dining room.

Hall bathroom with original vanity and marble counter

Master bedrrom

Master bedroom dressing area and bath entry

Master bedroom

Original garage-turned workshop

The original double-sinked marble vanity and cabinets are still in place in the hall bathroom, a popular Krisel design that should to stay with the home. The bedrooms all still feature their original clerestory windows, which help enlarge small spaces, and also have some more great vintage 1970’s light fixtures. As mentioned above, the former garage has been converted to a workshop with lots of built-in shelving, adding about 400 square feet onto the home.

Backyard features diving pool

Firepit and ample patio space allow for great outdoor entertaining opportunities

The backyard is well-maintained with a large, newer appearing in-ground pool, lots of turf and mature plantings along the perimeter of the yard. A large concrete patio wraps around the back of the home, and a firepit adds to outdoor entertainment options.

This Northridge midcentury home has great potential to really shine, and the well-kept vintage elements  make this property a great find for one lucky buyer.

Check out the full listing on Redfin.com here: 17517 Romar Stret

Or Zillow.com here: 17517 Romar Street