A Restored Arthur T. Brown Masterpiece

Restored arthur t. brown home in mid century modern style at dusk over a pool — The carefully restored home looks even more beautiful at dusk.

When former homeowner and landscape designer Ann Hunt visited this Arthur T. Brown house in Tucson, Arizona with her partner Charlene Grabowski, they quickly decided to buy and restore it. “The house was in quite ill repair, but I didn’t exactly notice that,” Anne says, “I noticed the windows and how wonderful it was.”

Renovation process of restored arthur t. brown home — Restoring the home was a long process that former homeowner Anne Hunt describes as a “labor of love.” Photo courtesy of Anne Hunt.

This brought on a months-long process to restore the Arthur T. Brown house. Brown was a pioneer in passive solar architecture and he built the home with a thick tongue-and-groove ceiling that now desperately needed help.

Kitchen renovation process of restored arthur t. brown home — To lighten the kitchen, Anne removed the original dark grey Formica backsplash and replaced with a light aqua, although getting the original out was a very difficult process. Photo courtesy of Anne Hunt.

“That’s when we found out how thick the ceilings were and that the tongue and groove ceilings were actually the roof,” Anne says. They put a new reflective roof on the home and fully restored the existing tongue-and-groove panels. “Once we got them cleaned up and sealed, they were beautiful,” she says.

A tongue and groove ceiling on restored arthur t. brown home — The beautifully restored tongue and groove ceiling seamlessly connects the interior and exterior.

Updates To The Restored Arthur T. Brown House

Since the original front doors were old and waterlogged, Anne chose to install new ones and paint them a light blue, but not before she removed and kept the ornate wooden panels from the originals. She considered adding those panels to the new doors, but ultimately opted against it. When they sold the house to their close friends in 2016, the panels stayed with the home.

Light blue doors on the front of restored Arthur T. Brown home — The original front doors were old and waterlogged, but Anne removed and kept the ornate wooden panels. A vibrant light blue hue provides a warm welcome on the new doors.

“I found some things out in the garage that were original to the house and brought those in and used them in various places,” says current homeowner Lynn Tarrence who, along with her husband Dan, purchased the home from their friends Anne and Charlene in 2016.

Bright and airy kitchen in restored arthur t. brown home — The restored kitchen is bright and airy now- perfect for quiet, contemplative mornings.

bright and airy kitchen with a light fixture in restored arthur t. brown home — This hanging light fixture was designed by the home’s architect, Arthur T. Brown, and was one of two in the home. When Lynn purchased the house, she moved this one from the breakfast nook to the dining room along with the other. Photo courtesy of Anne Hunt.

Two lamps Lynn discovered in the garage sit on a table in the entryway; they’ve been restored and re-laced to add the perfect touch to the welcoming space that Lynn, an interior designer herself, has filled with vintage pieces.

Living room with vintage blue couch and orange egg chair in restored arthur t. brown house — This built-in couch was part of the original home. Anne reupholstered it during the restoration process and when Lynn bought the house, she had it done again. It’s a comfy place to relax and even nap.

Dining room with large windows and statement light fixtures in restored arthur t. brown home — The dining room’s expansive glass windows and unique light fixtures make it a showstopper.

“I attribute the original vision to Anne, to be able to walk in to that dark, all carpet, vertical blinds covering all the floor to ceiling windows, and not run out the door the other way,” Lynn says. This restored Arthur T. Brown house wouldn’t be the same without her.

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