A modern “rec” room

[From an advertisement for Motorola televisions. Life, July 27, 1962. Click for a much larger room.]

Thinking about rumpus rooms made me think about rec rooms. I found this room via Google Books. The description from the advertisement:

Here’s architect Leon Deller’s design of a modern “rec” room — using prestressed concrete walls and ceiling and large aquarium windows that look directly into the backyard swimming pool. Motorola’s portable TV features 4-function remote control tuning. The manufacturer’s list price is $199.95, optional with dealers. Slightly higher in some areas.

Notice that even in the world of the future, people play ping-pong. But all eyes should be on the television: “The clean lines of the remote control portable look right at home.” Yes, in 1962 the television was a piece of furniture that had to blend with the rest of a room. The other set in this ad, a set made for the living room, has “French Provincial styling.”

Part of the ad is lost in the gutter between pages, so I’ve done my best to have the chair cast a coherent shadow. Please imagine the white space as a concrete column keeping the house from caving in.

This ad was one in a series of Motorola ads with artist renderings of futuristic abodes. The artist bringing these architectural dreams to life: Charles Schridde. If you want to read more: Charles Schridde and the mid-century ad men of Motorola (Eichler Network).

[But we cannot go to the rec room, for the rec room will bring us no peace.]