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Living Room/Dining Room
This portion of the website was designed and researched by Bryan and Alex.   Information, primary resources and photographs courtesy of the Johnson County Museum of History.

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"A Lazy Man's Paradise", "ultra modern ranch in exclusive area", "push button service in every room for easy, luxury living", "this unusual home is made to order for the couple or small family wanting a real DREAM HOME" (ad in Kansas City Star in 1954)  

  

couchThese were a few of the things said in 1954 about the "All Electric House."  As you walk into the Living Room from the Foyer, you will first notice the ‘uniquely’ colored walls. The walls were painted a color called Mushroom.  The ceiling is painted to match the walls. As you look around, you may notice that the dining room and the living room are one big room.  The living room and dining room furniture is the original 50's style.   By today's standards the living room is sparsely furnished with a sofa, two chairs, and two small tables. 

     If you sit on the couch you may notice two protruding thick wires. One wire was used to open and close the shades. The other one does something equally important. It turns on and off the lights. fireplaceIt can also turn on the lights only halfway using a dimmer feature. While sitting on the sofa, you will notice the fireplace.   But don’t light it with a match! The logs are fake, and you also hear a fake crackling sound while enjoying the luxurious fireplace.

     hidden tvBy now you are probably wondering where the television is, and why that weird picture is in there. But don’t fret! The television is right behind the picture! Just push a button by the couch and you will have instant access to all 4 channels!

The dining room has a very interesting feature.  Right above the dinner table, there is a small light that gives the effect of candlelight!  The table is set with a traditional 50's pink china.

diningroomAfter you open the drapes, you can see the porch through the gigantic picture window. Wow! It is all green! The porch also has a remote to the drapes and the television/picture.  Around this time, people started spending more time outside and entertaining friends with outdoor barbecues and picnics.  From this house you could do something that most other people couldn't do.  The picture window offered a straight view of the television and all of the 4 channels!  There was another thick wire sticking out of a low-lying brick wall.  This could also, like the couch wires, turn on and off the television.  Wow... the wonders of 50's technology!arrowblue.gif (94 bytes)

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Last update 04/05/06 03:13 PM
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Johnson County Museum of History
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Nieman Enhanced Learning Center

http://connections.smsd.org/nieman/el
Shawnee Mission Public Schools