Tour the Frost House, a Rare Modern Gem in the Midwest

Even in the atomic era, The Frost House was a rare Mid Century Modern find.

Imagine piling into the family station wagon late on a Saturday morning for an excursion spent exploring new model homes. No, you aren’t looking to buy. Instead, like millions of Americans during the booming, optimistic years after World War II, you are eager to cross the threshold into the home of tomorrow.

Dr. Robert Frost and Mrs. Amelia Frost may have started off their day in much the same manner when they stepped inside what would later be called The Frost House. Located in Michigan City, Indiana, the Alside Homes abode was an oddity even then in 1964, with its flat roof and prefabricated aluminum and baked-enamel finishes, described by the current owners as an industry first.

Frost House facade — The brilliant primary colors of the façade add to The Frost House’s unforgettable curb appeal, while emphasizing its elongated form and clean lines.

Frost House outdoor pool — Not knowing the vacant lot came with the property, Karen and Bob were happy to expand on this bonus bit of land by adding in a pool. The trick was making sure the feature blended in seamlessly with the existing property, so the couple installed polycarbonate walls to gesture to the home’s many glass panels.

The Frosts must have been quite taken with the abode, Karen Valentine, one of the current owners, says. And somehow Dr. Frost convinced them to sell him the sales model. Then he quickly purchased the vacant lot next door so nobody could build next to his modernist little piece of luxury,” Karen explains, revealing the origins of a home that would sit unchanged for more than 50 years.

Mid Century Treasure Trove

In fact, the home was still untouched when a generation later, Karen and her husband, Bob Coscarelli, first fell in love with it. “It was an Internet posting that drew us to it. We just saw all those long linear lines and all those fabulous neon colors, and I said, ‘I want it.’ We purchased it without even viewing it. We just saw the real estate photos and made a bid,” says Karen.

Frost House living room — “The formal living room with its cream-upholstery sofa and armchairs is where we gather for cocktails before dinner, and to play board games around the coffee table seated on the floor,” says Karen. Miraculously, the Knoll sofa, designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll, with its original textiles, remains like new, even after much love and usage.

Frost House desk and frosted room partition — The home’s office is located behind the double front doors and the Paul McCobb glass partition. The writing desk is made from solid walnut and produced by Knoll, along with the accompanying Bertoia side chair. Both are original to the house and were on display in the original Alside Homes sales models.

The Frosts had been the only prior owners, so when Karen and Bob decided they wanted to preserve the home as much as possible, they called it The Frost House and immediately set about getting the house listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “We were more about preservation rather than renovation. The story of the home is such an unusual story, especially in the Midwest,” says Karen.

Frost House dining area with tulip table and chairs — Complete with a Saarinen oval table and tulip chairs, the formal dining room offers a timeless setting in this Mid Century Modern abode. The light fixture is made by Prescolite and is composed of aluminum and plastic with walnut accents.

blue Womb chair and wall unit bookshelf — Holding everything from Karen and Bob’s stereo to the couple’s board games, the tall and deceptively simple bookshelves were designed by Paul McCobb exclusively for Alside Homes Inc. The painted backboard is original to the house, along with the three No# 9 lamps by Isamu Noguchi. The couple describes the space as the perfect spot for conference calls or cocktails.

The home’s shape takes after the international style of architecture at the time as well as the modern movement, says Karen. But the home is also a rare find in that the structure ushers in the outdoors through larger-than-life glass panels. The surrounding verdant Midwest foliage peeks inside to gaze at minimalist but richly decorated interiors, which were the result of a collaboration between master furniture designer Paul McCobb, who designed the built-in furniture and kitchen, and the American design firm Knoll, which supplied the choices for the minimalist furnishings.

Frost House kitchen — With the exception of the flooring, dishwasher and faucet, everything in the kitchen is original to the space. The tile, appliances, countertops, cabinetry and light fixtures are all original and still in marvelous working condition.

A Prefabricated Home

But the house is unique in other ways too. It was engineered by Emil Tessin for the now nonoperational Alside Homes Corporation based in Akron, Ohio, which had figured as an important player in the early prefabricated housing movement.

With glass walls and aluminum panels fitted into a steel framework, the house’s specific design was patented and presented a different and beautiful point of departure from other futuristic houses. The William Krisel-designed House of Tomorrow in Palm Springs, the Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland and even the General Electric Showcase House differ from The Frost House in terms of both style and design.

modern master bedroom yellow and gray bedding — For the queen-sized bed, Karen and Bob pushed together two twin mattresses in the room they call the Queen Room. To freshen up the space, they added a new coat of paint, new carpet (although the same color as the original) and curtains to make the space more conducive to sleep. The pops of bright yellow on the closet doors are original, as is the yellow bedding, and the couple brought in further notes of the hue in the Tulip chair, decorative wall art and the pillows.

Plus, no one can really say for certain how many homes were sold by Alside Homes Corporation. Karen and Bob’s best guess is that 200 or so models rolled off the production line, but the couple have only been able to locate 26 of these across seven states, from Illinois to Ohio. Many of these houses have pitched roofs, not like The Frost’s flat one, making the home even more unique.

master bedroom with yellow closet doors — Weaving the thread of cheerful yellow throughout the house, the color makes its way to the master bedroom. Separated with a beautiful Paul McCobb-designed glass partition, the room provides space for privacy and ample storage, while an entire wall of glass provides beautiful natural light from the outside.

Karen and Bob’s new neighbors offered them a stack of Alside Homes sales materials and even a script that had been written for salespeople during home tours. “They were really selling people a lifestyle and controlled every element of the sales experience.” Of all the interesting tidbits Karen discovered, perhaps the most fascinating is that Emil Tessin had been the son of Emil Albert Tessin, the legal guardian of Florence Knoll.

Unfortunately, Alside’s homes didn’t sell. There are likely a lot of reasons, but the top contender for Karen is, “I really think the style was probably too contemporary for the Midwest. Interestingly enough,” she continues, “Emil Tessin went on to live in California, because The Frost House really feels like a Californian home. I think the use of color—from the exterior into the interior—is quite unusual, and they’re really bold colors.”

bunk beds in modern kids' room — Serving more as a three-season room, the home’s porch is fitted with interchangeable wire and plexiglass screens. The Sculptura outdoor furniture is made by Woodard, but the couple’s pieces are vintage and refinished, coming from eBay and Chairish.

Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of August 21, 2020 (thanks to the diligent work by Karen and Bob), the home will hopefully remain the same for future generations to enjoy.

Back to today, Karen and Bob have recently sold the home, passing on the torch to new, millennial owners eager to carry on the legacy they have inherited. Now, tucked away on a nondescript street in northern Indiana sits this gem from the atomic era, ready to be cherished by yet another car full of admirers.

Frost House three-season room — Serving more as a three-season room, the home’s porch is fitted with interchangeable wire and plexiglass screens. The Sculptura outdoor furniture is made by Woodard, but the couple’s pieces are vintage and refinished, coming from eBay and Chairish.

How to Transform a Home into a National Treasure

Designated a historic place, The Frost House is now a celebrated mid century landmark.

After purchasing the home in 2016, Karen and Bob immediately began getting The Frost House listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a process that took four years to complete. Read along to discover how Karen was able to turn her Mid Century Modern home into a landmark designation and how you might be able to do the same.

Start by reaching out to your city’s historical society. They should be able to link you to contacts on the state level. Karen met with a member of the Kalamazoo Historic Preservation Committee. This member was able to connect Karen with contacts at Indiana Landmarks.
Committees and boards that approve a home’s application only meet so often during a year. Thus, it is important to work with a consultant who understands the process, says Karen. Karen worked with a local preservation and design consultant who helped her prepare her application to ensure its accuracy and timeliness.
You may want to consider turning your property into an easement, guaranteeing that your home is left untouched by any future alterations and renovations. “But this is a big ask,” cautions Karen, who explains an easement means leaving your property to the state as opposed to any family members.
Next, submit your application for Determination of Eligibility to your state’s historic preservation office. If it is approved, you can then proceed with the nomination. This step may incur some costs, which is why Karen applied for a grant from the Indiana Modern committee.
If you are working with a consultant as Karen and Bob did, this person will help you draft supporting documentation and images of the space to submit to the State Historic Review Board. Once these are submitted, you will wait for a decision. The process can take between two to four years, Karen says.

Learn more about short and fascinating history of the Frost House’s builder, Alside Homes. Curious about other Midwest modern gems? Get an inside look at Eero Saarinen’s Miller House. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Mid Century Modern inspiration!