You simply must go see the Adamson House! It’s a state park right on the beach in Malibu, California with beautifully landscaping and an amazing house with a unique story. You can only go inside Wed-Sat from 11 -3, but it’s completely worth planning your trip around to see it. I learned all about the previously-unknown-to-me Malibu Potteries that produced wonderful tiles that adorn both the exterior and the interior of this Spanish Colonial house built 1929-1930 and designed by Los Angeles architect Stiles O. Clements. You can see interior photos (which I didn’t take this time around) at the very nice and simple website http://www.adamsonhouse.org. Especially check out the oriental “rug” in the loggia that’s actually made out of tiles, even down to the rug’s fringe.

I don’t know that we have anything in Mississippi rivaling the tilework of this house, but we have a few little gems in the same vein. The two I can think of offhand are the Gov. Hugh White House(1925, Claude Lindsley archt.) in Columbia, lovingly restored and maintained by Ann Simmons, and “Delcastle”(1925, Gordon Hite archt.) in Ocean Springs, which tragically was demolished after receiving only minor damage from Katrina. I won’t name that particular owner so as to avoid using strong language and getting sued for liable.

I wandered around outside the Adamson House Wednesday and here’s a little of what I saw.

Loggia overlooking beach

Just a little tiled fountain in the back yard

Not your standard Home Depot tiles--these things are close to an inch thick!

Tile fountain with Green Man face

Categories: Cool Old Places, Museums