Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 1962)
Beauty, Function Combined in Bollinger Home Design By EDNA RAMP Of Ibe ReiUUr-Gnir The far places of the world hold a special charm for the Thomas O. Ballinger family, who've circled the globe once and now are preparing to go abroad again to live for a year. But as they empty their pock ets on their return to Eugene, the precious reminders of their travels all are completely "at home" at the same address: 3715 Donald Street. Crude primitives as well as objects of the finest craftsman ship have a "sense of belong ing" here. So do the Balling ers Tom and Joy and their children, Liz, 11 and Tom, 14. It offers at the same time a place for family togetherness and a haven to pursue individu al differences. "We built in 1955 and I've never walked through the door when I didn't say: 'Isn't this nice; it's so good to be home'," is Joy Ballinger's feeling about the house. Friendly Farewell This week, as the family pre pared to take off for another 12 months this time, in Greece, for Mr. Ballinger's sabbatical from University of Oregon du ties as associate professor of art education the house again proved its adaptability: It was the setting for a unique farewell party when the Balllngers invited their friends to a "delightful session and scheme to make MONEY." The invitation gave further in formation on the plan to help provide "dough for my family to accompany me to the Isles of Homer." It offered for "sale, auction or put-your-bid-in-a-bot-tle" many of the interesting and beautiful articles the Balling ers had collected in previous travels. Dozens of friends turned out, happy for the opportunity to share these treasures from round-the-world and to share, too, one more visit with the Bal lingers. Our Own House Displayed on the deck, which surrounds two sides of the house, were several Nepalese rugs, paintings and art objects, a Danish coffee table, a Sherpa jacket (small size for the wom an who hopes to look like models in the New Yorker ads) contemporary drawings and paintings by Tom Ballinger. During the coming year, the TJO professor hopes to photo graph interiors of the Byzan tine churches, particularly the ceremonial ecclesiastical ob jects, many of which were hid- Art Finds Professor and Mrs. Thomas O. Ballinger hold art objects collected during their travels. Musician figurine, stone carving from India, is replica of life-size figures on Black Pagoda of Konarak. Pueblo pottery is by Southwest American Indians in New Mexico. den underground during the war and never have been re corded. He plans to make slides which will be added to the uni versity's collection for instruc tional purposes. But wherever they travel, the Ballingers all agree the house at 3715 Donald BELONGS to them and they to it. It will be with them in the happily pos sessive manner houses adopt and waiting for them with open shelves and welcoming hearth when they return. Perhaps part of the secret Is that the house BELONGS where it finds itself. Let the world and the sun and the stars move in their chosen paths, the Bal linger home has found its orbit and its reason for being. Generally considered "con temporary," the house more properly embodies "the spirit of the barns of the olden days" and is "completely indigenous to Oregon," Tom believes. Constructed entirely of native materials tongue and groove cedar, vertical-grained fir, basalt from the Armitage lies it is perfectly oriented on its gentle slope, looking on a dense stand of small Of modified post-and-beam struction, it has a ridgepole which runs the entire length of the house, extending through to the deep overhangs to give a feeling of continuity. "It's definitely 'Jim Morton ish'," says Tom BlJlinger, giving credit to the young U of O architect graduate who designed this home as well as several others here in Eugene. Born In California and adopt ing Oregon as her home only 10 years ago, Joy Ballinger wanted a "house where every ray of sun in Eugene will be in every cor ner of the rooms." The Morton designed home provides that in abundance, with most of the walls on two sides of the house made of glass. The same two sides are surrounded by decks, on separ ate levels to give privacy to each but connected by broad gentle steps. "There's not a month of the year that we haven't eaten out here," Joy said. Benches are built-in and potted plants pro vide color. For the most part the natural landscape has been left undisturbed; plantings at the entrance are rhododendron, azaleas, skimmia, clumps of moss carefully set by Joy to add to the naturalness of the set ting. Walk-way is patterned of the same basalt used In the fire place indoors. Walls are blank of windows on the north and street side, but high, angular patterns of glass fit the arch of roof to add pat terns of light to the interior. The large family room opens off the front entrance, with kitchen to the right. Dividing wall between this living area and the bedroom wing incorpor ates a bank of cupboards to pro vide storage for everything from brooms to overflowing Nepalese collections. Cabinets do not extend to the iro v I "' " ' I icon- -.' 5 'n . T5sfflL. 1 s a. - li , ;a . k ceiling, allowing an open feel ing throughout the house. Hall ways, likewise, have "borrowed a little of the ceiling from each bedroom" to keep the feeling of continuity. Three steps down from the family room is the "parlor," completely set apart from the rest of the house and looking out upon its own deck and the oak woods. The window walls and high ceiling again offer the illusion of space without the fact of space. "If only 11 by 12 feet," Joy explained. "It's a cozy place for four to visit or it can hold 14 if someone is willing to sit on the steps." Everything here, ai in the rest of the house, has special significance to the Ballingers: a rug from Mexico; couch from Denmark; Nepalese, Congolese, Mexican, Nootka, Chinese and Tibetan Masks, Mexican pots, Nepalese figurines. Liz and young Tom display their collections in their own rooms. Tom's treasures Include a flag from Nepal; sword from Spain; Japanese fan; banners from the Isle of Capri and Silver Creek Falls, Oregon; an Aztec calendar from Mexico; an exhibit of Nepalese coins. He's working on a collection of Ca nadian denominations, cent through dollar, and spends hours assembling computers (they work, too) from old pin- ball machine parts. Liz collects stamps; stuffed animals (we traveled all over Europe with a basket of hedge hogs); sea-washed glass from beaches of Italy, Greece, Spain and Oregon; pieces of fur (in cluding ermine!) Setting her own standard of discrimination known only to small girls who find a smooth pebble a treasure to cherish and dime-store jewelry more preci ous than diamonds Liz also col lects rocks and ten-cent ringa paid for with more than three dollars of carefully hoarded weekly allowances. One room in the house is available for everyone's use it's the studio. It was the origin al carport, which the Ballingers turned into a room when they ran out of space. Luckily there was room to build another car port. But if their collectors' habit runs true to form the next year, they'll have to enclose that when they return from Greecel i.:v,; Desk Divider (Rg1ster-Gurd photoi by Mlrko Pltner) Bookcase and desk unit forms natural division between family room and passage to "parlor" in the Thomas O. Ballinger home on 3715 Donald Street. It also provides artistic setting for art objects collected by Mr. Ballinger and his family during their two years in Nepal. USt COUNT ' HOME HEWJPAKH. SECTION C EUGENE, OREGON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1962 Metal lantern from Japan finds itself "at home" with simple natural landscaping at the Ballinger home. Over the front doorbell is this Gautama Buddha and two worshippers the Buddha shown in the position of the "Earth witness and Meditation mudras." Design is of ham mered metal, originally gilted with gold. ... V-- -V - .- ,. Signatures Off ' J Sun Deck Deck, opening off family room of Ballinger horn., provided perfect setting for auction party this week when friends gathered to say farewell and bid on treasures collected by Bal lingers during travels. Family will live for the next year in Greece, where Mr. Ballinger, as sociate professor of art education at University of Oregon, will be spending his sabbatical EOS OAKWAY MARKET CORNER OAKWAY and COB.URG ROAD RIGHT TO LIMIT RESERVED ALL PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU SUN. M.I.B. COFFEE lb. tin 1.17 6 os instant 79 C 10 ox. instant 1.29 KRAFT SALAD OIL QUART GERBER'S STRAINED BABY FOOD TINS ONLY N4 SHASTA FRUIT DRINKS 46 oi. wmmrn n BETTY CROCKER FAMILY SIZE HESflffS Willi 79 Select pitted Oberii Olives Craler Pickles Cucumber dills 24 oz. 4 1.00 269e Dry Milk Carnation Instant Plaslic Wrap 89c 4r.rl.QQ 10 quart P0BBr llGBEEH CHOPS PEPPEBS Pork Loin Roasl 59 CUCUMBERS 5C ROUND STEAK 79c Watermelons I1 2 BACON """' 59Cfc Radishes a Green Onions 5' 1
