Deco Dreams Sometimes Do Come True!
It's not often that a childhood dream comes true but it happened for Tom Rushinow. When Tom was a young lad, growing up in Grosse Pointe, he'd often pass by the house at 641 South Oxford Street in Grosse Pointe Woods and exclaim, "Someday, I want to live in that house". Forty years later, Tom and his wife Kim bought the house of his dreams from the original owner.
Today, the Rushinow home still remains a reflection of the streamline style or Art Moderne architecture of the late 1930s and 1940s with its clean, sweeping lines. The house was built in 1937 and designed by architect Lyle Zisler for his own family and no one but the family has lived there until the Rushinows bought it in 1994. The Zisler family had a flair for Art Deco and much of the furniture and accessories were original and from that era. When the house was sold to the Rushinows, the house was intact as the owners left all the original furniture and fixtures that fill the two-story limestone and glass block dwelling.
The house's design includes many innovative features such as a stainless steel curved staircase highlighted by a two-story outer glass block window. The creative staircase was achieved by bending metal tubing to form the steel railings. There are stainless steel vertical supports where needed but no welds were used .The back of the house has floor to ceiling windows which were unheard of at the time.
The living room still houses some of the original Art Deco furniture including a baby grand piano tucked in an especially designed curved cove. The idea of remodeling and updating the interior was appealing to the Rushinows but they have resisted the temptation and comments from friends and family about the datedness of the home. They chose instead to preserve the integrity of the house as much as possible. No major updating or renovations have occurred. The kitchen, while cramped and without many modern conveniences, still retains the charm of the era in which it was built.
Tom and Kim, who are DAADS board members, seem to fit well into this unusual house. Tom collects Frankart figurines and lamps from the Art Deco era while Kim has accumulated a vast collection of artistic perfume bottles, specializing in De Vilbiss bottles and atomizers. Both seem content that Tom has achieved his household dream and Kim has a home that is unique and in fitting with her personal interests. The DAADS board is thrilled that Tom and Kim who have been past officers on the board have returned as active board member
