“Decorating Ideas and Color Trends.” © Sherwin Williams (1968).

“Decorating Ideas and Color Trends.” © Sherwin Williams (1968).

The Ransom House

 

It's a little ramshackle — lots of jobs Archie hasn’t quite gotten to yet — but it is still a lovely, rambling, painted Victorian house. The Ransoms moved there in 1968, so the décor is more late ‘60s than high ‘70s. Archie and Melanie's tastes are undeniably wholesome and square, but there are hints of Archie's life in showbiz and advertising: some big framed blowups of award winning ad campaigns (Sharp Cereal, 7-Up, a literacy education PSA) that, by virtue of being blown up and framed, look like Warhol style pop art. The largest most noticeable decoration in the living room (as distinct from the rec room / TV room, which is a classic example of the genus) is a set of Chinese shadow puppets, framed under glass.

The kids have their own bedrooms, Archie has an office. “Charlie's room” isn’t literally his room — the family only moved here after his death. But they set a bedroom up for him anyway. It hovers awkwardly between being a guest room and a shrine: fairly generic décor but a few of Charlie’s things: cowboy bedspread, plastic horse, a picture of him dressed up as the Ransom Kid.

And up in the attic: all the puppets. Multiple versions of the Ransom Gang and others, along with several others in various states of construction/completion, and tools for making more.