Leiper’s Fork Modern

I received a call one afternoon with a client asking me to design a “California-modern” home in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. He went on to tell me that he wanted a home designed in the style developed by Joseph Eichler, a popular California real estate developer in the 50’s and 60’s.

Eichler homes are known for their mid-century modern aesthetic, having minimal lines, low-sloped roofs, and an exterior courtyard in the center of the house. In addition to the desired aesthetic, he had already purchased the windows and doors that were intended to be used on the house.

Working with the owners from an early sketch, I developed the functioning plan incorporating all the windows and doors, and designed the low-sloped metal roof as a pair of offset L-shapes to not only cover the building, but add to the aesthetic interest.

The client worked hand-in-hand with the builder, doing a lot of the work himself to reduce cost as well as having ownership in the construction process. I was called upon repeatedly throughout construction to verify layout and construction techniques, as well as communicate with the local codes department.

This project is one of my favorites aesthetically, due to the client’s vision and partnership through both the design and construction process.