Midcentury Modern Homes Across America

A white brick wall provides visual and material contrast to warm wood elements throughout the home.

The first commissioned work by

Thankfully, the house came with many of its furnishings, including a 1940s Florence Knoll sofa, an Elliptical table by Charles and Ray Eames, a George Nelson tripod floor lamp, and a Breuer-designed Long chair. A pair of Barcelona chairs by Mies van der Rohe replaced two Arne Norell Sirocco armchairs.

A walnut-topped table and Womb chair, both by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, offer a cozy spot for reading.

The carport leads to the entrance.

Speaking to his original design, architect Saul Zaik says, “We were really just building boxes with a bunch of windows but experimenting with how you integrated indoor and outdoor spaces.” The house has seven different openings to the exterior, allowing different courtyard or patio settings for a range of outdoor activities, including seating for a gathering on the street-facing side. The Milfords hired Lilyvilla Gardens for the landscaping around the house, including variegated bluestone steps with thyme joints.

The living room features two side chairs and an end table by Edward Wormley for Dunbar and a bronze screen designed by Harold Balazs.

Ipe paneling and concrete floors continue into the living area, where a photograph by Scott McFarland hangs above the fireplace. Surrounding the dining table, by Riva 1920, are walnut chairs the couple found locally.

Lockyer added native desert plants to a courtyard near the garage.

Seen from the guesthouse, the new home touches every corner of the property without overwhelming its natural beauty.

Tyler Lemkin turned to contractor Roderick McGrew for help refurbishing his dated Richard Neutra house in the Crestwood Hills area of Los Angeles. One of McGrew’s tasks was ripping up the pink carpeting—which had been added by a previous owner—and installing new wood floors.

A painting by Karl Benjamin hangs in the dining area beyond. The living room features a Noguchi Rudder table and artwork by Tony DeLap.

With four children under the age of six, the Ruells have learned not to be overprotective of their collection of contemporary and vintage furniture. In the living room, an Eames lounge chair and ottoman sit on a Moroccan rug from M.Montague, while the family’s eldest child, Mirene, surveys the indoor/outdoor view. Throughout the house, Kolbe windows and fixed glass (in existing jambs) were added to increase energy efficiency.

A good dose of inspiration from Luis Barragán turned a dark and beleaguered midcentury house into a family home for the ages. The paint colors chosen by the residents and architect Linda Taalman are American Cheese and Blushing Bride, both by Benjamin Moore, creating a tapestry of color and texture.

A tub zone lined in redwood connects to the master bedroom, which is furnished with a vintage Sergio Rodrigues lounge chair and Voyage Immobile seats from Roche Bobois.

Delighted with the result, they requested additional structures, including a pool house with a dining area that opens to the outdoors. Rising from the edge of the pool deck, a planted overhang shelters a gym and sauna below.

Katherine Lambert, a partner at Metropolitan Architectural Practice (MAP), and her business associate Christiane Robbins, painstakingly restored a 1950s redwood-and-glass house in Napa, California, originally designed by Jack Hillmer of Telesis.