A Showstopping Midcentury in New Canaan Hits the Market

When homeowners Natalie Louw and her husband decided to move back to Australia and sell their beloved home, they knew they could take pride in passing down a modernist gem that’s largely stayed true to the architect’s original vision. 

Designed and built in 1961 by Harrison DeSilver and John Black Lee—an architect considered the sixth member of the famous "Harvard Five"—the DeSilver House on Chichester Road is a marvel of glass, steel, and wood that emphasizes indoor-outdoor living.

"It’s a house that doesn’t need to try," says Natalie, who is selling the real estate herself. "The rooms are set up to flow from one to another and to the outside. When you’re in the home it feels like you’re outside and the outside is drawing itself in. It’s an incredibly peaceful place to be."

Set on three acres, the 2,048-square-foot midcentury modern home flanked by trees features a six-foot-by-six-foot modular system with an open floor plan that allows for flexibility. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows—single-pane glass has been replaced with double glazing—flood the interior with natural light and views of the outdoors. The overhanging flat roof supported by slender steel columns provides passive shelter on all four sides of the home. 

Built at a lower grade to the main driveway, the DeSilver House is accessed via a floating timber bridge. 

An open-tread stairway in the main entrance leads upstairs to four spacious bedrooms, with two bathrooms, that open out to shaded balconies on opposite sides of the home. 

The stairs also lead downstairs to the main living room and a fully equipped Miele kitchen that opens to outdoor entertaining patios. The basement level houses a study and children’s playroom. 

"When people come into the house they stop in their tracks," says Natalie. "It’s a home that’s the entire package with the design, functionality, and connection to the landscape."

The guide price for this stunning property is $1,700,000. For more information, visit the DeSilver House online.

Original Project Team:

Architects: John Black Lee A.I.A + Harrison DeSilver A.I.A 

Builder: Ernest R. Rau

Designed and Built 1960-1961

Awarded the 'Homes for Better Living' Award 1964

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