In 2018, Rob and Blake Eagle moved back home—and not just to their town of Abilene, Texas, but to the very same neighborhood where they had grown up. As teenagers, their homes had been around the corner from each other, and they’d started dating at fifteen. As adults, they tried out various cities, from Seattle to Atlanta, before deciding that they wanted their two children to grow up with more space, surrounded by family. “On these two streets live grandparents, cousins, and all of our best friends,” says Blake. “Hard to beat!”

The return to their old block commenced with the purchase of a home built in 1959, ostensibly by “a wealthy oil man and his new wife [who] spared no expense,” says Blake. Located on a large lot measuring just under an acre, surrounded by century-old oaks and pecan trees, it had always been “a bit of a mystery,” says Rob.

When the couple stepped inside, the home revealed a convoluted layout and lots of dated finishes. “The house was basically a time capsule; not one thing had changed since the day of its completion,” says Blake. “There were leather walls, built-in limestone mosaics, secret doors that led to hidden gun safes. It really was a blast from the past.”

Before: Exterior

After: Exterior

The Eagles contacted their old friend, architect Erling Berg, for the ensuing remodel. Born and raised in Norway, Berg had signed up to be an exchange student in the United States, landing in Abilene at 16 years old.

“On my second day in Abilene, I met Rob Eagle, another 16-year-old at the high school I attended,” remembers Berg. “Rob was born and raised in Abilene, but he looked very familiar—wearing the same clothes, the same Vans, and listening to the same music as me—and we even both played the drums.”

Everyone stayed friends through the years, and Berg was the first person the couple called to help with the project. “We knew Erling was the perfect person to take on the house,” says Blake. “We have a love for Scandinavian architecture and design, and he has an equal appreciation for our Texan heritage and what we expect out of our living space.”

Before: Entry

After: Entry

The remodel stayed within the house’s 4,000-square-foot layout, but dramatically modernized the floor plan. For starters, there were only two bedrooms for the family of four, so Berg converted a wood-paneled den into two children’s rooms, creating a kids’ wing.

A patio off the living room had previously been enclosed in plexiglass, making it too hot and virtually unusable, so Berg incorporated it into the main living areas. These were all opened up to one another for better flow, and new sliding glass doors were installed to connect to the backyard.

“We wanted our kids to be drawn out of their rooms and into a communal space where we would spend time together,” says Rob. “By opening up the main living area and keeping the bedrooms on the smaller side, we have really accomplished that. We spend more time together as a family, entertaining friends, and enjoying the wide-open space.”

Before: Dining Room, Enclosed Porch, and Kitchen

After: Kitchen and Dining Room

Natural materials and finishes lend the interiors a subdued quality: white walls, oiled white oak, pale Gascogne blue limestone. To bring in more light, Berg reconfigured several windows, dropping their sills to the floor, installed skylights, and set up a playful circular motif in the entry and extra bedroom/playroom.

“There’s so much natural light flowing into the house,” says Berg. “We could have easily overdone the skylights, which would have made it get really warm, but it’s just the right amount.”

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

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Berg designed custom, sculptural built-ins that create a pleasing rhythm throughout the home, from the kitchen cabinets, to a wall-hung credenza and sideboard in the main living areas, to an oak-wrapped triangular reading nook in the playroom. It’s just that sense of underlying play that suits family life so well. “With the big living room, the kids go around that circle wall chasing each other,” laughs Berg. “I wish I had that when I was a kid. It looks amazing.”

And when play is done for the day, the home remains a relaxed place to gather. “Especially with the state of the world being what it is, it has been invaluable to have the outdoor space, and the calming energy of this home,” says Rob.

Before: Den

After: Children’s Wing

Before: Main Bedroom

After: Main Bedroom and Bath

More Before & After:

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Project Credits:

Architecture: Erling Berg / @erlingberg_

Builder: Ron Fogle Construction

Interior Design: Erling Berg

Cabinetry: Designed by Erling Berg / Built by James Kehr