Exterior

The view from the backyard.

The pergola was removed, the exterior wall opened up, and a new dining room added. The 12-foot-long sliding pocket doors manufactured by Western Window Systems recede all the way into the wall for total indoor/outdoor flow. The new patio received cement tile—the Arc pattern from Clé Tile—its black and white palette coordinating with the new white paint and black window frames of the exterior.

The large deck was falling apart when the Pfeiffers moved in, necessitating a serious overhaul of the lower level.

During the 2004 renovation the Wilsons replaced the plywood siding with cedar, and used reclaimed brick to maintain the home’s classic appearance.

Outside, Eva and landscape designers Rosborough Partners thinned the trees directly surrounding the home. The paint on the steel beams is Extra White by Sherwin-Williams, coated in Duration Exterior Acrylic Latex.

Taking an active role in the restoration of a midcentury house she and her husband bought near Chicago in 2013, Eva Kowalow honored the vision of the home’s architect and previous owner, Jack Viks, while updating the structure to fit her style and the needs of her family. The entrance gate, designed by Viks, is original.

On the exterior, Eva chose to cover the existing yellow brick with Prodema wood paneling installed by GFS Architectural Systems, Inc

Miller House Exterior

Miller House Front Facade

Kelly Milford helps son Adam out of the hot tub nestled on a wood deck in back of the house. The exterior paint is Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore.

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.

An exterior shot of the atrium with the succulents.

The horizontal layout of the home allows for easy movement throughout the interior, while the line of the continuous roof seems to extend into the trees. Enlarging the opening of the home allowed for impressive views of the river and surrounding area.

Riffing on local farmhouses, architects Patrick Walker and Elizabeth Demetriades covered the 4,000-square-foot house in rough-sawn red cedar and capped it with a standing-seam galvalume roof.

Like the windows, the large pocket doors are by Jeld-Wen. Alchemia chairs by Archirivolto are arranged on a deck near the courtyard, which is planted with fragrant thyme.

The home is sited on a flat expanse of farmland. When the current owner, Jonathan Andersson, first purchased the property, he hired a team of carpenters, plumbers, and electricians, and spent 14 months renovating. He and his team excavated around two feet of ground under the home and laid down drainage materials, cellular plastic, reinforcement, and a floor-heating hose before filling the areas with concrete.