Jack Corey, a pioneer of post-and-beam architecture, is responsible for evolving midcentury style within his native California but also well beyond. The impact he would have on the world of home design was evident early on: While still a student at the USC School of Architecture, he crafted a remarkable home for his parents, the Corey Residence.

“Jack Corey’s home is a really great example of Southern California modernism—simple materials elevated by their use, a clear expression of structure, and an openness to the outdoors without the sacrificing of privacy,” says Nate Cole at Suprstructur, a listing agent for the property alongside Joey Kiralla and Michelle St. Clair at Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Corey Residence is a striking example of California modernism that was influenced by Corey’s mentor, Cal Straub, a professor at the USC School of Architecture who held an appreciation for the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
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After his parents lived in the home, Corey began using it as his personal address. Now it’s been carefully restored by Andreas Larsson, founder of HabHouse, a design and development firm. For the project, Larsson had the privilege of interviewing 91-year-old Jack Corey to gain insight into the process of designing the home. The opportunity also granted Larsson intimate knowledge of original design details and materiality. As a result, the original plan—which features deep eaves and living spaces that open to patios and a garden—has been carefully preserved.

“This house was not a renovation—it was a restoration,” notes Larsson. “The biggest challenge was to respect and maintain the original architecture while merging it with modern solutions, so it becomes a house that is still very true to its original design but livable for today’s standards. When you’re dealing with a restoration, that’s always the challenge.”

From the street, the home is concealed behind a timber screen with the roof structure peeking out above. From inside the home, every room opens to the garden or shaded terrace, creating a dynamic play between interior and exterior space that makes the residence ideal for entertaining. In a previous conversation about the home, Corey explains how “the grabbing onto nature was what we wanted to achieve.”

The entrance hall of the 1,476-square-foot home leads directly to the open living/dining space, which features a tiled kitchen at one end with a glazed wall that opens to a terrace.

Two bedrooms—one is currently used as a study—and a bathroom are located in a wing off the living space, while a third bedroom and a bathroom are tucked away behind the kitchen.

“There is no place where the design falls flat,” says Cole, one of the home’s listing agents. “There is a feeling of perfection to it, with every corner contributing in some way. To be able to say that about a house that has seen updates is rare, and a testament to the work HabHouse does.”

Throughout, the fabric of the home has been carefully restored. The bedrooms, for example, feature spectacular old-growth redwood siding that conceals built-in closets, while the kitchen and bathrooms boast tile imported from Japan.

Plywood partitions and shoji-like bedroom doors capture the essence of the midcentury modern style, and allow for a free-flowing circulation or for spaces to be closed off for privacy. “The most intriguing part of the home for me is also the least identifiable,” reveals Cole. “There is a calmness to the space, almost like everything has to pass through a filter to enter.”

700 Edgeview Drive in Sierra Madre, California, is currently listed for $1,788,000 by Nate Cole of Suprstructur in partnership with Sotheby’s International Realty.

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record (original): Jack Corey

Architect of Record (renovation): HabHouse

Photographer: Cameron Carothers

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