Tour a California Home in All its Midcentury Modern Glory

This couple scored a late ’50s stunner built by Joseph Eichler — which makes this house kind of famous!

From: HGTV Magazine

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Photo By: Christopher Dibble

The Story

Raised by an architect dad, Remington Heatley inherited a love for midcentury modern homes. “We used to take walks where he’d point out his favorites,” he says. When Remington and his wife, Julienne, began house-hunting in the San Francisco Bay Area, they had midcentury modern style in mind. A year and a half later, they were still searching when a rare find hit the market — on the anniversary of his father’s passing. Built by renowned real estate developer Joseph Eichler in 1959, the 1,742-square-foot house in Walnut Creek was one of only a few hundred Eichler homes in the vicinity. There was much to adore, including abundant light and an airy layout (classic midcentury), an atrium inside the front door (classic Eichler) and the fact that it was well cared for by the previous owners. The couple worked with designer Karen Nepacena to decorate with mod patterns and colors, and to bring back wood walls that had been removed. Says Remington, “My dad would have totally geeked out over it.”

From: HGTV Magazine

The House

Pops of sunny yellow (Hollywood Gold by Benjamin Moore) on a minimalist exterior: fresh!

From: HGTV Magazine

The Atrium

Even groovier than a mudroom: the interior open-air courtyard. Remington and Julienne made it peaceful with a bed of river rocks and plenty of plants. They chose mod Bertoia Diamond chairs, named after the sculptor who debuted them in 1952, and a hip rug. Their English bulldog, Mackenzie, is equally glad to chill here.

From: HGTV Magazine

The Dining Room

To create a seamless transition from the adjacent atrium, the exterior color was carried through to this wall, where it nicely matches the existing slate tile floor. Curves contrast the home’s rectangular shape — in the Saarinen table, Cherner chairs and a Louis Poulsen light, all late ’50s styles from Design Within Reach, plus circular art from Room & Board. The vintage bar cart has major Mad Men vibes.

From: HGTV Magazine

The Kitchen

Open concept was cool decades ago, too — this area is right across from the dining room. Past owners had updated the cabinets and appliances, so designer Karen and the couple just changed the colors and the knobs. They also replaced the sink, faucet, countertops and backsplash. Although the scalene triangle tiles from Fireclay Tile and the teal barstools from Industry West are new, they nod to vintage style.

From: HGTV Magazine

The Living Room

Blue sofa, orange chair, green floor cushion: The ’60s called and they dig this color mashup. (The furniture is from Design Within Reach, the cushion from World Market.) Walnut walls and the floor-to-ceiling window and glass door were a state-of-the-art setup, meant to integrate nature. The Heatleys had the fireplace redone in a glossy black brick-like style from Fireclay Tile. “We love to sit by the fire,” says Julienne. “The sound and smell is always nice while sipping a glass of wine.”

From: HGTV Magazine

The Nursery

A baby’s room that’s midcentury chic? Far out! The couple went for pieces that felt copacetic with the rest of the house, like a slim wood crib from West Elm x Pottery Barn Kids — angled legs are popular in midcentury-ish furniture — and a vegan leather rocker from Babyletto. The new parents won’t get tired of looking at the geometric rug (from Crate & Kids) or wallpaper (from Livette’s Wallpaper).

From: HGTV Magazine

The Main Bedroom

Like other exposed beams in the home, it’s highlighted by dark gray paint, Graphite by Benjamin Moore. A bed from Blu Dot with built-in nightstands maxes out the smaller space. (In Eichler homes, the majority of square footage was dedicated to entertaining, and brochures often showed couples at dinner parties.) Globe sconces by Cedar & Moss with brass complement the warmth of the wood wall. Another '60s trend, color-blocking is on display with a quilt by Anchal.

From: HGTV Magazine

Tour a California Home in All its Midcentury Modern Glory

Related To:

Shop This Look

The Story

The House

The Atrium

The Dining Room

The Kitchen

The Living Room

The Nursery

The Main Bedroom

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