An Eichler Reinvented in Thousand Oaks, $2.4M

by Philip Ferrato

Joseph Eichler remains a touchstone in the history of California Modernism, as a visionary developer who built thousands of well-designed, essentially modest dwellings for the classic nuclear family of the 1960s. His brand name was so successful, that it long overshadowed the architects that designed his almost infinitely replicable houses.

Eichler’s homes were fundamentally an extension of the post-WWII enthusiasm for social change and modern design from the previous decade—most notable in the Case Study House Program. He was a leader in delivering both desegregated housing and contemporary design to tract housing, and in the 1960s, architecture could be highly political: conservatives tended to live in Colonial Style houses, often in restricted communities, and derided the foreign and European influences that had filtered into American life.

This exceptional Eichler in Thousand Oaks, designed by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons of Jones & Emmons (architects of an unbuilt Case Study House and among the principal architects of the legendary Crestwood Hills Mutual Housing Association), is by far one of the most iconic and desirable examples of the Eichler genre. Fresh to the market this week, the owners of this 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom classic took a unique route in their renovation. They brought the house back to life with luxurious finishes like Venetian plaster and finely detailed millwork, eschewing the more modest mid-century materials and details one would expect in the developer’s tract housing.

There’s the iconic Jones & Emmons atrium entry way; the restoration included hand sanding and finish of the tongue-and-groove planked ceiling and the original mahogany walls, and the kitchen has been completely transformed. Aside from the Venetian plaster, paint finishes throughout are Farrow & Ball.

The house had been expanded by both previous and current owners with the original post-and-beam construction. Below, the primary suite provides a luxurious, self-contained retreat, open to the outdoors.

Visit the listing for additional images and details as well as a floor and site plan. An outstanding opportunity to own a significant piece of California’s architectural and social history, in superb condition, represented by Nina Kurtz at Compass.