What I find genuinely perplexing, is the quality (or lack thereof) of the materials used in a $4M+ “dream” build today. In this case, that means something called OSB (oriented strand board), faux brick siding, PEX plumbing, and lots of spray foam.

I’ve driven by this project nearly every day for the last nine months, and I’ve grown increasingly curious about these materials. What is OSB, and why is it now the default for new homes in America? Why can’t we just build a “brick” house with actual bricks? Do people in Europe and elsewhere build like this?

For the time being, I won’t write a whole essay contemplating these construction questions of the soul. Although it is 30% cheaper than plywood, OSB does indeed suck. What this whole thing got me thinking about was a different approach to building, exemplified by the Charles and Ray Eames house.

“How to build a house to maximize volume from minimal materials”

The Eames House, built in 1949, doesn’t pretend to be anything. The steel frame is visible, the glass is glass, and the panels are panels. The materials are functional and nothing is dressed up as something pricier.

The Case Study House program, which produced around thirty experimental homes around Los Angeles between the 1940s and 60s, used inexpensive, industrial materials on purpose. The goal was to show that ordinary people could live well (and in style) in honestly built houses, using the materials of their own era without disguising them.

Which brings me to another modern farmhouse inspired question. Why don’t we just replicate the greatest Case Study houses ever built? Why are we still imitating a rustic past with vinyl and foam when we could build on the best ideas of the modern era?

A new Eames House-inspired solution, announced earlier this year, represents one potential answer. Eames Office and the Spanish brand Kettal collaborated on the Eames Pavilion System, a prefab, modular building kit drawn directly from Charles and Ray Eames’ architectural experiments of the 1940s and 50s. It was unveiled at Triennale Milano during Milan Design Week 2026, alongside an exhibition called The Eames Houses.

It isn’t a one-to-one replica, and that’s the interesting part. Eames Demetrios (cool name), Charles and Ray’s grandson and director of the Eames Office, points out that copying the Eames House would first require building a hill to tuck it against. A facsimile, he suggests, isn’t really the point. The kit reinterprets the big ideas behind the house, and I’d argue that’s the better answer to my question. Why copy the look of something when you can adopt the thinking that made it great in the first place?

That genius was always about materials and systems. The Eames Duo saw architecture as a framework that could produce many outcomes, each suited to a unique site and family. Maybe that’s what Charles was getting at when he said, “The rigidity of the system is responsible for the free use of space.”

This new Pavilion System is a kit of parts on a rational structural grid. A lightweight frame combines with interchangeable façade panels, glazing, roof elements, and accessories. From that you can make a garden studio, a compact meeting room, a family home, or a larger pavilion complex.

Components are manufactured off-site and assembled on location. Modules can be extended, combined, or reconfigured as your life changes.

The original recipe also gets some sensible updates:

• Aluminum instead of steel, for better weather resistance

• Triple glazing replacing the single-pane glass of the originals

• I- and H-shaped aluminum beams, infilled with glass, polycarbonate, and wood panels

• Full insulation, so the structure can handle a range of climates

No surprises and no faux anything here. Just a kit made of structural metal, glass, and wood, each doing exactly what it appears to do.

The research behind this new program was led by product strategist Eckart Maise, who studied everything the Eameses designed, including their post-and-beam timber work. He found common threads of modularity and segmentation across homes that look quite different, including Case Study House No. 9 (the Entenza House), the Shelter House, and the De Pree House. The result is a system that can honor the original Eames House in a way that hopefully results in real, livable homes built with the system.

Do people really want this today? According to Eames Demetrios, more than 350,000 people toured the first six completed Case Study prototypes between 1945 and 1948, a big share of Los Angeles’ population at the time. People wanted to see these houses and borrow what worked. The Eameses also dreamed of a universal architecture, accessible to nearly anyone and adaptable almost anywhere. The Pavilion System is a serious attempt to deliver on the same promise in a whole new era.

What to expect, and when . .

• End of 2026: a room-within-a-room interior version on a 2m × 2m grid

• Early 2027: the full structure, offered as a single unit, a double module, or a multi-bay configuration

Kettal also plans to send a trained specialist to assess your site before components are configured and manufactured. That addresses a classic prefab headache, where kits arrive and still need custom fixes on site. Pricing hasn’t been widely reported, but my guess is that affordability will be a deciding factor on whether this a cool idea or something that really scales.

If you want to dig deeper, Phaidon’s book The Eames Houses draws on archival drawings and proposals that had largely gone unseen. The Triennale exhibition ended in May 2026 but there are lots of cool videos online of the full two-story structure alongside an “exploded parts” version.

So, should you build your very own Eames House?

Please do, and hopefully in my neighborhood. But better yet, let’s just build with real, honest materials, even if you’re building a modern farmhouse.

GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

3674 W Pacific Coast Hwy, Ventura, CA 93001

6770 Hawarden Dr, Riverside, CA 92506

1288 Glen Oaks Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105

10010 Shadow Rd, La Mesa, CA 91941

34 Sweetbay Rd, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

842 E Glendale Ave, Orange, CA 92865

17107 Lisette St, Granada Hills, CA 91344

2525 Sheffield Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

218 Kings Row Dr, Little Rock, AR 72207

If you’ve followed along here for a while you’ve heard plenty about Craig Ellwood. Built four years after Ellwood’s Case Study House no. 16, for many, the Kuderna House (1956) represents peak Ellwood. It’s for sale now, asking $4,995,000.

Craig Ellwood was born Jon Nelson Burke in Clarendon, Texas. His family moved West, ultimately settling in Los Angel…

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Just Listed: The Borun House and Garden.

“Commissioned in 1960 from the acclaimed architectural firm Benton & Park, AIA, with a significant garden by celebrated landscape architect Garrett Eckbo, this single-owner residence beautifully captures the essence of the era with its clean lines, single-story profile, and seamless indoor/outdoor living. Set on …

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The Alex & Luba Kadvany House (1956) is offered for sale for the first time ever:

“An early and remarkably intact example of the Killingsworth, Brady & Smith’s elegant California modernism - designed for an exuberant Central European emigre couple building a new home for their growing family. Just one block from the ocean on one of the last remaining …

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2059 Barnett Way, Los Angeles, CA 90032: Listed for $949,000
“Offered for the first time in its history, the Robert Pena Rosales Residence stands as a rare and remarkably intact piece of East Los Angeles architectural heritage. Cradled by the tranquil University Hills of El Sereno sits this cabin-like Mid Century built by Robert Pena Rosales for his family; a Mexican-American draftsman who once worked for Gensler & Associates. This deeply personal Mid-Century retreat has remained in the same family for more than seven decades, passing two generations of stewardship since its completion in 1952. The home was conceived as a harmonious extension of its natural surroundings. Echoing the spirit of the postwar Case Study era, Rosales embraced a restrained, simple timber-forward palette, crafting a split-level residence defined by warmth, simplicity, and a profound connection to the landscape. Original wood-paneled walls, exposed ceiling beams, custom handrails, and parquet flooring remain beautifully preserved, imbuing the home with an enduring sense of character and authenticity. Expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing and oversized windows draw sunlight deep into the interiors throughout the day, dissolving the boundary between indoors and out. The first floor, is comprised of a large living room that opens to a spacious deck which shares vast south-easterly hillside views as well as one of 3 bedrooms, also with front deck access. More than a residence, this is a legacy property. An exceptionally rare offering that has quietly witnessed 74 years of family life, celebration, and has seen generations of love and created life lasting memories within its walls. The home also comes with a 2-car garage and additional driveway parking. The Robert Pena Rosales Residence presents a singular opportunity to become the next steward of an irreplaceable Los Angeles story.”

MORE GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

9080 Wonderland Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

2813 5th Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90018

1528 Summit Road, Berkeley, CA 94708

4800 N Hammond Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73122

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Advertising should be fun, especially for furniture.

Before the algorithms, the A/B tests, and the infinite scroll, ads had to do one thing well, make you feel something on paper. In the post-war era, fun and whimsical proved an effective approach. Here are five nostalgic ads to start your Monday off right:

“Chairs by Eames” 1950s:

Typography really does the heavy lifting here. I think “expanded facilities permit prompt shipping” is as close to Amazon Prime as the fifties had to offer.

Herman Miller – Multi Product Print Advert (1955):

This Multi-product spread looks like a greatest hits album in hindsight, featuring a George Nelson Marshmallow Sofa, Alexander Girard Textiles, Isamu Noguchi Table and Charles Eames DKX side chairs:

May We Send You Illustrated Brochure? Knoll 1954:

Hebert Matter’s playful, repeating pattern of Eero Saarinen’s model 71 and 72 plastic shell chairs (the predecessors to his famous pedestal/Tulip series) upholstered in vibrant Knoll textiles is perfect.

Pomona Tile from a 1957 issue of Arts + Architecture:

Pomona Tile was a big deal during its heyday and the hand painted Bahama Reef Series is about as fun as tile gets.

Fresh From Motorola 1961:

Illustrator Charles Schridde created some of my favorite ads of all time, in this one, a TV you could put just about anywhere.

GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

2813 5th Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90018

2220 Banyan Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049

1580 Old House Rd, Pasadena, CA 91107

15256 Rayneta Dr, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

876 Las Ovejas Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94903

1595 E Evergreen Ln, Millcreek, UT 84106

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I love this one. MacDonald designed the space with the aim of what he called "soft modernity" or organic modern design. The construction utilizes large aggr…

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If mountain views are your thing, check out the live listin…

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Alfred Hitchcock taught us in 1955 that a burglar could be a man of flawless taste. To Catch a Thief, featuring Cary Grant as a semi-reformed Monaco burglar, kicked off a legacy of aspirational heists carried on by the likes of The Thomas Crown Affair (1968 & 1999) and Ocean’s E…

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Richard Neutra’s Hailey House is back on the market, asking $2,395,000.

From the listing:

“Perched in the East Hollywood Hills, the Jason Hailey House is a Richard Neutra treasure, restored with reverence and creativity. Originally completed in 1959, the residence remains remarkably intact, preserved by a succession of owners who honored its modernist d…

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The Summit House (126 Summit Rd, La Verne, CA) by Foster Rhodes Jackson, AIA is special, really special, and it’s freshly rehabbed and for sale. View the live listing here.

From the listing:
The Summit House | Originally designed in 1953 by Frank Lloyd Wright protege Foster Rhodes Jackson, AIA, and recently expanded and restored by Bestor Architecture's Barbara Bestor, FAIA | This AD published, mid-century jewel beautifully blends organic materials, dramatic masonry, and warm hemlock detailing. Thoughtfully & meticulously updated sparing no expense, the home offers light-filled indoor-outdoor living, distinctive architectural elements and exceptional craftsmanship throughout. Set in the hills above the scenic Pomona Valley, the property places you minutes from hiking trails, serene foothill views, boutique local dining and convenient access to Los Angeles, Claremont and the Inland Empire. Located in the Claremont School District & within minutes to both The Webb Schools & Claremont Colleges. The area is known for its quiet residential feel, cultural amenities and strong community atmosphere - making this home not only an architectural treasure but also an ideal retreat with all the best Southern California has to offer.

GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

1234 Woodland Dr, Santa Paula, CA 93060

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Designed by Donald Polsky in 1960, the Hillman Residence is a mid-century modern home reflecting his work under Richard Neutra. The architecture emphasizes clean lines, functional design, and a strong connection to the landscape. A careful restoration by designer Brad Dunning preserves the home's original intent while refining its details. Landscape des…

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Designed in 1946 by renowned architect Rudolph Schindler, the Kallis-Sharlin Residence is a striking example of site-driven modernism, dramatically set into a steep hillside with expansive views over the San Fernando Valley. Originally built for artist and film art director Mischa Kallis, the home follows the natural contours of the land, with layered volumes, terraces, and walls of glass that connect the interiors to the surrounding landscape.

Inside, Schindler's signature design language is on full display, with unconventional angles, abundant natural light, and a strong sense of flow between spaces. The iconic butterfly roof brings in clerestory light throughout the home, while warm materials - most notably mahogany and Douglas fir walls, ceilings and built-in furniture - add richness and character. Distinctive grape-stake cladding wraps portions of the exterior, allowing the home to blend seamlessly into its wooded setting while enhancing privacy. Additional features include four fireplaces, a spa-like steam shower, a mahogany soaking tub, a glass-enclosed office, climate-controlled basement storage, a rare private bocce court and a swimmers pool and jacuzzi.

Designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #860, the Kallis-Sharlin Residence underwent a thoughtful, multi-year restoration from 2017-2022 in collaboration with Barbara Bestor and Jeff Fink. The result is a beautifully preserved and highly livable architectural landmark - offering a rare opportunity to own a significant and celebrated piece of Los Angeles design history.

View the full listing here.

GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

2179 Mandeville Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

9440 Gallatin Rd, Downey, CA 90240

8554 Day St, Sunland, CA 91040

3700 Hayvenhurst Ave, Encino, CA 91436

17136 Nanette St, Granada Hills, CA 91344

5622 Linda Rosa Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037

3136 Alexis Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94304

80 Skywood Way, Woodside, CA 94062

807 Piper Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

876 Las Ovejas Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94903

101 Ravinia Way, Los Gatos, CA 95032

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Available Now: 701 Dansey Ave, Coquitlam, BC V3K 3G4

“The Sakura Estate by G. Douglas Wylie is a Japanese-inspired mid-century modern estate anchored by a 60-year-old cherry blossom tree. Nestled beside the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, this 1963 residence stands among the last of its kind, a serene union of architecture and landscape by Muirhead & J…

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Craig Ellwood was born Jon Nelson Burke in …

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So where can you buy an affordable gem of a home today? I looked for the best budget-friendly modernist home for sale in the U.S. right now and here’s what I found:

$415,000 for 4 Bed 4 Bath home on 0.5 Acres in Oberlin, Ohio: 152 Shipherd Cir, Oberlin, OH 44074

$315K for a 4 Bed 2 Bath home in Fergus Falls, Minnesota: 635 W Summit Ave, Fergus Falls, MN 56537

$425K for a 5 Bed 4 Bath home in Alton Illinois: 25 Logan Rd, Alton, IL 62002

$355,000 for a 3 Bed 2 Bath Mies van der Rohe-designed Townhouse in Detroit, Michigan: 1351 Nicolet Pl, Detroit, MI 48207

MORE GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

905 N Beverly Glen Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90077

11 Snowfield Ct, Midland, MI 48640

4305 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

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A Gem for Sale This Week: The Jules Salkin Residence, by John Lautner, FAIA, Architect | 1948 | Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 1111

Here on more than a third of an acre in the hills of Echo Park, with panoramic views down the canyon all the way to the ocean in Santa Monica, this early mid-century modern work by the architect incorporates elements learned during his six-year apprenticeship with Frank Lloyd Wright, in addition to the bold experimentation that would come to define his personal oeuvre. On one hand, Wright’s principles of the low-cost Usonian house are clearly visible: a small footprint, an emphasis on horizontality, a restricted palette of materials, the principles of compression and release, and the use of board-and-batten redwood siding. On the other hand, Lautner was playful in his expression of the overall form: seven pairs of triangular Douglas Fir timbers create a spine for the house, supporting an upside-down triangular truss roof with little need for structure at the perimeter, lifting the ceiling plane up toward the sky, and allowing glass walls and sliding doors to connect directly to the landscape. Commissioned speculatively by polymath (concert violist, contractor, developer, architect, and attorney) Jules Salkin, one of the four studio musicians that founded the Crestwood Hills architectural community in Brentwood, the home was lost to history through decades of ownership by the original family, including additions and remodels that made the home almost unidentifiable.

Fortunately, in 2014 the home was rediscovered by the current owner, who painstakingly researched the property’s pedigree, removing additions and reducing square footage, to restore the property to its original condition, in collaboration with architect Barbara Bestor. The result is a successful marriage of old and new, where original details have been preserved, alongside new finishes that have been introduced compatibly. Butt-glazed clerestory window conditions have been recreated, woodwork has been stripped, the fireplace and chimney details have been corrected, and the Cherokee red concrete floor retains its patina. Simultaneously, contemporary kitchen and bathroom finishes give the home new life, with black phenolic resin countertops, hand-made ceramic tile, new built-in appliances, and attention to detail throughout. Historic landmark status may allow for Mills Act application in the future, with the possibility of substantial property tax savings.
Source: MLS#: 25626481

View the listing here:
1430 Avon Ter, Los Angeles, CA 90026

MORE GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK

505 Orange Grove Cir, Pasadena, CA 91105

1256 Club House Dr, Pasadena, CA 91105

1345 Carnarvon Dr, Pasadena, CA 91103

1340 N Tigertail Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

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