Midcentury living isn’t for everyone, but when Amy and Craig Clark saw a 1956 gem hit the market in the Nashville suburb of Belle Meade, they knew it would work for them. The 4,573-square-foot, single-story house stands out with its mostly flat roofline topped by a curious “hat”—a shingled mansard punched up over the clerestory-windowed entry and central living space.

Previously owned by the same family that commissioned it, the home had much of its original detailing intact—butternut wood paneling, exposed brick walls, and travertine flooring—but it was in crucial need of new plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems; replacements for the single-pane glass windows; and an interior layout that would bring in views of its landscaped one-acre lot.

“As we were looking through the house, I fell in love with it; I felt I could just have moved right in,” says Amy of their first viewing in 2017. At the time, the Clarks lived with their two young boys and dogs in a new build in Nashville, but they were looking for room to expand. “There were a few quirky things—like the walled-in kitchen and the primary bedroom with a separated closet and bathroom—that needed rearrangement,” she says. “But the bones of the house and its integrity were so cool.”

A psychologist and artist, Amy sought an inspiring space to paint and sculpt, and the family wanted to be able to gather inside on cozy nights, or outside by the pool on sunny afternoons. The couple called their longtime builder, Giachery Lizarraga of Hybrid Phoenix, and they contacted local architect Michael Goorevich to reimagine the home’s layout, update its systems, and add 21st-century amenities.

When he began the two-year renovation in 2018, Goorvich’s first area of address was the mansard roof, which had rotted beyond repair. Stripping it down to its studs, he reclad it and replaced its metal soffits with Kebony wood, creating a floating effect and drenching the interior in welcome sunlight. The same wood trims the new, energy-efficient windows, which are set in the home’s original openings with larger panes for fewer visual disruptions.

The effect is particularly handsome in the living room, home to the family piano and surrounded by views of the garden. The family opted for a projector with a retractable screen instead of a television, and they replaced the original hearth with a new, two-sided EcoSmart fireplace that extends the room’s pavilion-like feel.

“My approach toward renovations is to think: What’s the best version of this house?” explains Goorvich. “I feel like part of the job of an architect working on these midcentury homes is to be a steward to what came before, and bring it into the future.” Thus, the interior and exterior brick walls remain, as does the butternut paneling in the kitchen and office.

The bathrooms and kitchen needed complete contemporary upgrades, although their new white oak cabinetry has midcentury-inspired detailing and hardware. The furnishings are also period appropriate: An upholstered sectional and an Eames lounge chair and ottoman surround a Noguchi coffee table; Eames molded plastic side chairs belly up to a Saarinen tulip table; and an industrial wood bench provides an area for Craig, an audiophile, to browse his record collection.

As in many ranch-style homes, a central interior “spine” provides access to every room. The bedrooms are organized together at one end, while the other is dedicated to common areas and a guest suite. Amy loved the original, zoned layout of the four-bedroom home, but the living room, dining room, and kitchen felt too closed-off behind a series of doors. Striking a balance between cozy and spacious, Goorvich removed them to create a better flow. Meanwhile, he enclosed the carport and its breezeway to create a garage and mudroom, and turned a former poolside sunroom into Amy’s studio.

As with any old home, age starts to show when you open the walls. Poor maintenance by the prior owner meant that all the drywall, insulation, systems, roofing, rain gutters, and lighting fixtures had to be replaced. The team had to remove the square-tile travertine floors entirely to replace the sewer pipes below, much to Amy’s chagrin. Lizarraga and Goorvich worked closely with the Clarks to determine how much of the original house could realistically be preserved.

Thanks to this careful collaboration, the Clarks’ home will maintain its vintage feel well into the future. “The house is exactly what I wanted: a beautiful piece of art that is warm and inviting,” says Amy. In the midcentury spirit, Goorvich set the entry apart from the living room with a new white oak shelving unit, and one side serves as a backdrop to a colorful painting that greets visitors as they walk through the refurbished double front doors. Amy requested that they be painted red, like a Saarinen womb chair.

Related Reading:

Before & After: A Nashville Midcentury Now Gleams With Natural Light

A Self-Taught Designer Builds a Midcentury-Inspired Home on a Budget

Project Credits:

Architect: Michael Goorvich Architect / @michaelgoorevicharchitects

Builder: Giachery Lizarraga, Hybrid Phoenix

Structural Engineer: Tony Locke

Interior Design: Michael Goorvich and Amy Clark

Lighting Design: Susan Trim, Hermitage Design Center

Cabinetry Design: Roger Gramm, Just Plane Wood

Appears In

A Tennessee Midcentury Topped With a Curious Hat Gets a Reverent Renovation