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Many cities and towns encouraged people to move to suburbs, creating planned communities and constructing highways to connect them to the city. Whether you’re looking for a starter home in Oakland, CA, or a forever house in Sacramento, CA, an Eichler home is worth considering. Here’s everything you need to know about these houses, from their history and unique features to their lasting design and social impacts. Developer Joseph Eichler, whose homes had already gained popularity up north in the San Francisco Bay Area, was among those who put their Mid-Century stamp on the architecture of Southern California.
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One such architect included one of Wright’s design proteges, Robert Ashen, who designed the initial Eichler home prototypes that were built in 1949. Back then, modern architecture meant elite custom homes and large corporate buildings. Hydronic radiant floor systems, flat or low-slung gabled roofs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and sunny atriums defined the ideal Eichler home.
What is Mid-Century Modern?
These often adhere to many of Eichlers principles while also providing for features and amenities desired by todays homeowners. Most of the homes designed by Eichler’s architects were suburban single-family homes in Walnut Creek, Concord, and San Rafael. But in 1950, San Franciscos Redevelopment Agency laid the groundwork for an ambitious urban renewal plan for a hilltop in the middle of the city that had only 158 homes and 374 people.
Diamond Heights Eichlers
Klopf Architecture's modest 72-square-foot addition at the front of the home blends in with the original structure while giving the owners a greater sense of openness in the master and hall bathrooms. Michael Hennessey Architecture paid homage to Eichler’s affinity for open spaces by reconfiguring this home’s living area on the upper floor and moving the kitchen to seamlessly connect the rooms. Once a tight, jumbled cube, the kitchen of this 1959 Eichler rehabbed by architect Mona Ying Reeves now stars a quartzite-covered island that separates it from the dining room. Other inviting touches include Fireclay glazed brick floor tile, custom lacquer-finished red cabinets, and a glass wall looking out on the backyard. Architecture historian and writer Alan Hess says after World War II, Eichler built some 11,000 single-family homes in California. My sense of my grandfather, and somewhat consistent with the stories that have been handed down, is that he would have resisted significant and wholesale updates (renovations) to any of "his" existing homes.
Where to Find Eichler Homes in California
Born in the Bronx to European Jewish parents, Eichler was raised in a politically liberal family and grew up in the culturally diverse community of New York City. Although his parents were of modest means, Eichler attended New York University and graduated with a business degree. A career on Wall Street prepared him for a leadership role in the tough business world. In his native state, Eichler managed to construct just three homes – all located in the village of Chestnut Ridge, New York.
Mackay Dr. in Palo Alto, CA
The private backyard has a breathtaking landscape and multiple gathering spaces connected by pathways. Step out to the backyard to bathe in a solar-heated pool and unwind in an opulent spa. Built over half a century ago, this Eichler house has been virtually untouched since it was built.
Usually featuring exposed wood, large windows, open floor plans, and an organic connection to the landscape, these houses standardized a new quality of living that was previously only available to the wealthy. Eichler’s choice to hire modern architects to design his developments set him apart from all the developers of the time. His houses defied the industry standards and assumptions about market demands. He democratized modern design and made it available and appealing to middle-class families. By the late 40s, Eichler wasted no time in starting to develop his real estate career as an influential home builder. He founded his construction company, Eichler Homes, and began working with well-known and respected architects to design what we now know as mid-century modern homes.
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I always felt that my grandfather had a presence that was greater than life itself. At family gatherings, the adult topics for my grandfather, father, and uncle, largely revolved around politics, and these could be very animated conversations among them. The war in Vietnam was brought up often enough, that for some reason one recollection that I seem to still hold in my memory is my grandfather telling me that I would not go to war. Our rare and immaculate Eichler home La Nanette is located in Granada Hills in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles.
Eventually, other firms would partner with Eichler’s company to develop similar homes, all of which were known as Eichlers.
Unfortunately, there was a disagreement between Eichler and Anshen on the fees due to the architect, and their relationship was strained. The living, dining, and kitchen areas flow together in one soaring space. Here, Serrao Design/Architecture placed new, polished concrete slabs over the original ones to alleviate unsightly cracks.
The original atrium has been converted and with the extended entryway, the room adds 470 square feet to the home. It was the Bazett House that inspired Eichler to become a real estate developer and to specialize in modern homes. Although Joseph Eichler was not an architect, he worked with famous designers and architects to build gorgeous and reasonably-priced homes that effectively linked the indoors and outdoors. Between 1949 and 1966, Eichler built over 11,000 homes throughout the Northern and Southern communities of California.
Although many of his homes have been renovated over the years, the clean lines, exposed beams and glass walls are just as trendy and relevant today as they were in the 1950s and 1960s. With 1,813 square feet of space, this Eichler home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a 6,324 square foot lot. Built in 1962, this home has been remodeled and is located in the prime Panama/Ortega Park location. Sale prices ranged from $34,950 to $46,500 in 1962 dollars – based on one of six floor plans, each with three or four bedrooms. A strong proponent of fair housing and deeply opposed to racial discrimination, the liberal Eichler was the first large-tract builder to sell to minorities, and even built a home on his own lot for an NAACP leader.
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