The Nature of Home: Creating Timeless Houses

by Jeff Dungan, William Abranowicz (Photographs)

Light-filled houses built with an emphasis on natural materials by award-winning Southern architect Jeffrey Dungan.

Following in the tradition of populist architects Gil Schafer and Bobby McAlpine, Dungan designs new traditional houses for today—houses with clean lines, made with stone and wood, that carry an air of lasting beauty and that are made to be handed on to future generations. In his first book, Dungan shares his advice and insight for creating these “forever” houses and explores eight houses in full, from a beach house on the Gulf Coast to a farmhouse in the Southern countryside to a family home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. All speak of authenticity, timelessness, and lived history that reveals itself through the rich patinas and natural textures that come with age. Layered in between are thematic essays and imagery celebrating the importance of elements such as light, stone, and rooflines in creating a home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Lifestyle, Architecture

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 4, 2018

Reviews

[Sissy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not good. The cover features the best property which is not at all typical of their style. The page layout often tiles close-ups of several areas within a room without clear contextualizing shots of the room as a whole. All of the text was the designer talking about themselves. I wanted to hear about materials, process or anecdotes but that was only skimmed over.

[Carolyn Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a feeling of architectural timelessness in housing design and the use of honest, natural materials that meld perfectly with their site like I do, then this book is for you. The images are absolutely drool worthy, and the photography which often plays up the geometry and light and shadow is gorgeous. The architect author points out that authenticity is the new luxury, which I think is definitely true in this age of faux look-alikes and ubiquitous vinyl siding. The authentic materials he loves - stone, wood, plaster, and copper (and by the looks of it, iron and steel) - imbue a timeless quality. Yet, of course, luxury is by definition expensive and beyond what most people looking at available housing stock or looking to build can afford. This architecture is aspirational and only for the very wealthy. However, the rest of us can be inspired by it, as great architecture will do. In this book there are houses by the water and houses in the mountains, a farmhouse on a 3,000 acre weekend retreat, and his own house in the town of Birmingham, Alabama. These structures are not elaborate in the sense of a lot of ornamentation and classical trimmings, though they may show a certain whimsy and flare and incredible details, such as chamfered edges, recessed arches, a repeated quatrefoil pattern, and ogee curves. The forms and massing can look simple, but in an elegant, elevated way, like you might find in a European town or a cluster of ancient farm buildings. But the details and materials, the size and placement of windows and the conversation with the landscape and setting combine to make these extraordinary. The look and appeal is timeless, classic, impressive, but not ostentatious,and not subject to trends and fashions. These are inheritable houses, a legacy for generations. The interiors are elegant and sophisticated while not being overdone, in fact, mostly they are on the spare side. Much of the drama comes from the architecture itself, including unexpected curves and playful geometry and the play of light across surfaces. The architect says he designs to fulfill the desires of the client, and for their comfort and relaxed enjoyment of the property. I only wondered at the paucity of light fixtures in some of the interiors. For instance, a bath vanity with no lights above or beside the mirror and no perceptible lighting in the ceiling. A similar lack in kitchens where the only observable lights in one are candlesticks, a table lamp in another, or one central chandelier in another. There is lots of natural light from windows, but I wonder about these spaces after dark or putting on makeup or cooking. I see expanses of kitchen countertops but no electrical outlets. In fact, I didn't notice any outlets at all and only two light switches in the whole book, and the table lamps don't have cords. Have they been photoshopped out? Oh, those pesky authentic details of modern living that ruin a timeless room! Still, it's a beautiful book to dream over.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dungan's design musings and photography capture well the spirit and philosophy of his approach, one of comfort, authenticity, and real materials in a world of faux everything. Expectations, in response to critiques from other reviews: It does not present a how-to guide to select, match, or install stone. It does inspire on the beauty, variety, and power of using stone in design.

[Peter West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quality book reviewing Jeffrey Dungan's architectural practice. He is one of the foremost architects a part -- what I consider -- a contemporary southern architect collective with the likes of McAlpine, Dixon, Imber, and more. If you like a mix of rustic and contemporary country architecture, this book is for you!

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The photos were some of the best I've seen in a shelter book -- just amazing angles and lighting. However, I found all the spaces to be sterile and colorless, not cozy and welcoming, which is what I look for in interiors. While not my style, there were some very lovely architectural details well thought out in these homes.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my coffee table book and I got bored today and read it lol. Pretty pictures and now I want to redecorate.

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness (　＾▽＾)