A Wood-and-Glass Abode in Nashville Brings Warmth for a Pair of Empty Nesters

Every hike has its reward. But on this Nashville property, instead of a waterfall or valley vistas, you’ll find a stunning wood-and-glass modernist dream by architect Michael Goorevich at the end of your climb.
 
“We conceptually set the home up like a hike,” Goorevich explains of the four-bedroom, two-story home, built around a series of switchbacks that take you from the street curb to the driveway to the rear pool terrace and beyond. “This is a journey of climbing the hill.”

New Chapter

Goorevich had worked with the homeowners several times on renovations and additions for their previous home. Now, with their children grown, the couple was ready for a fresh start, and turned back to the architect for help in creating a home base for their new chapter as empty nesters.

The result is the Wood Screen House, a project that lives in the beautiful dichotomy between opacity and transparency, mixing wood screen walls with floor-to-ceiling windows and doors to create something truly special.

The Layout

At the center of it all is a roomy kitchen, designed with entertaining in mind. Dual islands welcome helping hands for dinner parties and family meals alike. “The whole family cooks together,” says Goorevich.

The rest of the home radiates out from this hub. Guest rooms and their adult children's rooms are located on the lower level, with the kitchen, living room and the primary bedroom located one story up. The entryway leads to the main staircase, which cuts through the center of the home to fill it with light, top to bottom. “Plus, the stairs are really fun to climb,” laughs Goorevich.

Wood and Glass

Wanting to expose as much glass as possible, general contractor Shawn Keen installed Kolbe VistaLuxe WD LINE windows throughout the house. The low-profile stiles and rails maximize the amount of glass shown. “The stark contrast of the stunning Kolbe windows against the Kebony^® slats warrants a sense of elegance that you don’t often see,” says Keen.

Kebony slats line both the interior and exterior, bringing a wooden warmth to the home, inside and out. It’s both a beautiful and practical choice. “We just put it up without a finish and leave it alone. It weathers and ages like a pair of jeans,” says Goorevich. Kebony is a naturally modified wood that performs extremely well in Nashville’s humid environment.

Playing with Light

It was no easy task ensuring consistent alignment between the windows and wood screens, but the team’s meticulous precision was rewarded. “The house showcases everyone’s hard work and dedication with stunning results,” says Keen.

The slats are an aesthetically pleasing way to accommodate elements such as air vents, speaker screens, privacy screens, guardrails, or AV equipment vents — but they also have the added benefit of bending and playing with light in a magical way. “They cast beautiful shadows that reveal the time of day and seasons of the year,” says Goorevich. “They seem to vibrate in light.”