Impeccably restored midcentury home by George Matsumoto wants $595K

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Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Price: $595,000

As beautiful as they come is this 1954 gem in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, designed by famed Japanese-American architect George Matsumoto and built by Frank Walser, an independent contractor known for executing many modernist homes in and around Raleigh.

The 2,656-square-foot residence was originally designed for Milton Julian and his family. Milton was a noted clothier, who, along with his brother Maurice, and then later on his own, came to define the “Ivy League look” throughout the region with his shop Milton’s Clothing Cupboard. (Maurice was the father of fashion designed Alexander Julian, a childhood friend of James Taylor—whose home Matsumoto also designed.)

Appearing to float above its slightly sloping site, the minimalist cuboid house was painstakingly restored and updated by its current owners, who aimed to preserve the integrity of the original design. The renovation included work on the cedar and hardiplank siding exterior, windows, screens, porches, patios, and stairs, as well as updates to the kitchen, cork floors, and bathrooms, among others.

The result is an elegant home characterized by hardwood floors, wood-paneled walls, glass expanses, and a flowing floorplan that promotes the enjoyment of the 1.44-acre site from all vantage points.

On the main floor, three bedrooms and two baths occupy three corners, while a family room and study open onto a screened porch on one side, and a formal dining room with galley kitchen opens onto a shallow deck. Shoji screens and built-in storage are found throughout the space. The basement holds a separate one-bedroom apartment with full bath, den, and small kitchen.

Located at 101 Ledge Lane just two blocks from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the home is offered at $595,000. Take a look.

Courtesy of Local Market Realty (h/t Estately)