Architect Steve Milner’s Lakewood Contemporary Has Midcentury Vibes

Architects are not just creators. They are thinkers and problem solvers who love challenges. When Steve Milner designed this Lakewood contemporary for himself, he met the challenges and created a truly unique home.

This Lakewood contemporary is set into the hillside in an intriguing little pocket known as Lakeshore Hills, about a block from White Rock Lake. When Milner found the property, he knew he wanted a contemporary home, but he also wanted it to keep within the context of the neighborhood.

Midcentury Modern Concepts Enhanced For Contemporary Use

“There is an interesting architectural intersection in the neighborhood,” Milner said. “On my street, there are a few Midcentury Modern homes, and I wanted to respect that, so I designed the house to be contemporary but leaning toward Midcentury Modern.”  

Milner was a principal at Perkins + Will and is now president of his own firm, Curo, Inc. He has spent part of his career working on large-scale commercial healthcare projects, so he was interested in utilizing some of the things he’d done in those commercial settings in his new home. 

“I liked combining some interesting materials you don’t generally see in homes,” Milner said. “I wanted to blend durability, aesthetics, and uniqueness to call attention to the house in a positive way. We have no HOA constraints on the use of exterior materials, so I had the chance to explore some products you don’t generally see in residential architecture. For instance the architectural metal siding is kind of a venture out from what you typically see in residential projects.”

Challenges Are Opportunities in This Lakewood Contemporary

One challenge of this project was the elevation. While slopes and small hills are charming, they immediately pose design challenges, and of course, architects embrace those and see them as opportunities.

“I needed to take advantage of the slope to maximize the space of the lot,” Milner said. “We tucked the garage and a storage area, which could also be a potential wine vault, under the first floor, which gave us more yard space.”

The other challenge was also an opportunity. Milner embraced a corner lot because it offered good views with old-growth pecan, crepe myrtle, and oak trees that created a complete wall of greenery.

“In a suburban city lot, sometimes you are confined, and your view is of what your neighbors built,” Milner said. “I was able to make sure the front and one side of the house are a total greenscape.”

Most architects’ design philosophy is to be thoughtful of the environment. They put great effort into bringing the outside in and the inside out, and you will see that beautifully executed in this 4,685-square-foot Lakewood Contemporary.  

The level of detail and thought architects put into their own homes is truly the gold standard. When you can find one on the market, don’t hesitate because they are few and far between.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate listing agent Laura Michelle has this Lakewood contemporary at 7103 Wildgrove Ave. available for $2.595 million.