Finding Home: The Houses of Pursley Dixon

by Ken Pursley, Jacqueline Terrebonne, Suzanne Kasler (Foreword)

In their first book, acclaimed architects Ken Pursley and Craig Dixon explore how to create gracious homes with welcoming entryways, soulful interiors, inviting porches, and ebullient gardens.


Founded on the simple principle “Build beautiful things,” the architectural team of Pursley Dixon, like populist architects Bobby McAlpine and Jeff Dungan, is known for blending elements of tradition with a modern lifestyle. In Finding Home , they share 15 stunning houses in three distinct rustic mountain escapes, dreamy retreats by the water, and elegant houses in town. Each house has its own thoughtful visual narrative, but all are connected on an innate and authentic level by their sense of proportion, attention to detail, and a marvelous affinity with nature, displayed in their soothing neutral palettes, oversize windows that bring the outdoors in, and natural materials such as rough-hewn stone and unfinished wood. Little touches of humanity await discovery, such as a sleeping nook perched right out into the highest branches of a tree. These eccentricities and secrets add to the distinctly Southern sense of warmth and refuge these homes provide, homes whose open interiors and majestic porches easily accommodate family and gatherings.

Featuring their own interior design work as well as that of acclaimed decorators such as Suzanne Kasler, Phoebe Howard, and Circa Interiors, Finding Home is about creating houses of inherent beauty that will spark an emotional connection to last a lifetime.

Genres: Design

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 14, 2021

Reviews

[Carolyn Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous coffee table book of architecturally designed homes both rustic and refined. Each has a unique character and aesthetic that bridge the traditional and vernacular with Modernism for a contemporary lifestyle, a dialogue between the old and new. The houses are tied to their settings in an organic way, especially the ones located in the mountains, which are my favorite. The materials and details are exquisite as are the interiors and the connections with the surrounding landscape. While many of these houses could be considered grand, they are not ostentatious, but restrained. The text gives the thoughtful musings of the architect, elucidating how he approached the design to accommodate the desires of the owners and what elements he used to construct it. The book is divided into chapters by setting: in the mountains, by the water, in town, and then his own journey with remodeling while preserving a mid-century gem. Ken Pursley, the architect and author, lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and these homes have a “distinctly Southern sense of warmth and refuge” as the book blurb states. Being southern and a North Carolinian, I feel particularly drawn to his style. He even mentions the antics of Barney Fife in his acknowledgments, which we North Carolinians love. Even though these houses are beyond the means of most of us, they offer beautiful inspiration.

[Lindsay Mist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful architecture and design!!