Hugh Newell Jacobson, or, House Stalking in Nashville

 

Photo courtesy of Hugh Newell Jacobson 

Back in May of 2009, blogging friend, Laura Casey, did a post on red doors. Her photos were all lovely, but this one in particular caught my eye. It is a house designed by architect, Hugh Newell Jacobson.

Jacobson's designs are a wonderful combination of symmetry and gabled roofs of early American design, along with the simplicity, clean lines and open floor plans of modern architecture.

Laura mentioned that the house is in Nashville and I asked if it might be one I could drive by someday. (You know how we house stalkers are!)

So, this morning, my last in Nashville for a while, I got to thinking about that house again and quickly shot Laura an email, hoping she might be able to tell me exactly where the house is.

Sweet Laura got right back to me within a couple of hours and off I went! She was not able to give me the exact address, but a street intersection was all I needed.

My photo!

I do not think I would be a very good stalker - I mean,  a real one. I am too chicken.

I drove by three times before I even got up the nerve to pull over, roll down my window and take a picture. Finally, I did it!! 

The street is a long, winding road through an old neighborhood of beautiful houses set back on huge lots. There are no sidewalks or curbs, so there is not really any place to pull a car over.

After cruising the neighborhood for a while, I saw the house and did a double take. It sits at the end of this long, straight driveway, which runs right off the street. It is interesting seeing it against the cloudy sky and the snow covered lawn. It doesn't quite pop like it does in the first photo, but still......it is stunning. I would imagine in the spring and summer the trees hide the house from the road.

So, once I found the house,  I had to circle around the blocks several times, hoping that I might be able to drive by without anyone behind me. No luck. Each time I had a car right on my bumper, probably wondering who the old lady was poking down the street.

So, on about the third time around, I just pulled over as far as I could to the right, rolled down my window and shot a picture! I was so proud of myself, but also felt a little like, as my girls say, a "creeper".

What can I say? For me it was like seeing an original painting by a favorite, famous artist. The real thing is such a thrill compared to seeing pictures in books. 

Now, if I could just get inside that house..................