House of the Day: Richard Neutra’s Inside-Out Coveney House in Gulph Mills
In a new documentary (trailer below) about a humble government employee, Richard Oyler, who persuaded legendary modernist architect Richard Neutra to design a home for him in 1959, Oyler is asked why he wanted a Neutra house. Oyler responds, “I could be in the living room or wherever and I’m outdoors too. You have the full spectrum. That’s a wonderful thing.”
The Oyler House is indeed wonderful, and while the Coveney House in Gulph Mills can’t claim a spectacular desert setting, it does integrate the indoors and the outdoors in a similar way. It has a large glass wall in the living room that integrates the five-bedroom, one-story interior with the 2 acres of tall trees outside.
Built in 1963, the home is made partly from Bryn Athyn stone inside and out. Along with that large glass wall in the living room, each room has a view of the sky and the woods, and there are three skylights. There’s a wooden deck for sitting outside as well. The home has been owned and superbly maintained by the Coveney family for 52 years. There are only three Neutra homes on the market right now, and this one is a steal at less than $1 million.
THE FINE PRINT
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 3
Square feet: 3,217
Price: $995,000
Listing: 301 HUGHES Rd., GULPH MILLS, PA 19406 [Kurfiss Sotheby’s]
