Two city dwellers find their dream home in the suburbs At one time, Robert and Tami Jamieson considered themselves urban dwellers, having spent most of their adult lives in New York City and Philadelphia. But the desire for a larger home?one they could remodel with their own point of view?pushed them out of the city and into suburbia.
?We could never find the right property. Most of the things we saw were already remodeled in a Home Depot style and we would have been paying for something just to rip it out and start over,? says Robert. ?That is when we started casting a wider net and considering moving outside of the city.?
They found themselves in Wayne, Pennsylvania, about 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia. There, they discovered homes by Robert McElroy, a modern architect whose work populates the area around the City of Brotherly Love.
Right: Robert and Tami Jamieson enjoy their home?s deck with son Axel. Left: Brawny beams run from the outside of the house into the interior. The round table is from Terrain, Tolix Marais A56 chairs are from DWR.

Hallmarks of McElroy?s work include soaring roof lines and ceiling planes, and large floor-to-ceiling windows that generally look out on a wooded site.
When the Jamiesons spotted these homes, they felt their city roots loosen. ?Not living in an urban area was a weird thought for us, but this house seemed like an escape,? Robert says. ?We were drawn to the McElroys because they are modern homes that al...