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Get this midcentury modern ranch designed by architects Keck & Keck for $650K

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The five-bedroom home stands of a wooded lot in suburban Glencoe

A single-level ranch home with a flat roofline surrounded by trees.
The suburban residence is one of the architects’ trademark “passive solar” designs.
Photos courtesy Deborah Bartelstein, Coldwell Banker Residential

Fans of midcentury modern design will find plenty to like about this well-preserved ranch designed by notable architect brothers William and George Fred Keck in suburban Glencoe. Constructed in 1954, the five-bedroom residence is an example of the architects’ passive solar homes, which pioneered the use insulated floor-to-ceiling Thermopane glass to maximize the sun’s warmth in the winter.

The property later received an addition that was also overseen by one of the Keck brothers and is “about 85 percent original,” Coldwell Banker listing agent Deborah Bartelstein tells Curbed Chicago. Standout features include an open living room with a brick hearth, skylit tongue-and-groove wood ceilings, and a charmingly retro kitchen with terrazzo countertops and seafoam green tilework. Sliding glass doors lead to a private patio overlooking the home’s wooded surroundings.

The midcentury ranch—which has had only two owners since it was built—recently hit the market for $650,000, reduced from its previous 2018 asking price of $699,000. “It’s a great old house,” says Bartelstein. “I’m shocked that it hasn’t been grabbed yet. To get into this area with five bedrooms and four full bathrooms at this price is pretty special.”

Despite its architectural pedigree and the surging popularity of midcentury homes, there’s also no guarantee that a potential buyer won’t choose to demolish the historic ranch house. In January, the new owners of a similar property tore down a 1953 Keck design for redevelopment, Crain’s reported. Hopefully this example will find a preservation-minded buyer and stick around for another 66 years.

A foyer and living room with a wood ceiling and a brick-lined fireplace.
The home’s entry foyer leads to an open living area.
A sitting area next to a hearth with an area rug and wood bookshelves.
There’s a brick fireplace and handsome wood ceilings.
A circular table with four chairs in a kitchen with wood cabinets and a green tile backspalsh.
The eat-in kitchen has retro cabinets and green tile walls.
A bedroom with a wood ceilings and panels on the wall. There’s a king sized bed with a wood headboard, a white blanket, and pillows.
The bedrooms have sliding wood closet doors and matching built-in drawers.