An Artful Restoration Returns a Louisville Home to Its Midcentury Roots

After years of trying out life in the hustle and bustle of cities like London and Chicago, artist John Brooks and his husband, Erik Eaker, were looking to permanently settle into a quiet oasis in Louisville, Kentucky, close to John’s family.

Having lived in the Mies van der Rohe tower at 860 Lake Shore Drive, the couple had their hearts set on a midcentury-modern house. "We also wanted to stay close to the city and to Cherokee Park," John explains—two requirements that added challenge to their search.

Then, as they were consulting with designer Emily Paprocki of Rock Paper Hammer, they casually inquired about a midcentury ranch (one of few in the area) they had seen on her website. It had a living area and kitchen facing a deck overlooking the park, with more bedrooms and living space downstairs. It wasn’t on the market, but Paprocki, who had kept in touch with owners Kristopher and Tonya Abeln, said they might be willing to sell to the right buyer—that is, someone who would be a good steward of the house they had worked so hard to restore to its 1953 roots.