David Smith - Modern Real Estate

10/30/2026

A little to my childhood in Lexington, Kentucky! That’s me on my bike in front of the house where I grew up.

Judging by the photo, I’d probably spent most of the day riding around the neighborhood and getting into who knows what!

Funny how an old photograph can bring back so many memories of a time when life seemed a whole lot simpler.

10/29/2026

MCM OPPORTUNITY | CINCINNATI EAST SIDE | UNDER $625,000

Anyone looking for a mid-century modern home in one of Cincinnati’s most coveted Eastside neighborhoods?

I just had the opportunity to tour this off-market property, and I wanted to share it with my followers before it becomes more widely known. Opportunities to purchase mid-century modern homes in established, highly desirable Eastside neighborhoods don’t come along every day, especially at this price point.

The property offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, approximately 2,000 finished square feet, and a half-acre lot.

The existing home needs some updating, and there’s an unfinished addition awaiting completion. For a buyer who appreciates mid-century architecture and sees the potential, this could be an interesting opportunity to make a distinctive home their own.

Interested in more information or a private showing? Send me a DM or contact me directly. I’m happy to share the details!

PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT my listing, but I’d love to help a buyer make it their next home.

Architecture matters. Strategy wins.




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10/27/2026

🏡 | CANTILEVER

One of the things I love most about mid-century modern architecture is how thoughtful design can make something structurally complex look so effortless.

The cantilever is a perfect example.

And it’s hard to think of a more iconic example than Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, where dramatic concrete terraces extend out over a waterfall, seemingly floating above the landscape.

Simply put, a cantilever is a structural element that’s supported at one end while extending outward without visible support beneath the projecting end.

It’s a design feature you’ll often see in mid-century modern and contemporary homes, from dramatic rooflines and deep overhangs to balconies and upper-level living spaces.

Beyond their visual impact, cantilevers can create sheltered outdoor spaces, frame beautiful views, and strengthen the connection between a home and its surroundings.

It’s details like these that make modern architecture so interesting to me. And Cincinnati has some wonderful examples if you know where to look!

Have you noticed a cantilever on a home around Cincinnati? Or do you have a favorite example of one? I’d love to hear about it!

Follow me for more insights into modern architecture, mid-century design, and Cincinnati’s most distinctive homes.

Architecture Matters. Strategy Wins.

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10/26/2026

| Would you walk outdoors to get from your living room to your bedroom in the middle of a Connecticut winter?

Architect Eliot Noyes apparently had no problem with the idea!

Completed in 1955, Noyes House II in New Canaan, Connecticut, is an exceptional example of mid-century modern architecture.

Designed as his family residence, the house features two glass-walled pavilions separated by an open-air courtyard. Native fieldstone, expansive glass and a beautifully restrained design connect the architecture to its wooded setting.

Noyes was a member of the influential Harvard Five, who helped establish New Canaan as a center of American modernism.

Remarkably, the house remains in the Noyes family and is protected by a permanent preservation easement.

I love the architecture, but that outdoor walk in January? I’m not so sure!

Would you embrace the design?

📸 Photo credits:

1. Michael Biondo, via Wallpaper*
2. Eliot Noyes Center, photographer unconfirmed
3. Michael Biondo, via ArchEyes
4. Wallpaper*, photographer unconfirmed




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10/24/2026

10/23/2026

🔥

With cooler weather settling into Cincinnati, it seems like the perfect time to revisit some extraordinary fireplaces in Greater Cincinnati’s mid-century modern and architect-designed homes.

From sculptural brickwork and dramatic stone installations to fireplaces that serve as architectural focal points, these examples demonstrate how thoughtfully architects integrated the hearth into modern residential design.

Some of Cincinnati’s most notable architects are represented here, along with a little-known design by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Ten fireplaces. Ten remarkable examples of Cincinnati modernism.

1. Dombar House and Studio (1968) | Benjamin Dombar, architect. Owned by director Beth Johnson.
2. Hawkins House (1983) | David Niland, architect.
3. Private Residence (1953) | Abrom Dunbar, architect.
4. Garber House (1965–1966) | Woodie Garber, architect. Period photograph featuring sculptures by Harry Bertoia.
5. Weston House (1985) | Carl Strauss and Ray Roush, architects. Pre-restoration photograph.
6. Boswell House (1957–1961) | Frank Lloyd Wright, architect.
7. Private Residence (1967) | G. Thomas Taylor, architect.
8. Doppler House (1962) | James Hall Jones, architect.
9. Private Residence (1959) | Hans Neutzel, architect.
10. Private Residence (1960) | Rudy Hermes, architect.

As someone who has spent years studying and working with mid-century modern architecture in Cincinnati, I particularly appreciate fireplaces that are integral to the architectural composition of a room.

Which of these ten fireplaces is your favorite? I’m having a difficult time choosing just one.

Save this post for some mid-century modern design inspiration, and share it with someone who appreciates


cincinnatimodern

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10/22/2026

Some real estate agents see a house. I see the architecture. 😎🥂

And to those agents who don’t quite understand the appeal of mid-century modern homes, original details, or architect-designed houses, please keep doing what you’re doing. I’m happy to work with the buyers and sellers who appreciate them. 😉

After all, understanding architecture can make a significant difference in how a distinctive property is marketed, valued, and sold.

Architecture matters. Strategy wins.




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10/19/2026

One of the most influential chapters in American modern architecture began in 1945 when John Entenza, editor of Arts & Architecture magazine, launched the Case Study House Program.

Today’s featured house is the 1962 Case Study House #25, designed by Killingsworth, Brady & Smith for Edward Frank on a narrow canal-front lot in Naples, Long Beach, California.

The house is particularly interesting for its dramatic 17-foot-tall entrance door, soaring two-story courtyard and thoughtful integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. It’s a wonderful example of how great modern architecture can make the most of a challenging site.

Edward Frank was also an important figure in the world of modern design. His firm, Frank Brothers, was one of Southern California’s leading retailers of modern furnishings and reportedly furnished nearly half of the Case Study Houses.

More than 60 years later, CSH #25 remains a remarkable example of California modernism and the enduring appeal of thoughtful architectural design.




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