Why We Can't Stop Dreaming Of This Tennessee Home

Rip & Tan: How do you define your design ethos? 

Jeffrey Dungan: There are a lot of ideas and details to it, but in short and simply stated I would say–Making real places for real people with real materials.

Rip & Tan: What elements of your process are most fulfilling or thrilling to you?

Jeffrey Dungan: I enjoy people and the land, fitting a lifestyle onto a piece of the earth in its unique way honoring the terrain, the views, and the path of the sun over it. That’s pretty exciting to me.

Rip & Tan: How do you find balance between unique client needs and your own vision?

Jeffrey Dungan: My vision is the blending and the bending of the desired life a client wants to live onto a given location so there is no difference between the two. I am creative enough to make my vision fit the site and the life the client wants to live. The important thing is to find people to work with and who already want what you do, once you achieve that, the rest flows fairly naturally.

Rip & Tan: How would you describe the essence of this project? 

Jeffrey Dungan: A Cotswolds cottage meets the Tennessee River.

Rip & Tan: What inspired or informed decision-making throughout the course of design and implementation?

Jeffrey Dungan: The vibe is always the decision-maker. Once you understand and embrace the vibe the decisions come easier because they are based on whatever gets you closer to the desired outcome.

Rip & Tan: Are there any specific rooms or features you’re most fond of? 

Jeffrey Dungan: I like how welcoming the living room feels, especially the way it frames the river and looks out over the pool and terrace. I love the wood ceilings and layout of the kitchen.

I especially love how the house sinks into the hillside and becomes part of the land rather than sitting on top of it. I especially appreciate the collaboration with the landscape design and planting of over 100 trees that make it feel as if it has always been here.

Rip & Tan: What’s something signature to a Jeffrey Dungan home? Where or how do we see that in this space? 

Jeffrey Dungan: I think they are all different, but others say they can always spot one, so maybe they know what the signature is. To me, the only constant thing is the desire to be honest and a real translation of a desired life on a specific piece of dirt.

Rip & Tan: How does this space merge classic with contemporary? 

Jeffrey Dungan: The architecture is an impression or a derivation of English designs from centuries ago, so in ways it is Modern English, not the Queens. I enjoy the mixing of certain things from modern architecture into older classic motifs which we did in this project.

Rip & Tan: Interiors or otherwise, what’s inspiring you lately? 

Jeffrey Dungan: I am inspired by mid-century design and older designs from Mediterranean areas like Italy and Spain. Words always inspire me–written or spoken ideas. I listen to podcasts and audio books and the sacred text. Travelling always inspires and details like stonework and metalwork. Lastly, I am drawn to decorative lights, curved forms and large wood works.