Honouring Joseph Eichler: A Thoughtful Revival in San Rafael

How a classic Eichler home was respectfully reimagined

Joseph Eichler reshaped the American suburb. Not as an architect, but as a visionary developer who brought high design to the mass market. Between 1949 and 1966, Eichler Homes constructed over 11,000 modernist tract houses across California. Eichler didn’t draft them himself.

Instead, he commissioned architects including Robert Anshen & Allen, A. Quincy Jones, Raphael Soriano, Claude Oakland & Associates, and Jones & Emmons to craft signature designs that balanced modern form, function, and accessibility.

Today, we present the renovation of one of those Eichler homes, undertaken by people who truly love and respect Joseph Eichler’s work: Marshall Interiors. Read on to discover how Karina Marshall and her dedicated team reimagined an Eichler in San Rafael, California, step by step. Enjoy!

(Marco Guagliardo - Mid-Century Home’s Editor in Chief)

Eichler’s story began after living in the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Bazett house in Hillsborough, California. That encounter convinced him that moderate‑income Americans deserved beauty and innovation too.

He launched Eichler Homes, Inc. in 1949 with a clear mission: produce quality, architect‑designed homes at attainable prices. His progressive social ideals were equally noteworthy. Eichler implemented a non‑discrimination policy.

In 1958, he resigned from the National Association of Home Builders after they resisted integrated housing. His developments proved that diversity could work economically—Silicon-area case studies highlighted this fact.