About Modern Shaker Homes
Why the name Modern Shaker?
There are several former Shaker communities in close proximity to us in New England. As Elisa has spent time studying their life philosophy, community culture, and design aesthetic, the more she has appreciated the values that they embodied.​
​
The Shakers valued faith, community, simplicity, excellence, and natural materials and surroundings. And although "beauty" was not one of their values, it was inevitably the result. According to our definition, a Modern Shaker is someone in today's world who shares these values, who adopts the best of the past and takes pause before incorporating modern trends.​​
What makes a Modern Shaker Home different?
Apart from the obvious difference - ​that these house kits are sized for the amateur homebuilder to construct with minimal tools, and come with layman's instructions - these houses embody the Shaker principles of simplicity, durability, harmony, and utility. It is a difference you can feel in their solid wood walls and ceilings. It feels grounding. These simple-to-build kits create a house that is stronger, much longer-lasting, and amazingly, is also more affordable than your average house (and it is much more affordable if you choose to build it yourself). Our dream is to build beautiful villages with Modern Shaker homes that enhance the inhabitants' quality of life and create community throughout the United States.​
About Us
Mickey Kammeyer got his degree in Architecture and Urban Design from Stanford University in 2000. He brings over two decades of diverse construction experience to Modern Shaker Homes, delivering projects with a focus on timeless quality, simplicity, and tradition. Starting in architecture in 2001, Mickey quickly excelled in project management across retail construction, real estate consulting, and facilities management. He led the design and opening of hundreds of retail stores nationwide, managed large-scale installation programs for Fortune 500 firms, and oversaw high-end fitness club projects and maintenance. His career is marked by a commitment to getting projects done on-time, on-budget, and to the highest standards, whether building corporate headquarters or reimagining store designs. At Modern Shaker Homes, Mickey applies this expertise to craft timber-frame-style homes that are both perfect to live in and enduring enough to pass down through generations. His hands-on approach ensures every home reflects a legacy of care and craftsmanship for families and communities.
Elisa received her B.A. in Public Policy in 2000 and her J.D. in 2004, both from Stanford University. But it wasn't until she became a stay-at-home mom in 2005 that she rediscovered her passion for houses (the older, the better! Unless it's a Modern Shaker Home :). She has been a student of traditional and historic architecture for 20 years and has been designing and renovating houses for the past 10 years. Elisa is particularly inspired by Shaker design and the principles of simplicity, durability, harmony, and utility. She translates that inspiration into designing handsome and timeless homes with practical and comfortable interiors.
Mickey and Elisa met as freshman at Stanford in 1997 and secretly eloped their sophomore year. Between 2002 and 2022, they have had 6 children and have lived in Palo Alto, Dallas, and NYC, finally settling in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts in 2012. They greatly enjoy living in a rural cultural vacation destination while only being 2 hours' drive from NYC and Boston.
​
Connect with us to explore how we can turn your build vision into reality.
​
See photos of the house we built with college students here.
