The excitement level increases exponentially among the Daltxrealestate.com staff when we spot a new Ju-Nel home listing.
These swoon-worthy, ultra-cool homes often go under contract the moment word gets out. This one was listed four days ago, so if you long for a great Midcentury Modern, don’t wait!
Ju-Nel homes are unbelievably popular because they don’t just look cool. They are cool. There are only about 50 Ju-Nel homes in Dallas. No two are alike, and you’ll find them dotting Casa Linda, Lake Highlands, Lake Park Estates, and Eastwood Estates.
The Ju-Nel firm was launched by Lyle Rowley and Jack Wilson in 1958 and named for their wives June and Nelda. Their design intention was to break the ranch house mold and bring families together with open floorplans.
These gentlemen were green before green was cool, building around trees and using recycled materials. They actually sought out heavily treed and irregular lots most builders would run from.
The homes immediately drew the Dallas creative crowd. Christine Penote Rogers bought a Ju-Nel house about 20 years ago, did an enormous amount of research, and put together the first tour of these homes to benefit Hexter Elementary School in 2006. One of the most exciting things she found out was which movers and shakers of Dallas had lived in these Midcentury Modern homes.
Some of Dallas’s brightest creative stars, including Stan Richards (owner of The Richards Group), Kim Dawson (owner of Kim Dawson Modeling Agency), and Walter Hendl (Dallas Symphony Orchestra conductor in the late 1940s), were early Ju-Nel homeowners.
So you see, all the cool kids lived in a Ju-Nel!
Their popularity has never waned, and the Ju-Nel design aesthetic has been instrumental in inspiring ensuing generations of architects and builders. So, it’s not surprising to find this one is owned by Miles and Sarah Durham of Durham Builders. In fact, this is their second Ju-Nel home.
“This was designed as their personal residence,” Local Resident Realty listing agent Jason Thomas said. “Miles loved that it was completely original and realized he could create additional living space out of the front carport.”
The Durhams are family-oriented and wanted a home that created a connection. When they redesigned the interiors, they kept that open-plan concept to facilitate family togetherness.
They also designed the rooms with plenty of built-in features to minimize furniture needs and keep the design lines clean.
At 2,990 square feet with five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and an enormous yard this 1961 Ju-Nel at 9327 Forestridge Drive is a one-of-a kind Midcentury Modern masterpiece. Thomas has this White Rock Valley Ju-Nel listed for $1.049 million.
