Our spring days are warming up in North Texas, the perfect time to dream of lazy days lounging in the sunshine.
Today’s Tuesday Two Hundred is a gem in Northwest Dallas, a retro updated ranch at 3251 Royal Ln., just east of Webb Chapel Lane in the Webster Grove neighborhood. With its carefully curated midcentury look and bright blue swimming pool in back, it’s got the feel of a Palm Springs oasis. The house is newly listed by Brandon Stewart at David Griffin & Company for $272,900.
Built in 1959, this Dallas midcentury draws inspiration from the contemporary developments built by Joseph Eichler in California in the 1950s. At 2,249 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, it’s a reasonable space that feels imminently livable and totally welcoming. The open floorplan, neutral colors, contemporary furniture, and fabulous light make it a calming space, as well.
This house has a clean, linear composition, with a low-sloping gabled roof, and long planes of brick veneer with horizontal windows and decorative cement dividers, a simple element that gives the exterior visual interest. In keeping with the “Eichler look,” the front of this house simple and geometric, which makes it feel authentically retro.
The current owner is a metalworker and built the Corten metal box at the front of the house, in which he has planted Mexican heather grass. There is a similar one in the backyard.
In the entryway, obscure glass panels with a vertical pattern provide a measure of privacy, while allowing the space to stay bright. The entire house has an intrinsically transparent feel, with natural light entering the space from one end to the other.
The dining room will stop you in your tracks. It is separated from the entryway with a decorative concrete divider and has a large wood-burning fireplace with floor-to-ceiling brick surround, contemporary pendant light fixture, vaulted ceilings with beams, and hardwood floors. The retro lettering on the fireplace brick is a nice touch.
The hardwoods extend into the living area, which measures 18-by-20 and has large windows on two walls. The windows are a classic midcentury element, which encourages integration with nature by offering multiple outdoor views and encouraging an appreciation of healthy living.
Throughout the house are retro updates that stay with the spirit of the era in which it was built. The kitchen has a simplicity and beauty of design I find so appealing. There are Carrera marble counters and backsplash, a globe pendant light, a brick wall that is actually the back of the fireplace, and stainless steel appliances that feel right at home with the overall look.
The breakfast area, between the kitchen and dining room, is currently set up as a bar area, and why not? The sliding glass door to the gorgeous backyard and swimming pool is right there, and what better place to grab a drink before heading outside?
A second living area measures 18-by-20 and wow, look at how the light shines off the hardwoods. Lovely. The steps you see above are coming from the kitchen area and this room also looks out onto the backyard.
The master bedroom is a bit on the small side at 11-by-15, but the large window, minimalist look, and gorgeous floors make it feel bright and open.
The ensuite master bath is updated, but maintains an authentic feel with the cabinet divider between the tiled vanity and toilet. Note the wallpaper—in both this bathroom and the second one, the owner put up vintage-looking wallpaper that echoes the era. What attention to detail.
The second and third bedrooms measure 10-by-11 and 11-by-11 and share an updated bathroom with a marvelous contemporary vanity.
The backyard promises great entertaining and fun free time with its pool and lounge area. There’s an in-ground sprinkler system in the back and front yards, and the open patio is inviting.
Did I mention that this house is pier-and-beam construction, a real bonus with our ever-shifting Dallas soil? Yet another reason to love what the Dallas midcentury has to offer.
Tell us your thoughts about today’s Tuesday Two Hundred in the comments!
