The Ashley Kendrick group recently brought this one-of-a-kind Mid-Mod to market. Take a rare look inside this nearly 50 y.o. contemporary marvel!
This one-owner Mid-Century Modern masterpiece was designed in 1975 by Design Build Architects (today known as Gould Evans). The home’s gorgeous combination of beautifully-stained wood, textured, cast concrete, and its massive two-story curtain of glass (that frames the back of the house and brings the wooded forest into the massive entertainment room) is truly spectacular. Only a short distance from downtown Merriam, the show-stopping home appears somewhat modest from the curb, and its most dazzling features are shielded from the rear thanks to the natural privacy provided by the heavily treed lot.
It was love at first sight when Ashley Kendrick first visited this one-of-a-kind ultra-mid-modern home to discuss representing it as a listing. And, as a lover of mid-mod, there was more than a minor temptation to purchase the home herself. Built on the tail end of the mid-modern era, this contemporary classic was a meticulously maintained time machine from a bygone era. Even without furniture, it seemed as though a grooving cocktail party could break out in the two-story tall entertainment/living room at any moment.
From the street-side, the scale of the home is a little deceptive as it is built into a steep slope. The exterior of the house is a combination of thin, stained, wood siding and split-face concrete blocks. Skylights are also visible to the right of the front door, windows that allow light into the home’s large library. Beyond the front door the scale of the house increases dramatically as one now looks down upon a two-story atrium – accessed by a spiral staircase – and left and right walkways that lead to separate bedroom wings.
The outside wood and split concrete block finish continues inside the home in the form of accent walls – and as the finish on a look-through fireplace that visually connects the living room and library areas. The contemporary pairing of concrete and warm wood inside the home contrast beautifully with the dramatic curtain of glass that forms the rear wall of the open living, dining, and kitchen space. The soaring living room includes a massive chandelier and equally large modern art paintings on opposite-facing walls of the grand gathering space.
For the finishes in the open kitchen – which is elevated slightly higher than the living room, perhaps to provide the party hosts an envious view of the adjacent entertainment area – the designers chose an oiled walnut for the flooring and custom cabinetry. Built-in cabinets, additional shelving, and a cozy pocket desk further emphasize the mid-century modern theme – and combine design with functionality. The raised kitchen flows into the adjacent dining space which itself flows into the grand and massive living room/party space.
The most striking room of the home (the main living area excepted), is undoubtedly the library. Most every wall of the room features floor-to-ceiling custom-built shelves – in total certainly enough room for 1,000’s of titles. Because of the room height, there is a convenient reinforced steel and wood rolling ladder to reach volumes on upper shelves. Natural light pours into the library from angled skylights that run the length of the room – and of course, there is the contemporary split-concrete block fireplace featuring a pass-through view to the main living area.
