2021 Parade homes

This house was originally advertised in 1965 as a “Mexican Traditional” built just like “an old Spanish mission.”  Designed and constructed by George M. Graves, the house originally had a wood-shingle roof.  It had a low wall partially enclosing the entry courtyard, and the home was entered through a round archway with double wooden doors.  These doors were copied from “doors on a fine home in Morales, Mexico.” The interior featured terra cotta tiles floors and 12-foot high ceilings with rough-hewn beams.

The house has been beautifully renovated and modernized, but the original form, style, and many unique interior details remain intact.  It was designed as a modern 1960s home that carefully employs the historic architecture of the Spanish colonial styles: Mission, Spanish Revival, and Pueblo Revival.  The most prominent feature of this hipped-roof home is the large entrance courtyard.  The doorway and the windows flanking the entrance have round arches, which are characteristic of the Spanish Revival and Mission styles.  Projecting wooden roof beams, or vigas, are located directly above the entrance.  Vigas are often found in Pueblo Revival buildings.  Another element of the Pueblo Revival are heavy, wood lintels, which are found on this house inset above the windows on the sides facing the courtyard.  Rounded, exposed rafter ends, frequently found on Mission homes, are located along the eaves of the house. 

Interestingly, there is no front porch, and no windows are directly adjacent to the street.  This is reflective of a popular aesthetic frequently found in post-World War II homes: emphasis for socializing was placed on the rear of the house, which was designed with large, private, fenced backyards and concrete patios, which were ideal for cookouts and parties.

Inside the house, the bathrooms and kitchen have been thoroughly modernized, but original doors and wood trim remain.  The entrance hallway of the home has original, decorative beams on the ceiling and a beautiful wrought-iron chandelier.  The den originally had wrought-iron sconces and rough-hewn wood ceiling beams.  The use of wrought iron and beams, which provide a “handmade” look, are hallmarks of Spanish Revival and Pueblo Revival architecture.  The massive, brick, fireplace wall, with its round arch opening to the firebox, remains as the focal point of the den.

Notes by Kip Wright, Board Member

This is a delightful Mid-Century Modern brick home with a very shallow-pitch front-gable roof.  Its form is devoid of exterior decorations, and there are no windows facing the street in front of the house — features that make it reminiscent of the International style.  This style frequently features large sections of blank, windowless walls.  Another International characteristic is the use of smooth, wood paneling, which is found all around the exterior of this home.  There is no ornamentation other than the simple use of building materials.  The European architects who were proponents of the Bauhaus school of architecture, created after World War I, sought to create an international style that is “independent of specific materials, sites or cultural tradition.”  The term “International style” was coined by the Museum of Modern Art in 1932.   This was a new way of architectural design that transcended national borders, encouraged internationalism, and was not synonymous with any particular country. 

A prominent feature on the façade of this home is a large off-center brick chimney.  It is adjacent to the center bay, which consists of a courtyard beneath the house’s primary roof.  Courtyards became a very popular element of the International style following World War II.  This house has a classic H-plan, with small courtyards/porches on the front and rear of the house.  Popular Modern elements removed from the front courtyard of the house were concrete block walls and a roof opening above the courtyard.  The walls consisted of decorative, pierced blocks that flanked both sides of the courtyard entryway. Developed by Le Corbusier and known by the French term brise soleil, or “sun breaker,” the walls allowed natural lighting while deflecting direct sunlight.  The roof opening allowed for natural lighting and benefited with rain any vegetation planted in the courtyard.

This house has a simple but classic Modern interior.  International-style characteristics include smooth, unornamented surfaces with no decorative details. The original owner of the house was a local musicologist and music editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Notes by Kip Wright and Heather Todd, Board Members

This is a one-story, asymmetrical Contemporary home.  The exterior features an invigorating variety of natural wall surfaces: stone, smooth wood panels, and rustic board-and-batten, as well as glass.  It is an iconic example of the style, with a low-pitch cross-gable roof, wide overhanging eaves, and exposed roof beams.  A flat-roof carport/garage is connected to the house by a breezeway.  The carport has slanted, decorative roof supports.  Large, blue, opaque textured vertical windows provide natural lighting in the garage.  The front block of the home was originally side-gabled, but a front gable over the entry porch was later added.  These exterior features contribute significantly to the angular emphasis of the house design. 

The entrance consists of a heavy, carved wooden front door, which is flanked by glass-bottle windows.  The interior of this modern home is extraordinarily pristine, so that visitors feel as though they are stepping back in time to 1959.  A stone planter is located at the entrance of the groovy sunken living room.  It features hanging lanterns and a wall-sized built-in with diagonal shelving and wine racks.  Wood paneling, some of which is naturally stained, is found throughout the home.  The den has a skylight, wooden beams on the ceiling, and a large stone fireplace wall and hearth. The back of the house features a large patio with a roof opening and widely overhanging eaves over a planting bed, all popular features of Contemporary homes. The original “sport court” area has been replaced with grass, and the original swimming pool remains. The original owner of the home was an executive in a large steel company and also an avid wine connoisseur. He was a founding member of the first US chapter of the Confrérie Saint-Étienne d'Alsace and frequently hosted meetings in the home's sunken living room.

Notes by Kip Wright and Heather Todd, Board Members

Here we have a classic example of the Ranch style.  It is a lovely brick-clad home with a wide front, built low to the ground, with a shallow-pitched roof.  Decorative features include faux shutters and a turned-post column that supports the roof over the inset entry porch.  In the center bay is large picture window, which is very characteristic of the style.  Like many post-World War II homes, it was planned with the automobile in mind: a two-car garage was included under the primary roof of the house.

Notes by Kip Wright, Board Member