Midcentury Ranch in University Terrace is a Time Warp!

Let’s do the Time Warp again, folks! This time, we are headed over to the University Terrace neighborhood that is sandwiched between the Blue Line DART Rail tracks and Northwest Highway. This lovely enclave of 1950s traditionals has seen a lot of flips and updates lately, thanks to the upwardly mobile population looking to move into the Lakewood Elementary attendance area.

This house, though, with its mature trees and adorable shutters, has remained largely untouched!

Of course, this beautiful little midcentury ranch in University Terrace at 7319 Bennington Drive is listed with the midcentury man himself, Ed Murchison. As Murchison points out, this home is in near-original condition with the kitchen and bathrooms splendidly intact! It’s on the market for $299,000.

It’s hard to imagine that a family of four would have lived comfortably in this two-bedroom, two-bath home with 1,620 square feet. I guess our need for open space has only grown since this home was built in 1957. But that’s the charm of this home, which has the same paneling in the family room you would’ve seen back when it was built! Personally, I like the flow of the formal living and dining areas in the front of the home, but I’m not partial to the bright orange paint. I do love the built-in bookcases in the dining area, and the chandelier that adds just a touch of panache.

The hardwood floors are intact, and still gleaming. The original tile still gleams on the kitchen counter and backsplash, too. Of course, the cabinetry is in great shape, with that lovely curved endcap that is practically a trademark of homes this age. The built-in oven, cooktop, and venthood look to be original, while there’s a stainless steel dishwasher installed. There’s a little breakfast nook just off the kitchen, too, where you can have your Norman Rockwell moments with your pipe and newspaper while the young whippersnappers get ready for school in the morning.

The master bedroom is what you’d expect — small but not tight, and light enough with a couple of windows. But it’s the bathrooms that are the interesting bits to gawk at. The larger bathroom, which has a shower/tub combo and an apron sink, has gorgeous silver-gray tile that is in excellent shape. The smaller bathroom, which has a miniscule vanity and a shower stall, has adorable pink tile, as well as a pink commode and sink, and is in spectacular shape, too. There’s a cute chandelier in the smaller bath, too. It’s perfect!

You can access the backyard  from a sliding patio door to a breezeway between the two-car garage and the house. There’s a large driveway area that doubles as a patio for entertaining. It’s a great spot for a basketball goal, too! What do you think?