Enchanting Berkley Place Charmer on Ward Parkway

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Some Fort Worth Fridays are truly serendipitous. This week’s FWF was the result of a blocked-for-construction Windsor Parkway that detoured me through lovely Berkley Place. As with neighboring Ryan Place, some of the most beautiful properties lie in the quiet side streets. And so I landed at 2215 Ward Parkway, a street I had never been on.

There is much here that could instruct a modern builder. The façade is almost self consciously simple and yet so engaging. Built in 1941, it flaunts the disciplined symmetry of an earlier era. A special finish — white wash — converts the red brick into a soft rose, which harmonizes beautifully with pale blue trim color. Windows are correctly placed above windows, with the second floor windows crowned by discrete peaks.

Oozing curb appeal, I was compelled to take a look at the interior to see if it measured up.  And it does. Entering through double doors, you are greeted with restored hardwoods and pristine smooth coat walls. Front windows are nearly floor to ceiling and operational.

And then there are the details. Trim has been lovingly restored. This is a traditional plan, which handily accommodates a modern decorative scheme. The living room has a large wood-burning fireplace.

The dining room is located to the right of the vestibule and off a sitting room, which adjoins the kitchen.

The kitchen is ample, especially given the vintage. Formica countertops seem to be giving buyers pause. As a designer I see them as the white muslin on a classic antique, which emphasize structure. The appliances are new enough and top of the line. Cabinetry is generous and up to date as well. Seriously, a minimal budget of $2,500 would make this light-filled space picture  perfect.

And the kitchen is eat in with access to the back.

If you wanted a more open plan (an obsession that I think is happily waning) a sitting room could be opened to the kitchen/breakfast room.

A back porch has been enclosed to make a sun room and could be the ground-floor of an extension including the upstairs.

All three bedrooms are on the second floor and all of them contain useful and well-built cabinets. The master bedroom is a generous 17-by-16 feet and has a wood-burning fireplace.

The master bath, though simple by new builder standards, is a complete three piece affair and has thoughtful updates like a smart slipper tub with quality fittings.

There is, in addition, a back house which adds 300 square feet to the 2,800-square-foot house. An unexpected bonus is a three-car garage — unusual in a house of this date.

The backyard sustains the romance of the front and interior. Though lush and green, the space is mostly covered with deck and pool, requiring minimal landscape maintenance. At the back, a charming stone wall borders an uninterrupted ravine view. Priced at $740,000 it works out at over $260 per square foot — a bit pricey, based on comps for Berkley.

“Berkley has sort of shot itself in the foot. So many houses here never make MLS so comps can be difficult. Still, set on a half acre lot with a pool and move-in ready condition, I think there is real value here,” observes listing agent Ashley Mooring. She should know. A former resident of Berkley Place, she knows this charming near south neighborhood well.

Eric Prokesh is an interior designer whose work has appeared on HGTV, and in books and publications including D Home, Southern Accents, House Beautiful, and House and Garden. In January 2005, HG named Eric one of the 50 tastemakers in America and D Home has included him as one of Dallas’ Best Designers for 10 years. Having lived most of his life in Dallas, he now calls Fort Worth home and is one of our experts on beautiful Fort Worth Dirt.

Eric Prokesh is an award-winning interior designer who calls Fort Worth his home.

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