Quintessential Midcentury Modern Now Available in Ridglea North

We’ve never done this before, and we probably won’t do it again, but here goes … BEFORE you read this gem of a Tarrant County Tuesday, pick up the phone, call your Realtor (or Bowtie Realtor), and see this Midcentury Modern masterpiece in person before it’s under contract up and you’ve lost your opportunity to see the home in all its glory.

After you’ve done that, then come back and read this article.

I know you know what I’m talking about. We might not know where something is or what something was located, but we all have shortcut definitions or phrases for things or places of interest or importance in our lives. You know, “Let’s meet at the place that served that yummy chicken or whatever by the funny building on that street.” Huh? Yet you know exactly where to go and what is being referenced.

You Know That Home by The Park

That is exactly how one would describe this Midcentury Modern home. You might not remember the street or the address but if you were to tell anyone, “I saw this awesome Midcentury Modern home across from Berney Park,” 100 times out of 100 that person would know exactly which home you were talking about.

Welcome to the quintessential Midcentury Modern home in all of Fort Worth. The address is 6324 Curzon Avenue in the Ridglea North neighborhood, but to me, it’s always been, “that Midcentury Modern on the park …” and I’ve always wanted to go inside and see it.

I almost expected Greg Brady to walk down the stairs wearing that navy blue striped turtle neck he wore in 75 percent of the shows once I stepped inside onto the authentic terrazzo oversized tile floors in the entry. When people say, “They don’t make ’em like they used to,” they are speaking about this home.

Midcentury Modern Refresher Course

For those who don’t know Midcentury Modern style, here are a few highlights:

• No one knows how it’s really spelled: Mid-Century, midcentury, Midcentury, mid century (Editor’s note: It’s spelled ‘Midcentury.’)
• The height of the era was the middle of the 20th century, hence the name
• Functionality, simplicity, clean lines, and open spaces are all key components of the style
• Mélange of materials: wood, iron, glass, brick, and vinyl found throughout homes
• Geometric shapes, not all conforming sizes of windows or rooms
• Vibrant colors — remember the avocado refrigerator, pink toilets, and mustard counters?

All of those traits can be found in this home, and then some. Not only is 6324 Curzon Avenue a wonderful time warp of Midcentury Modern style and design, but the home has been updated recently to mix in some 2020s style and flair.

The kitchen now has trendy white marble counters instead of yellow Formica, and the cabinets are high-gloss white. You’ll notice there are no upper cabinets in the kitchen prep area which also allows for smooth lines and clean functionality in the room.

Yet the updated kitchen still has a stainless gas cooktop, single basin stainless steel sink, and high-end stainless appliances.

The flooring in the main living and kitchen and the primary bedroom has also been updated since the 3,696-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-one-half-bathroom home was first built in 1952. Now ceramic wood-looking tile runs throughout the areas giving off the look of hardwood floors.

Also, the primary bathroom has all the look and feel of an updated and modern bathroom with a floating double vanity, and enormous shower, but the tub is still the original cast iron tub.

Midcentury Modern Nostalgia

So many areas of this home will give you flashbacks from older TV shows or movies or even personal recollections. I was far from alive in 1952 but there are definitely aspects in various rooms that remind me of my grandmother’s home, old school buildings, or even church Sunday school rooms.

I really thought someone with a beehive hairdo and horn-rimmed glasses smoking a Pall Mall menthol cigarette was going to be using a manual pencil sharpener in the bedroom with the large desk in it. All the room needed was a video of the lunar landing playing on a continuous loop and we’d be right back in 1952.

It’s Just Cool

Aside from the nostalgic Midcentury Modern flair, this house is just cool. The primary walk-in closet has a rotunda in it that leads to the rooftop sun deck. Who thought of these things in 1952? The third and fourth bedrooms are separated by an old-school vinyl accordion partition that can be opened to create a large sitting area if you only needed three full bedrooms.

On and on and on. Enough. I told you at the beginning of this article to go and see this home live and in person. If you’re still reading either you followed my instructions or you disobeyed and are still reading … go see it.

One final caveat to this stroll down Midcentury Modern memory lane, the home is plenty big and has ample space for the next owner but just in case the new owner desired to add onto the home, there is plenty of space between the home and the detached garage to easily create more rooms and not disturb the excellence of the style of the home. It would be a simple task to correctly add more square footage and could tastefully be integrated into the existing home.

Okay, I’ve said enough. For your sake, I hope this home isn’t under contract by the time Tarrant County Tuesday is released. If it is, it might be a long time before you get to see “the classic Midcentury Modern home in Ridglea North that faces Berney Park.” Now go!

Chris Miller of the Pursuit Realty Group at Williams Trew Real Estate listed 6324 Curzon Avenue for $1.1 million (in 1952 that would be like $3 billion, right?).