Martinis, The Twist, And a Fort Worth Midcentury Modern Designed by Architect Mariana Thompson

If Don Draper carried a martini into a party where Laura Petrie was doing the twist with The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” on the stereo, it could have been at this Fort Worth Midcentury Modern.

This one-owner Fort Worth Midcentury Modern is on the market with 3,486 square feet of memories and more. Architect Mariana Thompson designed this special home in 1962 and completed it in 1963. Master artisans created this remarkable structure so indicative of the period and so in demand today.

“It is amazing it is almost completely original,” said listing agent Debra Barrett. “No one ever messed it up. No bad 1980s remodel has ever been done to this house.”  

Credit goes to the far-sighted, style-conscious owner and Thompson, a pioneering female architect and Fort Worth native.  Her design style is evident throughout the three-bedroom, three-bath home that has stood the test of time.

“It was designed by someone who understands how we need our houses to work,” Barrett said.

Mariana Thompson, Modern Architect

Thompson graduated in 1943 with an architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She launched her own architectural firm in 1952 and is credited with a range of designs across the state, including residences, commercial buildings, and schools. Her modernist design standards featured clean lines and geometric shapes seen in this house. She was known for her dedication to sustainability, choosing energy-efficient principles ahead of more recent popularity.

This Fort Worth Midcentury Modern structure is an example of those design preferences. This home was built into the side of a hill on more than half an acre, creating a striking exterior of Tennessee flagstone and rough-hewn cedar planks. Thompson situated the home with views in mind and a two-story plan with an enduring design. The recessed entry is on the second floor, where the living room features floor-to-ceiling windows and a sliding glass door that opens to a balcony.

A stone fireplace separates the living room from the dining rooms, while a corridor leads to a powder room and study. The primary bedroom is highlighted by original built-ins — a headboard and nightstands — plus an ensuite bathroom. The even larger secondary bedroom, originally created for the family’s twin daughters, includes a bathroom and dressing area.

A Fort Worth Midcentury Modern With a Party Downstairs

Downstairs, the original terrazzo remains throughout and is where the twist, the jerk, and the frug could still be danced today. Additional highlights include floor-to-ceiling windows, another fireplace with an Austin fossil limestone hearth, and a sliding door that opens to a second patio.  The bedroom on this level comes with an ensuite bathroom.

Ready For The Future

Over its 60 years, the home has been well maintained, Barrett said. The roof was replaced just last year, countertops have been updated, a sunroom was constructed, and a second set of solar panels was added since the forward-minded owner has had some before it was fashionable.

Listed at $980,000, the house was held open last weekend with considerable interest. Today, 4133 Tamworth Road in Fort Worth is already marked contingent. Someone, somewhere is readying the martinis. Shaken or stirred?