Midcentury Modern With Jukebox and Snoopy Catches the White Rock Home Tour Beat
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If music to live by is needed, then it’s as close as the living room at 8812 Rolling Rock Lane in Dallas.
That’s because the living room of Katie and Billy Withrow houses a 1962 Wurlitzer jukebox. The couple found it on Craiglist, thinking it would be perfect for their 1957 Midcentury Modern. The jukebox is at the center of the home with music arranged by decades, ready for whatever vibe the house needs.
“Katie and I are both very attached to music,” Billy Withrow said. “The reason we got that is not only the visual of a piece like that but the tangible aspect. Obviously, it’s a beautiful piece of art, too. I got lucky on the colors.”
For Billy, the jukebox reminds him of happy trips to the coffee shop as a child with his dad. Now, it provides entertainment when friends visit and are invited to choose their own tunes.
The prized Wurlitzer is just one example of how the Withrows have carefully, artfully, and lovingly given new life to this house during the nine years they’ve owned it. The public will be able to see their curation very soon. It’s a part of the 2024 White Rock Home Tour, scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. April 20 and 21. The vibrant and fun house is one of six selected for the annual tour which benefits special projects at Hexter Elementary School.
Wish Come True
The Withrow home is sure to be a favorite for those who favor Midcentury Modern, which is exactly what the couple hoped for during their house search in the White Rock area.
“We just fell in love with it,” Katie said of their 1957 house.
When the house was put on the market, the two saw it the next morning and made an offer within hours. “
A Midcentury Modern wasn’t a ‘must-have,’ but it was a wish,” she said. “We honestly didn’t think we’d get one.”
The Withrows don’t know who built the house, but according to Billy, the floor plan is unlike others in their neighborhood. It seems larger than its 1,800 square feet, with no wasted space in this three-bedroom, two-bath home. The almost circular design makes a long hallway unnecessary.
“It’s extremely efficient,” Billy said. “The layout is just perfect to me.”
As much as they loved the floor plan, the couple admits that the house really needed some TLC. Their to-do list was long with basics like new hardwood floors and energy-efficient windows coming first.
“While it had great bones, we were overwhelmed at the time,” Katie said. “We always tried to keep its originality and stay true to what the house was.”
Collaborating on Decisions
The past nine years have seen other updates to their White Rock home. Katie, an interior designer, and Billy, a project manager, collaborated on renovations. Big decisions were always joint decisions.
“She has the pedigree, but I have a creative eye,” Billy said. “We kept a Midcentury look, but not identical as before.”
The home’s original footprint remains, as does the entryway flooring and the blue-tiled guest bathroom. The rest of the house is an updated version of its origins.
“We basically recreated everything because the house wasn’t in good shape,” Katie said.
Getting the Gutting Experience
The kitchen and main bathroom were gutted. The kitchen flooring, though, was chosen because it was a modern version — vinyl composition black tile with white streaks -— of the original floor. In addition to new hardware and an aqua hand-painted Fireclay backsplash, the couple added more storage to delete counter clutter and promote a sleek look.
The two credit Brad Lemmons for getting the results they wanted. He painstakingly preserved what he could of the original structure.
“He just gets it,” Katie said. “He’s a perfectionist.”
Decor at the Withrows is bright, happy, colorful, and whimsical. Billy has a fondness for all things “Peanuts,” with Snoopy popping up throughout the house, including Kaws puzzles. Mixed among Midcentury Modern tulip chairs and an outdoor fireplace from St. Louis are family heirlooms, such as Billy’s aunt’s prized Broyhill bedroom furniture and old family photos. Collected art varies from completed puzzles hung on the walls, magnets lining an office wall, and a prized movie poster.
“The house isn’t meant to be a museum,” Billy said. “We have what we love which is why we’re not purists.”
Palm Springs Curb Appeal
A trip to Palm Springs inspired the home’s curb appeal. The straight-lined masonry fence and the eye-catching orange front door, created by a family member, give the Withrow house a distinct look. The backyard fence features horizontal slats, and a gate created by a brother-in-law divides the backyard from the carport.
Tickets for the White Rock Home Tour are on sale for $25 and can be used for admission to each of the six houses over the two days of the tour.
The Withrows, themselves longtime fans of the White Rock Home Tour, are eager to share their lovingly restored house with the public.
“It was a dream to have a house like this,” Katie said.
