This Opulent Westover Estate Has a High-Style Pedigree

Thank you, Martha Williams, for alerting me to the 65 Westover Terrace listing going live last night!

Actually, I had been tipped off by a neighbor that this lovely Greek Revival estate in the heart of old Westover might soon be on the market as its owner, Sue Cutler — a supporter of the Kimbell Art Museum, Van Cliburn Foundation, and many other charities — died in January after living a long and rich life.

The 4,800-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bath house boasts another distinctive pedigree. It was the longtime Fort Worth residence of design legend Joseph (Joe) Minton, whose long and still very active career began with a bang — a commission to redo the posh, top-floor dining room of the Continental National Bank Building, demolished in 1990.

Much of his contribution to the 1942 Westover Hills manse remains intact. One can’t help but wonder how a house of this quality could be constructed in the midst of wartime rationing. Actually, the late date surprised me, so well executed is the interior and exterior that I would have believed a turn of the 20th century date.

The exterior, with great literacy, adroitly deploys cherished classical elements including Corinthian columns, arched over-window pediments, and a handsome front door crowned with a forceful entablature with triglyphs and framed by engaged Tuscan columns.

An Opulent Westover Estate by Joe Minton

Joe Minton was the 2017 recipient of the Texas Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s Board of Directors Award and his fluency with the idiom is on display in one of the loveliest moments in the residence. A graceful curved staircase sweeps its way to the second floor. Notice the pilaster framed opening at left which seems to give structural support. The bespoke banister is a first taste of the quality of hardware details throughout the house.

A serendipitous discovery made by designer Minton, of three feet of space under the structure allowed the capture of found space to raise the too-low ceilings, enhancing the room’s proportions. Columns, pilasters, and paneling were additional contributions.

The chevron parquet floors are another Minton embellishment.

Another signature Minton moment is the very civilized library dining room defined by its bold, monotone, elephant-gray bookcases and paneling.

A second living area at one end of the house has a whimsical faience floor, the delightful contribution of the owner, I am told.

An addition made by the previous owner is the grand primary suite at ground level, a frequent fixture in modern luxury construction. There still remains an intact suite on the second floor.

The breathtaking climb to the second floor is enlivened by the cupola, visible from the exterior, whose lantern illuminates the space.

The second floor consists of the remaining two bedrooms and a charming, intimate sitting room with a fireplace and tree-top views. The room is a delightfully rustic composition employing white-washed planks. The gothic peaked bookcases are an added decorative detail that make a virtue of the room’s unusual shape.

The second-floor suite is generously proportioned with a sitting area centered on a fireplace. It shares the charming rusticity of the sitting room with a decoratively painted plank ceiling.

The nearly two-acre hilltop lot is a beautiful succession of terraces with mature trees and picturesque sylvan landscaping.

Martha Williams of Williams Trew Real Estate has priced 65 Westover Terrace at $4.5 million.