On the Market: A Hilltop Beauty in Wildewood
by Lynne Rostochil
I recently toured a home in one of the prettiest neighborhoods in all of OKC — Wildewood — which is located off of NE 50th and Kelley:
The neighborhood sprang to life in 1955 after brothers Lamar and Med Cashion bought up 220 acres of untamed woodlands in the northeast part of town. Unlike most of flat-as-a-pancake Oklahoma City, this area looked more like the eastern part of the state, with rolling hills and canyons filled with winding creeks and tall, mature trees. Wisely, the Cashions decided to capitalize on the natural wonders of their newly acquired land and advertised that the development they named Cashion’s Wildewood would be filled with “large palatial homes for families who like a blend of modern living and nature in the rough.” Lots in the exclusive neighborhood would run from $5,000 to $10,000, depending on location and size, and various local architects and builders were invited design and construct custom homes that would range in price from $20,000 to $100,000 — from $178,000 to nearly $900,000 in 2014 dollars. I love this ad from 1955 for the new addition that claims “a Wildewood home is living at it’s finest:”
(Eesh! After viewing this ad, it looks like apostrophe issues aren’t anything new. “Living at it’s finest” — really? Time to go off on a tangent here … sorry, I just can’t help it.
I’m not sure why the harmless and well meaning apostrophe is so misused; it does not mean to be so confusing, I’m sure. But these days, the apostrophe is black and blue from chronic abuse that has reached epidemic proportions, so much so that I’ve amassed quite a collection of sign photos illustrating their misuse. For example, here’s a Starbucks sign that was very apostrophe happy in all of the wrong ways:
Here’s one nonsensical sign in Chicago that makes me giggle every time I see it:
And this one advertising great living (and poor grammar choices) in Arcadia seems to be having the same trouble with apostrophes as our Wildewood ad:
I’m not sure what the causes are for this crazy apostrophe epidemic — bad computer spell checks, bad people spell checks — but it’s (its, its’?) fun documenting all of these nutty errors and making my fellow grammar-loving friends wince and cringe! There’s even a group on Flickr dedicated to “Atrocious Apostrophes” that boasts over 1,200 members:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/apostrophes
Now, just because I like grammar doesn’t mean I expect everyone else to remember how apostrophes are supposed to work, so check out this site for a quick refresher on the correct ways to use this embattled piece of punctuation:
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/apostro.asp
Okay, rant over.)
Soon after the first announcement that land was being cleared for the neighborhood’s scenic, twisting streets, new homes started popping up on the hilly, tree-studded lots in Wildewood. By 1957, the first phase was nearly complete when one of Wildewood’s most intriguing homes was built into the side of one of the grandest hills in the entire development. This split-level, rock-faced ranch is really something else — both inside and out:
Although it’s a split level, the architect designed the home all on one floor, while the garage and an ample storage room occupy the lower level, as you can see in this exterior photo of the house:
Inside is 3,200 square feet of perfect mid-century WOW! Take the expansive den, kitchen, and informal dining area facing the backyard, for example. The rectangular-shaped room is anchored by a curved rock fireplace with built-in shelves on one side…:
And the complimentary rounded kitchen on the other:
Even the kitchen cabinets are curved — how great is that?!
I love that such a linear space has so many interesting curves that bring fun and life to the room, don’t you? To give you an idea of how well the curves work in the room, here’s the view from the kitchen into this grand but very comfortable living/dining space — I’ll show you more of the jaw-dropping outdoor views in a bit:
As with many houses of the day, the front room of the house contains a formal living/dining area. Stunning blonde wood screens divide the entry, living, and dining spaces to create privacy and a sense of luxury in both of the formal rooms. This is the view of the bright and cheery living room from the dining area looking toward the entry:
And here’s a close-up view of the screens in the entry — yes, the screen motif even carries over to the front door side panels:
One of my favorite things about the formal dining room is the original, Asian-inspired mural wallpaper on the accent wall — LOVE!
Someday, I dreamily tell myself, I will have a wallpaper mural…. Sigh…. Okay, time to let go of my little lust party for one and return to reality.
To the left of the front door is the bedroom wing of the home, which contains an all-original and very cool angled bathroom, two nice-sized bedrooms, and this grand master suite that overlooks the lush backyard:
Look at all of those windows and that beautiful light! I could spend many a blissful hour in this charming and peaceful space, especially with this cute kitty to keep me company. And just wait until you see the views you get from this room — it will make you feel like you’re in paradise even more than you do now.
To the right is another all-original and beautifully maintained bathroom/dressing room:
Back to the other side of the house. Beyond the kitchen is the laundry room and a large mother-in-law suite that is currently being used as a den/music room:
The neighboring bathroom has a pretty incredible vanity — love that Formica!
The linoleum in the laundry room is quite fantastic, too:
Like I said, this house is a big WOW, but I’ve saved what is perhaps the home’s greatest asset for last … the incredible backyard space. Oh my gosh, it’s amazing. Check out the view from the den:
Mature oaks, cottonwoods, walnuts, and evergreens form a protective canopy over the outdoor living area to create a feeling of real treehouse living. This oasis among the trees keeps the noise and chaos of the city at bay and allows for a much more relaxed and quieter style of living. I mean, if you have this view to enjoy every day, why would you ever want to leave?
To capitalize on the spectacular scenery, the entire length of the back part of the house contains outdoor living space, from the patio off of the spa-like master bedroom…:
… to the dining/lounge area off of the den:
After looking at the house and backyard, you’re probably thinking that life among the trees is going to cost you an arm and leg, but you’d be wrong. Listed at $285,000, this beauty is priced to sell quickly, and I have no doubt that it will. If you’re interested in taking a look at it, contact me on our Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/groups/OkieModSquad/ — and I’ll put you in touch with the realtor, Kerry Norman. Thanks, Kerry, for letting me tour this fantastic abode.