On the Market: A Fabulous ’50s Flagstone in Edgemere Heights
text and photos by Lynne Rostochil
It’s very rare when a mid-century dream home in the perfect neighborhood, with close proximity to downtown and all of the hip districts, comes on the market, but that’s just what happened this week with this beauty in Edgemere Heights:
Visitors touring the open house last night found themselves drooling over all of the delightful and quite unique details of this 1951 ranch. Personally, my knees got all wobbly and my heart skipped in delight from the moment we stepped onto the front porch and noticed lines and subtle angles everywhere:
Even the window by the front door has an angle to it:
The little details pick up steam big time once inside the house — in fact, they’re everywhere. It takes a lot of time to look around and really grasp and savor all of the incredible details, from the curved divider with cutouts in the sunken living room…
… to the cool lighting detail in the same room…
… and the built-in bar area just beyond the living room:
Oh yeah, the bar itself is covered with original vinyl that also carries over to the serving area in the dining room. In this photo, the bar is on the right and the dining room is beyond:
Here’s a better view of the dining room with those delicious wrap-around windows!
If you thought the windows were impressive, check out the curvy soffit and pass through that leads to one big jaw dropper of a kitchen:
See the vinyl on the pass through bar? And that great up lighting? And the angled display cabinet with two-way glass? Details, details, details everywhere that make you just want to sit in a quiet space in the middle of the room and take them all in. Just amazing … and so is the original and truly remarkable kitchen. Here’s the pass through looking back toward the dining room:
… and the view from the dining room into the kitchen:
A breakfast room and laundry space completes the kitchen area and leads into the flagstone-laden and ultra-cozy den overlooking the backyard:
This would be my favorite hang out spot in the house, I think. What an inviting space! There’s also a door leading out to the backyard from the den:
Tall people might have to duck to get through the door, but the effort is worth it with the zen-like space out back:
Local artist, Ron Ferrell, created the sculpture on the right and perhaps the bench, too. As if the backyard isn’t enough of a draw, take a look at the rear of the house with even more slants and angles:
Don’t you love that fireplace with the angled details? By this time, my head was about to explode from taking in every little inch of this house, and I hadn’t even seen the whole thing yet!! All I can say is that the architect who designed this place took so much care with it, and I think I may know why.
Although I wasn’t able to find out who designed the home, I did find an Oklahoman article from January 1948 that identified this as the first house to be built in the very swanky and exclusive new Edgemere Heights addition — the planned cost of the place was $24,000 (almost $240,000 today). John W. Lyons, one of the original developers of Edgemere Heights (along with W.P. “Bill” Atkinson and Steve Pennington), was the builder. The original covenant of the fledgling neighborhood, in which lots sold from $5,000 – $7,000 ($50,000-$70,000 today), stated that all homes must be at least 3,000 sf, and this one was originally designed as a four bed, three bath abode with just that much square footage. However, I guess there weren’t many takers in post-war OKC for such large homes, so the covenant was abandoned at some point early on. This home lost a bedroom and bathroom by the time it was finally built in 1951, perhaps as a spec house to entice buyers to gobble up land and build their own dream ranchers on the former OKC Golf and Country Club golf course. Its being a spec house could surely explain all of the great details and bells and whistles found throughout the place.
So much for my own speculation and back to the tour. Between the house and garage/workshop is a breezy carport and covered patio that leads to the front:
Back inside and beyond the living room are the more private areas, like this all-original (except for the lights) kelly green bathroom…
Two bedrooms (one with more wrap-around windows)…
… and the bright and airy master suite with another set of those glorious windows:
The best part of the master is the perfectly preserved pink bathroom — just look at this wonder!
The sink and tub retain their original plumbing fixtures, too — how cute is this face?
Leaving the private areas, there’s this very sweet, detail-packed hallway going back toward the living room:
Let’s take another look at the oh-so-sexy dining room soffit and living room lighting:
Finally, we’ll end the tour of this mid-century modern marvel with a look at the patterned aluminum (I’m assuming) entry closet:
The lucky new owner who gets to live in this one-of-a-kind rancher hopefully will appreciate its plethora of amazing architectural and design details and will want to maintain it as the perfect time capsule it is.
If you’re interested in having a look at this house, you’d better act quickly and contact Ken Hutmacher at 843 8188. At $365,000, this home won’t last long.