Houston Preservationists Push For This Mid-Century Modern Marvel to be Saved — The Story of 503 Timber Terrace Road

Historic Gem in a Wooded Setting is Listed For $1.895 Million

BY Shelby Hodge // 08.31.22

photography Turnkey Visuals

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The mid-century modern home, designed by Philip G. Willard, at 503 Timber Terrace Road is listed with Nan and Company Properties for $1,895,000. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The mid-century modern home, designed by Philip G. Willard, at 503 Timber Terrace Road rests on a tree-shaded lot in the Memorial area. (Photo by Nan Studios)

Original design details of the mid-century modern house at 503 Timber Terrace Road have been thoughtfully preserved. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The family room at 503 Timber Terrace Road was added in the late 1970's with respect to the architect's original design motif. (Photo by Nan Studios)

Architect Philip G. Willard developed a masonry construction system called ceramic construction which is prevalent throughout the house at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The addition of a second floor bedroom at 503 Timber Terrace Road necessitated a staircase, in this case a spiral. (Photo by Nan Studios)

Brick masonry work sets off the fireplace in the home at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

Cabinetry work and lighting is original to the 1955 home at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The primary bedroom at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The spiral staircase encased in an atrium overlooks the primary bedroom at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

503 Timber Terrace Road (Photo by Nan Studios)

The kitchen at 503 Timber Terrace Road has the original cabinetry and lighting with upgraded granite counter tops. (Photo by Nan Studios)

The breakfast room at 503 Timber Terrace Road (Photo by Nan Studios)

A backyard view to the house at 503 Timber Terrace Road (Photo by Nan Studios)

Glass walls define the original house at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

An illuminated image of the back of the house at 503 Timber Terrace Road.(Photo by Nan Studios)

The mid-century modern home, designed by Philip G. Willard, at 503 Timber Terrace Road is listed with Nan and Company Properties for $1,895,000. (Photo by Nan Studios)

In searching for your next landing pad, if mid-century modern is your preferred architectural style and you are the least bit preservation minded, this 1955 dwelling in the Memorial area could be your ticket to living happily ever after. Consider the vital elements — numerous glass walls, interior walls of masonry brick and stone, a sunken living room, original parquet floors and a concrete roof. In short, the home has been meticulously preserved.

The residence at 503 Timber Terrace Road was designed by Houston architect Philip G. Willard, who developed the Timber Terrace neighborhood and designed many of the homes there. Of special note in this property is the highly regarded masonry construction system (ceramic construction) which is said to have been introduced by Willard.

5T7A1211 (Photo by Nan Studios) — Brick masonry work sets off the fireplace in the home at 503 Timber Terrace Road. (Photo by Nan Studios)

In the late 1970s, the house was thoughtfully expanded by 2,000 square feet with several well-integrated rooms by designer Adrian Flake. That addition took the house to a total of 4,628 square feet, including four bedrooms and four baths. Prospective buyers will find the appealing additions of the main living room, a spacious primary bedroom and bath with two walk-in showers, a three-car garage, and — accessed by a spiral staircase — a second floor bedroom with a terrace overlooking the vast backyard.

The house enjoys a verdant setting built across 27,000 square feet of wooded terrain that backs up to a bayou ravine and as the listing points out in capital letters, the house has never flooded. One might think that would be the case because the home looks brand spanking new thanks to recent painting inside and out.

This gem of a mid-century modern dwelling was recently featured in ModCiti.com as House of the Month with an appeal for a preservationist to step in and save it from Houston’s notorious bent for destruction of historic properties.

The home is listed at $1,895,000 by Hardy Pollard with Nan and Company Properties.