I am not going to tell you how much this home at 9100 Guernsey is listed for – because my lawyer has not yet drafted any releases to cover reader heart attacks. (Well, I guess you can always look it up.) This masterpiece is about as close to owning a Frank Lloyd Wright design in Dallas that you can get without actually BUYING the Frank Lloyd Wright home a few streets over on Rockbrook, which is owned by Michael and Elysiann Bishop and $10 million. It was designed by Wright’s protege John Rattenbury, who designed Life Magazine’s House of the Year in 1997. Rattenbury, of course, studied under Wright at Taliesen West, and was Wright’s apprentice and senior architect. But here’s the beauty of this home: it was built in 1992. The Bishop’s home was built in 1954 and as gorgeous as it is, honestly, there are always headaches associated with a home that age. I mean, that’s almost as old as I am and I certainly create MANY headaches.

So you get this exquisite, pure Wright sensibility right down to the stainless steel counters in the kitchen. But you still get new — the soaking, marble-surround tub in the master, the flowing floorplan, all immediately from the front door entryway with large planter box and skylights. The living room has floor-to-ceiling glass viewing the wooded grounds. The kitchen is decked like nothing Wright could have imagined, with Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances, and is open to the living room and dining room. Of course you view the graceful pool and grounds from every window. The master has a raised ceiling, sliding-glass doors that open to a terrace, a fireplace, a wet bar and built-in cabinetry. The master bath is very updated, opens to a private courtyard. You get a study with walls of bookshelves, a fireplace and more glass. In true mid-century fashion, three secondary bedrooms offer generous natural light and ample built-ins. What I particularly like about this house is the size — just right by 2011 standards: 4121 square feet is perfect, located on 1.1 acres on a wooded, thickly treed cul de sac skirting the estate area of Bluffview.

So all that — architecturally significant, beautifully maintained (full disclosure, I know the owners and they are as OCD as they come) and stunning. The interiors are by Rattenbury’s wife, Kay, who lived and studies with the Wrights since she was 14. Land. Trees. Water. This home was originally listed for $1.9 back in January but has been reduced to — $1,499,000.

Anyone want to buy my house? Because this is a deal.

Update: The house backs up to Northwest Highway, and needs a fence and some evergreens as border — piece of cake. This does not bather me in the least. We lived a block from the Dallas North Tollway for ten years and I learned to love the urban noise. Does this bother anyone?

I know this is a one of a kind Mid-century Modern masterpiece designed by architect John Barthel for his personal residence in 1959. And I know it is the winner of the 2002 AIA Design Award. And I know it’s probably one of our more shining examples of Mid-century Modern in Dallas, excluding the Frank Lloyd Wright house over on Rockbrook.

And I know it made the New York Times last month because it’s such an amazing deal at $425,000.

8931 Capri Court is listed by Virginia Cook’s Ed White Murchison, who is our very own MCM home specialist. He calls it a sculptural piece of art set on a lush green carpet. Four bedrooms, two baths, two stories, on almost half an acre. The interiors are great. But I just think it looks, I don’t know, like a spaceship or something.

Is the heat getting to me?

Oh. My. God. This stunning Bluffview architectural gem at 4214 Shorecrest probably won’t last through the weekend. In fact, I predict it will be gone by Friday. The property actually rests upon a Bluffview bluff on .97 acres. So unlike almost any other neighborhood in Dallas, with the exception of Kessler, you get a view. Built in 1939, Victor Sidy, Dean of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, planned and oversaw the remodel. The size is perfect — not too large, not too small, and the home does not swallow the whole dang lot like so many of these behemoths. I think this would make a perfect empty nester home, and I know for a fact that Bluffview is where many empty nesters are heading. You get 3407 square feet, three bedrooms, study, three full baths and a stunning pool. Floors are concrete, marble and wood. The owners are well know Dallas journalist and attorney Courtney Dreslin Sinelli and her darling husband, Jeff Sinelli, founder, CEO and CVO (that’s Chief Vibe Officer) of Which Wich. So in a way, this is a home that “sand-wishes” built. Courtney tells me her home boasts the best patio in Dallas and treetop views from every single window. I say buy it with the furnishings and work some big fat gift certificates to Which Wich. The home is gorgeous and only asking $1, 849,000 with Sandy Petruska at Briggs Freeman…

Dave Perry-Miller — his name is now on a luxury real estate boutique company. He has been honored innumerable times as one of Dallas’ top-producing agents, and is a leader in sales of million-dollar properties. With more than $800 million (wowzers!) in sales and 850 satisfied customers, the Wall Street Journal ranked him #27 in sales in the United States in 2006 and as having the most million-dollar residential sales in Texas. For 30 years, Dave has sold many of Dallas’ most significant homes, including Frank Lloyd Wright- and Phillip Johnson-designed properties. His reputation with home buyers and peers in the industry globally is stellar and growing as he recently returned from an international sales conference in Europe. He often represents multiple generations of buyers and sellers in the same family.

Though his name is on the door — Ebby Halliday bought his company in 2007 —  Dave is still an agent at heart and loves to share his passion for architecture, art and design with home buyers, sellers and even other agents. We caught up with him recently to learn just how he does it.

CD: Where are you from? 

Dave: I came down to Dallas in 1980 from Virginia when I graduated from Washington and Lee University where I studied architecture.

CD: Considering that George Washington funded that university, I imagine there was a lot of great architecture to study! Did you plan to be an architect?

Dave: (laughs). No, I’m too dyslexic for that – my buildings would probably all fall down. But I love architecture and selling real estate lets me see a lot of architecturally interesting homes.

CD: Why did you come down to Dallas and how did you get into real estate?

Dave:  I had friends down here from college and had visited the previous year. Sixty days after I’d established my residency, I got my real estate license and nearly starved to death. At one point I gave my watch as collateral for $12 worth of gas. I was four days out from my first closing. Luckily, I didn’t know any better and I sold a number of expensive homes in Lakewood right after that, including Ray Hubbard’s estate which was the most expensive home in Dallas at the time. I never looked back from there.

CD: Where is home for you in Dallas?

Dave: For the past 20 years I’ve lived in a 1930’s colonial revival cottage in Bluffview. It was designed by Henry “Coke” Knight – the same architect who designed the Museum of Fine Art in Fair Park.

CD: And you drive a… let me guess, Mercedes Benz???

Dave: It depends on where I am. I have two vintage Mercedes Convertibles that I drive when I’m visiting my homes in Palm Springs and Tucson.  I drive a Jaguar XJR here in Dallas and I have a Jeep Wagoneer that I drive when I’m in Nantucket.

CD: What’s your favorite ‘hood in Dallas and why?

Dave: Obviously I love Bluffview and I’m a huge fan of old Highland Park and old Preston Hollow, but if I were younger, I think I’d move to Kessler Park. It has such great energy and I love the restaurants and shops that are popping up there. The houses are interesting on these beautiful huge lots with old trees.

CD: What was your best/highest sale?

Dave: Besides the Hubbard estate which helped me get established, the two houses I’m the most proud of were the Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson homes. They were in disrepair and in danger of demolition. I was able to sell them to preservationists who have restored them to their former glory and they are magnificent. I hate to think Dallas might have lost two such treasures.

CD: What was your hardest or worst sale?

Dave: Hmm. I guess I’d have to say Candy Evans’ house. It was like herding a cat to get the deal done. And she had seller’s remorse at closing! She’s always running around. I loved the house and Candy. We laughed a lot and are still friends 10 years later.

CD: How quickly have you ever turned a house?

Dave: We often find a buyer before the house even goes on the market – a few hours basically.

CD: How much did you sell last year?

Dave: Although I still sell a few properties myself each year, my associates do a lot of the leg work nowadays. I referred out over $100 million to them last year.

CD: What have you learned in 30 years of selling?

Dave: I tell my agents, “Selling is a mindset.” If I can sell multimillion dollar properties at the age of 23 while living in a $325-a-month apartment eating Ramen noodles, so can they. Customers don’t care if you have expensive houses or cars they only care about what you can do for them and how professionally you do it.

I always looked at my career as a profession, not a transaction. I was in it for the long haul so building relationships was very important to me. I enjoy people and try to bring some fun to my relationships. For example, a client of mine crashed his Porsche 10 days after he got it and was upset. I wrote him a “get well” card from my Jaguar to his Porsche which made him laugh at the situation.

I knew early on that I needed to brand myself and distinguish myself from the competition – just like we do with the houses we sell. I carved out my niche of selling architecturally interesting luxury homes right from the beginning. It fit in with my love of architecture, art and design and it fit with who I am as a person. The most successful agents I see have built businesses that reflect who they are as people as well as professionals.

Most realtors don’t get that. They don’t know how to brand themselves and it holds them back in more than one way. Not only are they not memorable, but a prospective seller will naturally wonder “if he can’t sell himself, how is he going to sell my house?”

CD: If you ever change careers for an encore you’ll…

Dave: I can’t imagine doing anything else. I can only imagine doing it somewhere else like Palm Springs. I’ve sold three homes there already without meaning to in the neighborhood where I have my second home.

CD: How many second homes are we talking about here? And were you part of the inspiration for SecondShelters?

Dave: Quite possibly, you’ll have to ask Candy! A friend of mine told me once “Dave, you can’t go anywhere for six hours without buying a house!” I have too many second homes – which wouldn’t stop me from buying another one if I fell in love with it. There’s the 1920’s Spanish Colonial in Tucson; the 1890 Victorian in southeast Arizona that used to be a B&B; my 1960 Bungalow in Palm Springs which was designed by Rick Harrison – the same architect who designed the Palm Springs airport; and my 1930’s beach cottage on Nantucket Island.  While I have them rented out most of the time, I love to visit often. Each one has furniture and decorations that suit the period and style of the house and neighborhood.

I think I’m coming down with seasonal affective disorder or something that is making my eyes itch at the very sight of Christmas lights. Needless to say, I needed something to refocus, something like a palate cleanser. Surfing for House Porn is the perfect answer!

And what do you know, I stumbled upon 4414 Lively Lane, an absolutely stunning Hill Country Contemporary (that’s a fancy term for a brand-new, vintage-inspired, Craftsman-like home with a stone facade) in Rockbrook Estates for just $2.15 million. If you could have heard me when I found this home, your eardrums would have shattered I squealed so loud. I just love everything about this house!

From the gorgeous hardwood floors to the incredible light fixtures (check out that art glass ceiling fixture in the foyer!) this home is amazing. The listing says the home, built in 2008, is inspired by the designs of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I can see that, especially with all of the beautiful wood trim around the windows and the stone fireplace in the living area.

The floorplan is open, which makes all 6,277 square feet of this home flow effortlessly. There are five bedrooms, five and a half baths, three living areas, and a kitchen that was built for entertaining crowds.

There are two master suites  — one on the first floor an another upstairs — and they are both just impeccable. I love how the owners have decorated with light, neutral colors that play off of the huge wood-trimmed windows.

The master bath has a very organic feel with different shades of stone and tile. I love the separate vanities that are on opposite walls — a key selling feature for anyone who isn’t a morning person (*raises hand*).

With all of that space inside, you’d think that there wouldn’t be any lot left for a decent-sized pool or a yard. Not so! This home has a wonderful loggia and cascading pool surrounded by a very private lawn. Gorgeous!

There are ten (10!) in the master bedroom alone.

$$$ Here’s the other thing that caught my eye: this home is not for sale in the conventional manner. The owner will trade the home for a ranch, a larger home, or rare coins. I’ve heard  of house swapping, but this is more like dirt or metal swapping.

Marilyn says the home has been featured in a number of movies and was once the cover home of Robb Report Magazine. Also, the the grounds were the setting for the first performance of Ballet Dallas. You can see why from the enormous drive-up appeal and the elegant set-back. The home is 7800 square feet, with four living areas, 6 bedrooms, 6 and a half baths, three stories and 8 fireplaces. There is also that basement with a wine cellar, coal chute and a chicken coop. The third floor contains a ballroom with catering kitchen and marble thresholds. Built on a 1.2 acre lot, the Tudor also has a gorgeous guest house with two bedrooms, two baths and a full kitchen. The main home has a library, a 60 foot long gallery, 27 foot long dining room, totally updated (and huge!) kitchen, and Butlers pantry for an actual butler. The entire house beckons back to a gracious living standard that thrived in this part of Dallas. Fashionable people had help, and this was a home for the fashionable.

Asking price: will trade for a ranch, a bigger house, or rare coins.  Guess Facebook stock is no longer an option, but I cannot imagine they would turn down a few oil and gas leases…

So what is it like to be inside the home of the folks who FOUNDED this great mecca of organization?

Listed at $1,350,000.

Midcentury Modern homes are so hot in Dallas right now that it’s hard to find one you can afford. Most are in high-profile locations, are remodeled, or have long pedigrees. But what if you could have an amazing Midcentury Modern home in a great neighborhood for $200,000?

Thanks to the amazing Brandon Stewart, you absolutely can. If you are even toying with the idea of putting in a bid on this incredible Kelly Oliver and David George-designed Mid-Mod at 10815 Sinclair, don’t wait — at just $200,000, this home will go lightening fast.

“It’s one of the best mid mod designs I have seen under half a million in Dallas,” said Realtor Matt Rivera. And boy, do we agree!

It’s modest at 1,299 square feet, but with the walls of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an adjacent greenbelt, it feels so much larger. The home, which is inspired by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, has some stunning details, including the clerestory windows that have circular overlays, the exposed beam ceilings, the huge brick fireplace, the polished concrete floors — just everything in this house is fascinating. You can get a closer look on Sunday between 2 and 4 p.m.

There’s a small pool to the side of the house that is great for when you need a quick dip to cool off. Inside this house needs a lot of love. But considering the price, you’ll have tons left in your budget to make it work. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a kitchen with a layout that was far ahead of its time in 1962.

So incredible, don’t you think?

“Candace, I could not sleep after seeing this listing. I want to see it tomorrow, but can you find a Realtor or just go ahead and put an offer on my behalf for 195k. I will put up earnest $$ tomorrow afternoon. 100.00 option money too. I just want to see it, but go ahead and lock it up if possible.”

I called the agent, Brandon Stewart, telling him I was putting him in touch with a hot buyer. (I hold a Texas real estate license, but I do not sell real estate.) Brandon calls me back and tells me the home is sold, for over asking price, 5 offers. Home just went on the market Thursday.

Jo, you have such great taste in real estate!

When he and his wife built it, Stanley Marcus believed that it was the very first fine contemporary home in Dallas. It has other “firsts” as well: the library, for example, has a leather floor that was made of the same imported leather once used for a display wall in the Neiman Marcus shoe department — the configuration entirely Stanley Marcus’ idea.

Go down Abrams, head east on Westlake Drive to Lakehill Preparatory. There you find the land of the Nonesuches. I have always wondered about the name of the street, and of course it comes from the marketing genius of Marcus himself. Mark Lovvorn tells me Stanley Marcus named the street Nonesuch. During the days of constructing his house, it took the city so long to complete the connection of Llano Road to the Lakewood area and the Marcus property, that he himself decided to call the road “Nonesuch Road.” There are also other personal connections to the selection of this name. Along with his vast art collection, Stanley Marcus collected miniature books as a hobby and began publishing those in 1975.  Corresponding to the address of the residence, he called this publishing activity “Somesuch Press.”

Like most young affluent couples, Stanley and Billie Marcus wanted to build a home in Dallas to raise their three children. Six and a half wooded Lakewood acres three blocks from the water were given to the young couple by Stanley’s father, Herbert, who lived nearby. (Stanley Marcus was born in The Cedars.) As he tells it in his autobiography, “Minding the Store”, they did what any building couple does — create a budget and find an architect. And here is where another famous name in architectural history puts his imprint upon this house. Frank Lloyd Wright selflessly offered to design the Marcus home — “why take an imitation?” he modestly proposed to the Marcuses.

“In 1936 my wife and I paid a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright at his home, Taliesen, in Spring Green, Wisconsin for the purpose of inquiring whom he would recommend to design a contemporary home for us is Dallas. When I asked whether he recommended Richard Neutra, the California architect, or Bill Lescaze, the Swiss architect resident in New York,  Wright replied, “Why take a substitute when you can get the original?” writes Marcus.

It was the thick of the Depression. The Marcuses had budgeted $25,000 for construction, a huge amount back then and significantly more because of the land gift. In an insightful description of the architect, Stanley Marcus describes Wrights’ architectural plans based on the one day he visited Dallas in January, 1934, when it happened to be 70 degrees.

“When his first preliminary sketches arrived, we noticed that there were no bedrooms, just cubicles in which to sleep when the weather was inclement. Otherwise, ninety percent of the time we’d sleep outdoors on the deck. We protested that solution on the grounds that I was subject to colds and sinus trouble. He dismissed this objection in his typical manner, as though brushing a bit of lint from his jacket, by assuring us that I wouldn’t get colds if I slept outside.  Finally, though, with great reluctance, he did enlarge the bedrooms.”

Wright had other head-strong ideas about the Marcus home. He provided little or no closet space, saying “closets were only useful for accumulating things you don’t need” — this to one of the nation’s great retail giants!

Wright dragged the plans on, occasionally even asking Marcus for a loan. Ultimately, a local Dallas architect named Roscoe DeWitt, who the Marcuses had hired to act as a sort of “local agent” for Wright, got the job. DeWitt had already designed one contemporary model home for the Texas Centennial celebration at Fair Park, the home moved to 6851 Gaston thereafter and remaining one of four or five Art Modern in the city, according to Douglas Newby. DeWitt, a Dartmouth and Harvard grad, also specialized in building courthouses and hospitals and ultimately designed two Neiman Marcus stores. It is interesting to note, and gives great insight into the brilliance of Stanley Marcus, that he and his wife were clearly firm with Wright about their preferences. For example, they noted the “sweating walls” while visiting Taliesin and told Wright they wanted under no circumstances sweaty walls in Dallas. They wanted good acoustics with high ceilings. Though they had raised the original building budget up to $30,000, Wright’s preliminary estimates came in at $90,000 to $150,000.

The home was finally built in 1937. In his autobiography, Stanley Marcus says DeWitt wrote him later that all great architects have their “betes noir”. In Wright’s case, it was his roofs. For Mies van de Rohe, it was his posts. Apparently Dr. Farnsworth had to buy sheep to keep the weeds down around Farnsworth House in Illinois!

In 2008, the current owners, Mark and Patricia Lovvorn, asked the city of Dallas to “remove the Structure by demolition … in order to build a more energy efficient new home on the property and to occupy the new home as our permanent residence.” That didn’t happen. Robert Wilonsky, a reporter then at The Dallas Observer, spent two days in the DeGolyer Library at SMU, devouring papers and files related to the construction of the Nonesuch house. Somewhere in all that, I think he was besmitten by 10 Nonesuch and didn’t want to see her go. Neither did  Dallas or state preservationists. The Lovvorns quickly changed their minds and kept the house, vowing to restore it with every ounce of historic integrity. W2 Studio spent two years refurbishing the house, adding merely 400 square feet to the original 9,558. It is listed for $5.4 million dollars with Dave Perry-Miller’s Nancy Johnson, known as the “queen” of Lakewood real estate. It is on what is left of the land from Herbert: 2.99 acres tucked in a private shared gated acreage with three other graceful homes, none historic.

When Mark Lovvorn wrote an editorial in The Dallas Morning News in August of 2008 explaining why the couple wanted to raze the home, he pointed out that even Stanley Marcus, entrepreneur extraordinaire, had thought ahead to the profitability and future of the Nonesuch dirt:

“When Stanley Marcus began to market the property in 1993, it was zoned R7.5 (single family residential), but had yet to be platted. Recognizing the economic attraction that the property might have to a land developer, Mr. Marcus engaged an engineer to draw a preliminary sketch, which demonstrated how a prospective purchaser could easily yield 24 lots from the seven-acre estate.”

True to their word, the Lovvorns have nurtured the home and given her a new life. Now they care to downsize. As for the historical papers, sketches and drawings, including the original plans by Wright, those will remain with Mark and Patricia Lovvorn. Agent Nancy Johnson says the sellers plan to make copies of some and present to the buyer provided, of course, that the price is right. Here is what Nancy told Robert Wilonsky on Friday AFTER he saw my tweet:

“They spent a lot of time and energy trying to honor the house — and at an enormous expense,” she says. “Once they made the decision this was the way to go, they really embraced it. A lot of people will appreciate that.” The new owner, she says, will be a “discerning” one. A wealthy one too. She suggests the next owner of the Nonesuch house might want to add, say, a tennis court or other amenity somewhere on the surrounding three acres. They likely won’t need much more.”

The History of the Marcus House 

The late architect was raised in New Mexico and studied at the University of Texas under Hall Box in the 1970s, or so Doug Newby tells us. His passion for everything southwest is evident in his modern work that plays off images of Texas. His houses are designed as clusters of smaller separate structures. But unlike Frank Lloyd Wright and his silly notion of “living outdoors”, Burgess’ works are connected by long galleries covered by a gently sloping standing seam metal roof. He is best known for his most vertical residence found at 2814 Park Bridge Court off of Turtle Creek Boulevard, yet he has designed many homes throughout Texas as well as San Francisco,  Vermont, and New Mexico.

At 2 Los Arboles, you have an immediate connection with the exteriors before you reach the front door. A good part of the property is in the front yard, where three huge trees serve as sculptures. Then, the house. Maple hardwoods are everywhere, and the living room is defined by a sunken step-down. The kitchen is totally updated, and the laundry room large enough to be called a wrapping room at the long built-in desk. There is storage everywhere, including a nook for a pet crate, a mail nook, an exterior potting porch, a half-bath for the pool, natural light, walls for art, and serenely beautiful views of the grounds from every window.

I really loved the way the architect left the natural stone as part of the hallway wall, creating visual interest and texture as only natural stone can.

Then there are the bedroom wings: on one end are two bedrooms and a shared bath, ostensibly for the children. As you walk in to this wing, you face a giant chalkboard wall where messages and reminders can be left –brilliant! The master is in it’s own “pod” complete with sitting room and huge spa bath, closet. A huge cedar closet is also nearby. Two other possible bedrooms are located over the garage, though I would keep one exactly as it is: an exercise yoga or pilates room complete with wall mirror and barre, connected to the other room via a bathroom. You want a playroom, you have it.

In all, you have four to five bedrooms, three full baths, two half, multiple living areas, a three-car garage, and the luxury of a 24hr guarded and gated community. HOA dues for this security are $850 a month. If you are looking for a “lock and leave” inside the Loop, this is it. Listed by the wonder woman that is Becky Frey at Briggs-Freeman Sotheby’s, with artful staging by Cliff Ellman. Problem is, the grounds are reminiscent of a Hill Country resort with giant stone paths, peaceful trellises, landscaping by Rosa Finsley, and that refreshing pool with water wall. The lot is so well-landscaped, you can never tell where it ends.

You might want to forgo that 5 hour drive and just relax at home!

Don’t have plans for Saturday? Now you do. Why? Because you’re going to the Preservation Dallas Fall Home Tour sponsored by Briggs-Freeman Sotheby’s featuring eight of the most amazing Midcentury Modern homes in Dallas.

Better get started early, too, because you don’t want to miss the breakfast reception and panel discussion with Dallas Morning News architecture critic Mark Lamster, architectural historian Kate Holliday, and architect Larry Speck, FAIA. The trio will discuss the hallmarks and historic significance of minimalist style, which should be really interesting for those who have a burgeoning interest in what makes a Midcentury Modern home.

The history is so fascinating. According to Mark Meckfessel, FAIA, Midcentury Modern style is somewhat of an import to the US, evolving from International Style which was brought from immigrants who fled to America before World War II.  A perfect example of the style can be found in our own city — 10 Nonesuch, the famed former residence of Stanley Marcus. Influence can also be traced from legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. But what makes a Midcentury Modern stand out?

“While the sources of that new thinking might have varied, the resulting residential architecture tended to have certain features in common that distinguished it from much of the home design of previous decades. Floor plans tended to be more open, with less separation among living, dining and family areas. Large, continuous expanses of windows broke down traditional notions of “inside” and “outside”. Roofs tended to be flatter and building forms more geometrically crisp. Structure was often openly expressed and applied ornamentation – cornices, brackets, moldings, etc. – was minimized or avoided altogether.”

That’s the concise and yet thorough description of Mid-Mod design I’ve come across. Now, if you want to see some sterling examples of this style, go and buy your tickets to the tour today. For a little sneak peek, check out the homes on the tour below.

The Robertson House, designed by Harley L. Tracey and built in 1951, is pretty much in its original condition with a unique brise soleil in front and all the original light fixtures. With 1,900 square feet and just two bedrooms and two baths, the home was designed for empty nesters who entertain.

The Markham house was commissioned by J.L. Markham in 1951 and has undergone several remodels, with the most recent carried out by Tommy Bishop, ASID, in 2007. The home was originally a two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow, but the owners enclosed the rear carport/garage, making it a master suite.

The Cavitt House was built by L.C. Cavitt in 1958 and has some stunning design features. The use of muted brick both inside and out, as well as the overhangs that make the home appear larger than it is, combined with it’s hilltop location make this home a notable one.

The Touchstone House, built in 1960 and designed by Robert Johnson Perry, is an Asian-inspired Midcentury Modern with floor-to-ceiling windows and other luxurious touches that place it on the higher end of homes built in this period.

Perhaps our favorite home on the tour is the Galaway House. This amazing home is such a gem, with a courtyard and pool that is surrounded by huge windows and tons of light. It’s in a neighborhood where you would never expect to see such an incredible structure, either. Designed by Tom Weber, Chad Dorsey (who owns MoreDesign) was the builder.  They work independently, but worked together on the home.

Glenn Allen Galaway designed and built this home in 1966. The home was sold in 2010, and bith remodeled and expanded by Weber and Dorsey at MORE Design + Build. It’s now a five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath home — significantly larger than it’s original 3/2 floorplan — and comes in at more than 3,000 square feet.

Designed by Scott Lyons and built in 1975, the Fridge House is a bit older than most of the homes on the tour, and most of Lyons’ designs in Dallas. While it may not seem bright on the exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows and copious skylights — trademarks of Lyons’ work — filter light throughout the home.

John D. Carsey, designer of the Art Deco Bath House Cultural Center on White Rock Lake, designed this beautiful two-story in 1950. The Prior House is a significant departure for this architect, and his legacy has been preserved with painstaking care by the current owners. This home, renovated by Bodron+Fruit, is a masterpiece with an extended second floor and gorgeous views.

I don’t know about you, but this cold yuck just gave me yet another excuse to bake and cook, well, yes, eat drink. I need to find some homes for diet inspiration! Homes that make me want to jump and move and burn fat!

What? Homes as diet inspiration? Yes, actually. Beach homes are the perfect way to whittle down to a bikini-worthy waist. Gazing at those clear blue waters and sand, you drop the Kettle Chips toote suite and become a Breatharian, like Michelle Pfieffer. Hopefully, the physique will follow.

Thighs too flabby? Go look at ski homes, and all the steps you get to walk up with those heavy ski boots dragging resistance on your feet. Do this preferably on your ipad while doing a few wall squats simultaneously. Homes with a lot of stairs just seem to pop out exquisitely chiseled quads in the owners from the moment you close.

Which is why I love (fresh to the market) 830 Kessler Woods Trail. Sleek, sophisticated, modernist, this is a total Breatharian home. You know the area: 30 stunning residences in a gated residential development of highly sophisticated architecture inspired by the work of revered mid century masters Frank Lloyd Wright and Joseph Eichler. Surprise surprise, only three lots are left here, and two of those have homes going up. Dallas Realtor extraordinaire David Griffin lives in Kessler Woods, was one of the area’s very first evangelists.

The homes at Kessler Woods are nestled on a real hill — not the “Pill Hill” that the area around Methodist is sometimes called — but a cliff at the edge of one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, Kessler Park. There are dramatic views of downtown Dallas and also of a beautifully landscaped center park. A small creek winds through the property amongst towering cedar and live oak trees. Lot sizes range from 7500 square feet to one-half acre, priced from $180,000 to $200,000.

Really, Kessler Woods is about as close as you can get to living in Austin when living in Dallas. And staying fit.

So Patrick Hammer, of Hammer & Partners,  designed this creek-side home, built in 2006, with expansive walls of commercial-grade windows just pulling that outdoors in. Pull pull pull! There are wide-plank oak hardwoods, floating stairs to bound up, formals including a soaring 2-story living room, dining room and open glorious kitchen. There is also a must-have in this part of town: a screened-in porch that totally extends your entertainment area or gives you a chance to rest with a glass of wine (150 cal max) to let your heart rate down. There are entertainment decks, more steps, and a jetted pool. I am in love with the master suite with fireplace, which is quickly becoming a standard necessity given our schitzo climate, and a beautiful spa master bath. There are four bedrooms, three and a half baths, plus a media and an exercise room YES ALL THAT! in 3631 square feet.

Best of all,  you can grab this home for a wee bit more than one million: $1,025,000. You just know the folks at Inwood Mortgage will make that happen like of piece of cake with zero calories!

All photos courtesy Russell Ross

When Russell Ross took on his first interior design job, his bosses only let him make 50 percent of the design decisions and the pay was zero, but he was hooked.

Turns out it was an addition to his family’s home in Oklahoma and his parents were in charge, so getting about half his design ideas implemented was pretty great for a pre-teen.

“I’ve always had interest in design since I helped my dad build an addition on to our house,” Ross said. “I was only 10 or 11, but was fascinated by building, designing, and selecting finishes. I remember a couple of evenings sitting down with my mom and dad looking at drapery fabrics, light fixtures, wallpapers, wood stain colors, and carpet samples and my dad asked me my opinion.”

Fast-forward to 2015 and you’ll find Ross bringing his calm presence and analytical mind to interior design projects all over Texas and around the United States. His West Village firm, Russell Ross Design, rebranded last year from the name Intuitive Design, and he is tackling design projects that include the revitalization of two 1980’s homes, designing a fitness center with an affluent retired football player in Southlake, and working on a new construction house in Vaquero Club in Westlake, with elements like a floating walnut staircase, a powder room with a lighted floor, and dramatic two-story fireplace.

“I think we are known best for being able to listen to each individual client, and marry their tastes and needs with our creativity and unique style, to give them the homes of their dreams,” he said. “Our intent is to create one-of-a-kind looks for each client.” Jump to read all about his designs and see pics!

Ross always showed an interest in the arts, taking up oil painting as a teen and learning about design elements like color, texture, and space. But the true cultivation of his design skills started after college.

“I’m originally from Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma,” he said. “However, most of my education in design came from on-the-job training with Dillard’s and Foley’s department stores. I worked in their visual display or merchandising departments for 15-plus years.”

Ross says in the 1980s, a lot of creativity and set design was required to give visual impact to merchandise on the floor and in display windows. Plus, his boss had a background in set design, so they did things big.

“I learned composition and the way to pull your eye to a certain focal point in a space,” he said, noting how he uses that skill now: “For example, with a fireplace, the idea is to pull your eye to the fire first, then bring it up so you see the visual elements there.”

He transferred to Dallas from Tucson in the 1980s with Foley’s and moved into residential design around 1995 with a North Dallas interior design boutique. Five years later, he struck out on his own and earned immediate accolades.

“I did a Parade Home in the Frisco Starwood area and we won most of the awards, including People’s Choice and Best Design,” he said. “I think I first realized then this was to be my career path. Winning the People’s Choice Award made me realize that I could actually make a living at something I had true passion about and give people something beautiful and functional. From there, my business flourished.”

As far as inspirations go, Ross cites Frank Lloyd Wright as his biggest, both for the uncluttered aesthetic of Wright’s style, as well as the organic elements harmoniously woven throughout his work.

“I like the way he brings nature into a lot of his homes—creek running through the house and waterfalls off the edge. I like bringing the outdoors in and the indoors outside, and I like to do a lot of water features if possible.”

He describes his early interior design work as more “Old World” or “Gothic,” with dark, rich colors and textures, antiques, and reclaimed architectural elements built into custom homes. In recent years, he has gravitated more toward Mediterranean, transitional, or modern.

“We still use plenty of texture, but colors are more muted and lighter as a whole, with a pop of color for accent,” he said. “It’s a trend, the way things are shifting toward being more clean and simple and my style has always been more transitional modern. But of course, I’m going to listen to the client and give them what they want.”

His own West Village personal space reflects these interests.

“My home has a transitional feel with midcentury modern pieces, white lacquer tables, and lots of velvet,” he said. “The colors are primarily creams, grays, and blacks with many textures with accents of gold and silver. It’s a very calm, relaxing atmosphere, which I think everyone should have when they come home from the hustle of city life.”

The hallmarks of his newer style include gray and earth tone paints on the lighter end of the spectrum, and he notes an affinity for the polished nickel fixtures.

“Even though it’s silver, it has a hint of a gold tone in it and it’s warmer than chrome,” he said. “It’s a little more refined and modern, but you can mix it with vintage things because that’s where it came from.”

Furniture has cleaner lines and tends toward a midcentury vibe.

“I like mixing materials, like an iron and stone coffee table and wood end tables,” he said. “My grandpa was a homebuilder in Kansas and he really liked that style as well, and their house was furnished midcentury modern.”

He continued: “I really like integrating natural elements, like natural stone, rich woods, and unique metals. I also like to use lighting to give a rich ambiance, whether it be indirect LED, back-lit onyx, or a cool one-of-a-kind lamp.”

One of Ross’ gifts is the ability to envision all the ways a space might be used and make sure all its elements make those uses possible and seamless.

“When I start with a new construction home, prefer to start in the blueprints phase,” he said. “I work with the architect, and we’re really good at walking through floorplan and thinking about how the person will use the room, down to where the light switches are or where they might want to store towels in the bathroom.”

Another aptitude he possesses is ascertaining a client’s wants and wishes and translating them into a real-world design that meets their expectations.

“I would consider myself a flexible and creative thinker with a good intuitive sense of what people are trying to convey,” he said. “I think most people know what kind of home they want to live in, and we work together.”

He works well with all members of the design team, too.

“My analytical side allows me to design with the actual implementation in mind,” he said. “In other words, I have the ability to not only design a space, but also tell a builder or contractor how it should be constructed.”

Ross’ style of conveying those ideas has earned him a loyal clientele.

“I’ve been told numerous times I have a calming affect on people and my ability to discuss projects with a client in a more factual way, not a lot of hype, sets a lot of people at ease,” he said. “I’m more of a businessperson with their interests in mind instead of just an artsy person.”

Although Ross ended up in Dallas by surprise, he stays for the work opportunity.

“Dallas is very diverse in both culture and real estate and there’s always business here,” he said. “We enjoy working with many affluent levels of clientele and an array of types of real estate, from large estates and moderate homes to downtown lofts.”

His portfolio is prodigious, as are his industry recognitions. In addition to the 2001 Parade of Homes Best Design and People’s Choice awards, Ross’ work has earned the Kaleidoscope of Homes, 2008 Best Design award, and Best of Houzz 2014 and 2015 awards in Customer Satisfaction. It has also appeared in Luxe Interiors + Design Magazine in 2008 as a cover and featured design; in 2013 Indulge Magazine; on ABC’s Designing Texas three times as a featured Dream Home Designer; and as a real estate cover feature in January in the Dallas Morning News.

Instead of closing with written summary about Ross, let me leave you with with a visual montage of photos from his portfolio and you can let your eyes wander with pleasure over the results of his work. Enjoy and leave us a comment with your thoughts!

As an East Dallas resident, I’m fond of walking around White Rock Lake and some of the nearby neighborhoods. Most people, though, expect that a home with a lake view has to be on Lawther or in Lakewood. Not so! There are plenty of beautiful homes in Lake Highlands that have great views. Some of them are on Peavy, and others are on a street called Van Dyke, which sits perpendicular to Peavy Road, starting near Buckner Boulevard. This street has so many fabulous properties on it, but this one always caught my eye.

From the outside, this 1959 modern home looks like a glassed-in pagoda, with wooden crossbeams and smokey panes. But what will you find once you cross that bridge and enter this one-of-a-kind home? More than 5,700 square feet of colorful contemporary design that will awaken your imagination.

This home is definitely worthy of being a landmark. It’s in the AIA Guide to Dallas Architecture. Here’s what the guide has to say about this home at 9729 Van Dyke, listed by Robert Blackmsn of NXT Home Realtors for a recently reduced $1.195 million:

Designed by Donald Speck

This self-assured home utilizes a Wrightian planning grid and formal vocabulary to achieve its striking neighborhood presence.  The angular glass façade employs a variety of effective devices for sun control, including suspended vertical fins, which serve to balance the horizontal emphasis of the elevation, while also establishing a deceptive monumental scale.

Couldn’t have said it better myself! This home has an interesting floorplan, with the master bedroom at the front of the house. You may wonder why it has that kind of configuration, but it’s so the public areas of the home can take advantage of sweeping downtown views. This home’s lot is enormous, but feels much larger because it backs up to a protected natural area. You’ll never have to worry about pesky neighbors junking up an alley, that is as long as the city doesn’t get the hare-brained idea again that they should put a restaurant nearby.

Like to host parties? This home, with its birdseye maple kitchen with expansive island with a six-burner gas cooktop can accommodate any kind of gathering. Bring in a caterer and soak in the views from that huge living room that would be perfect for several low-slung sectionals and chairs with plush carpets and pillows. Of course, while I do love contemporary design, you might want to tone down the paint colors in this home. More subtle paint and accessories would let this home’s architecture really shine, like those pristine terrazzo floors and those cool exposed beams throughout the home. What fantastic details!

There are five bedrooms, three full and two half baths, FOUR living areas, two dining areas, and did we mention the White Rock Lake and downtown Dallas views? I’m sure we have.

The master suite has an amazing feature that you’ll fall in love with: A woodburning see-through fireplace. That, along with the never-ending vanity in the master bath, make it feel spacious and unique. There is a huge soaking tub and separate shower, too, and with a little restoration, this bathroom will be a true gem.

You’ll notice something interesting about the rooms in this home. Why are there only windows at the tip-top of the walls? That’s because the bedrooms are actually on the lower floor, with the common areas on the upper floor. This helps to capitalize on the views, allowing the less private areas to be on a level that won’t necessitate a bunch of walls, and leaving the upper floor as an area that is glassed in not unlike a beautiful conservatory. It also allows the room to be, as the AIA guide points out, deceptively large.

Of course, as you might expect, there is a large lawn in the backyard, but minimal landscaping. Why put up anything between you and that view, right? If this is a look you could get used to, contact the amazing lending professionals at Inwood Home Loans at Inwood National Bank today. They have all the right skills to make sure your luxury real estate purchase sails through closing. Why take chances? Call Inwood Home Loans today.

If you have a spare hour tonight, head over to the UTA Fort Worth Center at 7 p.m. for a free talk by historian Quentin McGown on how Frank Lloyd Wright has influenced North Texas architecture. McGown, who has written books about the built history of Fort Worth, will examine the Wrightian hallmarks you can still find throughout Fort Worth and how this style continues to influence architecture today.

AIA Fort Worth is hosting this presentation as part of their “Design Talk” series.

We asked McGown, a sixth-generation Texan, a few quick questions about his research. Jump to find out more.

CandysDirt.com: What landmark or well-known Fort Worth homes have significant influences from Frank Lloyd Wright?

Quentin McGown: We have several works designed by architects who apprenticed with Wright, but I think the best example of Wrightian design is Karl Kamrath’s Commercial Standard Building on Camp Bowie Blvd. John Lloyd Wright did a private residence in Ridglea that is very much in his father’s style, and John DeKoven Hill completed a residence in Westover Hills after the owner visited Taliesin West.

CD: What finishes or details are the most common?

QM: Mid-century architecture was perfectly adapted to the Texas climate. The use of stone and concrete, deep eaves, clerestory windows and cool interior patios and gardens are some of the hallmarks of the period. Fort Worth, and Dallas, I’m sure, have examples of every variation of the “ranch style” imaginable, from direct copies of the California originals, to versions uniquely Texan. All share the fundamental principles that Wright championed with his Usonian architecture: low, single story, open plan structures with a close relationship to outdoor space. The simplicity of the period, to me, makes the current fashion of overly decorated mini manses look plain silly. But that’s just me.

CD: I notice you speak frequently about mid-century modern architecture, which is extremely popular right now. Are there any undiscovered or hidden gems in Dallas or Fort Worth?

QM: People are discovering the mid-century neighborhoods at the same time development pressure is encouraging demolition. I can’t speak much to the Dallas market, but I know that mid-century architecture in both cities is at the same crossroads that late 19th and early 20th century works faced as they were demolished to make way for their “modern” replacements. We seem to be losing the mid-century works almost as fast as we can identify them. Thankfully, there seems to be a growing demographic that actively seeks out the period. I hope that trend continues.

A house has just gone on the market in Ridglea designed by an architect, J. B. Johnson, who worked under Harwell Hamilton Harris and later went on to a noted career in Mexico. The current owners did a loving restoration, even preserving the original kitchen appliances. It needs to be in the hands of another family that appreciates the period and beautiful aesthetic of the house. There are several neighborhoods filled with mid-century gems, including Ridglea, Ridgmar, Sunset Heights, and White Lake Hills. Carver Heights, on the city’s east side, is a remarkable mid-century development marketed originally to African-American homeowners. The neighborhood was the first in Fort Worth to recognize the value of its mid-century history as a tool for preservation.

Today’s Tuesday Two Hundred takes us to Junius Heights in Old East Dallas to look at a lovely Prairie Style house that just hit the market June 1.

The Prairie Style of residential architecture made its debut in Dallas in 1907 with a house on Abrams Road, based on the plans Frank Lloyd Wright published in Ladies Home Journal six years earlier. This style was popular in the Midwest and Texas, a distinctly American design idea featuring a low-pitched roof, large overhanging eaves, central chimney, discipline in the use of ornamentation, and low, horizontal lines.

Just three years later, the house at 5614 Worth St. made its appearance near Beacon and Gaston. It’s not a perfect example of the Prairie Style, but comes close, with its warm earth-tone palette, horizontal wood siding, interior glass doors, and other “style appropriate” interior architectural details.

With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,416 square feet, this Junius Heights Prairie house is modest in size, but offers a lot of function and beauty in that space. There are minor cosmetic fixes needed in parts of the house, like the second bathroom, but overall, it’s great. Plus, the location is prime, just minutes away from Lakewood, Lower Greenville, White Rock Lake, and other hot spots for shopping and dining.

This house is listed by Ebby Halliday agent Kay Caughron for $249,000. (As happens so often lately in our red hot North Texas real estate market, it went under contract in three days—it’s a charmer!)

The Craftsman-style door leads into a front sitting room, with a decorative fireplace, arched doorways, a decorative arched window, built-in shelves with glass doors, and hardwood floors that carry through the entire house (except bathrooms). The current owners are using it as a entry hall, but it has potential as an entertainment space, too. Glass doors lead into the dining room.

The dining room and living room are both off the front room. Throughout the house, plentiful windows keep the space bright and light, and neutral paint colors make the rooms feel calm and welcoming.

The kitchen layout is slightly awkward, with the gas cooktop and microwave separated from the sink and tile countertops. But overall, it has a cute look with the hardwoods, decorative detailing above the sink, and freshly painted cream cabinets. Nearby is a utility room with hookups for a full-size washer-dryer (electric).

The house has three bedrooms, two of which are pictured above. The master bedroom is 24-by-11, long and narrow with four windows and a door leading out to one of two decks in the backyard. The main bathroom, pictured above, features a clawfoot bathtub and pedestal sink. Not too much room for storage, but quaint with its wainscoting and vintage lighting.

Two deck patios offer great relaxation spaces in the yard, a lovely sight with shade trees, an in-ground planter, and just enough green grass. There’s a storage shed along the back privacy fence, and parking is uncovered along the side of the house, or out front (since cars were not yet invented when this house was built in 1910, there is no garage).

The owners replaced the roof last year using dimensional architectural shingles, among the highest quality roofing shingles manufactured. Ceiling fans throughout the house help with air circulation and cooling costs, as well.

It’s really no surprise that this Junius Heights Prairie went under contract so quickly—it’s got location, personality, vintage charm, updates, and green space. Leave us a comment with your thoughts about the house!

These photos are of the Durham Builders home at 6924 Santa Barbara Dr., one of three modern houses now available in the new Santa Barbara development. Photos: MetroplexHD

East Dallas has a new modern enclave near White Rock Lake, with three houses built, and four more planned.

The Santa Barbara development, near Mockingbird Lane and W. Lawther Drive, creates a style that fuses native Texas materials with California-style architecture. The result is marvelous, something that’s being called “this-century modern.”

“When we were doing the original modeling, we were doing was more Midcentury Modern [style], but I felt  a Texas modern house would go better with the community,” said builder Miles Durham of Durham Builders. “It seems like the people around the lake and in Lakewood are open to this type and style of house.”

Durham’s father, Robert Durham, is the architect for the Santa Barbara development.

“He has modernist influences, and Frank Lloyd Wright,” Miles said. “He does all of the floorplan layouts and all of the elevations, I do all the finish selections and more. We’ve done a lot of houses and we work well together.”

The Santa Barbara houses are priced between $810K and $825K, and are around 3,200 square feet with four or five bedrooms. The designs include an abundance of large windows, open floorplans, fireplaces clad in Carrera Marble and wood, designer tile, concrete floors, and chef’s kitchens with high-end KitchenAid stainless steel appliances and Silestone quartz countertops.

“It’s extremely affordable by Lakewood standards, and that was important to us,” Miles said.

The photos throughout this post are of the home at 6924 Santa Barbara Dr. listed by Jennifer Baldwin with Clay Stapp + Co. for $810,000. It is a 5-4 with two living areas and 3,137 square feet.

Outside, the Santa Barbara homes offer native landscaping, covered dining patios, decks, and large backyards with privacy fences and enough space to accommodate swimming pools.

He is no stranger to successful residential developments. Miles was one of two builders of Pine Tree Court, located at the corner of McMillan and Ellsworth. Along with Cambridge Homes, Durham Builders created 16 modern patio-style homes that sold out quickly last year.

His style is widely admired: Durham’s Eagle Trail home was featured in Dallas Modern Home Tour in 2012.

In this home, the most outstanding aspect is the sense of connection between the outdoors and indoors. The windows are the key to achieving that (and they’re all low-E and UV-reducing). The clean lines help draw attention to focal pieces: the staircase and entryway panel, are stunning in their simplicity and craftsmanship. 

“We’ve had a lot of showings and right and I think we’re close,” he said. “In terms of square footage, design, and price, we’re great.”

The next four homes will break ground soon.

“The design work on those homes is complete and our hope is to start construction by Dec. 1,” he said.

In our ongoing series, Interview with an Architect, we speak with leading voices in the North Texas architecture community and learn about their work, development issues in our community, and good design practices and principals (you can read the last one here).

Alicia Chandler Quintans

Alicia Chandler Quintans, AIA, is an Oak Cliff-based architect, interior designer, and preservationist. She founded JQAQ Atelier in 2012, a small design firm focused on solving modern design challenges for residential and commercial projects.

She graduated from UT Arlington School of Architecture in 1991, where she met her husband Joel, a collaborative partner for JQAQ Atelier and the Creative Director for UTA.

The summer after graduating, they stayed at a professor friend’s home in Oak Cliff, and fell in love with this southern borough of Dallas. The couple found a small, 1947 minimal traditional house in Beckley Club Estates.

“After almost 25 years, the house has transformed into a laboratory for ideas,” Quintans said. “We’ve updated the kitchen and bath, installed energy-efficient features, and added a studio on the property to serve as a workshop and guesthouse. The property evolves to suit our needs and interests.”

She’s a board member of both Old Oak Cliff Conservation League and Preservation Dallas, actively assisting in educating and strengthening historic connections between local communities, neighborhoods, and the built environment.

“By learning the history and sharing stories of collective memory, we better understand the sense of place in our community and provide an emotional connection, represented in form by our built environment,” she said.

CandysDirt: You hail from Graham, Texas, near Possum Kingdom Lake, and the city influenced your path to architecture and preservation. How so?

Alicia Chandler Quintans: Graham has the largest downtown square in Texas, surrounding an Art Deco courthouse. My appreciation for old buildings began in that square. I spent time at my mom’s office or at the Abstract Office, where I worked after school researching land ownership at the courthouse. Walking around the square is still one of my favorite activities when I visit and I always notice something new that’s probably been there my whole life.

Family and teachers encouraged artistic endeavors and I was a proficient landscape painter at the age of 12—my favorite subjects were old barns and trees. Thoughts of becoming an artist were changed by an English teacher who gave me the topic of architecture for a term paper. After countless hours in the Graham Public Library, I came away with a basic understanding that Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe were three influential architects, and I was eager to learn more.CD: Your family home also taught you about regional architecture, correct? 

AQ: We lived on a farm, in a house designed for the Texas climate with well water, no air conditioning, a central hall, transom windows for air circulation, and a screened porch. Lessons I learned from living in the farmhouse and connecting with nature are with me today.CD: How do you bring your passion for preservation to your daily work?

AQ: The most rewarding part of my work as an architect is helping others realize the potential and benefits of preservation, restoration, adaptive use, and how these tools enhance economic development and revitalize existing communities. Every project has goals and challenges. By starting with a plan, and exploring options and ideas, usually the obvious solutions appear. If the buildings are old, I research the history of when they were built, who built them, and why. This sometimes leads to design decisions based on construction techniques, introduction of new or re-purposed materials, or contributions to the historic value. CD: What is your opinion of the state of preservation work in Dallas?

AQ: Dallas has taken grand strides this year within the preservation climate. This week, the Dallas City Council approved the extension of tax incentives for the Historic Preservation Program. A Demolition Delay Ordinance was approved recently, which gives a level of oversight to historic buildings Downtown and in North Oak Cliff. With budget approvals for adding staff to the Historic Preservation Department and the addition of a Preservation Solutions Committee, city hall is taking notice of how history can help shape future development.

Leaders of our city have seen economic development as “new construction.” The community would like to see a change in the thought process to include adapting existing buildings for stronger economic development. Studies performed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation Green Lab have proven that neighborhoods with a mix of older, smaller buildings of different ages support greater levels of positive economic and social activity than areas dominated by newer, larger buildings. CD: What’s your favorite building in Dallas, residential or commercial, and why?

AQ: I’ve witnessed the transformation of streetcar-era buildings on Bishop Avenue in North Oak Cliff into a vibrant destination with shops and restaurants. This collection of buildings is my favorite in Dallas, reminiscent of a small town square, where you see friends and neighbors on the street. The urban scale of the buildings encourage street activity and each building is unique, yet contributes to the whole.

If you know an architect (or are an architect!) who should be featured in this occasional column, please email Leah here.

Dallas has always been a hotbed of excellent residential architecture, and our Inwood National Bank Home of the Week is a perfect example of the sterling level of local talent.

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