July 2024 Home of the Month
"Oh you're the one with the wall!" That’s what people typically say when we tell them we are at the corner of Northlake and Parkhurst.
In 2012, Joe and I were officially empty nesters living in Plano, looking to move to the Old Lake Highlands neighborhood. We decided to try our luck at an estate sale at 463 Parkhurst Dr one weekend, and immediately knew this was our new home.
We moved into the two-bedroom, one bathroom house in May 2013. The original bathroom had recently been remodeled, the floor in the kitchen was replaced, and all the carpet had been pulled up and the hardwood floors underneath restored. Our plan was to remodel and add on to the house quickly, but with kids in college, job changes, life got in the way.
Our renovation journey took about 6 plus years. The front yard came first; building beds to line the front profile, adding a mondo grass border along with some pots for interest. Next came the garage. We added onto the original garage footprint to include a bonus 200+ sq ft office. Once that was complete, we began to look at the house.
We decided to work with Dallas Design+Build to help complete our vision. The goal of the project was to keep the 1950s Mid Century feel without it looking like a museum. We also wanted to make sure that we connected the new spaces with the outside as our outdoor spaces are a priority for us. The scope of the renovation was a new kitchen, living area and adding a primary bedroom and bathroom. We combined the dining room and living room spaces opening this area of the house up to the outside with a 16' glass sliding door. There is a matching 16' slider in the primary bedroom to allow for additional access to the central patio in the backyard.
The renovation piece we enjoyed the most was the backyard. It was a blank slate with a lot of potential. The goal was to make the back yard an extension of the inside; an additional living area. With direction from our landscape designer, Rene Cantu, we created a front and backyard that complement the house and create a unified peaceful environment.
The biggest piece of advice we can give to someone thinking about taking on a full property renovation is to partner with professionals; designers and builders that share your vision.