“Saturday could not have been more perfect for a stroll along Swiss Avenue. With food, drinks, horse carriages, pups for adoption, blooming flowers, and, of course, gorgeous homes, the annual Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour was a complete success.

A few of the grand dames up for perusing were 5405 Swiss Ave., 4949 Swiss Ave., and the garden at 5514 Swiss Ave.

The owner at 5405 was a delight. He entertained all his guests with a three-and-a-half minute talk about his home (after he first made sure all the moms in the group got optimal seating in the shade). He said his house has been on the tour twice, the first time seven years ago. He said this would probably be the last year he and his wife put it on the tour. I can’t imagine how much work it takes to get a house tour ready. The homeowner did admit, however, that nothing cleans like a guest. His house was full of family treasures, and it’s obvious the couple has spent a great deal of time maintaining the historic integrity of the home. Some of the memorable details included a beautiful chandelier moved to its original location in the dining room to a gorgeous, original stained-glass window enticing everyone to take a peek upstairs (even though it was blocked off).

Another stop that got my attention was the garden at 5514. It was such a beautiful day that my husband and I could not help but sit down for a minute and imagine that garden being ours. Beautiful plants and flowers overflowed one end, while a perfect pool, firepit, and outdoor kitchen took over the other end. We could imagine summer parties around the pool and fall gatherings around the firepit. Some wonderful handiwork from Downing Hill Garden Studio was displayed as well. Everything about the setting made me want to move in.

But instead, we moved on.

My favorite house to visit was undoubtedly 4949 Swiss Ave. As most of you know, there’s quite a story to this one. From the outside, it’s still very majestic, even if her windows are sagging, and she’s in dire need of some paint. Inside, you could just imagine the grand parties that once took place. The staircase, even after years of neglect, is still bold, beautiful, and majestic. The kitchen and breakfast room both boasted the blue hue Mary Ellen loved so much. It’s amazing how much disrepair the house is in after only a few years of not having an owner. The house has so much history, beauty, and grace that I couldn’t help but wonder how much she would cost. Rumor has it, she’s listed for $795,000 (of course, you’d probably spend that much just on remodeling).

Overall, it was a great afternoon spent on a beautiful street. Here’s to another successful Swiss Avenue Home Tour!”

SAHD Mother’s Day Home Tour 2010

Homes and Gardens on Tour

4938 Swiss Avenue

Home of Myra & Darwin Smith

4949 Swiss Avenue

Estate of Mary Ellen Bendtsen

5405 Swiss Avenue

Home of Cassandra & Arch McColl

5500 Swiss Avenue

The “Aldredge House”

owned and maintained by the Dallas County Medical Wives Auxiliary

5514 Swiss Avenue

Garden of Rhonda & Nick McCune

5650 Swiss Avenue

Home of Rebecca & Ryan Browning

5750 Swiss Avenue

Home of Mary Jane & Ted Redington

6015 Bryan Parkway

Home of Shannon & George Vindiola

6326 Bryan Parkway

Home of Wes Powell

5419 Gaston Avenue

4607 Ross Avenue

Property of the Dallas Woman’s Forum

The current 2,500 square foot, U-shaped floor plan gives every room a view of the interior courtyard, making the house feel twice its size. The homeowner’s smart use of the space has worked well for life with a teenager, allowing kids to hangout on one side of the house and adults on the other. Their choice of eclectic décor has made a comfortable family environment.

The homeowner, Daniel Lewis, is a self-taught pastel artist who  began painting 8 years ago. Many of his landscape portraits were inspired by the views surrounding this home and White Rock Lake. The creations you see in the home showcase his bold use of color with non- traditional pastels.

There, I’ve teased you with most all of the homes on the tour. But nothing beats house porn in the flesh — go today (noon ’till 5pm) and see these lovelies and enjoy!

Brochure says “this residence incorporates all of the standard elements of an Alan Hoffmann Company home…
• Insulated Concrete Construction
• Super High Efficiency Windows, HVAC, and Water Distribution
• Whole House Water Filtration
• Conditioned Attics
• No VOC paints
• Passive Solar Site Orientation

The interior is a soft contemporary with simple lines. Natural and sustainable materials such as bamboo and granite are used throughout. Windows and sliding glass doors surround the home with light and each room opens to private patio or central courtyard.”

OK, so go, see, tell me what you think!

Scuttlebutt: supposedly the brick used to build this house was left over from the NorthPark Mall project. If so, I hope the buyers got a deal.

The kitchen is completely open to a casual living area. The sliding glass doors on either side open to a separate patio and fill the house with light even on a cloudy day. The wrap around yard also allows multiple views of the pool from the office and Master suite on the 2nd floor.

The 3rd floor was designed for more formal entertaining. As you walk into the combination dining/living space, you’ll be amazed by the wall of glass which opens up to a balcony spanning the entire length of the room.

The current owners have chosen a mixture of vintage and new furnishings to accent their art and treasures from abroad. Notice the Finnish glass collection throughout the home.

And hats off to Christine Rogers, who first confessed her love affair with a Ju-Nel home in our D Home. Christine lives in a Ju-Nel home, and this year she launched another treat for Ju-Nel buffs. The White Rock Home Tour is kicking off Friday night with a first-ever speaker forum and reception at the Dallas Center for Architecture,  with a Ju-Nel exhibition — blueprints, drawings, photos, period ads and artifacts from the two now-deceased architects’ personal collections. It will also feature a speaker’s forum moderated by Donald Gatzke, AIA, dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington. Ju-Nel homes were designed and built by two local architects, Lyle Rowley and Jack Wilson, proteges of Howard Meyer and Frank Lloyd Wright, They were way ahead of their time, going green back when the word meant nothing more than color. They believed in preserving trees at all costs, energy efficiency, and open floor plans in not-so-huge homes. Not too dissimilar, actually, to the kind of homes Alan Hoffman builds.

The Ju-Nel name was derived from both men’s spouses, Julie and Nelda. Nelda and Wilson’s daughters will be on the speaker panel, along with Vel Hawes, FAIA.

Now here’s the sad news: the forum was limited to 100 because of space, and it sold out within an hour. If that is not proof positive of, one, how many Ju-Nel enthusiasts this city holds and, two, how home obsessed we are, nothing is. Dallas loves homes, Dallas love mid-century, Dallas loves Ju-Nel.

Also, if you’re curious to read about a teeny, tiny struggle they had with the city of Dallas then click here. But keep it on the DL, because more than a few people are unhappy I wrote that article.

Photo by Charles D. Smith AIA

This year’s AIA Dallas house tour, November 7-8, has some truly extraordinary houses designed by some of the very best local architects.  One of the houses, on Labron, we wrote about here many moons ago.  Designed by Kelly Mitchell and Sean Garman, two of the most fun folks around as well as really good architects, it’ll be well worth the price of admission on its own.  And I want to see the rest, so see you there.

To get a better taste of Lake Highlands, check out this article I wrote for D Home: Neighborhood Spotlight: Lake Highlands

3704 Stratford Avenue:

This home is right up my alley. I am a recently transplanted Highland Parker, originally from New York, and this reminds me of the homes I grew up around. It is tucked away from the street behind a natural setting of trees and bushes. Everything is kept simple yet beautiful, from the architecture to the interior decoration. Even the pool area. If you are a person that likes to be close to your favorite restaurants, friends, the grocery store, and so on, but when you are home you like to feel a million miles away, this is the home for you.

3512 Euclid Avenue:

Mi piacerebbe visitare l'Italia un giorno di questi! Translation: I would like to visit Italy one day. For now, I will just visit this Tuscan style home right in the heart of the Park cities, and you can come too! Between 3:00 and 5:30 on Sunday, August 2nd, Briggs Freeman has the pleasure of giving an open house for potential buyers and real estate lovers (or real estate voyeurs). I hate to pick favorites... but this is my favorite. You have to see this one yourself so put on your Sunday best, grab your umbrella, and get on over to Euclid Avenue. Faccia come se fósse a casa sua (Translation: Make yourself at home). Better yet, don't just make yourself at home, make it your home!

3524 Wentwood:

This traditional University Park home has three of my favorite things: hardwood floors, saltwater pool, and a large second floor deck. I would happily give my left kidney to live in this home. Unfortunately, I think the cost runs more around two kidneys, a liver, and a leg, but it's worth it!