Dallas houses built in the 1960s aren’t generally known for their wide, open floorplans. But it’s a top “want” on today’s buyer wishlist, so a renovation that makes it happen is a smart choice.
Today’s Thursday Three Hundred shows us a wonderful example of taking a 1966 house and reworking the interior to be spacious and open. The house at 10039 Pensive Dr. in Northwest Dallas is four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 2,303 square feet. The common spaces—living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast area—have had almost all interior walls removed to make one huge room. What a difference it makes!
It’s located in the Chapel Downs neighborhood, a community of 334 homes established in the early 1960s. According to the Chapel Downs Neighborhood Association, the majority of homes in the area are single-story ranch-style homes ranging from 2,000 to 2,500 square feet. The neighborhood is characterized by pleasant homes with comfortable front, back, and side yards with mature trees and plenty of green grass. The borders of Chapel Downs are loosely Walnut Hill Lane on the south, Webb Chapel Road to the East, Carry Back Circle to the North, and Goodyear Drive to West.
Fun fact: The original neighborhood developer was a horse racing fan and named many of the streets after winning horses at the Kentucky Derby, like Carry Back (1961 Kentucky Derby and Preakness), Citation (1948 Triple Crown Winner), Venetian Way (1960 Kentucky Derby), and Pensive (1944 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes).
The overall feel of the house is fresh, modern, and bright. This beauty is newly listed by Philip Hobson with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty Texas for $349,000.
This house has been updated from floors to drawer pulls. The drive-up feel is tailored and clean, with painted brick, minimalist landscaping, cement pavers, and contemporary house numbers. The front door is wood and glass with a midcentury vibe that works well with the overall style. 
This open space has so much to recommend it, including hardwood floors, recessed lights, new light fixtures, a brick fireplace, fresh paint, and a built-in buffet by the kitchen. The load-bearing walls have been replaced by beams and brand new double-pane and low-E windows keep it bright. Other parts of the renovation include a new HVAC system, new electrical panel, and new water heater.
The kitchen is totally dreamy, with stainless steel appliances, a custom island with breakfast bar, and butler’s pantry. There’s also a designer glass backsplash and the electric glass cooktop is by Kitchen Aid, and the oven and refrigerator are Jenn-Air.
(The counters are Carrera marble slab, which is just gorgeous, but etching can be a real problem. Read Jon Anderson’s recent column about the problem and how to minimize it here.)
A nearby utility room has been updated to include hookups for a full-size washer-dryer.
The master bedroom has a contemporary ceiling fan, high-set windows, and walk-in closet. The ensuite bathroom is a delight, with the same Carrera marble counters as the kitchen, all new cabinets, tile floors, fixtures, and linen closet. The large walk-in frameless glass shower has porcelain tiles and Carrera marble accents. 
The other three bedrooms also have new carpeting and fresh paint, and the bathrooms have been renovated, as well. The full bath has custom cabinets with Ceasarstone quartz countertops, subway tile and stone tile accents in the shower/tub, a linen closet, and touchless flush Kohler toilet. The half bath has a new custom cabinet with Carrera marble countertop, fixtures, and lights. Very sleek.
The front and back yards have a built-in sprinkler system, and there’s an attached two-car garage with new door openers and chain drives, as well as a new Epoxy finish floor. The back has an eight-foot privacy fence, as well as an electric gate to allow for easy entry.
What a huge renovation and big changes for this Chapel Downs home—there’s really not an area that untouched and it’s all been carefully considered. Bravo.
