This is a home I thought I’d never find in the gated enclave of Lake Forest: 7107 Lake Edge. The home is a contemporary Mediterranean on a double half-acre lot. I did not know those existed in Lake Forest, the ground zero of zero lot line nirvana. The 2006-built home got a ceiling to baseboards remodel in 2018 resulting in sleek surfaces and clean, clear interiors reminiscent of true Santa Barbara style.
As I said, a rare jewel amid a sea of zero lot line traditionals.
The real winner here: wonderful outdoor living areas, not often seen in Lake Forest. The homeowner installed extensive land and yard scapes. It has everything from a spacious side yard to a 50-foot swimming pool and spa, and even a lower level dog run with my favorite touch — all the foot areas are covered in the highest-grade green turf. Even my dogs now prefer turf to grass. A Mosquito Nix system completes the comfortable pest-less outdoor atmosphere.
And then there is convenience with minimal maintenance: the pool is equipped with an electric sliding pool cover. The pool and spa feature an in-floor cleaning system, UV water purification for minimal chlorine use, and a heater.
The home is located on one of LF’s more spacious streets, with back views of Churchill Way green space and great drive-up appeal. I’m grateful it’s not located in the double-gated section: too many barriers to entry. All exterior walls have been repainted and freshened with new stucco, the landscaping manicured for minimal maintenance.
Enter the graceful foyer entrance, to the left is a grand, oversized staircase bathed in natural sunlight from a large skylight. All floors are rich, dark, engineered wide-planked hardwood, while foyer/and kitchen bath tiles are porcelain.
Eyes are immediately drawn to the sunny main living area with a 22-foot ceiling and linear gas fireplace nestled into a wall of stone. This entertainment central space overlooks the pool and opens to the element-protected patio, equipped with a tidy outdoor kitchen and professional grill. A newly added outdoor cabana (which could be a guest house) features a full kitchenette, plus fold-back doors to open. Travertine flooring connects the eye to the main traffic flow, bringing the home full circle.
The kitchen was remodeled in 2008, with custom-designed German Leicht cabinetry: one-touch close drawers, LED lights in every drawer, and Miele appliances. The kitchen features both a butler’s and storage pantries, a morning room, and an adjoining mudroom with a downstairs washer and dryer as well as extra storage.
Adjacent to the kitchen/morning room is an eight-seat, fully sound-insulated home theatre (eight reclining leather seats!) loaded with Sony laser 4K HDR projector and accouterments. This makes total sense to keep movie buffs well-fed, but conveniently.
Here is a home ahead of its time. It has not one but TWO home offices with a large front “working” office with tons of storage and a full bath plus a smaller “house manager” office near the home theater that would be a perfect secondary “messy” office. The guest room is down, adjacent to the front home office.
The primary suite is up, which makes this such a perfect family-centered home for those raising young children. Thus the home has two closets dedicated to an elevator shaft from the first-floor foyer to the second story, where three bedrooms are located, including the primary suite. Complete with a fireplace, this room overlooks the pool and opens to a covered balcony over that cabana. It also has an enormous his and her custom closet by California closets, and a spa bath that’s right up there on my list of the best in town. It has enough space for TWO massage tables, a full steam shower, and sauna, plus seriously massive storage.
The second story also has a full laundry room, large mirrored exercise studio, and a TV room.
This home doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to luxury details or solid construction. Built and updated by Sharif Munir Custom Homes, we’re talking in-ceiling speakers throughout, eight Sonos apps, four brand new Lennox high-efficiency AC units with in-duct UV air purification systems similar to those used in hospitals, tankless water heaters, LED lights, surge protectors, ethernet wiring, security system with cameras even though you are already in a gated community, smoke, fire, carbon monoxide detectors. Oh, and the whole house is fully fire-sprinklered.
Even the three-car garage is luxurious, with new soft on the soles Epoxy floors. It is located conveniently close to the mudroom and kitchen for easy transfer of packages and access.
Lake Forest in North Dallas offers 24/7 guarded gates, private walking trails, a dog park, swimming pools, and tennis courts. Former District 11 City Councilman Lee Kleinman lives there and also in Colorado.
Living in Lake Forest is already like living in a resort year-round: this”O” home makes it official.
