A handful of builders and architects have created what I call the Dallas Luxury Look — classic lines, European styling, and an element of drama. No one knows how to bring those features together better than Sharif & Munir Custom Homes, and this Preston Hollow French Traditional estate is a prime example.
Sharif & Munir was founded in 1978, so you can understand how their work has defined the Dallas Luxury Look. Founder Mickey Munir is not just a luxury home builder. He’s licensed as both an architect and an interior designer. When you have a 360-degree view of the process, it’s not surprising that Sharif & Munir homes are coveted by anyone looking for true luxury.
It’s not often that a Sharif & Munir home comes to market because they are built to accommodate a lifestyle that requires privacy yet allows for entertaining on a lavish scale, and that’s precisely what keeps people in place. These homes are grand, yes, but they live beautifully.
This 9,900-square-foot mansion is nestled into just over an acre off Strait Lane in the absolute heart of Preston Hollow. The gated property checks every box. It is decidedly uncustomary, completely private, and filled with elegant details from intricate floor patterns to ornate woodwork. You think you know what to expect in a home of this quality, but do you? I was stopped in my tracks when I had a preview last week.
Just inside the custom Cantera steel doors, you are enveloped in a spectacularly expansive two-story dramatic foyer. Honed limestone graces the floors and staircase with an elaborate wrought iron railing that curves around the second floor. The ceiling crown is an ornate acanthus leaf trim work over a layer of deep dentil molding. An extraordinary and enormous bowed window overlooks the pool. I could have stayed in that room all day. It’s large enough to hold a massive cocktail party or add multiple tables for a large dinner. And of course, it’s a perfect concert hall.
To the right of this dramatic space is a formal study featuring a deeply coffered ceiling, marble inlaid walnut floors, burled walnut paneling, and a marble fireplace. It overlooks the front of the property with a view of the trees through large arched French doors.
The walnut woodwork and flooring continue into the formal dining room on the left side of the foyer with a hand-carved mantle topped by an antiqued mirror. Custom fabric insets surround the room, and a stunning crystal chandelier set into a carved dome adds the finishing touch of elegance.
We know formal areas inspire but are not used as the rest of a home. That is where a Sharif & Munir design reveals beauty and practicality are never mutually exclusive. The open-plan family area overlooks the pool and features another heavily carved, and coffered walnut ceiling, parquet floors, and custom cabinetry inset into the fireplace wall. It’s very much a comfortable family space.
One of the many stand-out elements in the home is the hand-carved floor-to-ceiling cabinetry that wraps the kitchen. This serves as an example of that effortless mix of gorgeous and serviceable. Regardless of how beautiful a house is, it’s always a home first. This is the most family-friendly kitchen you’ll find on the market, with commercial-grade appliances including two warming drawers, two refrigerator drawers, and an Asko dishwasher. Two SubZero refrigerators are covered in the same carved paneling to blend in seamlessly.
Another thing that defines the Dallas Luxury Look is the layout. This French traditional home was designed to keep every member of the family happy. After the big white box movement and forced pandemic togetherness, we’ve learned that one big room does not cut it for peaceful living.
Sharif & Munir have known that for decades. They created the elegant principal suite on one side of the first floor, overlooking the gardens and a private courtyard. The walls are trimmed in floor-to-ceiling hand-carved classic Beaux Art millwork highlighted with a crystal chandelier in a dome inset. An intricately-carved marble fireplace provides the focal point for quiet contemplation. Sit here for a few moments, and you’ll swear you are in a chateau in the French countryside.
On the opposite side of the home lie the game room, home gym, and laundry, with one of my favorite clever features. When you see this home in person and can guess what it is, put it in the comments!
Three large ensuite bedrooms are spaced out for complete privacy on the second floor. The most beautiful home theater I’ve seen is also on this floor. A celestial ceiling sparkles with stars that change color at the touch of a button, and the commercial Runco HDTV projection system provides a superior home theater experience.
Now, if that’s not enough privacy for you, there’s more. You reach a storage area and the four-car garage down a hallway from the exercise and game rooms. Above and to the right of the storage area (another sight to behold) are entirely unexpected and delightful guest quarters that Ralph Lauren would love. The walls are finished in actual wood bark to appear like a cabin in the woods, albeit a luxury cabin. It’s perfect for that returning college student who wants to feel like they are living on their own!
Outside you’ll find the same level of detail and thought has been put into the impressive patio and the outdoor loggia across the pool. It’s another perfect area for entertaining, and the grill center makes that easy. The grounds are meant for exploration with plenty of walkways, a lily pond, and a greenhouse.
This French Traditional estate brings us the Dallas Luxury Look on a level we have not seen available in a very long time. Dave Perry Miller’s Ryan Streiff and Karen Fry have 4834 North Lindhurst available for $5.995 million.
