We’ve loved this Hill Haven Midcentury Modern at 11316 Valleydale Drive for a long time. The architectural screen block wall is the first clue that something special is about to unfold behind that turquoise blue front door of our Inwood Home of the Week!
Former owner Alex Eskenasy of Eskenasy Ferguson Architecture had a great deal to do with what makes this home special.
“The house had an existing architectural vocabulary that I used,” Eskenasy explained. “It already had all the components, the quirky midcentury modern details like the breeze block wall, and the connections between beams and columns expressed throughout different porches. I wanted to take the original architecture, embellish it, and expand the house.”
In 2012, Eskenasy built the enormous master suite that seamlessly blends into the existing structure. He added striking architectural interest with the ceiling. “I call it the origami ceiling,” he said.”
When Eskenasy lived in the home, the garage had already been turned into a master bedroom. “Now the house has essentially three master bedrooms,” he said.
Eskenasy was fortunate enough to meet the original owner, Johnnie M. Reed — a builder, of course. Reed told him the house, built in 1959, was the most cutting-edge midcentury modern in the neighborhood, complete with white shag carpeting and a white piano. Imagine the parties! We dug into the Dallas Morning News archives at the Dallas Public Library and found the original listing for the home in 1960 which you’ll find amusing, especially the use of capital letters, and the price:
CONTEMPORARY
A New Concept in a Luxurious Contemporary. Fabulous Entertaining area, magnificent fireplace. A “just perfect’ Electric kitchen, utility room, master bedroom suite, walk-in closets, built-ins. Central heat and air. In the $30s
This Hill Haven midcentury modern now has 3,756 square feet, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a stunning gallery of windows leading to that new master suite. The kitchen was completely updated. “It’s a galley kitchen, and it totally works in this house,” Compass Real Estate listing agent Christy Berry said. It runs parallel to the living room, with a window overlooking the front yard so you can be anywhere in the kitchen and look out into the main living area.”
The light in this home is one of the main attractions as it’s filtered through all the mature trees on the property. In fact, the entire setting is lovely. “The entire street has a deep setback,” Eskenasy said. “It’s a tranquil park-like setting.”
If you’re new to Dallas, the Hill Haven neighborhood is south of the more well-known Janmar neighborhood. Like Janmar, it’s full of great 1950s and 1960s homes and mature trees.
This Hill Haven midcentury modern is everything a homebuyer wants today, single-story, stylish, move in ready living. Give Berry a call because even though the 2018 listing price is $1.199 million, it’s a lot of bang for your buck!
Karen Eubank is the owner of Eubank Staging and Design. She has been an award-winning professional home stager and writer for over 25 years. She teaches the popular Staging to Sell class at MetroTex and is the creator of the online course, The Beginners Guide to Buying Wholesale. She also believes in the power of white paint! Find Karen at www.eubankstaging.com
