Dear Readers, you know by now that I love any well-done Mediterranean mansion. You also know when it comes to buying a builder’s family home, I always say get your banker on speed dial.
This one belongs to Preston Custom Homes owner Mark Early, one of the best and most trusted luxury estate builders in the Metroplex. If you are new to Dallas, Early is responsible for the homes of people whose names you would easily recognize.
What is so attractive about a Mediterranean mansion?
First and foremost, they are reminiscent of vacation property you would find in Italy or Spain. When Early and his wife were on holiday in Italy years ago, they fell in love with the style.
“We built this house because we wanted to feel like we were on vacation,” Early said.
When they found this property in Mayflower Estates, he and his wife bought it because of the trees.
“They were magnificent and the major attraction,” Early said. “We fenced off the front yard during construction so there would be no chance of damage from contractors trucks. My architect, Pat Ford with Rogers Ford, and I laid out the house, and we respected the footprint of the original one-story home. I developed the floor plan, specific to our needs, and Pat did his magic. I wanted to minimize wasted space, make it open, and capture the views.”
And did he! Early created an oasis that will have you forget where you are the moment you enter the driveway.
His resort-like Mediterranean mansion is 7,992-square-feet, with five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two powder baths. It’s on an acre surrounded by those mature canopies of trees, and the lushest landscaping you’ve ever seen, courtesy of Harold Leidner. So privacy is a given.
One of the many reasons you want to buy a builder’s home is they do not have to make compromises for a client that may want something that’s not particularly efficient or logical.
Early wanted an old-world feel with big, vaulted ceilings. “I wanted it to feel like it’s been there for a while.”
The attention to detail and materials is exceptional with an old Chicago brick and beamed ceiling in the kitchen, chestnut oak cabinets, and that bar!
“Gerald Tomlin was our designer,” Early said. “The bar was patterned after a piece of furniture he found in New York. He sent us photos, and our trim guy made it. It’s free-standing in front of the cabinet behind it and stained to match what he’d seen. We love it because it’s unexpected.”
“What I love about this house is you walk into a beautiful open setting and disappear from the chaos of city life, “Allie Beth Allman Realtor Ashley Early said. “It’s peaceful, timeless, and elegant. It’s such a unique and thoughtfully constructed property.”
Another thing to love about a Mediterranean mansion is they are essentially built for parties.
“We set it up to where we can have food trucks and catering crews working out of the oversized garage,” Early said. “They can lay it all out in the cabana, and we put tables out in the yard. We’ve had great parties here!”
Despite being an estate property, this Mediterranean mansion is a comfortable family home, whether you are throwing a party for hundreds or just hosting an intimate family dinner.
A 551-square-foot air-conditioned and heated cabana anchors the gorgeous backyard
The Earlys brought in the team at George Bass Stage & Design to perfectly showcase their magnificent Mediterranean mansion, always a smart move!
With timeless elegance, masterful workmanship and, complete privacy, what’s not to love?
Everyone wants an estate property today. To have one that makes you feel like you’re in another country on vacation is a dream come true.
Ashley Early and Clark Landry have this one-of-a-kind Mediterranean mansion at 10211 Waller Drive listed for $3.995 million.
