Real estate makeovers are real-life magic, and this University Park English manor house had the benefit of two of the best magicians in Dallas.
Allie Beth Allman & Associates Realtor Terri Patrick Cox and stager George Bass have worked their magic together for over 20 years and transformed countless luxury homes.
“People have a hard time visualizing,” Cox said. “George and I know how to make a home into what buyers want. Most people don’t see a dated home as an opportunity. When I go into a house that needs to be refreshed, I immediately see the opportunity, and so does George.”
Of course, you have to have clients that are pretty magical too. They must understand what it will take and dedicate the time and funds to move a home forward 20 years. But the sellers also reap excellent financial rewards because homes without a refresh will sit on the market, and the price just gets lowered.
Great Updates For an English Manor House
The updates are pretty straightforward when you have a quality custom build with great bones and enormous rooms. In 2000, faux finishes were huge, and that rich orangy bourbon wall color was completely on trend.
“Paint is a big part of the magic,” Bass said. “With the right color and application, you get a pristine environment and eliminate the visual noise of the house. Removing heavy curtains and lightening woodwork leaves a pristine canvas, and you can start layering it with furniture, art, and accessories.”
Although Cox and Bass chose white for the main rooms, they brought in one of the most on-trend colors for the study and fireplaces, a rich, balanced, versatile dark gray. A beautiful leathered marble was selected for the kitchen countertops to continue the dark accents.
Time is never on your side in real estate, but because Cox called in Bass the moment she got the listing, he could pull a few rabbits out of his hat. Cox had seen a piece of art in another staging Bass and his team had done and requested something similar for this English manor house. Bass commissioned artist Keith Johnson to create an artwork that would be a wink to the original owner’s love of orange. He also had just enough time to reupholster a few pieces to perfectly suit the home, a perk of having an in-house upholstery team.
“We know each other’s strong points,” Bass said. “Terri brings artistic integrity to the table. She wants to create a certain mood, and she has a vision. Because we have worked together for so many years, it’s easy for us to achieve it. When we look at the project, we work with what we have and think outside the box because we have no time to order special fabrics and furnishings.”
A Custom Home Built to Entertain
One of the terrific things about custom homes of this era is the use of space. The entry is large enough to hold a cocktail party, and areas like landings are much larger than in new construction today. To showcase that, Cox and Bass collaborated on creating gathering spaces all over the home so buyers could visualize how these are not simply spaces you pass through.
“People like to gather in different places when you entertain,” Cox said. “This home provides so many unexpected conversation areas.”
Abracadabra! This 6,209-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom English manor house was transformed in about four months, and that is down to a creative partnership and great clients.
Cox has this timeless English manor house at 3213 Wentwood Drive listed for $4.695 million.
