What makes a great house? “It’s all about texture, scale, and detail,” said Lisa Luby Ryan. And Ryan should know. She designed this modern neoclassical mansion in Old Preston Hollow from the ground up. Ryan has been one of the go-to interior designers in Dallas for years. Her firm, Lisa Luby Ryan Design & Build, is responsible for some of the most luxurious, but livable homes in America.
One of the toughest things about new construction is finding a way to add character so a home is not just another white box. It helps to have a stellar team comprised of not only Ryan, but also architect Richard Drummond Davis, and builder Mark L. Rose. Harold Leidner added the perfect touch to the landscape.
Ryan and her team excel at building in character. “We’re known for mixing in old elements, that look like they’ve been there forever, with the new materials,” she said.
Ryan’s sensibility is evident the moment you enter this modern neoclassical mansion at 5522 Falls Road. When you walk through the steel doors, you enter an enormous foyer that is completely paneled and has 18th century reclaimed limestone floors from the south of France. The staircase is also limestone with custom iron railings.
“It’s classic yet transitional,” Ryan said.
The wine room is another testament to mixing just the right elements. “The walls are 18th century stone, also from the south of France, with custom wine racks that float so you don’t see them,” Ryan said.
Ryan sourced fireplace mantles in Europe, designed custom light fixtures, and used Venetian plaster. She also added lots of molding to create the right ambiance for this modern neoclassical mansion.
“Moldings seem to have gone away, and I love them,” Ryan said. “They anchor and bring weight and character to a house. We were very specific to make sure all the moldings worked together. They are all custom and every baseboard, every crown molding has some of the same element. So many details went into this house.”
This modern neoclassical mansion has 9,843-square-feet, five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a powder bath. A sizable pool cabana is presently being used as a gym, and it’s not at all what you might expect from a cabana. It’s fully equipped and finished out in the same manner as the main house, so can easily serve as guest quarters.
While decidedly elegant in composition and design, the home is tempered beautifully by not just the addition of antique elements but also the commonsense use of color and fabric. “It’s very private and very livable, Ryan said. “That, to me, is the most important. You must be able to sit on the sofa. We wanted it to look like a forever house.”
Mission accomplished.
To see this beautiful modern neoclassical mansion, give Joan Eleazer a call. As she told me recently, “It’s perfection.”
Joan Eleazer with Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty is marketing 5522 Falls Road for $6.295 million.
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. Karen teaches the popular Staging to Sell class and is the creator of the online course, The Beginners Guide to Buying Wholesale. Her love of all dogs, international travel, good chocolate, great champagne, and historic homes knows no bounds. Her father was a spy, so she keeps secrets very well!
