The Southern modern farmhouse style has become one of the most popular designs constructed today. All over America, homebuyers are embracing the look that the television series Fixer Upper brought back into our collective consciousness. It speaks to comfort and tradition. It’s familiar, functional, and family friendly.
Our Inwood Home of the Week, at 7027 Casa Loma Avenue, is a charming example of the Southern modern farmhouse. At 4,619 square feet with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two powder baths, a study, a game room, and a wine cellar, there is plenty of room for a growing family and a growing wine collection!
“I’d say I’m a big fan of Fixer Upper,” owner Lauren Halstedt said. “So, we did a lot of shiplap and marble. We like the traditional Southern look. It’s a classic style, and I think it will resonate for a long time.”
Chris and Lauren Halstedt worked with New Summit Homes to create their Southern modern farmhouse in 2016. From the eggshell blue front door to the party-ready backyard, this is a chic and comfortable home. Living spaces were laid out in a manner that creates intimacy, but still allows for easy flow, and keeping tabs on who is where — essential when you have kids!
It also boasts a Vantage smart home automation system. “I can do everything from my phone,” Lauren said. “I still don’t know half of what it does!”
This modern farmhouse is in a neighborhood with a small-town sense of community, which can be hard to find. Barry and Lucie Pound purchased a home here in 1996. I’ve known Lucie for decades, so I called her up to find out what exactly is so special about Lakewood Hills.
“It’s a very close-knit community,” Lucie said. “People look after each other here. We have a front porch social every month organized by the Lakewood Hills neighborhood association. It’s an old-fashioned neighborhood where neighbors become friends, and we all look out for each other.”
Have a look at the neighborhood website. You’ll see this is about the friendliest group of people in East Dallas. There’s a supper club, a men’s club, a ladies club, a book club, and a garden club to name only a few!
It’s also a walkable neighborhood. The White Rock YMCA is a few blocks away, the Arboretum Village shopping center is within walking distance, and you can easily bike to White Rock Lake. In fact, Walkscore.com calls Lakewood Hills “flat as a pancake with excellent bike lanes,” and rates it with a bikeable score of 67.
The Halstedt’s need to be closer to the tollway, so they are going to have to say goodbye to their Southern modern farmhouse. “I love our house,” Lauren said. “If I could pick it up and plop it over by the tollway, I would.”
So, here’s your chance to own a chic, smart, Southern modern farmhouse in a neighborhood that feels like small-town America, and where, as Lucie tells me, you can just as easily borrow a cup of vodka as a cup of coffee — I’m in!
Ty Vaughn with the Associates has this Lakewood Hills Southern modern farmhouse listed at $1.299 million.
Karen Eubank is the owner of Eubank Staging and Design. She has been an award-winning professional home stager for more than 25 years and a professional writer for 20 years. Karen is the mother of a son who’s studying music at The University of Miami. An ardent animal lover, she doesn’t mind one bit if your fur baby jumps right into her lap. Find Karen at www.eubankstaging.com.
