Coming in at over 5,000 square feet, this house is huge. The only thing bigger than the square footage? The style. It’s a two-owner home with a storied past.
It was constructed for Bill Cree and his wife Amber Cree in 1955. Amber studied architecture at Texas Tech and became enamored with mid-century design. She teamed up with Jimmy Tittle, lead architect at Tittle Luther Loving, to design her dream home.
Abilene’s Barnett & Hill’s John Hill describes the design as exotic mid-century. He said the Crees never had children and that might be one of the reason the rail-less descend into the conversation pit and ascend to the balcony and guest room were able to fly. Though it could occasionally prove tricky for adults too.
Hill said recently on Facebook, an Abilene resident posted this very glamorous picture of Amber Cree at the opening of the Shamrock Hotel in Houston and shared a story about the Crees home. The poster said one time, father may have been a bit overserved at a party at the Crees’ legendary home and resorted to “climbing to the guest suite by scooting on his butt – he was afraid of going over the edge on the stairs and rail-less landing.”
Can you imagine the parties that went on in this place?!? It’s exceptional and the people and STYLE of everyone that attended were, too. UGH, what an era.
Hill went on explain that the second owners and current sellers, Polly Coleman and Charlie Norris, “did the heavy lifting by replacing an asbestos-cement shingle roof and replacing the antiquated chiller system with five (5!!) HVAC units.”
Aside from a primary and guest bathroom renovation, a floor refinishing and light renovation on the St. Charles cabinets in the kitchen, this home is largely original. And why wouldn’t it be? When you nail it the first time, don’t mess with perfection.
My absolute favorite feature of the house? All of it. Every single inch is unbelievable. But my favorite-favorite is the triangle fireplace. I’ve never seen one like it. Back up favorite-favorite? That living room ceiling.
Jimmy Tittle designed an abundance of mid-century buildings in Abilene and he’s still living today. As an animal-loving sidenote, when Amber passed away in 2014, she donated all of her estate to the Abilene Zoo. Just a fun fact to further prove what a fun, lively, and lovely person Amber was. With an eye for design in spades.
Hill has 1450 Tanglewood Road in Abilene listed for $925,000. Not a shocker, it’s already Pending.
