(Editor’s Note: We originally published a version of this story last year, but since D’Andra and Jeremy are graciously opening the doors of their beautiful Lindenwood contemporary again for the Friday, Dec. 5 ABPA Homes for the Holidays Home Tour, we decided to take another look at this lovely home!)
D’Andra Simmons hopes you’ll get a glimpse at her and Jeremy Lock’s personalities when you tour their incredibly chic Highland Park contemporary during the Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association Homes for the Holidays Home Tour.
The eclectic two-story modern has an open floorplan with a global vibe injected with a shot of old-Hollywood glamour. And Simmons, founder of the Hard Night Good Morning line of cosmetics, knows a thing or two about glamour. The 6,600-square-foot home is both a home base and a showcase for these two world travelers. Lock is an award-winning war photographer, and Simmons, who admits she feels more relaxed on safari in Africa than anywhere else, have assembled their collections in a way that reflects their travels and tastes.
“A lot of contemporary homes are choppy, but right when you open the front door, you can see right through the home to the pool and on to the backyard,” Simmons said of her home, 3501 Lindenwood. “I wanted flow, openness, and room to breathe.”
And that’s exactly what she got in this custom home, completed in 2011. The huge windows and tall ceilings give this home warmth from the light that reflects off of the gorgeous pine wood floors and soft museum-style paint. It’s like a blank canvas for Simmons and Lock, an empty gallery to showcase their treasures collected from across the globe and throughout history.
Dotted with animal skins and African art, as well as icons and statues from Asia, you’ll also find walls and rooms filled with Lock’s photographs. The images, taken in Mongolia, Haiti, India, and other far-flung locales, are striking and evocative. They offer a look inside Simmons’ and Locks’ travels, histories, and personalities, that’s for sure.
Take the incredible Jeffery Bigelow acrylic four-poster bed in the guest bedroom. The vintage bed is a whimsical and glamorous piece, suiting D’Andra’s personality to a tee. There’s also a huge gate from a Tibetan Buddhist temple used as a headboard in the master bedroom, evoking the couple’s well-traveled pedigree and global tastes.
In fact, 3501 Lindenwood, designed by Marc McCollum, was on the AIA Dallas Tour of Homes in 2013 and was scheduled for last year’s ABPA Homes for the Holidays Home Tour, which was canceled due to inclement weather. Still, they learned quite a bit from the AIA Home Tour, especially watching the reaction tour-goers had to their home, which does a stunning job of bringing outdoor elements inside through balanced composition.
“I was here the whole time to see people’s reactions. We travel a lot, so it looks like the United Nations. It’s very artsy and personal,” Simmons said. “They really saw our personalities shine through; it was a warm, relaxing environment.”
It’s a place to put your feet up and get cozy, Simmons added. “Our lifestyles are very comfortable, which is unlike a lot of contemporary homes.” We definitely agree.
Of course, she is glad to have the opportunity to support the Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association, which provides funding and programming for Armstrong and Bradfield elementary campuses inside Highland Park ISD. The home tour, ABPA’s main fundraiser, has contributed more than $40,000 to help improve instruction and teacher retention.
“I feel kind of guilty, living in this great school district and not having kids to send to the schools!” Simmons said it with a laugh. “If I can do this to give it a little boost, that’s great; that’s what we’ll do.”
You can buy tickets to the Friday, Dec. 5 ABPA Homes for the Holidays tour from ABPA members, at Tom Thumb stores, or online at armstrongbradfield.com.
(Photos: Jeremy Lock)
