Yowza, another stunning time capsule house: This 1962 Dallas, Texas mid century modern home, listed for sale by Realtor Sandra Melmed, features stunning Asian-influenced decor throughout, most all of it in untouched original condition. The house has an interesting provenance. The original owner was longtime executive assistant to Neiman Marcus chairman and family heir Stanley Marcus, and it’s clear she had fabulous taste.
We actually recall sharing the link to the estate sale for this house on our Facebook page — it was quite something to see all the designer decor, not to mention the fantastic clothes and shoes. Thanks to reader Suzanna for this wonderful tip! And, thanks to the talented photographers from Shoot2Sell Photography and to Melmed for helping obtain permission, we can all take a peek inside this gorgeous property — 24 photos!
From the real estate listing:
- Price: $575,000
- Year Built: 1962
- Square footage: 3,526
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathrooms: 3 full, 1 half
MID CENTURY MODERN VIRGIN REDO. RARE OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE-PRESERVE ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT HOME OF STANLEY MARCUS EXEC. ASSISTANT * HALF ACRE PLUS * NORTHWOOD HILLS ESTATES * ONE OWNER * EARL NORRIS DESIGNER-BLDR * GREAT ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS * TERRAZZO FLOORS * MARBLE BTHRM COUNTERS * ROCK FP * ORIG.TEMP CONTROLLED WINE CLOSET * WALLS OF WINDOWS VIEW SPECTACULAR ASIAN INSPIRED GROUNDS * POOL & CABANA. DONT MISS IT!
Just look at the detail on the original wood double front entry doors — exquisite. And the stained glass bamboo motif side panel is equally fantastic.
In one of the bathrooms, stylish grass cloth wallpaper adorns all of the walls, providing a neutral, earthy backdrop to the stunning black bathroom vanity with what looks like a repeated gold leaf scene across the front. The light fixture — set opposite of the sink — is just as timeless today as it must have been in 1962 when the home was built.
The home even has an Asian-inspired pink bathroom, complete with bamboo trimmed cabinetry, decorative shower doors and sleek, chrome Hall-Mack built-ins.
The kitchen and dining area are filled with light and color. The warm wood cabinets with Asian style pulls help bring the elements of the outdoors inside, while the bright orange countertops and simple black appliances keep the space looking modern. The way the kitchen layout zig zags evokes a river or garden path type feeling and leads to a wall of windows showcasing the home’s beautiful, established and well maintained exterior landscaping.
The exquisite landscaping includes rock pathways and stone sculptures, a small footbridge and a multitude of plant life.
There is even an amoeba shaped pool with its own mid century pagoda style pool house. Don’t we all wish this was the view in our own back yard?
We also learned that according to a 1968 cover story about the house in Texas Metro magazine (which now appears to be defunct), installation of all this landscaping was an epic endeavor. The landscaping — added by the owners — included bringing 90 tons of Brazos River boulders and 30 tons of Granbury stone boulders onto the site. The front entrance steps were built from “Granbury stones placed on bois d’arc trunks” and there is a circulating waterfall, too.
Link love:
- Here’s the official listing for this Dallas time capsule house.
- Mega thanks again to Realtor Sandra Melmed for allowing us to feature this listing and sending her additional photos of the home, garden and pool house.
- And thanks to the great team at Shoot2Sell Photography for giving us permission to feature their exceptional photos of the property.
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… move forward or back via arrows below the photo… you can start or stop at any image:
Kevin Day says
I remember the day this home came on the market – I RAN TO IT. The listing agent (a friend) told me she already had an offer on it. MCM is alive and well in Dallas, Texas!
pam kueber says
Yay!
JKM says
Interesting house in a fantastic neighborhood. We have friends who live a block or so away but I don’t think I’ve ever driven past this house – will have to now. It’s fun to look at but the realist (sorry) in me says the inside will be updated from one end to the other and yard pagodas and other objects will be tossed. Lots of continuous (and expensive) updating to the sprawlers in Northwood Hills with, sadly, a few being scraped for bigger replacements. The land alone is worth more than half the asking price.
Ali says
What a stunner. My husband would love this– he loves Asian decor as do I!
Jeff says
Love this house! Saw it furnished on estate sales dot net some weeks ago. Looks very much like my place inside…Asian mid century…gets no better than that! Have the same “Ventahood” range hood, though mine’s turquoise with chrome starbursts. Hope it finds new owners with a respect for it’s history and design.
Paige says
I am swooning with LOVE this house is fabulous!
There is not 1 thing I would change about this house, give it a good cleaning, move the furniture in & call it done!
Gorgeous & swanky!
I can only imagine the parties that were held there, if only walls could talk!
lisa in Seattle says
That place it so neato! I grew up only about 4 miles from there (1976-built house). In fact, this place is zoned for my old Jr.High, though a different elementary and HS!
It’s nice the listing is pitched toward retro-lovers, though the cynic in me agrees that gutting is likely. I do thing there are ways it could be tastefully updated, leaving the spirit intact, so hopefully that is what will happen. Personally I’d change the carpet for something else — wood? bamboo? — and not much else. I’m not a time-capsule fanatic by any means, but this house seems more timeless than capsule to me.
Cynthia says
Another one I’d love to buy! The cabinets look furniture-grade. LOVE the terrazzo floors. That would cost tens of thousands to install now – it’s marble and sometimes other stone chip aggregate in a mortar base, poured in place with metal dividers imbedded, then ground down and polished. This is now done only in commercial settings like banks, hospitals, airports, malls. Keeps the house cool in a hot climate like Texas. Was standard here in South Florida, even in modest houses, until the mid-60s or so. Interesting backstory in the linked estate sale article.
Robin, NV says
Another amazing house. Love the tasteful Asian decor. My only quibble is that kitchen is not exactly laid out for efficiency. It’s definitely an architect’s kitchen and not a cook’s kitchen. That wallpaper in the 7th photo is awesome!