High Caliber Home of the Week: Rustic Modern Home on Large East Dallas Lot

In 2005, when Michael and Ashley Morris bought the home on the 0.82 acre lot at 9562 Ash Creek, legend had it that the small home on the lot was once an underground gambling house that was a favorite of Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle. “Apparently, it was one of his luckier spots in town,” said listing agent Brandon Stewart.

The home was torn down and the Morris family got to work with master architect Truett Roberts designing their dream home, while still maintaining the attractiveness of the wooded, creek-side lot. The design they settled on was one that was a mass of rectangles, using different textures to sheathe the second and first floors, and using the home as somewhat of a visual barrier to the backyard.

“The house is placed athwart the site to act as a dam to physical and visual access to the rear of the site,” Roberts writes in his description of the design.  “It separates the public, man-made city side of the site from the private, natural side and mediates the experience of arrival by first blocking and then revealing the view of the garden and creek. A 30’ wide, 4’ deep Koi pond runs from the front door, through the entry, under the stairs and out the rear of the house. It is the moat between the public and private parts of the ground floor and a little bit of man-made nature that leads to the real nature of the creek.”

For five years it was a refuge for the family as they enjoyed the neighborhood and the private feel that the Ash Creek area has. “Unfortunately Michael passed away in 2012,” Stewart said. Ashley tried to sell the home in 2013, but wasn’t quite ready to let go of the home she dreamed up with her late husband. Since then, though,  Ashley has since purchased a smaller mid-century modern in Lake Highlands and is now offering the home for sale, Stewart added.

Inside this home, it is just as stunning and memorable is it is from the curb. The tall ceilings and polished concrete floors work so well together, and the space, accented by warm wood tones, feels like a relaxing respite. You may recognize this property from its time on the Dallas Modern tour two years ago. If you fell in love with it then, well, you’ll probably adore it now.

Stewart is listing this 2,970-square-foot modern home with four bedrooms and three baths for $675,000. Considering the thoughtful design, large lot, and private-feeling location, this is a great deal. Plus, this home has some amazing personal touches, and the construction is phenomenal. I love the layout of the first floor, with the staircase connected to a highly textured stone wall above a Koi pond. Then you have your kitchen, dining, and living areas, all open to one another. The windows are fantastic, giving you a great view of the backyard and rear deck. This makes the home perfect for parties and playdates.

There’s a lot of texture in this modern house, with wood grain, brick, concrete, and stainless steel coming together in wonderful harmony. The kitchen has some great touches, including a gas cooktop and oven, stainless steel appliances, and a long window that functions as both task lighting and a backsplash.

The master suite, which is upstairs, is generous at 12 x 22 and features separate vanities, separate closets, a full-sized shower, and a Japanese soaking tub. If you want more color, the downstairs bath sports bright orange melange mosaic tile.

Of course, a high-caliber home such as this deserves a flawless closing, and that’s what you’ll get with Lisa Peters of Caliber Home Loans. Don’t waste time on other lenders, and get the right mortgage for the right home with Lisa at Caliber Home Loans today.