4712 Holly Tree Drive Shows How Good Different Can Be

This far North Dallas home projects a little bit of a 1960s Hollywood Hills, Palm Springs contemporary vibe that I find intriguing. It’s so… different. Sometimes you forget that Dallas even does different. Then along comes 4712 Holly Tree Drive. Now, I’ll allow that it also holds its fair share of problems (is that laminate I see?), but in the current real estate climate, I see nearly every house as a project – even ones listed in this price range. I live for potential. And this house has it in spades. Its location puts you in Plano schools and at a very decent commute from Dallas. That’s hard to beat. The house is listed by Susan Withrow of Keller Williams Realty at $725,000.

Starting with the drive up and the limestone entry, this house gives great face. I dig the unique look of the glass block, the curved wall, and the cool, geometric iron door. Like I said, it’s different. In a great way. I also find myself asking, “Would I buy a house for a tree?” Because the curb appeal here is really something.

Inside, that curved wall serves as the backdrop for a cool formal dining room. Here’s where it really starts to feel California, 1960. The clean travertine tile floors, the high ceilings, and through-and-through views to the swimming pool – it’s transportive. The entire first floor benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows and the effect sets the house apart.

The kitchen is updated with high-end granite and top-of-the-line appliances. Now, nearly everyone these days wants a kitchen that opens into the living area, and I would be tempted to do the same here.  I mean, as long as I’m living in my imagination where money is no object. As it is, the renovation was well enough executed. The kitchen is nice, modern, and functional. The window that wraps around the sink overlooks the pool, so there’s little chance you’d feel trapped in the kitchen even when doing the most mundane of chores.

Personally, I’m a little disappointed by the rather interesting choice of what appears to be laminate flooring in the master bedroom and upstairs. The description does say wood flooring, so I could be wrong. Still, from the photography, the shiny surface is jarring and generic when compared to some of the other, more on-point aspects of the house.

Land of The Free, Home of The Beige

Flooring questions aside, the home’s generous bedrooms (the master also looks out onto the pool) and updated bathrooms go a long way. There’s a whole lot of beige happening in those updates. I wish this is where it had stuck with being different, because that beige just comes with the territory. North Texas: the land of the free, home of the beige, I say.

With four bedrooms and three full and one half bathrooms in 3,943 square feet, the home offers loads of great space.

The area at the top of the stairs makes a great landing pad for a kids’ hangout, homework stations, or office area. Outdoor living’s not too shabby, either. The pool is surrounded by a slate patio with plenty of entertaining opportunities.