Feel the Magic of this Claremont Renovation, Transformed from Dumpy to Delightful

We’ve long been fans of Barton-Graham Home & Design Firm, a dynamic duo specializing in East Dallas renovations. In their latest project, they don’t disappoint. 

The house at 8071 Claremont Dr. is our Thursday Three Hundred, a massive transformation by Casey Barton and Raymond E. Graham. The pair have been renovating and selling houses together for 10 years with their design company, getting better with every flip. 

They specialize in finding diamonds in the rough, and this house was no exception. 

“This was not a sellable property before — it had a 750-square-foot addition that we torn down because it was really bad with different height rooflines and flooring, all very poorly done,” Barton said. “But we knew this house had a lot of potential.” 

They started work one year ago and put the home on the market Oct. 31. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas, and 1,971 square feet on one story, built in 1957. Let’s see the place now. 

The house now offers a crisp, appealing curb appeal, especially with the seasonal decor and fresh landscaping. The neighborhood, Claremont, is a familiar haunt for Barton and Graham, who usually renovate here and in nearby Buckner Terrace. They’re actually working on another house a half-mile away on Sharpview Lane. 

“This neighborhood is super convenient with I-30, especially if you work downtown,” Graham said. 

Inside, the house was gutted to create a open and flexible floorplan with modern updates throughout. You’ve got to see the unusual tiered creek lot and huge 700-square-foot patio, too. With no neighbors to the front or back, this is a slice of tranquility in the middle of the city, minutes from White Rock Lake.

True to their style, Barton and Graham created a stunning and cohesive renovation with refinished and new solid oak hardwoods, recessed lights, a modern color palette, stainless steel appliances, modern floating vanities, all warm white led lighting, quartz countertops, butcher block accent, and an incredible custom fireplace inspired by the midcentury modern Brutalist movement.

“We have moved away from [our former style of] blingey chandeliers and Hollywood glam to more of the clean lines of midcentury modern design,” said Graham. “We’re big on gold and mixing metals, which cozies up a home and doesn’t make it feel sterile.”

The kitchen delights with the perfect “griege” color, a blend of gray and beige, and light quartz countertops. A wood slab accents the island, creating an organic touch. Lovely. 

“This property really spoke to us about going natural and connecting to nature because of the lot,” Graham said. “I love how we did the wood paired with the quartz on the island — it really does warm up the space.” 

A year ago, the terraced backyard was flat-out ugly, so overgrown with bamboo no one could easily see how big the lot was, Barton said. 

“I knew it was fabulous because when we were trying to make our way down, we saw great cobblestones covered up,” he said. “It reminded us of The Secret Garden.” 

Sure enough, with a lot of labor, a one-of-a-kind space emerged with that huge patio, multiple seating areas, mature trees, grassy green space, and creek access. 

This Claremont home was listed by Raymond Graham with Rachel Silverman and R&C Realty for $399,000. It might seem like a stretch for the neighborhood, but they based the price on a nearby comp, Barton said, as well as the quality of the renovation. We’re keeping our eyes on this one to see what happens next.