Glen Abbey Modern Mediterranean With Jan Showers’ Magic Touch

Why is a good interior designer important when selling a house? Look back at images from 50 years ago of any home created by interior design icons like Billy Baldwin, Albert Hadley, or David Hicks, and you’ll realize you could live there today. Good designers create a look that will stand the test of time. Dallas has just such a designer in Jan Showers, and she is responsible for the comfort, quality, and class of this modern Mediterranean at 25 Glen Abbey Drive.When I first spotted this home, I thought it was brand new. Never would I have imagined it was built in 2007. Kudos go to Gage Homes for the fresh, modern Mediterranean architecture and hats off to Showers for … everything.Showers was involved in the home from the beginning, so she was able to have a great deal of input on architectural details and finish-out. Her inspiration for the home began on a buying trip to Paris, but her main inspiration is always based on the client.

“I want to know what they like, and these clients knew what they liked,” Showers said. “That’s a huge help. They were easy to relate to, and we just hit it off immediately from the beginning of the project.”

Fortunately, everything the homeowners wanted in 2007 relates perfectly to what buyers want in 2017. And, most importantly, every square inch of the 8,194-square-foot modern Mediterranean has been flawlessly maintained. When you are purchasing in a luxury category, you want to walk into a home with no imperfections.

“If something gets a chip, a nick, or anything, we get a call from the house manager and we are on it,” Showers said. “A big part of our service is keeping things perfect over the years.”

The house is elegant without being intimidating. The public rooms are beautiful and usable, which is a rare combination these days. They are not just for show or simply rooms you walk through to get to the family living area. For instance, Showers created two separate seating areas in the formal living room.

“The owners wanted a living room they would really use,” Showers said. “One end is for watching football games, and the other has a seating area with a pretty banquette that looks more like where the ladies might want to sit and talk.” The room is light and airy with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, the perfect mix of beautiful 1940s antiques, and it’s still relatable and comfortable.

The house has the coziest, most beautiful study I’ve seen in years. Washed in Benjamin Moore Mink paint, with diagonal bookshelves, a fireplace, and a view of the lush landscape — you’d have to pry me out of here.

There are four bedrooms, four bathrooms, four powder baths, a game room, and an exercise room.

Showers designed an exceptional room devoted to the owner’s china collection. There are two interior kitchens — something we’re seeing more of today in the luxury market — and we love it. There are also two outdoor kitchens because this modern Mediterranean was designed for serious entertaining on every level, inside and out.

“The house was designed for flexible living,” Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s listing agent Dona Timm said. “The game room and exercise rooms are huge. If a buyer wanted an extra bedroom, a wall could easily be added, and there would still be plenty of space.”

“The outdoor areas are like a resort,” Showers said. “The house is on a double lot and feels very private. You feel very secluded.”

“There is thought behind every environment in this house and consideration for comfort everywhere,” Timm said. From the warming drawer for towels in the master bathroom to the climate-controlled garage and the electronic screens on the patios, no detail has been overlooked.

“A house won’t look dated if you avoid trends,” Showers said. “I strive for the house to look good 50 years from now. Good interior design is about classic, timeless appeal.”

And that is precisely why good interior design is crucial when selling a home.

Timm has this timeless modern Mediterranean in the gated community of Glen Abbey listed for $5.45 million.

Karen Eubank is the owner of Eubank Staging and Design. She has been an award-winning professional home stager for more than 25 years and a professional writer for 20 years. Karen is the mother of a son who’s studying music at The University of Miami. An ardent animal lover, she doesn’t mind one bit if your fur baby jumps right into her lap. Find Karen at www.eubankstaging.com