BEFORE AND AFTER: From Choppy to Chic, This Cedar Oaks Home Rocks Its Renovation

One of the more satisfying things to see in real estate is a gorgeous renovation, particularly if the transformation is dramatic. 

So prepare to be thrilled by our Tuesday Two Hundred, a Cedar Oaks flip that took the Oak Cliff house at 1509 Arizona Ave. from choppy to chic.  What was closed off and dark is now contemporary and sleek with a high-end finish-out and a basement that was formerly detached. 

“The owners were really trying to create something different and beautiful with a lot of function and an open floorplan,” said listing agent Alexis Madrid with The Madrid Group. “They took the whole house to the studs and recreated it with a custom touch.”

This home has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, one half bath 1,710 square feet on two stories, built in 1950.

The “before” photo above shows a dull house with bars on the windows and doors. Nothing to turn heads. The new curb appeal does just that, with painted brick, cedar accents, fresh paint, and new siding. It’s the shining star of the neighborhood. 

Madrid says the sense of community is one of many likable aspects of Cedar Oaks, an Oak Cliff neighborhood located east of Interstate 35E and roughly bounded by East Claredon Drive, 18th Street, South Marsalis Avenue, Edgemont Avenue, Lakeview Drive, Iowa Avenue, and South Beckley Avenue.

“Cedar Oaks is very family oriented and quiet with a lot of opportunities to renovate properties there,” she said. “It’s close to Bishop Arts and downtown Dallas, too, as well as attractions in Oak Cliff, like Kiest Park.” 

The property before was a maze of small rooms with multiple entrances from the street. The renovation fixed that, knocking down lots of walls to create a natural flow and wide, open spaces. Some of the updates include new low-E window, new water heater, new roof, new recessed LED lights, new hardwood floors, and updated electrical panel box. 

The basement was formerly detached, so the owners added stairs and finished out the space, which is ballpark 250 square feet. What a great choice. 

In the kitchen, find custom Shaker-style cabinets, quartz countertops, center island, breakfast bar, gray subway tile backsplash in a herringbone pattern, an awesome midcentury-inspired light fixture, and stainless steel appliances, including a gas range. 

Hardwoods extend into all three bedrooms and the bathroom features two sliding barn doors to the ensuite bathroom. In there, find a total update with cool tile treatment and new everything. Same story in the other bathrooms — stud’s up renovations. 

The backyard is good sized, if a bit of a blank slate. There’s a lot of potential for new owners to make it their own.

This Cedar Oaks home was listed April 13 for $299,000.