The White Rock Home Tour is only a couple of weeks away so we are putting the spotlight on one of our favorites, 6522 Trammel Drive! The exquisite A. Gruppo Architects-designed home was built in 2017 and offers 2,650-square-feet of sophisticated luxury living. This includes one-of-kind custom touches from a swinging TV partition to stunning walnut built-ins and polycarbonate walls. But what really makes this home sing?

A Study Of Light And Lighting

According to the owners, Lori and Jim Louis – who both have architecture backgrounds – the home is a study of light and lighting.

“The Polygal light monitors (polycarbonate material used instead of windows in some locations) allow a beautiful quality of natural light to filter in during the day without the need for window coverings,” dishes Lori. “It is translucent and manages UV rays so it is private and controls glare, heat, etc. Between the glass lined courtyard and Polygal light monitors there is natural light all day. In addition, there are skylights on top of the jewel box light crown which bring in natural light to create a soft glow all day long.”

At Night, It’s All About The LED Applications

“The light monitors come to life with the playful color schemes. Flush mounted strip lights blur the lines between the planes of walls and ceilings, while drawing you down the hallway towards the master retreat. Here the LED’s that line the Polygal light crown on top of the jewel box casts a soft glow that set the tone for a relaxing evening,” adds Lori.

An Inspiring Change Of Scenery

Prior to moving into the home in October of 2017, Lori and Jim lived in a historic home in Hollywood Heights for 26 years.

“Although we loved our neighborhood and neighbors, we were about to become empty nesters and wanted a new, modern home that would require less maintenance and allow us to age in place, says Lori. “However, we wanted to stay close enough to Hollywood Heights so that we could maintain our friendships and still connect with our workout and running groups during the week. Trammel is only about a five minute drive from our old house. It’s centrally located to everything in East Dallas and there are no planning overlays that restrict architectural design. We also liked the idea of initiating change on that one unique block that still has its original homes but were confident about leading that change given the value and style of surrounding homes.”

A Stunning Collaboration

The attention to detail and incredible artistry of the home is unbelievable. And it’s a direct result of the collaborative approach between the owners and A. Gruppo.

“It was an extremely collaborative effort that lasted about two years total. One in design and one in construction,” shares Lori. “We both have backgrounds in design (architecture and landscape architecture) and definitely wanted to be very involved in the process. But we have full-time careers in commercial real estate and didn’t have the time or desire to do it all on our own. We wanted to partner with someone who was an expert in residential design but also open to collaborating with us and allowing our ideas to influence the design.”

“A. Gruppo was a great fit because they enjoy the design process and are a design-build firm that takes ideas from concept through implementation. They were willing to take that journey with us and were amazing to work with. They really listened to our goals, embraced our aesthetic, and honored our budget. We came up with several ideas that were unique and required custom fabrication. They were always up for figuring out how to make it happen and sometimes even built or fabricated items themselves. I would consider them craftsmen and artisans in addition to designers and builders.”

And It Lives Like Resort-Style Retreat

“We absolutely love living here,” say the owners. “When we come home it feels like we’re entering a resort or retreat, but it’s very easy to maintain which allows us plenty of time to enjoy it.  We also love having access to the trail system since we both run and ride.  It’s fun to be working in the yard and see people we know go by.  We also have the good fortune of having some of our best friends as next door neighbors. They designed and built their empty nester home a few months after us and we have an eight foot rolling gate between our yards that allows us to flow back and forth freely when we want.  It’s really great to get to pick your neighbors!”

The Owner’s Favorite Room

We asked the Lori to dish on her favorite room or feature in the house. Her answer might surprise you.

“It’s hard to choose one thing because we just love how it all works together. But we really enjoy the master suite. It truly has that resort feel that allows us to retreat and recharge every day. The suite has no interior walls but is instead organized around a series of centralized spaces captured within a walnut clad ‘jewel box’ that elegantly disguises their functional nature,” says Lori.

“The jewel box also serves to control sight lines and provide privacy where needed and it has a Polygal light crown on top that serves as a light feature. The entire suite can be closed off with a pocket door from the rest of the house. A few indulgences include: a steam shower, television within the master bath mirror, and a casement window that allows both visual and acoustical connection to the fountain in the courtyard while lying in bed. I just love it when Jim cranks open that window on a nice day so I can smell the fresh air and hear the babble of the fountain while he brings me a cup of coffee in bed. What a way to start your day!”

But Admiration Doesn’t Stop There…

“I also love the LED lighting system in the Polygal light monitors on the front elevation and within the courtyard. We are able to illuminate them any color we want so we don’t have to get on ladders and spend time putting up lights for the holidays. We simply walk over to the control panel and select the color that represents that holiday or special event. I usually have a theme every night and challenge family or friends to guess what it is.”

Features To Wow Their Guests

“As far as our visitors go, most of them are really intrigued and impressed by the rotating television that separates the living area from the kitchen and allows us to watch TV wherever we are spending our time. This was one of those ideas that A. Gruppo ran with and figured out how to make happen after a brainstorming/design session one afternoon.”

Nothing Beats A Tamalada Party!

With its fantastic layout built to entertain, we couldn’t help but ask the owners to share a couple of fun tidbits about memorable events held at the home. One of their recent events sounds like our kind of party!

“One of our goals was to create a home that was very modest in size and manageable for just the two of us, but also allowed for increased entertaining now that we have more free time,” reveals Lori. “We love the flow of all the public areas: kitchen, dining, living, courtyard and butler’s pantry.  We have already had more parties at this house in the past year than the twenty prior years in our old home and it has worked out just as we envisioned. A couple of months ago we hosted a Tamalada, where we worked all day with a group of friends to make 20 dozen tamales! We could have never done that in our old kitchen.”

A Surprising Revelation

“We are pleasantly surprised at how open yet private all of the spaces are,” says Lori. “A.Gruppo was so thoughtful about sight lines and how they aligned openings which has allowed us to use minimal window coverings without sacrificing privacy where needed.”

This home is truly a work of art. Don’t miss your chance to peek inside the designer abode at the White Rock Home Tour, April 27-28, along with the seven other amazing homes on this extremely popular tour highlighting the treasure trove of modern architecture in East Dallas. The tour is the major fundraiser for Hexter Elementary’s PTA. Discounted early-bird tickets are still available for $15 each, which you can purchase online or in person at GreenSpot Market or White Rock Coffee (10105 E. NW HWY). We hope to see you there!

Want to attend the White Rock Home Tour for FREE? Stay tuned to CandysDirt.com for exclusive ticket giveaways!