This Modern European Custom Home in Highland Park is a Fresh Spin on Tradition

I spotted this European transitional on Instagram a couple of days ago and was intrigued. I think it may be because I’ve been watching L’Agence, a reality series about a Parisian family of Realtors specializing in luxury properties.

While the overwhelming American vision of French real estate is a nineteenth-century Haussmann-style building, it’s not the reality. The French have always embraced a more modern aesthetic.

Luis Gonzalez, the founder of Validus Development, collaborated with architect Clint Pearson, founding principal of Symmetry Architects to bring this beauty to life in 2016. You may remember their beautiful French contemporary on Bryn Mawr that we featured in 2017. 

“The inspiration for this home was based on combining the essence of the old world with the new world,” Gonzales said. “I wanted the character of a traditional home with a more eclectic open interior to serve as a canvas for the owner. I think it’s a timeless piece of architecture.”

I always have my antennae up about what got demolished when I see a new build. I can safely say the former Shed-style home was not a loss. There’s a reason you seldom see them any longer. They are boxy, dark, and high maintenance. It’s not a look that resonates any longer unless you find a classic Robert Venturi on a beach in California. The knock-offs were less than stellar.

“Light plays a huge role in a home now and the corner location allowed for massive floor-to-ceiling windows to wrap around the living room,” Gonzales said. “While most formal areas in existing homes have the traditional center plan doorway and staircase, shifting the front door allows for more space. By having the door to the side, you allow for a bigger formal living room. It works in a large existing traditional home, but the market for new construction has a different demand.”

And this European transitional is precisely what the market demands.

“I didn’t think this one could get better, but the current sellers had a vision,” Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Realtor Pogir Pogir said. “They added a bath, a powder room, a bedroom and opened the living space. The grand family, kitchen, and dining areas are so generous. It’s a great party house. I went to celebrate a birthday there, and the flow is amazing. It all connects so beautifully. They did such a great job taking this from a great house to an extraordinary home.”

This European transitional now offers 6,782 square feet, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and two powder baths. What I really love are the changes they made in the front yard.

The current owners replaced the grass with large pavers. They remind me of the traditional gravel front yards you see all over France. Those are gorgeous, but someone has to rake that gravel every day! This is a fresh spin on that look.

This European transitional is also in a perfect location. It’s within easy walking distance to Turtle Creek Park and Highland Park Middle School.

Pogir has this lovely European transitional at 3737 Normandy Avenue, offered at $4.39 million. I’ll be surprised if there are not multiple offers by the time we post this!

If you don’t manage to snag it, you can drown your sorrow watching L’Agence or just give Pogir a call. He will find that dream home for you.