The Perfect Family Home Exists, And It’s in Preston Hollow

Margo Mason and Michael Fornaro looked for the perfect family home when they moved to Dallas 22 years ago. They found it in this classic Preston Hollow estate. Margo gave me insight into why this home has served the family so well and for so many years.

“We moved from a historic 1800s home in Greenwich, Connecticut, that was on an acre,” Margo said. “We had a 3-year-old son and lived in temporary quarters so we could look for that perfect family home. When we drove into this Preston Hollow neighborhood, approaching from Park Lane. I felt like we were driving through Connecticut. There are winding roads, tons of trees, and no sidewalks, so it did not feel like a city neighborhood, even though you are centrally located. When we saw this property on the estate block between Manchester and Rockbrook on 0.7 acres, we were sold.”

When they spotted this home, it didn’t look like it does today. It needed a lot of work, but it was on a quiet corner with an enormous lush yard with plenty of room for a growing boy and his pals to play any imaginable sport and a gorgeous pool that caught Michaels’s attention immediately.

“Michael has the eye,” Margo said. “When he saw the existing porte-cochere, knowing we’d never use it, he visualized a loggia with a sitting area and fountain. It’s one of our favorite spots, and we have coffee out there almost every morning.”

Michael and Margo did what all homeowners do and set about making their mark on the home. They expanded the kitchen, creating a more open flow and a wonderful bank of windows with a built-in study area overlooking the pool and backyard. They added a great room to the back of the house, a back staircase, and expanded the garage to accommodate four cars. The house now has 6,362 square feet, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a powder bath.

“We had plenty of space for visitors and friends, and we could host a lot of people,” Margo said. “Our son, Matthew, tried every sport, and we had the little league practices in our backyard. We had several school-sponsored parties here and loads of after football game celebrations with up to 400 kids in the backyard. We also put in an outdoor fireplace and an outdoor kitchen which made it easy for parents to hang out separately from the kids. We fenced and gated the entire yard so it would be completely secure. It feels like our own little resort compound!”

When the weather gets bad, the house still accommodates a crowd. The adults can enjoy the large open-plan family room, and the kids have the entire upstairs area that can flex for any age range.

Margo swears by the configuration of the principal suite. Remember, the family came from a historic home built in the 1800s. There was no such thing as a principal suite, much less his-and-hers bathrooms, walk-in closets, and a meet-me-in-the-middle walk-through shower.

“I can tell you his-and-hers bathrooms are a significant factor in why we’ve been married 30 years,” Margo said. “It was one of the top things that sold us on the house.”

Margo and Micahel have had the perfect family home for almost 22 years. Now that their son is grown it’s time to downsize. With any luck, you might just snag this perfect family home at 4407 Lively Lane, if you can get an appointment with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate’s Jason Bates quickly enough! At $3.195 million, in this market, I don’t expect it to last long.