This Robert Tabak-Designed Oak Cliff Original Has Me Flipping My Word-of-The-Day Calendar

Let’s talk about Robert Tabak. He’s a design architect with over 30 years of experience. He started in hospitality and commercial design and has more recently moved into residential.

Tabak has found a niche designing high-end single family attached homes which is the luxury way to say “duplex.” Somewhere along the way, that word got a bad rap so in higher price points it’s gone the way of “pleather,” which is now called vegan leather. Remember pleather?? If you lived out loud at any point in the 1990s you most definitely do.

Tabak’s signature is exceptional spatial design. He creates homes that maximize every inch and yield an effortless flow. I don’t know why I said yield. Sounding like a brochure over here. But they do!! They yield ALL DAY.

The other Tabak signature? They’re freaking gorgeous. Amen. We see a lot of new construction, modern homes and they are most definitely not all created equal. When you’re working essentially white squares, it’s hard to keep it fresh and make it different and delightful, but this son-of-a-gun is making it happen.

Inside it’s just jaw drops all over the place. Repeat pendant lighting adds interest in the kitchen and above the breakfast nook, while recessed lighting keeps it unfussy and bright everywhere else. Neary a ceiling fan in sight either. I mean, it’s Texas, so you’re probably going to add them, but for now let’s enjoy this resplendent unobstructed ceiling line. (Yield and resplendent if you’re keeping count and wondering if I’m literally flipping through a Word of the Day calendar.)

One key clue that Tabak might be onto something? Color and material choices. The windows and the flooring are your ding-ding-ding instant awarenesses that this is a thoughtful home. Then there’s the color choice, more bronze and chocolates in the kitchen than stark matte black.

In the bathroom it’s a mix of marble set on top of a casual oak cabinet with open storage on either side. Then here comes the brushed chrome accents. That’s the sign of true design, right? The ability to mix metals and colors and textures. Tabak does it effortlessly.

Nadine Kelsall-Meyer of Meyer Group Real Estate has 1210 Haines Avenue listed for $749,000 and she’ll be holding it open this Sunday, Dec. 8 from 1 to 3 p.m.