Michelle Nussbaumer Turns a Historic Westlake Tudor Into a Jewel Box of Color and Charm

For anyone who thinks a historic home cannot be cool, think again. Just peek inside this classic Westlake Tudor in Lakewood. Interior design icon Michelle Nussbaumer took it to an entirely new level and it shows a historic home can be truly hip.

Nussbaumer, for our newcomers, is legendary in the global design world and we are very proud to say in Dallas that she is one of ours. Although Texas-born and bred, her husband is Swiss, and they keep a home in Gstaad.

Nussbaumer travels the world to find unique items for her clients. She also designs just about anything you can think of, from textiles to hardware, and it’s all exquisite. When you enter her shop, Ceylon et Cie, on Dragon Street in the Dallas Design District, you’ll feel like you are on a global adventure.

“What Is A House If Not A Stage For Living?”

The interiors we design are not only inspired by the unique clients we have the pleasure of serving but are also inspired by life. We’re passionate about setting the stage for adventurous lives to be lived.

Michelle Nussbaumer

Nussbaumer set the stage in this 1925 Westlake Tudor with what we love about her designs: bold and interesting use of color and wallpaper, layers of texture, and boundless creativity while always with comfort in mind.   

“Not everyone is ready to accept color and fun,” Nussbaumer said. “I knew this client would go all out, and that is what drew me into the project. I also respect preservation and work on a lot of restorations around the world. In Dallas, so much is torn down, and that does not happen in Europe. I love being a part of keeping something original.”

Nussbaumer reminded me that homes in the Victorian era were filled with bold colors, wallpapers, tapestries, and collectibles. If you have a chance to go to Old City Park and tour the Sullivan House before all the artifacts are gone, you will see a fine example of how this historic decor was, indeed, exciting and bold.

That sensibility continued into the early 1920s so if you think about it, this Westlake Tudor, while it might not have had a purple kitchen, could easily have originally been filled with color. Nussbaumer has returned this house to its roots in many ways and with great sensitivity. If you want to see what this Westlake Tudor looked like before its dramatic transformation, I wrote about it in 2018.

“The wallpaper, for example, is a historic print from Adelphi,” Nussbaumer said. “People forget about the ceiling, and it’s the fifth wall. I think that you want to make each room like a jewel box. That’s what they were historically, with leaded and stained glass, so we are bringing it back to that.”

We know you will be discussing this kitchen for years because it’s the most fun and inspiring use of color in a kitchen we’ve seen perhaps ever.

“The farm sink would have been the kind of sink used originally, and so would the glass-front cabinets,” Nussbaumer said. “We refreshed everything we could in the house.”

Nussbaumer designed the hardware and chose the delicious purple lacquer for the cabinets.

“I think the juxtaposition of the pale blue oven made it so pretty,” she said.

In addition to being absolutely beautiful, this 3,060-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom Westlake Tudor is in the coveted Lakewood Elementary attendance area. Your kids can easily walk to Lakewood Elementary School, and you can walk or bike to White Rock Lake.

 “This is a true deep Lakewood block,” Allie Beth Allman & Associates listing agent Richard Graziano said. “The essence of traditional sophistication and modern elegance has truly been captured here, and it’s an immaculate house with a great deal of flexibility.”

I’m certain this classic Westlake Tudor won’t be on the market long.

If you want to enjoy a stunning historic home with character, style, and personality, 6934 Westlake Ave. is on the market for $1.79 million.