Heritage Oak Cliff 2024 Home Tour: Stevens Park Village Two-For-One

By Ryan Stepp
CandysDirt.com Contributor

The annual Heritage Oak Cliff home tour is this coming Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26 and 27, and you do not want to miss it! There are 12 amazing properties featured this year and each one is remarkable in its own right.

Tickets are $40, except for seniors over 65, who pay just $20. This year, we also have a special patron ticket which includes the tour and admission to the Oct. 24 Patron Party at 1942 Malone Cliff View.

Make sure to purchase your tour tickets here.

Stevens Park Village

This year’s tour features three sets of paired homes. In previous weeks, we shared two on Gladiolus Lane, and two in the Sam Dealey Estates area of Kessler Park. Our last pair of homes on the Home Tour are also within walking distance of each other in Stevens Park Village.

The Stevens Park Village neighborhood, which sits off of Fort Worth Avenue, includes brick and Austin stone cottages built between 1939 and 1941, plus ranch-style homes developed later. Annie Stevens, daughter of one of Dallas’ first physicians, wanted to develop a little neighborhood of starter homes for the sons and daughters of Stevens Park Estates farther down Hampton Road.

This quaint neighborhood, tucked into one of the more active areas of Oak Cliff, was recently named by The Dallas Morning News as one of the “10 Neighborhoods Worth Knowing.”

More importantly, Stevens Park Village is in the process of becoming a conservation district with the city of Dallas. For those who don’t know the process, efforts to become a conservation district take much time and effort for the neighborhood. Currently, Oak Cliff has eight conservation districts.

1227 Walter Drive

Our first home is a 1941-built Austin stone cottage which has seen a dramatic transformation since its current homeowners purchased as their first home in 2012. Originally 1,150 square feet, the home sat vacant for several years, almost in foreclosure, and in much need of TLC.

One of the homeowners, Jessica Chiles of Thckt Design Studio, who has a career as a professional architect, saw the potential in the home which had no central air or heat, stained carpets, and would need all new electrical and plumbing. First reworking the floor plan to open up the living, dining, and kitchen spaces, not a single inch of the home hasn’t been thought out to increase functionality.

A bedroom was converted into their primary bath and her closet, while an old breezeway would become his closet and laundry space. After an update to convert the garage space into their home office, the home was now 1,450 square feet.

With the help of landscape artist, Christa McCall of Paper Kites Studio, the couple relandscaped the backyard to feature buffalo grass, crushed granite, and drought-tolerant native plantings.

Always thinking about the next phase of the home, in 2019 they added an additional 200 square feet to expand the laundry room and add office space. With this update, they were able to convert their old office space into a back den, with a shou sugi ban accent wall that anchors the room. They love to have their friends over to enjoy this fun space that the husband calls his “mezcal lounge”.

Read more about their excellent home in this recent D Magazine article from July.

1227 Walter Drive is sponsored by Thani Burke of The Burke Group.

2323 West Colorado Blvd.

This 1941 Austin stone cottage exhibits a charming combination of Texas Hill Country architecture along with contemporary elements. The overall form and façade retain a cottage-like charm with a pointed gable roof. On the right side of the home under the window lie the original steps that led to the covered porch. At some time during the home’s history, the porch was converted to a room for a family’s young child.

Upon entering the home, you are greeted by neutral and calming colors, while the furniture and décor, like Chihuly blown glass, introduce vibrant accents and personal touches of the homeowner.

The kitchen has a modern-industrial feel, with rich wood cabinetry paired with black countertops, and a banquette that adds an inviting spot for friends to sit and chat during a party. On the other side of the kitchen is a wine bar which adds to the overall design of the kitchen as a place to entertain.

The primary bedroom is a spacious retreat that receives plenty of natural light, vibrant geometric art on the walls, as well as Japanese art that references the homeowner’s travels and career through the years.

One of the most striking elements in the home is the one-of-a-kind primary bath, with a vaulted ceiling adorned with a chandelier, and inlaid circular moon and sun design on the stained concrete floors. This is definitely one of the most original and unique bathrooms you will see on the tour!

Last, and certainly not least is this home’s OUTSTANDING backyard pool oasis. The backyard boasts native Texas plants as well as lush seasonal varietals that make it every gardener’s envy. Along with many pieces of Zen art, this backyard has been curated to be a peaceful place to enjoy your morning coffee or have friends and family over to enjoy the pool in the summer heat.

The home at 2323 W Colorado Blvd. is sponsored by James Fairchild of the Fairchild Group at Ebby Halliday.