Designer Javier Burkle’s Cute Oak Lawn Heights Cottage Just Hit The Market

The awning on this adorable Oak Lawn Heights cottage was the first hint that this house was something special. You never see an awning on a 1940s cottage, nor custom ironwork. So, once I saw that first image, I scrolled on. By the fourth photo, I was sold, and you should be too!

I always get a feeling about houses when I’m searching and I knew instantly there was more than meets the eye here. Just look at these photos! Every detail is exquisite, every color is special, and the wallpapered ceilings are next level. Of course, this is the work of the incredibly talented interior designer Javier Burkle, founder and principal of Burkle Creative.

If you were fortunate enough to attend the showstopping Kips Bay Decorator Show House event last year, you would have seen Burkle Creative’s Sobremesa Lounge. Their interpretation of a tequila bar that was so spot on our design writer Elaine Raffel and I felt we’d been transported to a luxury bar in Mexico.

Burkle Creative was founded just 10 years ago, and it hit the ground running, designing residential and commercial properties throughout the U.S. and Mexico. This adorable Oak Lawn Heights cottage has been their base for the past couple of years. What better way to show off your talents than in an actual home you can bring clients into?

Of course, the Oak Lawn Heights Cottage needed work when he discovered it.

“We tried to keep as many of the original elements as possible,” Burkle said.

They refinished the hardwoods and kept the arched openings and the wood-paneled den, which is now used as a dining room and conference area. The ceiling was vaulted, and necessary electrical and plumbing updates were made, but of course, I had to know the design details and all about those ceilings.

“The ceiling is one of the biggest surfaces in a room,” Burkle said. When you add an element to the ceiling, it makes a room feel special and more interesting. We also do plaster air vents so we can paint them to match the wallpaper.”

The 1,300-square-foot cottage has two bedrooms, one of which is currently used as an office. Burkle created a walk-in shower in the home’s bathroom, keeping the 1940s vibe with a pedestal sink and a moody, warm red paint color. Just outside the bathroom, a dramatic mural was added to the hallway. 

“The library is our favorite room,” Burkle said. “I wanted it to be an inspiring space for people to work with the materials. It would be such a lovely dining room for a buyer.”

The kitchen transformation is unbelievable. It now features custom millwork, stone counters, and an Ilve stainless steel and brass gas range. (I’d buy the house, if I could, just to get the range!) The colors in this Oak Lawn Heights Cottage are all from Backdrop Home, and the kitchen is painted in Kismet. 

While the grounds are dormant in January, I looked at previous listing photos, and the landscape is beautiful once spring comes around. The backyard is enormous, with two patio areas and privacy fencing.

While a new generation of creatives is rapidly discovering Oak Lawn Heights, it has always been a place they have called home. Dallas architect Harold Prinz designed and built a cutting-edge Midcentury Modern home on Maple Springs Boulevard in 1949. It was featured in Better Homes and Gardens, won an award for residential design from the Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and was on its 2022 tour.

Location is one reason this neighborhood is seeing gentrification. It’s close to the Medical District, Love Field, The Design District, and Oak Lawn.

Mason McClesky with Domaine Real Estate Services Inc. has 5015 Stoneleigh Ave. available for $650,000.