Need a Hug? Try This Kessler Park Tudor Cottage Instead
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“This house is like a warm hug.” That’s how homeowner Natalie Cross described the Kessler Park Tudor cottage she shares with her husband Scott and their two pups. It did not start that way, however.
When Scott Cross found the cottage 26 years ago, he fell for the neighborhood first. The hills and trees of Oak Cliff reminded him of his childhood near Austin. Then, there were the added benefits of proximity to downtown and how easy it is to get to Fort Worth. When he fell in love with Natalie 15 years ago, his bachelor pad began to transition slowly.
“It started with paint and window treatments,” Natalie said.
As any great husband knows, once your wife gets started on decorating, the bachelor lifestyle is out the window, sometimes literally!
With help from Natalie’s mother, the 1,826-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home evolved into a decidedly eclectic European cottage inside and out. Natalie planted perennial gardens to frame the home and found reclaimed French tile for the front porch. Inside, the mix of fabrics, English wallpapers, and antique light fixtures provides a master class in how to blend style with comfort.
Of course, Scott and Natalie have their favorite spots. Natalie loves the living room.
“It has great windows overlooking the garden, and the fireplace is so cozy in the winter,” she said. “We also have a giant cypress tree in our front yard, and a few years ago I started putting small white Christmas lights on it that stay up from December to Valentine’s Day. It’s magical in the winter, having that twinkle light in the front yard.”
Scott’s favorite room is at the back of the house. It was once a screened porch when the house was built in 1928. Overlooking the backyard, it’s the preferred evening hangout spot with the dogs.
It’s a tough call to sell their dream home, but Scott and Natalie own a housing development in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. After building a couple of very successful Airbnbs on their land, they started selling property. Add in a 20,000-square-foot commercial building and a couple of restaurants, and life became centered on Oklahoma.
“We brought a little bit of Oak Cliff with us, however,” Natalie said.
They used Oak Cliff-based architects, and landscape architect Mike Munsterman of Outside has been instrumental with the landscape design.
“This has been the coziest home and truly like a warm hug. In fact, the entire neighborhood is like a hug,” she said.
