House Hunting in Preston Hollow: ‘Do I Need This Modern Tudor on Tulip?’

Publisher Candy Evans Is Selling Her Custom Northaven Home; Here’s Her House Hunt

This is one of those homes that catches your eye as soon as the alert hits your phone. I mean, just look at it. We are selling our family home of 25 years and I have no earthly idea yet where we are moving. I have eyes glued to my phone, email, and alerts for a home, any home, or a lot that catches my eye.

This one, this precious Tudor with a contemporary edge, stole my eyeballs for at least 30 minutes. Then I found out the agent was none other than Allie Beth Allman & Associates’ John Canterbury, already on speed dial in my phone. I didn’t text or email, I was so excited I did it the old-fashioned way. I called him.

“You’ve got to see this house,” said John. “Come today.”

I did. Didn’t want to leave.

House Hunting No Picnic Right Now

Here’s the deal: if a home makes it to my short list, you know that it’s a unique listing. (I’m not going to post the rejects out there, unless I cannot help myself.) These are plum, curated listings. And don’t buy them out from under me, either, or I’ll see you outside!

I can see why you might fight me over it: there is so little inventory, you snooze, you lose. I definitely snoozed on one, maybe two listings.

What’s worse with the slim pickings out there: I am a psychotic real estate consumer. I look at everything ten times over. My husband and I are extremely compulsive and detail-oriented. We have to see a home multiple times to “feel” it.

I’m almost at the point of zeroing in on an area, cold-calling agents or homeowners just like the HomeVestors folks. More inventory will hopefully be coming, but there is not much out that matches my wish list of having what I need (or am able to remodel) in Preston Hollow/North Dallas:

• 4,500- 5,000 square feet, 3 to 4 bedrooms
• Natural light! (Always look at homes with the lights off.)
• .25 acre yard max — I’m so over grass
• Large laundry room and a deep sink, and hanging space, for God’s sake.
• Storage and decent closets, and I don’t mean one or two puny cupboards.
• Three garage bays. So many homes we have seen must have had garages built before SUVs were conceived, guaranteeing I will swipe the car on the door every time I pull in.
• Primary downstairs, which eliminates a lot of the Park Cities
• Room for a pool or spa, not necessarily huge
• Some romping room for the dogs and a nearby dog park.

Voila, 6428 Tulip.

Pretty risky for me to write about this home, because I may have to fight you for it. It’s not only pristine and move-in ready, it meets almost everything on my wishlist.

The location is terrific, down the street from St. Mark’s School of Texas. A: My son may come home more often to visit with his alma mater two blocks away (and near the tennis courts). B: I love nothing more than hearing the Friday night football games come fall. Takes me back to those good old years.

Plus this house has more closets than even I could have dreamed of. Really. And as I’m looking at homes, quite frankly I’m shocked at the lack of closet space. Deplorable.

The Tudor Reimagined

The front greets you with a charming custom round wood Tudor door with wavy glass panels, opening into a large foyer. To the right, past the staircase and a closet is a lovely flexible room that could be a library, an office, a music room, or the parlor. There are French doors to the front exterior and a cozy patio which I would wrought-iron fence and let the dogs sun there while I’m working, playing the piano, or just having wine.

To the left is the large dining room, leading to a wet bar opposite a door to the port cochere. This leads to the remodeled kitchen with appliances so pristine I wonder if they have been used. Backsplashes in this home have been taken up to the ceiling — on one wall in the kitchen, and in the primary bath. The kitchen and generous breakfast room abut the large den, the heartland of the home, anchored with a stone fireplace flanked by built-in cabinets and bookshelves. There are three large windows with transoms (I LOVE transoms) to the covered porch and yard. The lot is .28 of an acre — bingo.

The primary bedroom is on the first floor, full of light from southern exposure and a door to the patio and (my future) pool. Wrapping the western wing is the large, long primary spa bath walled in terrazzo stone with a glass shower, vessel tub and floating dual vanities. Love the custom deep drawers!

From the kitchen the house winds to the back entry mudroom and laundry room and interior entrance to the tandem 3-car garage open to both the front and rear-alley electric gated driveway.

Good Garages Save Marriages

This is probably the most perfect garage setup I have seen in our hunt: you can pull in from the front and use the single bay, or pull through to access the back gate. But another driver could have the entire two-bay garage to themselves, never ever having to reprimand their spouse for hogging too much room — ahem, I don’t know who does that, do you? The garages are clean, with fresh epoxy floors, storage shelves and bike-ready racks.

I mentioned the front staircase: there is a carpeted back staircase to the second floor, which is four incredible bedrooms, three en suite with bathrooms large enough for two, a game room with TV, and an actual exercise or playroom with hardwood floors and an insulated door in case you want to save on the summer electric bill. The room is large enough for a treadmill and a Peloton. All four bedrooms are more than generous, but the front bedroom has a charming attached playroom for a little girl or guy.

I did mention the back covered stone porch with fireplace? Nice touch right before a grassy yard just begging for a swimming pool and turf.

Now I thought this home looked familiar. Turns out we have written about it before, for another Realtor and owner, prior to the renovation. Take a look at a very different look for 6428 Tulip:

Tiptoe to this Preston Hollow Traditional on Tulip

The home at 6428 Tulip began life as a stone cottage built by Registry Fine Homes and sold by Christine McKinney in 2016. The floor plan is essentially the same as it was, but current owners removed the kitchen island and ditched the 90s-era cabinets and curlicues for clean, smooth lines. They also sanded the hand-scraped dark oak floors.

I don’t know, I like them both. What do you think? Buy it?

Listed with John Canterbury of Allie Beth Allman & Associates has listed 6428 Tulip Ln. at the reduced price of $2.725 million. This home will be open Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. You have to see it!!