Reinventing a 1926 Hollywood Heights Tudor With Style

So you think it’s impossible to live in a historic home? Leah and Oliver Norris will tell you that’s nonsense. So much nonsense, in fact, that they set out to prove it with their first stateside renovation, a 1926 Hollywood Heights Tudor.

The Norrises had been living in England restoring, renovating, and reinventing historic homes, so this is not their first rodeo, just their first one in Dallas. When they moved back to Dallas, near Leah’s family, they started a new company, Lemon Lifestyle. It’s a turnkey business, from investing to developing and designing.  

When they began scouting for a suitable project in August 2023, they found what many would consider a teardown. However, the intrepid couple felt they’d struck gold! This Hollywood Heights Tudor was right up their alley.  Not only is it a great house, but it’s also in a great neighborhood.

If you’ve ever owned a historic home, you know that, whether you are doing a gut renovation or simply retiling a bathroom, there is what I call the inevitable evil “spawn.” In other words, you can’t do only one thing, because that thing spawns another, and another, and another, and before you know it, you are down to the studs on any project.

There are always surprises when you open walls, such as termite damage, electrical wires under your bathtub that are certainly not up to code, and ancient plumbing. You have to love a challenge to reinvent a historic home. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the reward is more than just a pretty house. There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes with giving a house a new life for many generations to come.

The couple tried to salvage everything possible, like the front door, the casement windows, the brick fireplace, and the original hardwoods. Those turned out to be rift-sawn white oak, a popular wood used today. The windows on the side of the house were too far gone, so they recreated them. 

The interior was another story, as you can see from the before photos. “We gutted the entire interior and reimagined the layout,” Leah said. “We wanted you to see the flow when you walked in the front door. They thought the unique interior wood trim could be restored, but it was a lost cause. So, they headed to Davis Hawn/Architectural Millworks and had it duplicated. The trim is called Lindsley Tudor, and it is now available to everyone.  

“On top of the historic details, we added in a lot of modern details,” Leah said. “It’s the whole idea of blending a traditional home with modern style and convenience.” 

The 1,605-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom Hollywood Heights Tudor is now ready for another hundred years of life, serving as a perfect example of how historic homes are relevant and can serve modern homeowners today.

Regal Realtors’ Joanna Gianes Utley has this completely reinvented Hollywood Heights Tudor, at 6926 Lindsley Ave listed for $839,000.