This English Arts and Crafts Revival has garnered considerable attention over the years, especially when it was listed in 2019. At that time, media outlets reported that none other than King Charles III, who was still Prince Charles at the time, found it “utterly appealing.” That is practically a royal warrant!
So, how did a then-British prince come across a Highland Park home over a decade ago? If you keep up with royalty, you will know King Charles has been an architectural enthusiast for decades and has strong opinions. I especially loved his 1984 comment on the proposed extension to the National Gallery in London. He said it was “a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.”
You have to credit a man with solid opinions, especially when they reflect well on our architecture.
Here’s the Royal Dirt!
Luxembourg architect Léon Krier, an advocate of New Urbanism, is also a friend and advisor to the present British king. Years ago, he suggested Charles have a look at American architect Scott Merrill’s portfolio. The king did just that, and in January 2008, he wrote a letter to Merrill that included the following passage about this home:
“All I can say is that I am enormously impressed — particularly by your enviable ability to produce such an incredibly ‘appetizing’ Arts and Crafts feel to your buildings. This is such a rare gift in today’s soulless world and, for me, was best demonstrated in your Highland Park house. I have rarely come across something so utterly appealing and I congratulate you on your ability to design such crisp, white, eminently satisfying buildings that represent, above all, a living tradition but which are nevertheless ‘contemporary.’”
Now, that’s a letter you frame and hang on the wall!
This Highland Park English Arts and Crafts Revival has quite the provenance all its own, even without a royal thumbs-up. Though credited to Merrill, his entire company, Merrill, Pastor & Colgan Architects, should get kudos.
The house is also included in Great American Suburbs: The Homes of The Park Cities, Dallas. That alone is quite the honor. The authors truly substantiate the architectural significance of the home in this extraordinary book on the development and history of these neighborhoods.
According to the book, “…it recalls the legacy of the English architect C.F.A. Voysey. The house was a rare adaptation in the Park Cities of the English Arts and Crafts style, which was first introduced in Highland Park in 1921.” No wonder King Charles loved it!
It’s hard to imagine this English Arts and Crafts Revival could get any better than the original design by Merrill with construction by Steve McCombs, but it did. In 2020, SHM Architects renovated and expanded this home from the original 4,214 square feet to 6,365 with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms. It’s Texas. Bigger is always better!
Warren H. Johnson is responsible for the exquisite landscaping, which includes three distinct garden areas. You may recall that Johnson designed the second phase of A Women’s Garden at the Dallas Arboretum in 2006. The grounds include a 567-square-foot guest house with a three-car garage and a pool cabana.
All of this luxury is within walking distance of Katy Trail and the vibrant Knox Street shopping and dining area.
“This property is special for so many reasons,” Compass realtor Amy Detwiler said. “It offers exceptional privacy on over half an acre and a private downstairs main suite. The width of the lot allows natural light to flood the rooms, creating a bright and inviting atmosphere. Additionally, the separate guest quarters offer an extra advantage. The location, with its proximity to the Knox Park development, is exceptional.”
We could not agree more. This is an extraordinary opportunity, and after all, it is the only home in Dallas that captured the attention of the King of England!
Detwiler has this English Arts and Crafts Revival at 3509 Crescent Ave. available for $9.995 million.
