DALLAS ART FAIR COLLECTORS’ PREVIEW TIMELESS REBIRTH ON A BLUFF POINTS OF VIEW: HE SAID/SHE SAID
A modern oasis created by Bernbaum/Magadini Architects with custom builder Steven Hild and landscape design by Hocker.
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ELEVATED CONTEMPORARY BERNBAUM/MAGADINI ARCHITECTS REVIVE FABLED HIGHLAND PARK CORNER MANSE WITH INTERIOR DESIGN BY ROBYN MENTER. BY NANCY COHEN ISRAEL PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHARLES DAVIS SMITH AND DAVE SHAFER
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A curved water feature designed by Hocker with lighting by Douglas Lighting Design.
C
hris Parvin knew immediately that the empty lot he acquired could be turned into an incredible property. “We decided to build a contemporary home. We had no idea that the house before [its demolition] was contemporary,” he reminisces. The former home was an iconic architectural gem by O’Neil Ford. Without knowing that storied history, Parvin was drawn to the lot’s elevation and large footprint. He worked with Bernbaum/Magadini Architects to reincarnate the property. Familiar with the fabled home, Patricia Magadini says, “We had a large responsibility because this lot was a well-known property with a beautiful piece of architecture on it.” Through the combined visions of those who worked on it, the site once again features a spectacular contemporary home. Magadini assembled a team that included Robyn Menter Design Associates, landscape architect David Hocker, and contractor Steven Hild. “It always makes a difference when the team is working together. You get a very cohesive project at the end of it,” Magadini states. The result is a home reflecting a buoyancy that comes from the harmonious balance of architecture, interior design, and landscape design. On the exterior, the limestone façade is softened by a mahogany
Interiors by Robyn Menter Design Associates with Holly Hunt Harlow lounge chairs.
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Above: Chuck Close, Self Portrait, 2015, on left with Allan Knight custom Van Ness sectional with waterfall back cushions; Holly Hunt Harlow lounge chair and ottomans. Below: Anders Moseholm, You're Such A Beautiful Person But You Have Problems, 2022, oil on canvas, diptych from Craighead Green Gallery; Holly Hunt Diplomat dining table; Walter K. Saddle dining chairs from Scott + Cooner.
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Paul Manes, Porto Ercole, 2014, oil on canvas, 90 x 122 in.; Sloan Miyasato entry table. Kyle Bunting custom hair on hide rug.
portico that stretches across the entry. Menter, who also selected the art for Parvin, installed a mirrored, abstract sculpture by Jon Krawczyk as a counterbalance to the front door. Its organic form offsets the angularity of the exterior. With full-length windows creating a clear membrane between interior and exterior, the middle section of this tripartite arrangement reveals Paul Manes’ monumental Porto Ercole. Installed in the entry hall, it presages the palette for much of the home. The exterior is also enhanced by a curved water feature, designed by Hocker, that wraps around the landing. Its negative edge allows water to tranquilly spill downward. Magadini explains that the foundation was deliberately set back to create the effect of the water continuing beneath the window-wrapped home. From the living room, she says, “You look out over the water to the trees across the street.” Since Parvin moved from woodsy Cedar Hill, Hocker enveloped the property with trees. Once inside, living areas on either side of the foyer speak to Parvin’s enjoyment of entertaining. One side leads into a formal living room while the other leads into a game room. The former can seat a crowd. The custom Van Ness Sectional, Menter adds, features waterfall back cushions that do double duty as additional informal seating. In a room with 14-foot ceilings, she was cognizant of drawing energy into the sitting areas. For example, she flanked the entryway with large paintings by Anders Moseholm. This softens the stone walls while bringing an Tecno P32 swivel armchairs; Kenneth Cobonpue Chiquita stool; Robyn Menter Design Associates custom Grazzini coffee table; custom area rug.
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Apparatus Arrow pendant, aged brass and bronze-color suede; Douglas Jennings Wallace walnut with satin antique brass coffee table from Bright; Senufo by ArnoDeclercq side tables from Garde; DLV Campanha club chairs from JDM.
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Bernbaum Magadini and RMDA designed two garages for the homeowner’s automobile collection.
intimacy to the room. Over the fireplace, Menter designed flexible paneling. Closed, it creates a serene space that directs one’s gaze to the exterior view. These panels, however, are motorized and can be opened, revealing the television set behind them. Parvin made several specific requests, Magadini says. Rather than a formal dining room separated from the kitchen, he preferred one large open space. Menter placed the Diplomat dining table as a space divider between the living area and the kitchen. This dining environment is bracketed on one side with a resin shelf, where three wood and silk sculptures by French artists Sylvia Eustache Rools and Jérôme Pereira soften the strong horizontals of this area. A woodcut by Chuck Close on the facing wall brings a pop of color to the cool neutrals around it. Anchoring the other end of this space is an open, spacious kitchen where, Magadini notes, Parvin enjoys cooking. The game room on the other side of the entry hall is a relaxed gathering space. Here a quartet of lounge chairs encircle a custom table designed by Menter. “I love doing custom, bespoke pieces. They give the essence of unique design for me,” she offers. Kenneth Cobonpue Chiquita stools tuck neatly under the table. Using rattan poles in place of cushions, they are as surprisingly comfortable as they are offbeat. This playful arrangement is in a room that also boasts a pool table and arcade games. The custom black-granite bar serves the indoor and outdoor areas with ease. Glass pocket doors open onto a covered terrace, pool, and fire pit. The pool, Magadini emphasizes, is magical in the way that it is flush with the pool deck. She credits Hocker with its elegant design and Hild with its challenging fabrication. At the opposite end of the game room, a staircase leads downward into a sublime cigar lounge. Parvin’s tastes are perhaps best expressed in this part of the home. The horseshoe bar, topped with white onyx, is a focal point of this space. Here he also enjoys a fully stocked wine cellar as well as an additional seating area. He is an avid golfer, and one half of the room is dedicated to a simulator with which, he says, “I can play almost any course in the world.” He is watched over by a signed portrait of golf greats Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Nicklaus, Parvin says, was like a grandfather to him. His collection of memorabilia extends to other sports legends, musical icons, and historic leaders, including George Washington. According to Magadini, the homeowner’s requests included a large garage for his significant car collection. The architects designed two garages. The one above is where Magadini says the “daily drivers” park. The toney subterranean one, however, is where Parvin keeps an impressive array of sports cars, and features floor-to-ceiling picture windows. Those who worked on the project are delighted with the outcome. “Chris has a large personality so we wanted to do something striking and memorable and that would still be a home you could live in,” Menter says. Of the enduring architecture Magadini modestly adds, “It’s definitely more contemporary than what was there [previously], but hopefully it is a nice piece of architecture.” As for Parvin, it is a home he looks forward to enjoying for many years. P
David Yarrow, The Home of Golf, 2022, and custom wine storage by RMDA.
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Knoll Richard Schultz 1966 dining table, dining chairs, counter stools, lounge chairs, ottomans, coffee table, chaise loungers, firepit rocking chairs, and side tables; Brown Jordan sectional sofa with David Sutherland fabric.
Jon Krawczyk, Intoxicating Visage, 2021, from Craighead Green Gallery.
Douglas Lighting Design enhanced the exterior views.
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