Tours Open Up Homes For The Holidays
AIA HOME TOUR SPOTLIGHT
BRIAR CREEK: On the tour is this renovated mid-century modern ranch-style house.
ARCHITECT: Est. 11 Architecture
PROJECT DESIGN TEAM: Dan Finnell, AIA
COMPLETED: 2013
SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,420
It can be fun to take a look inside someone else’s home. It can even be inspiring for a new home project that might be on the brain. Three organizations are hosting home tours this fall that may help with that endeavor, and support some good causes along the way.
Bringing the holidays to the home is easy to do when you’re properly inspired. The Dallas Woman’s Forum 16th annual Holiday Home Tour is returning to the historic Alexander Mansion as a part of its annual celebration, “Christmas Magic.”
“It’s really beautiful because [Alexander Mansion] is one of the two mansions left on Ross,” said Sharon Cooper, DWF public relations chair. “We celebrate to the nines.”
THE TOURS
AIA:
Homes: Addresses to be announced two weeks prior to tour.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 14-15
Tickets: $25 in advance at hometourdallas.com or $30 at the door; $10 individual home pass.
Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association:
Homes: Addresses not available at press time.
When: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 4
Tickets: $20 at Tom Thumb, Royal Blue, or armstrongbradfield.com; $25 at the door
Woman’s Forum:
Home: 4607 Ross Ave.
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 3-6
Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 at the door; $5 for children. Holiday Bistro, $15.
The tour will take place on Dec. 3-6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets include a tour of the mansion and access to the specialty boutique. Visitors may also purchase tickets for a holiday bistro, served daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations for lunch must be made in advance.
Proceeds from the tour benefit preservation of the mansion as well as the forum’s charities: Landauer ChildCare Group Center, Alley’s House, and the Birdie Alexander School.
DWF also will offer a candlelight tour on Dec. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. This sneak peek allows guests to enjoy a different view of the mansion in the evening. Tickets are $75 for this cocktail event.
The Armstrong Bradfield Preschool Association will host its 17th home tour on Dec. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tour will highlight four homes, including a modern on University Boulevard, a creole-style on Drexel Drive, a historic home on Westway Avenue, and an Allie Beth Allman estate listing.
“We are featuring some gift items like a holiday shop-around at each of the homes that people can pick up last-minute holiday gifts,” said Jennifer Bergen, ABPA home tour co-chair. “The money raised from this event goes to fund and help the kindergarten and first grade at Armstrong and Bradfield.”
In the past 16 years, the ABPA has raised more than $675,000 for schools through the tour.
The ninth annual American Institute of Architects Dallas Tour of Homes on Nov. 14-15 will feature seven homes across Dallas, including the Preston Hollow area. From modern to mid-century ranch-style, each home has a different style for those with different tastes to enjoy.
“We think the home tour is a great opportunity for people to see residential architecture that demonstrates the unique value that architects bring to the project,” said event co-chair Daniel Day.
