When Mark and Betsy Nanchy first laid eyes on this house, it was stripped to the studs, was missing a few walls and had holes in the floor showing dirt below. Rotting because of years of neglect, the structure was in the midst of a remodel by New Leaf Construction. Built by Dallas’ famous Ju-Nel Homes architects in 1965, this house was an entrant in the New York World’s Fair’s “Home of the Future” series. The model house was sponsored by the Formica firm, so Formica products decked the home from top to bottom.
Regardless of the mess, the couple recognized that this potential home had. They had been looking for a couple of years and knew exactly what they were searching for. The large lot, beautiful neighborhood, surrounding trees and midcentury-style inside sealed the offer.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Mark and Betsy Nanchy, dog Pearl and cats Peeps and TJ
Size: 2,485 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, office
Location: Lochwood neighborhood of Dallas
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
Ju-Nel homes were commonly built on abnormal-size lots or parts of land which weren’t flat. This house has four levels to accommodate the whole lot’s steep incline.
The small foyer is designated by means of a brick privacy wall which gives a peek into the home’s great room. The couple chose a bit by Dallas artist Tamara White for their entry.
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
Ju-Nel homes are famous for spacious floor plans, vaulted beamed ceilings, brick floors and expansive windows. The pine ceilings were an immediate draw for the bunch. Initially, New Leaf was likely to paint them over, however, the Nanchys protested in hopes of preserving the warm texture.
The couple’s most up-to-date art splurge is this whimsical Don Quixote painting, by artist Vladimir Ovtcharov, in the excellent room. “Fortunately, Betsy and I both have similar tastes,” Mark says.
Sarah Greenman
The fireplace hearth became among the couple splurges. “The house was initially designed with terazzo, and also we wanted to bring that back,” Mark says. The Nanchys wished to stay as green as possible, so they worked with Glass Recycled, which makes custom terazzo-like surfaces out of recycled materials, like stop lights and vodka bottles.
Coffee table: CB2; chairs, area rug: Mitchell Gold: gloomy vertical art: Tamara White
Sarah Greenman
The open-concept kitchen, a rare feature for a house built in the mid-’60s, has access to this excellent space, the living room and the rear patio. The kitchen remodel included white cabinetry, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances plus a gorgeous blue and grey tile backsplash.
Tile: Cosmopolitan Mélange, Skylights show, Arizona Tile
Sarah Greenman
A picture window above the kitchen undermounted sink provides a gorgeous view of the side yard. “We both love nature and the sensation of being outdoors when we are inside.This home allows me to clear my thoughts and enjoy some real peace,” Mark says.
Sarah Greenman
The kitchen leads out to an enclosed side yard and a square terrace on the east side of the house. Bamboo, oak, maple and a fern-like ground cover provide greenery and shade.
Chairs: Design Within Reach
Sarah Greenman
Initially the house was in this state of disrepair that the couple could not access the second level, which is made up of two bedrooms, each with its own bath.
Dining table: Z Gallerie; centerpiece sculpture: Viva Terra
Sarah Greenman
The excellent room’s spacious dining room has a peekaboo window to a second-story room. Wood beams frame an opinion to some sunken sunporch, allowing for ample natural light.
Sarah Greenman
Floor-to-ceiling windows compose the front wall of the house and provide views of the front garden. The couple loves opening the windows to follow the birds.
“We have put so much TLC into this area that it pays back us together with peace, serenity and energy,” Mark says.
Sarah Greenman
In a time when many homeowners’re painting over outdated wood paneling, the couple is happy with their choice to maintain the timber undamaged from the living area.
“We like our living room during sunrise, as the bigger windows face east and permit the beams of the morning sun to light the area,” says Mark. In the evenings, the couple usually adjourns to the fantastic area, which faces west. “We can relax and watch the dog in the courtyard below.”
Sofa: Room & Board; art: Tamara White
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
The couple decked out a small dining room with red leather Eero Saarinen chairs in the corner of their living room that overlooks the side terrace. Mark would like to finally reupholster the chairs with a fabric that is more in accordance with their initial layout.
Stripes art: Truman Couture; dining chairs: Antiques Moderne; sling chairs: leather, Danish Inspirations
Sarah Greenman
The master bedroom is a area with beamed ceilings. Natural light filters through tree boughs from the clerestory windows.
Art: “Life Form,” by Caleb Jack
Sarah Greenman
The previous master bath was quite dim, so the couple asked New Leaf Construction to cut a skylight in the roof. The flood of new lighting, big soaking tub and frameless glass walk-in cupboard provide this bath a luxurious, spa-like feel.
Sarah Greenman
The upstairs guest room looks simple and bright, with modern furnishings and white walls to better showcase art by Caleb Jack.
Headboard: West Elm; sling chair: leather, Danish Inspirations
Sarah Greenman
Privacy windows, bright modern art and a bathtub with jets outfit the upstairs guest tub.
Sarah Greenman
An upstairs space that homes gym gear has an opinion of the fantastic room below. The area was initially a balcony which was enclosed as part of a bedroom.
Sarah Greenman
A small balcony offers the ideal neighborhood overlook and a fantastic place for relaxing one of the treetops. The Ju-Nel architects never cut down trees to build their homes; they comprised the natural landscape and built their own structures around existing vegetation.
Sarah Greenman
Sarah Greenman
Joyful homeowners Mark and Betsy sit facing their hearth with Pearl, their English sheepdog.
Watch another Ju-Nel house: A Midcentury Gem on a Wooded Acre in Dallas
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