5903 Lakehurst Avenue
This week Cantoni debuts a spectacular showhouse, built from the ground up and filled entirely with Cantoni furniture and art.
The house was built to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the store, which started out as one of the few places in Dallas you could buy modern furniture. It has since turned into a huge store with design services and many lines, many of them Italian. It also has many longtime, loyal fans. You might go so far as to say it's an institution in Dallas. I barely remember a time when it wasn't here.
I took a tour of the house yesterday (it opens officially tonight at a party hosted by Metropolitan Home) and I have to say it's beautifully crafted and beautifully laid out. It feels good to be in it, and part of the reason is that they've varied the height of the rooms and the height of the windows. It's not one big clunky, cavernous box. It's actually carefully thought out.
The enviable kitchen is by Italian manufacturer Bontempi Cucine which Cantoni now carries exclusively in Dallas.
This sweeping kitchen countertop (I think it's 20 feet) doubles (triples?) as a dining room table and bar. Cook, eat, drink. It's where all the action will be inside this house.The floors are Italian ceramic tiles and have a beautiful glow and subtle texture.
The 7,500 square ft. house was built as a way to show off Cantoni's multi-dimensional design team, who collaborated on the architecture, room layouts, and furniture and art selections.Lead designer Pogir, who has a degree in architecture from his native South Africa, consulted on the architectural design. Pogir created the garage so that when you pull inside you are greeted with a spectacular view -- there's a window inside that overlooks the pool. He built a large, separate tool and storage area so that the garage stays pristine.
The house is for sale through Briggs-Freeman for $3,895,000 (the furniture, art, and audio-visual equipment are for sale, too, for a larger price tag). Want to see more photos of the house? Go here. The house has its own Facebook page, too.Get this: The store has designed and built a small complex of modular, modern duplexes in Oak Lawn called Motion, Pogir told me, which are due to open in September. I saw an image of them, and they look great, but I don't have one yet to show you. Stay tuned, and I'll give you a tour soon.
Will this be a trend? Should we look for a Forty Five Ten Flat soon, or maybe a Mexcox Manor?
