Ladies love tour of Lakeside Village home

An early November lunch date for touring a friend’s Lakeside Village home had been in the works for several weeks. Their host, who had recently moved into a Mediterranean Villa close to Lake Grapevine, wanted close friends to see her new home and share in her excitement. As they waited in the great room for everyone to arrive, much of the discussion centered on the Mediterranean-style exterior of the homes in the neighborhood.

“We fell in love with the look of the neighborhood,” their host explained. “Each home’s exterior is designed by a Highland Park architect named Larry Boerder, who ensures that the Santa Barbara-style details are all authentic.”

“The neighborhood is beautiful and each home has its own identity,” said a friend. “When you said, ‘the one with the three windows above the front door,’ that made it easy to find.”

Once all the ladies had arrived, the tour began in the kitchen where everyone was impressed with the efficiency of the layout, designed by builder Corey Van Trease. While the kitchen incorporated all the “must haves” like a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Wolf gas stove, it didn’t overwhelm the 3,500-square-foot home. And it opened up to the great room that featured a beautiful stone mantle above the over-sized fireplace.

Custom homebuilder Van Trease serves as the exclusive builder of the Mediterranean Villas in Lakeside Village. He is bringing to bear on these homes much of what he’s learned, having worked with discriminating clients for over 30 years in high-end communities such as Vacquero (Westlake), Southlake, and Flower Mound.

The ladies especially found the downstairs master suite appealing. The master bath featured a beautiful tub, sumptuous shower, and large closets. The master bedroom included a small sitting area and a fireplace.

“The villa is much smaller than our old home,” their host admitted, “but the appliances and finishes thrill us and I don’t miss the extra space or the pool to maintain. We gained so much in return.”

“Like what?” one asked. 

“First, the community of people here. They come from so many different places and backgrounds. And they’re all very active and sociable. Everyone seems to be so happy.”

“Almost all are attracted by the lake and the walkability. We all share that in common. It’s like Lakeside has attracted all these people who would make great friends. It’s a real bonus.”

“And we walk a lot — to shops, restaurants, parks, and the lake — so we meet new people all the time. And Lakeside is full of great places to get together with people. I’ll take you to my favorite: the Eden Roc Club where we have a membership.”

“The gardening also is all taken care of,” she added, “so we can leave town on a moment’s notice without a care. And, of course, the airport is less than 10 minutes from here. We can just lock the doors and leave!”

“Let’s take a walk down Sunset. I think you’ll enjoy that and then we’ll stop at the club for a drink.”

The ladies raved about the street life in and around the Village Green, where people relaxed and strolled in the open space surrounded by the nine-story Hotel Miramar, a 15-story apartment building called 3111 Sunset, and 3301 Sunset, a six-story office building. At street level, the buildings offered charming and inviting facades. The front door to the Eden Roc Club felt a little like a speakeasy.

Eden Roc opens up to the views over the seven-mile length of Lake Grapevine and the treed bluff area below. Looking down, the ladies asked their host about each of the six restaurants and her favorites. At the Mexican restaurant, they feasted while the stories kept coming for over an hour. 

“The lake,” offered a friend who also was considering a new Lakeside Village home, “has never looked so beautiful to me. I’ll be back with my husband to try the other restaurants.”

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