It’s that yellow door, isn’t it? That’s certainly what got my attention. I knew whatever was behind it had to be exciting, and I was right. It’s not just that the reimagining of this Cedar Hill Craftsman is absolutely newsworthy, but so is the couple behind it. Jon and MJ Moreau, owners of Oak Cliff Design and Construction, live in the neighborhood and stick close to home for their renovation projects.
“We specifically choose to work where we live so we can improve our neighborhood,” MJ said. “We don’t tear down. Jon and I are both great at visualization and are willing to save some pretty challenging homes.”
Of course, this warms my preservationist heart and reminds me that without what seems like only a handful of dedicated, fairly young folks in Dallas, our historic homes would be falling like dominoes.
It’s not easy to restore these houses. You have to be truly dedicated. With the increased cost of permits and labor and material costs rising, saving historic homes is never going to make you a millionaire. Perhaps the City of Dallas should consider dynamic pricing for those restoring historic homes? Seems like a win-win to me. Incentives are critical if we are to keep any shred of our history alive in neighborhoods that don’t have historic or conservation district protections.
This Cedar Hill Craftsman was built in 1920 with 1,220 square feet, two bedrooms, and one bathroom. While that was perfectly suitable for the 1920s, very few people are looking for a home that small today. Working with Chris Chiles of Chiles Design, the Moreaus built an addition onto the back of the house, bringing it up to 2,223 square feet, four bedrooms, and two bathrooms, with a flow that works for our lifestyle today.
“These 100-year-old homes were so well built,” MJ said. “While they’ve had a few coats of paint and some wear over the years, their character remains their best feature. We take great care to match the original style when we renovate. This home has ‘birdsmouth’ rafters and the classic teardrop siding, which we duplicated in the addition.”
The transformation is truly astonishing. The house now has 10-foot ceilings with an original 5-foot pocket door separating the living and dining rooms. The kitchen is Instagram-worthy, featuring Dove White and Butterscotch cabinetry, Calacatta Tesoro quartz counters, and a massive 5-by-7-foot island. The addition of wood to the tray ceiling serves to add warmth and highlight the light fixture.
MJ’s favorite details in the kitchen are the alcove-style cooking area with a spice ledge and a sizable windowsill. Remember when grandma used to put pies there to cool? This is a feature that should be included in every remodel, in my opinion.
The Moreaus are not only known for saving and reinventing historic homes, but also for an amenity that is rapidly becoming their outdoor trademark.
“We’re becoming known for our custom outdoor kitchens,” Jon said. “This outdoor patio includes a 36-inch built-in gas grill with a rotisserie, stainless cabinetry, a sink, and leathered stone countertops.”
All of this goodness is located just minutes from Downtown Dallas and blocks from the Bishop Arts District and Kidd Springs Park.
Homesmart Stars’ Mikey Abrams has this Cedar Hill Craftsman at 1140 Cedar Hill Ave. available for $905,000, and you can see it this weekend!
Open House: Saturday and Sunday, September 6 and 7, from 3 to 4 p.m.
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