Jenny and Jeff Staubach needed space. More specifically, they needed more room in the great outdoors for their three kids to run. They were looking for a little more privacy than their University Park home afforded. And they really wanted a pool.
So they began looking for different digs, and the hunt became something of a family affair—Jenny’s younger sister, Carrie Hatfield, is an interior designer, and she joined them on their quest. In the end, their search coordinates were pretty narrow. “Greenway Parks is such a peaceful neighborhood. It’s really the only place we looked,” Jenny says.
“I ended up going to look at a few houses. Some were great, but they didn’t quite work. When we saw this one, it wasn’t perfect, but it had such a great feel—the light, especially. It just felt like a great family home, and a great place to start,” Carrie says.
Jenny agrees. “We actually know the former owners of the house,” she says. “It was just one of those things; the house felt right.”
“Carrie is so talented. I feel so lucky because she’s my sister, and she can say, ‘Okay, that doesn’t look good.’ She’s got the eye.”
Once the permits were secured, construction took another six months or so. It was a bit longer than the Staubachs had planned. “We did end up having to live with the in-laws for about a month,” Jenny says. “They were saints. It was really fun, and it was very sweet of them to allow us to do that.”
Meanwhile, Carrie set to work on the interiors. She tried to use as many pieces from the Staubachs’ former house as possible, but the two homes were pretty different. “Their old house was a new-build; it had 10-foot ceilings. This house was built in the 1930s and had a completely different character and scale. I knew we had to go in a different direction. The interiors needed a fresher feel in this house, and because some of the rooms were smaller, a standard-size piece of furniture wasn’t always going to work. We reused what we could and created custom pieces for other rooms,” Carrie says.
Designer Carrie Hatfield created a great modern mix. We love how youthful the house feels while still maintaining a classic, traditional flair.
“We do have similar taste—that’s what’s so fun about it for me. Jenny has a harder time visualizing things, but she knows what she likes. But she’s open,” Carrie says. “And Jeff is so great. I adore him. He has ideas. He really wanted his study to be a certain thing. That was kind of the selling point on this house—his study is way away from everyone. He doesn’t get too involved, but if he doesn’t like something, he’ll say so.”
The house is now bright and open. The brand-new kitchen features a sophisticated nook that combines Holly Hunt-textile draperies and Quadrille velvet pillows with a Saarinen table, Turner chairs, and a completely “wipeable” banquette covered in Joseph Noble vinyl. It is one of Jenny’s favorite spots in the house. “It’s such a family space for us. After the kids leave for school, I sit there and organize myself. I read the newspaper and have some tea.”
“Greenway Parks has changed my life. Honestly. It’s aꂾautiful, peaceful place.”
The entire house is a lovely mix, full of surprises. Depending on where you go, walls may feature Gracie wallpaper or pieces by artists such as Stuart Mathews, Jessica Snow, and Meredith Pardue. Custom tables and Wickersham sofas mingle with vintage pieces from Cain Modern and Sputnik Modern and antiques from Nick Brock Antiques and John Gregory Studio.
“I love the search. It’s really the most fun part of projects for me. I do buy things all over,” Carrie says. “I love the mix here. I love that it’s comfortable, too. This place has to be family friendly. Everyone who walks in the family room says, ‘I can’t believe you did white sofas with three high-energy kids.’ Be we Scotchgarded everything, and I think it works great.”
So will the Staubachs be looking to pull up stakes any time soon? Not likely. Jenny says that she and Jeff love the house, but more importantly, they absolutely adore their neighborhood. “Greenway Parks has changed my life,” she says. “Honestly. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place. The kids can go outside and run on the greenbelt. People are friendly. I feel like it’s kind of a unique place in Dallas.”