BOLD blue world

By Emily Toman | Photos By Jeanine Michna-Bales

Our Easter Week services begin on Good Friday with a special celebration of baptism and Communion, and culminate with two services on Easter Sunday.

Childcare is available for children (birth through kindergarten) and for those with special needs. To sign up, e-mail lcole@prestonwood.org.

April 18: 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 20: 11:00 a.m. En Español: 11:00 a.m. Nuevo Servicio en Español comenzando Domingo de Resurrección

For Easter Week services at our Plano and North (Prosper) locations, visit our website: prestonwood.org/easter

Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75230

Our neighborhood is known for its sprawling estate homes that sit on double-digit acreage behind towering iron gates. But hidden in the corners of our stately locale are modest yet ultra-modern abodes with some surprising features.

Take, for instance, the townhome on Shadow Bend Drive, a stone’s throw from Franklin Middle School. While it may not appear distinguished from the street, the world inside is full of unexpected design elements, most notably the floor-to-ceiling blue accents and the Zen-like texture of one living room wall, backlit with rotating colored lights.

“I’m known for bold colors,” says homeowner Jeffrey Johnson, an interior designer. “It’s a great way to add personality and character to a room.”

Johnson and his partner, Stephen Bulgarelli, have lived here three years, but before they arrived, the home had been gutted and abandoned for at least six months — a remnant of a failed remodel. New Leaf Construction bought the property in April 2010 and began to salvage it.

“We grabbed it the day it went on the market,” says Scott Powell, New Leaf’s owner and general contractor. “It was destitute to most, but I loved the potential I saw.”

Powell and his team had to repair some of the previous work and rearrange the floor plan; it was almost impossible to tell what went where.

“It’s like solving puzzles,” he says. “We didn’t know what we were working with. We had to take two steps back and have new plans drawn.”

With its lofted ceilings, flexible floor plan and large clerestory windows, the house already was poised for a modern redo — not the typical mid-century type seen throughout Preston Hollow but rather following the later trends of the 1970s and ’80s, Powell says.

“The house definitely lends itself to contemporary architecture.”

The project took only a few months to complete, with the focus on a few major areas. The fireplace was rebuilt and given a clean, gray finish with accent tiles. The kitchen received a complete overhaul. Powell took a nontraditional approach to designing the backsplash; it took meticulous planning to achieve the scattered yet orderly look against the all-white cabinetry.

Johnson and Bulgarelli later added nary innovations, to be exact.

“Our life revolves around food,” Johnson says.

Most of the distinct features throughout the four-bedroom home came from Johnson’s design expertise. After 17 years in telecom, he decided the LED lighting over the countertops and along the floor beneath the lower cabinets. For them, the kitchen is one of the most important places in the home, since Bulgarelli is a chef for Brinker International — the senior director of culi- to pursue his real passion and launched his own interior design business.

“I’ve always loved working with patterns and textiles,” he says. “I knew I wanted a career change.”

His use of color characterizes each area of the 3,800-square-foot house one upstairs guest bedroom is full of warm reds and oranges, while the other has cool shades of blue.

The master suite continues the sea of blue seen around the home (“We love water,” Johnson says), but it also features a black accent wall, which, contrary to popular belief, can actually make a room look larger.

“People are afraid to use black,” Johnson says. “Some people think black is too overpowering, but it’s actually the opposite.”

Johnson and Bulgarelli buy most of their furniture new and tend to reupholster pieces that need updating. However, the hold and dynamic abstract art in almost every room isn’t from some expensive collection.

In their own haphazard way, they create the professional-looking pieces themselves, and the result is often full of color and texture. If they later decide they don’t like it, they take it down and create a new one, in just a day or two.

Another repeating feature in the home is the image of Buddha from the life-sized statue behind the front patio gates to the small trinkets on the bathroom counters. Johnson and Bulgarelli don’t identify themselves as Buddhists; they just appreciate the aesthetic.

“It’s calms us,” Johnson says. “We’re both very busy individuals.”

The house still is a work in progress as Johnson continues phasing out some of the less modern pieces, such as his rustic and traditional dining room table. All in all, he aims for designs that won’t go out of style.

“I try to think of something that’s timeless,” Johnson says. “The biggest trend that I’m finding is going into more clean lines. People are going for ‘less is more.’ ”

Wilson High School

•Classic education

•Dedicated to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of children

•3 years through 6th grade

•Half-day and full day Kindergarten options enrollment continues through summer.

Highlander School

9120 Plano Road, Dallas, TX 75238

214-348-3220 www.highlanderschool.com

Since 1966 The Tradition Continues…

There are two lasting GIFTS we can give our children: One is ROOTS and the other is WINGS.

Articulation Therapy Camps & Language Therapy Camps

Morning & Afternoon Sessions

June 9th – July 3rd

(Mon and Wed or Tues and Thurs)

July 14th – August 7th

(Mon and Wed or Tues and Thurs)

For more information contact Elizabeth Thurman at 469-964-1554 ethurman@inspirepediatrictherapy.com Inspirepediatrictherapy.com

Call for a Tour

Ages 2-6 yrs • AMS Affiliated

For nearly 30 years we have been giving children the opportunity to develop at their own pace in a safe and nurturing environment.

• Computer

• Chinese

• Spanish

• Ballet

• Drama

• Godly Play

• Chess Class

• Gymnastics

• Fine Art

7900 Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75225 214.363.9391 www.stchristophersmontessori.com

Make this summer one to remember by sending your child and their grandparent(s) to Grandparents University® This two-day event allows kids ages 7-12 to study two of 10 “majors” alongside their grandparents. They can even spend the night in a dorm for the full college experience! Majors range from robotics to apparel merchandising to geocaching. Get the full list and register today at call.unt.edu/GU or call 940.565.3481 for more information.

CLAIRE’S CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL

8202 Boedeker Dr., / (214) 368-4047 / clairesdayschool.com At CCDS, we encourage a child’s sense of exploration and discovery in a loving, nurturing, and safe environment. We offer a parent’s day out program with a play-based curriculum fostering socialization, motor skill development, and an introduction to academics for children aged 4mo – 3yrs. Our preschool for children aged 3-5 further develops these skills, along with a more focused approach to pre-math and pre-reading. At CCDS, we have developed our own science, math, and reading enrichment classes to ensure kindergarten preparedness for every child. We make learning fun!

Highlander School

9120 Plano Rd. Dallas / 214.348.3220 / www.highlanderschool.com Founded in 1966, Highlander School offers an enriched curriculum in a positive, Christian-based environment. Small class sizes help teachers understand the individual learning styles of each student. Give us a call for more information.

Inspire Pediatric Therapy

5439 Glen Lakes Dallas Tx 75231 / 469-9641554 / ethurman@inspirepediatrictherapy. com / Inspirepediatrictherapy.com Inspire Pediatric Therapy is excited to offer enjoyable and exciting camps this summer for articulation and language therapy ages 3-5.These intensive four week camps will increase your child’s articulation and language in a fun day camp setting. During each session your child will receive individual and group therapy. Camps include summer themes, rotating centers, snacks and games. Call to register today. Spots are limited. Inspire also offers private speech therapy for all children.

Lakehill Preparatory School

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep.

org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

Spanish House

5740 Prospect Ave. & 4411 Skillman / 214-826-4410 / DallasSpanishHouse.com

Spanish House is a Spanish immersion school with two Lakewood locations for children ages 3 months - Kindergarten. We offer half-day and fullday programs, with extended care available from 7:30am - 6:00pm. We also offer after-school and Saturday classes for PK and elementary-aged students, both on- and off-site. Additionally, we have an adult Spanish program for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S MONTESSORI SCHOOL

7900 Lovers Ln. / 214.363.9391 stchristophersmontessori.com St. Christopher’s Montessori School has been serving families in the DFW area for over a quarter of a century. We are affiliated with the American Montessori Society and our teachers are certified Montessori instructors. Additionally our staff has obtained other complimentary educational degrees and certifications, including having a registered nurse on staff. Our bright and attractive environment, and highly qualified staff, ensures your child will grow and develop in an educationally sound, AMS certified loving program. Now Enrolling.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service.St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

Ut Dallas Chess Camp

800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson 75080 / (972) 883-4899 / utdallas.edu/chess ) 2014

Summer Chess Camp Campers learn while they PLAY. Chess develops reading, math, critical and analytical skills, and builds character and self-esteem. Just don’t tell the kids…they think chess is fun! Join beginner, intermediate or advanced chess classes for ages 7 to 13 on the UT Dallas campus. Morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (1-4pm) sessions are available June 9-13, June 16-20, July 14-18, July 21-25 and extended playing classes. Camp includes t-shirt, chess board and pieces, trophy, certificate, score book, group photo, snacks and drinks. Instructors are from among UT Dallas Chess Team Pan-Am Intercollegiate Champions for 2010-2012!

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White Rock North School

9727 White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool.com

6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Character-building and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and state-ofthe-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around fun-filled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.

Woodrow Wilson High School

100 S. Glasgow Dallas 75214 / 972-502-4400 / woodrowwildcats.org A proven college preparation program and a true high school experience. Woodrow graduates attend, year after year, our state’s and country’s finest colleges including Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, Tech, West Point, Georgetown, Duke, North Carolina, Princeton and Yale, often with meaningful scholarships. With academic programs equaling the best private and magnet schools, Woodrow’s diverse student body also enjoys a traditional high school offering arts, music, dance, theater, math and science clubs, debate and writing competitions and a broad, inclusive and successful sports program, with cheerleaders and drill team. “It’s all at Woodrow and it works.”

Yorktown Education

5170 Village Creek Drive Plano, 75093 972-733-0800 YorktownEd.com Yorktown

Education is an independent, academically challenging school for grades 1-12. With a customized Do What You LoveTM curriculum, students are educated with higher standards at earlier ages. Education is personalized based on performance and not on age or grade levels. Yorktown graduates are in the top 1% of the country for SAT & ACT results and have a 100 percent college acceptance rate, with an average of $150,000 in college credit and scholarships. Enrolling first through 12th grade for the 2014-2015 school year.

Zion Lutheran School

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 58 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government. Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.

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