Local Contemporary Artist Carly Allen Martin Puts Her Dreamy Lakewood Home on The Market

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Homes are our sanctuaries where we live, eat, sleep, and play — the intersection of our realities and our wildest dreams. For a lucky few, the home is a dynamic, living work of art, constantly changing in response to its habitants. Artist Carly Allen Martin’s idyllic Lakewood home, recently listed at 6621 Northridge Drive in Dallas, is just that.

Offered for $2.295 million and listed by Ryan Streiff of Dave Perry Miller Real Estate, the home is nothing short of a dream, from its intentional layout to the thoughtful finish outs. Located in a coveted cul-de-sac in the heart of Lakewood, the 3,668-square-foot home has four bedrooms and five baths — but that’s just the beginning. With artists as its owners, this home has a personality all its own.

Carly Allen Martin is a contemporary artist best known for her use of color. She studied at Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence; The European Academy of Art in Trier, Germany; and Aoyama Gakiun University in Tokyo. She also holds a BFA in painting from Texas Christian University. Her work is collected both privately and publicly around the world. Public collections include BBVA Compass Bank, Texas Oncology, and Texas Christian University. She is currently gallery-represented in Texas, California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Canada, and Washington, D.C., and her work can be viewed at carlyallenmartin.com.

The house at 6621 Northridge Drive is an extension of her art. Allen Martin and her family had been living in the Devonshire neighborhood for nearly a decade when they decided to embark on the journey of building a new home, but they struggled to find the ideal lot. Ryan Streiff of Perry-Miller Streiff Group (and current agent for 6621 Northridge Drive) stepped in and found the perfect off-market, elevated, oversized lot in the heart of Lakewood. Once secured, Allen Martin worked with Ross Ikemire of Ikemire Architects to design the home. Ikemire recommended Rosewood Home Builders to make the project come to life.

Allen Martin is an avid lover of both Santa Barbara and New Orleans architecture. She wanted to design a home that blended the two cities near and dear to her heart. “Ross and I would sketch out ideas,” she says, “then I would come home and design and adjust layouts on parchment paper. It was an exhilarating experience, taking my passion for drawing and sketching and applying it to our dream home.”

Inside 6621 Northridge Drive, vibrant energy abounds. “As an artist, light is a critical part of my everyday experience,” Allen Martin says. “In designing the home, I wanted every room to be filled with light and allow the outdoors to play into the experience of indoor living. The home has six sets of French doors and another set off the garage/studio. We also used oversized Lincoln windows to create the same illuminating effect and bring in natural light. I love that the design feels familiar in some ways but is also completely original. We took several styles and blended them to make the perfect intersection of architecture and design.”

Allen Martin’s passion for integrating her art into the home is evident as one moves from space to space, both indoors and out. “This home is the purest expression that I have ever produced outside of my paintings,” she says. “My mom designed houses growing up and we drove to Baton Rouge and New Orleans to select antique lighting and designed multiple custom lanterns. My mom found the fireplace mantel from an antiques dealer that had purchased it in the south of France, acquired the oversized antique pantry doors, and helped me custom mix the majority of paint colors throughout the home.”

Allen Martin searched from city to city and warehouse to warehouse to source the perfect materials. “I found dovecotes at a warehouse, and we drew out the design you see within the brick of the parapets,” she says. “Much as I do in my art, I looked for materials and then allowed the materials to inspire the next element in design. I’ve found the best way to be inspired is not to sit and look at images, but to get out and experience the world and let the materials lead you to the next idea.”

The home is zoned for coveted Lakewood Elementary, and its cul-de-sac and neighbors only enhance the property’s desirability. “Lakewood is such a great neighborhood, and this home offers a rare downstairs primary and guest suite that is appealing to a wide audience,” Allen Martin says.

“I know that whoever buys this home will love and enjoy it the same way we have,” she says. “It has an energy and personality of its own that comforts you and inspires you. We’re excited for our next adventure, which includes the purchase of a 1933 O’Neil Ford in Greenway Parks — purchased with the help of family friend and agent Claire Dewar. The owner’s mother was an artist, and it was important for her to sell to someone who appreciates the architectural significance of the home. We’re committed to maintaining the home’s original details and creating a new experience living closer to our family.”

6621 Northridge Drive is listed by Ryan Streiff, Dave Perry Miller Real Estate. Contact him at ryan@daveperrymiller.com