The overall impression of Texas is miles and miles of wild blue yonder. Yonder means out there, away from it all, as in, “Look yonder, and you’ll see the sunset.” Everywhere you look out from this modern dogtrot house, you see sunsets, sunrises, and miles and miles of wild blue yonder.
This Bluff Dale modern dogtrot home is more than a retreat, it is the ultimate stylish escape to nature and tranquility. Perched on five acres, it’s only an hour from Fort Worth, yet it feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
This two-story modern dogtrot house is home to none other than our swoon-worthy friends Samantha Reitmayer Sano and her husband Bret Sano. Sam is the founder of SWOON-The Studio, and Bret is the company’s chief branding officer. Together with partner Joslyn Taylor and their ever-growing smart, savvy, and stylish staff, they are bringing the world a new level of luxury branding and residential, commercial, and hospitality design. Yes, they are that good, which means their home is also that good.
So, what is a dogtrot house? It’s a uniquely Southern style with a central open-air breezeway running through the middle of the house as the defining feature. The historic design offers two separate living spaces under one roof. Before we had the marvels of air conditioning and electricity, people had to take advantage of cross breezes. Windows on all sides and wrap-around porches were a necessity, and an open central hallway maximized airflow. As the coolest spot in the house, the family dog would be found here, and thus a new architectural term was born!
If you are innovators like the Sanos, you are going to be on the cutting edge of design resurgence, and indeed, the dogtrot house is making a resurgence because it’s sensible. It creates a natural and effortless transition between indoor and outdoor living and passive cooling that yields energy efficiency. Having separate structures also allows for a true separation of public and private spaces.
The Sanos have a house in Dallas, but it was Bret’s dream to have a weekend getaway home with a view. He grew up in San Antonio, surrounded by some of the state’s most beautiful hill country. The idea of buying land and building on it had been on his mind for a very long time.
Sam’s parents live in Stephenville, so it seemed logical to look in the area. After asking friends and hearing about Bluff Dale, the couple found five acres there with unimpeded views, and everything began to fall into place. Architect Paul Merrill, principal at 5G Studio Collaborative, came on board, having previously worked with the couple on their offices at SWOON.
“We knew what we wanted,” Sam said. “We went to Paul because he was aligned with our aesthetic and understood our strong vision for the house.”
Work began in 2019, and with a time-out for a global pandemic, the house was ready in 2023. The Sanos were designing, sourcing, and buying art from the moment they broke ground. Every piece of art and furniture was purchased and designed specifically for the home. In fact, the entire home is so customized the furniture is being sold with it.
The Sanos’ dedication resulted in a one-of-a-kind home set in some of the most beautiful countryside. Attention to detail is everywhere, and the serenity is striking.
“For me, coming out here is unplugging from big city life and relaxing,” Bret said. “The peace and quiet on the deck and the view are recharging. I can sit there with a cup of coffee for hours.”
Sam is going to miss the stars at night because, after all, that’s what you get deep in the heart of Texas. “I’ll get up at midnight just to look at them,” she said. “It’s so clear and beautiful. I love the way the light comes into the house, the way the leaves create shadows, listening to them rustle, the waterfall, and our family of frogs.”
“We poured our hearts into this house,” Sam said. “We are going to miss it.”
But we all know what happens when kids reach a certain age. Weekends are filled with sports and activities, making it a lot harder to find time to escape the city, so the Sanos are finally parting with their sanctuary. Fortunately, that gives you the opportunity to walk into a fully furnished, one-of-a-kind dogtrot house with views of the wild blue yonder!
Compass realtor Becky Frey has this modern dogtrot home at 1485 Autumn Valley in Bluff Dale available for $1.3 million.
