For Emily Ruth Cannon and her husband, Chris, both real estate agents with Dave Perry-Miller, Oak Cliff was always their safe space. That is, until they found an irresistible midcentury modern–style abode tucked into a mass of trees in a hilly neighborhood overlooking Joe Pool Lake. “I showed it to a client, who decided not to buy it, so we swooped in,” Emily Ruth says of the Cedar Hill home she and Chris bought in March 2021 and now share with their three sons.
Even though it was located outside their beloved neighborhood, the Cannons immediately fell for its three-story layout and walls of windows. But the 1981-built house had a few issues, namely an outdated kitchen and bathrooms, plus 40-year-old wall-to-wall carpeting throughout. With the help of interior designer Kate Thacker Home, the couple embarked on a to-the-studs renovation that included ditching the old-school carpet and cabinets and creating an open-concept living, kitchen, and dining area.
Says Emily Ruth of her family’s reimagined home, “I feel like we created something really special.”
The Takeaway
Emily Ruth Cannon’s biggest piece of advice for potential homebuyers? Stay open-minded. Though Oak Cliff had been her family’s home for 10 years—and they had no plans to leave—they took a chance when the right piece of real estate came along in an entirely different part of town. Some houses, she says, are just worth it. “It’s amazing how rewarding getting out of my comfort zone was for me,” she says. “I’m really glad we did it.”
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