Estate of the Day

Today's home in Dallas, Texas is one that we first heard about in 2007 when it was listed at $17.5 million but it has since had a deep discount. The home belongs to Phil Romano, a restaurateur who is behind several restaurant chains including Romano's Macaroni Grill. This eight bedroom home is on 4.69 acres.

In 2007 the Real Estalker reported that Romano purchased the 4.7 acre property in 2000 for $4,535,300. The home was built in 2001 and is one of the most riotously colorful luxury homes around. The bold style combines Italian, modern and Southwestern styles with plenty of art and custom decor. There is a large living room with a paneled grid ceiling and a large limestone fireplace. The den offers sweeping views of the grounds and an adjacent library has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The sun room with expansive walls of windows is connected to the main living areas by two galleries for art, all with hand painted wood ceilings. The formal dining room is barrel-vaulted with a tile ceiling and a view through glass walls to the wine room which is the size of a small retail store. The kitchen features commercial-grade appliances such as banks of Traulsen refrigerators and freezers, and a Vulcan oven and stove, combine with stainless steel cabinets, long stretches of stainless counters, and a massive walk-in pantry. A climate-controlled pavilion gives four different views of the grounds.

All the bedrooms are on the second floor of the home. The master wing has two bedrooms, den and exercise room. Most amazing is the two-story barrel vaulted master closet. This wing also has a family room with a hand-painted ceiling. The second bedroom, designed for a child has a loft space and vaulted ceiling. There are four guestrooms plus two additional bedrooms in the connected apartment, each with its own private bath. The apartment has a kitchen, sitting room and a third floor bonus room which is divided from the main bedrooms by an office and oversized art studio. The grounds have a private lake with fountains, waterfalls, tennis courts and a glass-tiled pool. This property is now listed at $12.5 million.