1934 Bed and Breakfast, Grapevine, Texas

While working on a reconstruction project at La Buena Vida Vineyards in Grapevine, Willie Livingston looked down the street and spied a craftsman style home for sale. For years, Willie, an enginner, and wife Wanda, a former home economist, had taken on home restoration projects as enjoyment. Soon the couple were proud owners of the 1934 home and set about converting it into Grapevine's first bed-and-breakfast.

What attracted the Livingstons to this home was that the 3500-square-foot structure had only had two previous owners. All the original fixtures, woodwork, and even rugs were still in place. Built by the Lipscomb family as their first "city home" after years of farm living, the house was filled with extravagant features, from quarter-sawn oak floors to hand beveled glass doors. Spiraled wood rods still hang over the windows. The living room, where guests often congregate in the evening hours, showcases an Italian style tile fireplace surround.

The fine features that the Lipscomb family first sought and the Livingstons worked to restore, are highlighted in the guest rooms as well. The Rose Room, with blushing rose-tinted walls, is the home's most flamboyant room. A pencil post king-sized bed looks out over a trompe l'oiel library. Down the hall, the Main Street Room, with its wallpaper border of an old main street scene, has the original cedar lined closet, wood paneling, and a quilted bedcover. Groups of shoppers in town to enjoy Grapevine's historic district often reserve the Sun Room Suite. With a double bed and trundle, the larger room includes a fireplace. Glass pocket doors lead into a sitting area now home to an ice cream fountain-style table and chairs.

With its location just minutes from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the 1934 House is popular with business travelers as well as couples looking for a leisurely getaway. The home is just steps from the La Buena Vida Vineyards, where guests can take a tour and enjoy tastings of the local product, and from the Dorris House, a favorite with locals for fine dining in an historic setting.

Location: 322 College St., Grapevine

Related Page: Grapevine Index

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