THE STORY OF THE WARREN HOUSE

Construction of The Warren House began in 1898 and was completed around 1904 for Robert Lee Warren and his wife, Annie T. Cartright whom he married on March 29, 894, in Terrell, Texas. Mr. Warren would later serve as a Texas State Senator from 1911 to 1915. The home was designed for both gracious living and entertaining. The impressive 18-room home featured a formal reception hall, separate ladies’ and gentlemen’s parlors, nine fireplaces, a basement, an attic, a music room, and generous gathering spaces that welcomed family, friends, and guests.

More than a century later, much of the character of the original home remains. The former gentlemen’s parlor now serves as the library, while the ladies’ parlor continues in its original purpose. The former music room has been transformed into a beautiful downstairs guest suite. Even the grand staircase invites you to linger, with two landings—including one with its own fireplace and a cozy reading area.

The first floor remains the heart of the home, with its entry and gathering room, ladies'  parlor, library, dining room, butler’s pantry, kitchen, guest suite, and gracious hallways connecting each space.

Purchased by its current owners in 2023, The Warren House underwent an extensive 14-month restoration designed to honor its history while preparing the home for a new generation of guests. Today, its architectural details, elegant gathering spaces, and historic character have been lovingly preserved—allowing The Warren House to once again be a place where people gather, visit, celebrate, and feel welcome.

A Fascinating Detail from Another Era

Even the unusually wide front doors tell a story about life at the turn of the century. In that era, funerals and visitations were commonly held in private homes. Wide entry doors allowed a coffin to be carried into the residence, where the deceased might be placed in the parlor or entry hall so family and neighbors could gather to pay their respects. It is one of the many small architectural details that reminds us that historic homes were designed not simply as places to live, but as places where families experienced all of life’s important moments.

At the top of the grand staircase, guests arrive at an expansive landing connecting four beautifully appointed suites. Rather than simply serving as a passageway, the landing has become a comfortable gathering place of its own—a quiet spot to work a puzzle, enjoy a board game, settle in with a book, or gather around the television for an old movie or a favorite football game.

Each of the four bedrooms has been thoughtfully transformed into a private guest suite with its own full ensuite bath. While each has a distinctive personality, all reflect the history, warmth, and gracious character of The Warren House.

The Ladies’ Parlor is one of The Warren House’s most gracious gathering spaces, filled with period furnishings, beautifully restored woodwork, and treasured pieces that tell stories of generations past.

Two China cabinets hold collections belonging to the Gentry and Crowson families. The original family China, brought to the States from occupied Japan following World War II, was carefully preserved through the years and is displayed in the bow-front cabinet to the right of the windows.

The second collection came about through a much more recent family story. One afternoon, Beverly discovered her three-year-old granddaughter happily seated on the dining room floor, playing tea party with pieces of the treasured family China—stacking and unstacking them as only a three-year-old can. After carefully returning everything to its cabinet, Beverly decided perhaps the grandchildren needed China of their own.

An estate-sale discovery soon became what the family affectionately calls “Grand-China”—beautiful enough for a proper tea party but meant to be enjoyed rather than simply admired. Today, the Grand-China rests in the 1940s flat-front cabinet to the left of the windows, ready for another generation of memories.

The room itself reflects the care given to restoring The Warren House. The original mantel and baseboard woodwork have been lovingly renewed, while the ceiling medallions and decorative frieze added by a previous owner were carefully preserved and restored. The room’s light fixtures were removed, cleaned, and repaired during the restoration, including the original chandelier that continues to illuminate the parlor today.

Stepping through the front entrance reveals a masterclass in turn-of-the-century architecture. A substantial four-foot-wide door of quarter-sawn oak—accented by leaded-glass sidelights—welcomes guests with a clear statement of status and scale, deliberately sized for the grand furniture of the era. Built in 1904, the residence defies the cramped layouts of its time. Instead, it introduces a remarkably modern, open floor plan achieved through soaring ceilings and massive 8-foot square pocket openings. This grand scale continues at the main staircase, which serves as a luxurious living space of its own with a dedicated sitting area, an inviting fireplace, a mid-flight landing, and a vibrant stained-glass window.

Pausing just past the threshold allows you to look directly into the library on your left and the ladies' parlor on your right. From this single vantage point, you catch an authentic glimpse into the past, evoking the exact feeling of waking up in a grand home at the turn of the century.

Hospitality has always been part of life at The Warren House, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Butler’s Pantry and kitchen.

• The rear hallway and original Butler’s Pantry retain their built-in cabinetry, which has served generations of homeowners as storage for China, serving pieces, and everything needed for gracious entertaining. Even the smallest built-in cabinet has found a modern purpose—it now holds the kitchen’s collection of spices.

The kitchen itself has undergone one of the most extensive transformations in the home. Significant water damage required the room to be taken completely down to the studs, at one point leaving it without walls, ceiling, or flooring. During the restoration, a walk-in pantry was added to provide additional food storage and a discreet laundry area, while the kitchen was thoughtfully rebuilt to feel as though it had always belonged in the historic home.

The intentionally aged flooring lends a time-worn character, while the large center island was designed with a very particular purpose in mind: baking. An Italian-made ILVE range anchors the kitchen and, after a three-month journey from Italy, became a fitting centerpiece for a room where so much cooking takes place.

And then there are the cookbooks.

Nearly 600 cookbooks collected through the years fill the kitchen shelves, with a selection of antique cookbooks housed in the library. They provide both inspiration and reference as recipes are baked, tested, adapted, and enjoyed.

Although The Warren House already has nine fireplaces, Beverly felt the kitchen needed a little fireside warmth of its own. A decorative fireplace was added so she could enjoy the glow of a fire while baking, experimenting with recipes, and working her way through that remarkable cookbook collection.

Today, the kitchen and Butler’s Pantry continue the purpose for which spaces like these were originally intended: preparing good food and making people feel welcome.

Once the gentlemen’s parlor, The Library is now one of The Warren House’s most inviting rooms—a comfortable place to settle into a chair, browse a favorite book, or simply enjoy the quiet character of the home.

The library shelves were designed by Jim to hold his and Beverly’s collection of books, antiques, and treasures gathered through years of travel. Among the volumes are old favorites, including Nancy Drew mysteries and vintage junior books, alongside newer titles and other treasured finds. Antique clocks and collected art line the tops of the shelves, while cabinets house one of Jim’s more unexpected collections—porcelain dolls.

When designing the library, Jim was careful to preserve the historic integrity of the room. The shelving was intentionally constructed around the existing baseboards and original trim rather than altering them. Should a future owner ever wish to return the room to its original use as a parlor, the shelves can simply be removed, and the historic room beneath will remain intact.

One of the library’s most charming pieces is a portrait of a young woman discovered in an antique shop in Jefferson, Texas. Jim thought she looked very much like Beverly might have looked had she lived during the late 1800s, and naturally, she found a home at The Warren House.

And then there is the color.

Although Jim and Beverly rarely disagree, the rich color chosen for the library walls and cabinetry inspired a spirited debate that lasted nearly two weeks. Beverly ultimately prevailed—and Jim eventually conceded.

We think she made the right call.

The formal Dining Room at The Warren House was created for gathering, and more than a century later, it continues to serve that purpose.

One of the room’s most beautiful original features is its large built-in cabinet. 

When the current owners purchased the home, the cabinet was in serious disrepair—the interior ceiling was falling, and its drawers could barely be opened. With the help of Beverly’s brother-in-law and one of the home’s talented restoration craftsmen, the built-in was carefully brought back to life. Today, its drawers once again serve a practical purpose, holding table linens for entertaining.

The dining table has a story of its own. Beverly discovered the table and chairs separately and brought them together to create the generous gathering place she envisioned for the room. The chairs were restored and reupholstered, and the completed table now comfortably welcomes large family gatherings of 12 to 14. A small collection of silver and family china adds another layer of tradition to the room.

Jim designed the floral centerpiece specifically to complement the room’s beautiful William Morris-inspired wallpaper. During the restoration, the Dining Room also received extensive woodwork repair, new wall texture, wallpaper and paint, while the original fireplace was converted for electric use.

And perhaps the most special thing about this room cannot be restored, collected, or displayed.

Visitors sometimes ask whether a home of this age has a ghost story or two. Jim and Beverly’s answer is simple: what they have always felt at The Warren House is peace. There is a particular warmth and happiness in the Dining Room that makes it easy to imagine generations of families gathering around a table here—sharing meals, celebrating occasions, telling stories, and enjoying one another’s company.

More than a hundred years after the first family gathered here, The Warren House Dining Room is still a place where people come together.

Originally designed as the home’s music room, this gracious first-floor space once played an important role in entertaining at The Warren House. During Senator Warren’s time, the interior doors throughout the first floor could be opened so that music from a piano—or even a small orchestra—could drift from room to room as guests gathered throughout the home.

The layout of The Warren House was particularly well suited for entertaining. Its first-floor rooms flow together in a circular pattern, allowing guests to wander easily from the reception hall to the parlors, library, dining room, and music room before continuing around the house—a glimpse into the lively gatherings that once took place here.

More than a century later, the former music room was thoughtfully converted into a downstairs suite when a full bath was added to provide comfortable first-floor accommodations during the homeowner’s recovery from knee surgery. Throughout the transformation, the room’s historic character remained important. The original woodwork was carefully restored, and the fireplace was converted to electric use while retaining its period charm.

Today, the room combines history with modern comfort, conveniently located near the library, dining room, and kitchen. Though its purpose has changed through the years, it remains very much a part of the gracious flow of the original home.