Resurrection & Transformation: From Church to Heavenly Home
We’ve all seen the expanding trend of home renovations seamlessly spilling over into unusual and unconventional-spaces-turned-homestead. Buildings of all kinds are now being given a new life as they are creatively and beautifully turned into a living, thriving residence. On the rise is the conversion of holy spaces into living space. All over the world, churches are being saved.
In a simple Junius Heights neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, Suzy Batiz had her eye on a church that had long past seen better days. Built in 1911, it had changed hands over the past few years, and after searching extensively for a property, Batiz knew she had to have it.
Her initial thoughts, however, on buying the ideal church, were imaginations of a little white chapel with a steeple, quaint in size and a simple renovation process. The 1911 church was completely opposite of that in every way. Heavy in its 15,000 square foot architecture and prominent in its presence, it is more gothic than quaint. To deny its boldness and omnipotence would be impossible. “It truly has a towering, strong spirit that draws you in immediately.”, said Tom Clark who revived all of the stained glass and window restoration that took over a year to complete.
As you enter into the foyer, you can almost hear the past parishioners welcoming one another as they exited the trolley from the street corner below. The foyer leads directly into the grand open cathedral area where the congregation once sat on old time wooden pews, singing from hardback hymnals. The room is aglow and dazzling, with towering stained glass, custom made furniture, and modern artwork perfectly placed to make the gigantic room feel quite cozy. Everything from furnishings to planters to table settings is placed in such an arrangement to keep negative space in proportion to each unique piece. The eye likes to wander, and it does so easily in this space. The magnificent ceiling height and the majestic flood of natural light in this living room/kitchen/dining revival is in its full glory.
The kitchen is a bold focal point, situated along the back wall on an upper level where the pulpit once sat and the preacher once preached. The countertops are extra thick white marble slabs that perfectly compliment all the copper detailing and the soft pine floors which are exquisitely restored. The sleek appliances from Fulgor Milano work in favor with the reuse of original materials found during the demo and clean out phase of this monumental rebuild. It was incredibly important to Batiz to reclaim as many found treasures as possible, and the imaginative remix of old remnants are seen throughout the house in things like the 10 foot tall buffet cabinet whose doors are actually the windows that hung in the basement prayer room. Or the industrial ceiling fan that was made into an oversized meeting table. Thoughtful repurposed items are what keeps the curiosity peaked around every single corner.
From the view of the upper kitchen plateau, there is a hand carved limestone fire place that was added at the beginning of the renovation. It’s sized to compliment the proportions of this extensive space as well as create a warmth that is unexpected and inviting. The slight sway of the hanging swing bed, lined with soft, billowy faux fur throws is for lounging, meditation, or reading a good book. A custom dining table to seat 14 guests comfortably in a mix match of vintage chairs were distress painted by a local artisan and some recovered in crushed velvet remnants found at a favorite antique shop. And off to the sides of this main room are tucked away bedrooms (10 in all) which are all designed with their own distinct personality while maintaining a consistent feel between all four levels of the home.
“I wanted the bedrooms to feel like sanctuaries within the sanctuary.” says Batiz, who hired interior designer Allie Hill to help pull it all together. “I knew that Suzy was going to use this home as a gathering space for women and spiritual retreats. So feminine inspiration was a key element. And this took the form of hand painted quotes on the walls, strands of handmade silk flowers running up to the ceiling, and gorgeous, luxurious beds with Wright Bedding. Each bed was from a different city around the U.S. The search for them alone was a labor of love.” says Hill. Wrought iron scallops, original exposed brick, bright punches of quality textile, and light, glorious light in every room create the ideal get away for anyone retreating to find their deeper self.
Within this labyrinth of reformed Sunday school rooms and church offices, are hidden nooks and snugs that are more like secret shrines when found. The lowest level is a multi-functional maze of tv room, office, full chef’s kitchen, and quiet sitting room that can all be redesigned easily into the entertainment wing for up to 50 guests. Always up for a dinner party or holiday gathering, Batiz wanted a space that could multi-task with style, ease, and grace most of the time then transform to a gathering hall. “My favorite time of year is Christmas, and I wanted a space that could feel intimate and be changed in a moments notice for family gatherings and cocktail parties. There have been some wild parties in the main sanctuary too. Once we had acrobats performing high above from the rafters. It was an incredible event to remember.” At this aim of playing the ultimate hostess, she completely succeeds, admittedly so, with a lot of help from her team. The whole house is a prayer come to life where guests can assemble in love, take in the full spirit of place, and leave feeling more at peace and enlightened by style.
Words & Images by Elandis Rigdon