In 1948, the original developer for the Tanglewood neighborhood, William Farrington, named it, somewhat whimsically, for his daughter Mary’s favorite book, that being the Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Three years later, his wife Birdie and a few friends started the Tanglewood Garden Club, who had an early project to plant the plethora of live oaks along the mile-long, granite promenade at Tanglewood Road.

In time, the neighborhood became known for its one-story, ranch-style homes on large lots (the latter usually around 16,000 square feet), and curving roads dappled by the shadows of live oaks. Then in the mid-1980s, much larger, lavish, European-style homes started popping up, like this 2011 stucco and brick beauty designed by architect J. Marshall Porterfield on .33 acres.

Its stucco and brick exterior conceals structural steel framing—just one way that the home blends its traditional aesthetic with modern living. Upon entry, the details are many: from the foyer’s herringbone wood floors and high, airy ceilings, to the fluted trim capped with medallions that frame the built-in shelves in the navy-blue painted library/home office.

The focal point of the main floor is the—we can’t help ourselves here—chef’s kiss of a kitchen. There, find a suite of Shaker-style cabinets painted a rich blue and topped in stone counters, with gourmet appliances, a large central island with eat-in counter, and oversized pendants overhead. Nearby, there’s a breakfast room set up in front of two sets of double glass doors, one of which opens to a covered outdoor kitchen with stone-wrapped stainless-steel appliances and a Big Green Egg.

An interior window in the kitchen looks into the adjacent den, itself with another run of double glass doors that open to the backyard and its heated pool. In the den, the handsome coffered ceilings and shelves flanking the fireplace all give off a cozy vibe, while a designated bar/wine room along one wall is an entertainer’s delight.

Take one of two staircases, or the elevator, upstairs, where there’s the primary suite plus four bedrooms. (The fifth bedroom is on the main floor, for a total of six, with an equal number of full bathrooms). From the primary suite’s marble clad walk-in shower, to the large game room with its own kitchen and bar, up here it’s all about striking a balance between the luxe and laidback.

Listing Fast Facts 

Address: 5713 Bayou Glen Rd, Houston, TX 77057

Size: 8,065 square feet/6 bedroom/6 full + 3 half baths

List Date: 1/14/2023 

List Price: $3,290,000 

Listing Agent: Amy Johnson • Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty