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Storybook-style houses evoke “nostalgia, whimsy” says Dallas designer

“It would be definitely a bucket list of mine to get to visit all of them in my lifetime,” said Annilee Waterman, a residential designer in Dallas.

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Marie Antoinette's cottage on the grounds of Versailles is considered the first storybook-style home.
Marie Antoinette's cottage on the grounds of Versailles is considered the first storybook-style home.
Chesnot/Getty Images

The housing market has been hard for buyers for the last few years, with high mortgage rates and low supply. But for the fortunate group who built a home this past year, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction, 18.8% of them were custom.

And if you’re making a custom-designed house anyway, maybe you should add some whimsy.

Annilee Waterman is a residential designer in Dallas, Texas and she has a special affinity for fairytale and storybook-style houses.

“I would love [the style] to have a big, full-blown revival, but it’s not the least expensive way to build,” Waterman said. “A lot of it is very unique, and it’s not materials that you can buy at Home Depot.”

Waterman shared the history behind storybook-style houses and where to find one for yourself. You can listen in the player above to hear the whole story.

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