A Modern Sanctuary on Possum Kingdom
Story by Steve Nussbaum | Photos by Matthew Renfro
Our iconic home feature, The Pointe at Possum Kingdom Lake. The home has 10,000 square feet under roof, 2,500 square feet of patio wrapped around the home and 600 feet of shoreline.
Every issue of PK Magazine features an iconic home that’s worthy of being pointed out to friends and family on a boat ride at Possum Kingdom Lake. This issue shines the spotlight on the home of Kyle Van Cleve, who has built a beautiful modern dwelling on The Pointe in the popular Harbor development.
By the time Van Cleve laid eyes on The Pointe at Possum Kingdom Lake, he already had spent decades building a life defined by hard work, business success and family tradition. But what began as a casual interest in lake property eventually became something much more meaningful to him that encompassed a modern sanctuary overlooking the water, a gathering place for family and friends.
Van Cleve’s family connection to Possum Kingdom stretches back to the early 1980s, long before The Point existed.
“My brother and I always had boats before the kids came along,” he said. “We’d been coming to PK since way back then.”
The lake became woven into the rhythm of his family life, and in 1997 Van Cleve bought a ranch south of Graham, strengthening his ties to the area and giving his family even more reason to spend time in the region.
The great room is anchored by a huge stone fireplace, floor to ceiling windows and modern Scandinavian design.
At the same time, Van Cleve was building one of the nation’s most successful auto collision repair businesses. Over 35 years in the industry, the company grew steadily, eventually becoming the seventh-largest collision repair business in the United States by 2010.
“It was a lot of work, but we built something special,” Van Cleve said.
After selling the business in 2016, he found the opportunity to slow down and focus more intentionally on family, lifestyle and other things that mattered most to him.
That same year, a flyer advertising lots for sale at The Pointe arrived in the mail. Van Cleve remembered meeting local real estate agent Michael Avidon and becoming intrigued by the vision for the community. The location immediately made sense to him, because the family ranch was situated nearby. He purchased the lots and began to work on the design of the house with a local builder and architect.
The double island kitchen with gourmet appliances was designed by Elizabeth Tranberg with The Kitchen Source out of Fort Worth.
The dining room seats ten, and is adjacent to the kitchen and looks out over the wall of windows to the lake.
The master bedroom is a modern retreat with 180 degree lake views.
The goal from the beginning was to create something modern, functional and entirely centered around the lake experience.
At the time, contemporary architecture was still unusual for Possum Kingdom – and especially in The Harbor.
“I told them I wanted a modern house,” Van Cleve said. “That wasn’t very common out there back then.”
The end result is one of the most distinctive homes at The Pointe: a sprawling lakeside property designed equally for entertaining, comfort and accessibility. The family moved into the home over the Labor Day weekend in 2018.
The scale of the property is impressive, as it sits on roughly 1.25 acres assembled from three separate lots. The estate boasts nearly 600 feet of shoreline and about 10,000 square feet under roof, including expansive outdoor living areas. The oversized patio alone spans roughly 2,500 square feet and serves as the centerpiece of the home.
“That’s where everybody ends up,” Van Cleve said.
The butlers pantry is a beautiful design and houses all the small appliances and extra prep space.
Pictured above: The master bath features a wet room with Japanese soaker style tub.
Pictured below: The huge wet room also features multiple shower heads and spa like design
Friends and family gather there constantly to watch sunsets and visit around the fire features, or simply to enjoy the quiet water views that stretch across Possum Kingdom. One friend refers to it simply as “a little slice of heaven in Texas,” and the family delights in watching boat traffic on the south end of the lake.
The house wraps around the large lot, which helps take advantage of the expansive views. The front of the home features large metal-and-glass front doors, in addition to modern glass garage doors that open to the oversized garage space and pass through to the back of the home. A 10-by-12-foot “safe room” is located in the garage, and floor drains were added to the garage for easy cleaning.
The design of the house reflects the Van Cleve family’s priorities and personalities. Kyle’s late wife, Cindy Van Cleve attended culinary school, and she placed a big emphasis on the kitchen. The gourmet space was sourced and designed by Elizabeth Tranberg with The Kitchen Source in Fort Worth who also designed the master bathroom.
“The kitchen is exceptional,” Van Cleve said.
The gourmet kitchen features high-end appliances, with double islands and space galore. Adjacent to the kitchen is a large butler pantry that houses all the small gourmet appliances, along with extra cooking and fridge space.
The open floor plan allows the lake views to dominate nearly every room. Floor-to-ceiling glass, clean architectural lines and carefully curated finishes create a contemporary feel without sacrificing warmth. Those who enter the front door immediately notice the stunning wall of metal-and-glass floor-to-ceiling windows that offer an incredible view of the lake.
The great room is open to the dining room and huge kitchen, and the home’s décor is modern, with natural Scandinavian furnishings.
The home includes five bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths, along with a large bunk room and game room capable of comfortable sleeping arrangements for up to 14 guests. Electric blinds also exist throughout the entire dwelling.
The master suite exudes luxury and comfort, with a 180-degree view of the lake. The master bath is both luxurious and unique, complete with a huge wet room sporting multiple shower heads and a Japanese-style tub for soaking. Custom cabinets and modern stone finishes add to the ambiance.
“You can sit in the tub and look straight out at the lake,” Van Cleve said. “There’s piped-in music, too.”
The positioning of the house was equally deliberate, Van Cleve said, noting: “We focused on the view.”
The home sits roughly 80 feet back from the water, allowing easy access to the shoreline while maintaining its panoramic sightlines. Being near the marina and close to both The Harbor and The Pointe amenities also makes it ideal for family and friend gatherings.
“We love the trails and all the amenities,” Van Cleve said.
For years the home became the family’s central gathering point, and the couple’s sons, Reece and Sam, grew especially attached to the lake lifestyle. Reece and his wife, Lecci, are now expecting their first child, while Sam and his wife, Louise, continue to spend frequent weekends at the property. “Both boys come for all the holidays,” Van Cleve said.
The lake house was more than a second home, though. It became the family headquarters after his late wife, Cindy Van Cleve was diagnosed with cancer not long after moving into the house. During the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic years, their Possum Kingdom dwelling transformed into a place of comfort and escape for the couple.
Van Cleve spent more time at the lake with his late wife, trading the pace of Southlake life for sunsets, quiet mornings and long evenings on the patio. Cindy Van Cleve passed away in in 2022, but the house remains deeply tied to her memory. Every finishing touch, design decision and carefully chosen detail reflects her influence.
Kyle still splits time between Southlake and Possum Kingdom, though he said the lake increasingly feels like home.
“Eventually I’ll move closer between Fort Worth and the lake,” he said. “We spend as much time as possible out here.”
In late 2023, Kyle was introduced to Lori Drew, director at Moncrief Cancer Institute in Fort Worth, through a mutual friend, and she quickly fell in love with the lake lifestyle and the calm the property offers. Together, they continue building new memories at a home already filled with them.
While the architecture, size and design details of the house are impressive, Van Cleve said the true value of the property has little to do with square footage and instead comes down to the people, the holidays, the sunsets and the sound of family gathered around the patio.
For Van Cleve, Possum Kingdom has become more than a destination. It’s where life slows down, where family and friends come together, and where a modern home on the water is creating a lasting legacy.
