Homes designed by the legendary architect Charles S. Dilbeck have an almost magical quality. They are beautiful, of course, and impeccably built, but it’s their quirkiness and charm that truly delights us. Dilbeck had not only creativity but imagination. You can tell he thought quite seriously about not only creating unique designs but also making people smile. And this landmark listing from Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Jeanne Shelton will certainly make you smile. It will also probably make your jaw drop quite a bit.
‘A Dilbeck Ranch Masterpiece’
Willis Winters is the go-to guide for all things Dilbeck, so I called him for the low down on this property.
Yes, Karen, this is a Dilbeck Ranch masterpiece, one of his greatest and most important works. It was designed for Rupert E. Griffith who managed one of the largest movie theater empires in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico during the 1930s and 1940s. He commissioned Dilbeck to design the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico.
Willis Winters
This is also one of Dilbeck’s earliest ranch homes. It was completed in 1935, only a few years after he moved to Dallas. It is featured in the Great American Suburbs, The Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas by Virginia Savage McAlester, Willis Cecil Winters, and Prudence Mackintosh.
Interior courtyards and stables in large traditional Mexican haciendas inspired the home’s driveway layout while the second-floor open-air terrace is reminiscent of a lookout porch on a working frontier ranch. The arched entrance is flush with the original two-story facade.
Inside, the home is a veritable lexicon of Dilbeck signature details, from rugged wood beams, brick floors, and pecky cypress to wonderfully detailed ceilings. His flair for fireplaces knows no equal.
A Meant-to-be Dilbeck
Kevin and Denise Didion didn’t know much about Dilbeck but have always loved historic homes. They were living in a 1930s duplex when they saw this house on a home tour in 2007 and thought about how neat it would be to live there. They never imagined that thought would become a reality a few years later.
When they outgrew the duplex and began a home search, Shelton just happened to show them their meant-to-be Dilbeck, and the perfect match was made.
The couple met Winters shortly after purchasing the house, and he helped them obtain the original building plans so they could focus on preservation while updating.
“One of the great things about owning a Dilbeck is the network of Dilbeck homeowners,” Denise said. “If you have questions or are looking for parts, there are people to advise and mentor you.”
Devoted admirers and owners have even formed The Charles Stevens Dilbeck Conservancy to promote and advocate for preserving Dilbeck’s architectural legacy.
Kevin oversaw every detail when updates were made and now knows almost as much as Winters about Dilbeck now.
“I had an office area in the family room when we were all working from home, and it was a wonderful space to do Zoom meetings, overlooking the backyard,” he said.
Denise is going to miss the primary bedroom most of all. “It has a vaulted ceiling and a little verandah,” she said. :I’ve enjoyed the views and all of the quirky things a Dilbeck home has to offer. We have loved living here.”
Kevin and Denise are on the hunt again for another historic home with acreage, so it’s time for a new Dilbeck lover to call this magnificent historic hacienda ranch home.
Who will be the buyer for this magnificent Dilbeck Ranch with such historic and architectural significance? You never know, but it may just be the angels that rescued the David R. Williams home in one of the biggest preservation saves of 2021, Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones. Perhaps they need to own both of the most significant contributions to the American ranch style.
Shelton and Malinda Arveson have 3819 Mc Farlin Blvd. listed for $3.95 million.
