Yes, it’s home tour season in Dallas and we’ve got yet another sneak peek at one of the amazing homes to be featured. This time it’s the Turtle Creek Home Tour and Christopher Ridolfi’s amazing unit inside the Howard Meyer-designed midcentury modern jewel 3525 Turtle Creek.
You’ve heard us wax about this building, and folks, it’s worth all of the beautiful prose we can muster. Besides being popular with celebrities, new money, and old money heirs, this building has some real historic bonafides. In fact, 3525 Turtle Creek was once heralded as the most revolutionary building of its kind, and has now earned its title as the “Grand Dame of Turtle Creek.”
We can see why Ridolfi, a designer with William-Christopher Design, would fall in love with this building and its history. It is a magnificent treasure, and we’re thrilled that he could take a few moments to answer a some questions about his home and the tour. Jump for our Q&A, and keep reading to find out how you can win a pair of tickets to the Turtle Creek Home Tour!
daltxrealestate.com: We love this fantastic building, which has a star-studded history. Why did you choose a unit in this building over the many other amazing Turtle Creek highrises?
Christopher Ridolfi: I agree. 3525 is such an iconic building in Dallas. I appreciated the mid-century architecture of Howard Meyer’s residential hi-rise masterpiece with its distinct and characteristic brise soleil. The physical location of 3525 is so convenient and very centrally located in the city. Inside the apartment you will find generous sized rooms with an open-air balcony.
CD: What condition was your unit in upon purchasing? Did you have to do much in the way of renovations?
Ridolfi: My apartment had great bones to begin with. A previous homeowner added teak herringbone patterned hardwood floors, and custom pecky Cyprus paneling. I choose to maintain these former embellishments, when deciding to update the space, so it would better reflect my own aesthetics and lifestyle. I applied a fresh coat of automotive paint to the kitchen’s original metal cabinets. Limestone and marble were added to the kitchen and bath. New professional grade stainless steel appliances were installed to replace the existing and outdated ones. I installed silk, raffia or abaca wallpaper to add texture and depth to the walls. Antique French Moderne light fixtures and sconces were installed to add character.
CD: What are some of the unique challenges highrise homeowners face when renovating? Do you have any stories to share?
Ridolfi: Respecting your neighbors and realizing, that since this is a multi-family dwelling, 12:00 a.m. is probably not the best or most courteous time to decide to hang that newly acquired piece of art. Building guidelines also require that any work or restoration to a unit be performed during normal business hours. That means that at the end of the day. Homeowners can usually find quiet and solace in their home.
CD: What are your favorite features and rooms inside your home that you think home tour goers should pay special attention to?
Ridolfi: A Sun oil heir and his wife enlisted the help of Dallas designer Early Hart Miller, who installed his signature pecky Cypress paneling and teak herringbone patterned hardwood floors. I’ve noticed similar details in other Dallas homes he had decorated on Armstrong Parkway, Park Lane and Lakeside Drive. Mr. Miller was a favorite decorator among many of Dallas’s prominent and distinguished families.
CD: As a designer, what did you want to accomplish with this unit?
Ridolfi: I am fortunate to professionally work with so many diverse clients in various part of the country. Like each client, every project has a very different concept. With all of that mentioned, I personally wanted a restful space to recharge and refuel. I’ve had the opportunity to travel and acquire many antiques that I now consider to be part of the family. Some happen to be great examples of their period, while others simply provide great visual pleasure to me.
CD: What are you doing to prepare for the home tour?
Ridolfi: Feverishly spreading news about the Turtle Creek Home Tour with friends and clients to help promote the April 27th tour that benefits the Turtle Creek Association and the projects it supports along the corridor.
Want to win a pair of tickets to the Turtle Creek Home Tour? Stay tuned tomorrow as we ask a few questions to test your knowledge of this amazing neighborhood.
Don’t want to take your chances? You can buy your tickets to the April 27 tour today. Tickets are $60 for non TCA members and $50 for members. You can purchase them through the association’s website.
