Dramatic architecture wins me over every time, and boy does this White Rock Lake-area eclectic styled ranch have it!
Nothing defines the all-American house more than ranch style. The popularity of the ranch boomed after World War II, and it wasn’t long before architects began putting a spin on them. We saw split level, Spanish, Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, French, and Tudor-style ranch homes.
The beauty of the ranch is that you can make it your own.
They lend themselves to customization like no other style. Think about it. If you did not grow up in a ranch, your grandparents or your best friend did. They were that prevalent. Now a whole new generation is realizing the ranch, as ever, is the perfect family home. And if you can find an eclectic styled ranch, so much the better!
I have not been this excited about a house in some time because it’s not only architecturally dramatic inside, there is also a surprise around every corner! I rang up our go-to architect, the brilliant Lloyd Lumpkins, for his take on this eclectic styled ranch.
“It looks to me like the home’s architect drew inspiration from David O. Williams regional movement and built this with a midcentury look but in a Texas vernacular style.”
No wonder I was smitten! David O Williams is a genius, and he gave us the Texas look!
This eclectic styled ranch was built in 1965 for William Daves, a prominent bank president who was appointed to the Texas Board of Insurance in 1979 under Governor Bill Clements. You can just imagine the parties here. I like to think Governor Clements smoked a cigar or two and lifted a glass of something amber in the dramatic vaulted family room, which you can tell was designed for the express purpose of entertaining large gatherings.
I love the drama of the vaulted-and-beamed ceilings, the view to the backyard and pool, and the curved wrought iron staircase (you can just imagine stylish ladies making an impressive entrance and descending with flair).
But the angled stone fireplace has truly captured my heart. That is how you build a fireplace! Although this is a perfect room to throw a party, the warm beams create an unexpected intimacy. You will feel just as comfortable with the family as with a crowd in this room.
The best way to understand how a home lives is to know how many people have owned it and how long they have stayed. This eclectic styled ranch has had only five owners since 1965. The most recent residents, the Capshaws, have been here for 28 years. That’s all you need to know to understand this is a home that lives beautifully.
Patti Capshaw was incredibly gracious to give me the details of her lovely home.
“When I saw it, I fell in love with the open space and the floorplan. It’s great for children and teenagers,” Patti said.
The Capshaws lucked out and bought the house from acquaintances they worked with before it ever hit the market.
“I knew I wanted to be in this neighborhood,” Patti said. “The biggest selling point for me is the location. I’m an outdoors person, and you can walk across the street to White Rock Lake.”
The floor plan is unique in that you have four levels in this 7,588-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom home. The main level has a large family room, formal living, dining, kitchen, breakfast room, and a powder bath. Up a set of stairs, you have the principal suite, which is a complete sanctuary with a private balcony overlooking the vast backyard and pool, a gorgeous bathroom, the best closet I’ve seen in ages (originally, there was a jacuzzi tub here that held 8!) and a complete surprise!
Behind a door that you assume leads to a cedar or shoe closet is a massive exercise room with a bank of windows. It’s so lovely to have natural light when you exercise. The Capshaws added this along with a garage and put in an outdoor staircase so your trainer can come directly inside without going through the house. Brilliant!
The home’s top level has all of the secondary bedrooms, so kids and guests have privacy from both the principal suite and the main living space. But the real deal sealer here is the lowest level. Everything is entirely unexpected, from a light-filled game room and office to a media room that can easily double as a recording studio or performance space for your School of Rock stars!
Of course, over the years, the Capshaws updated the kitchen and bathrooms and added the garage and media room and another bedroom suite over the garage.
The home is a far cry from what the Capshaws saw back in 1993. There was Saltillo tile everywhere you now see that gorgeous creamy travertine. The entire family area was painted white, including the staircase, beams, and fireplace. The Capshaws had the beams stained to create that wonderful warmth and hired an artist to painstakingly relieve the fireplace of its whitewashed facade and recreate the look of natural stone.
This eclectic styled ranch house sits on an acre with a pool, tennis court, and a vast play area for soccer, lacrosse, or football, as well as charming paths through the wooded backyard, so it’s as much an outdoor experience as an indoor one.
You can easily tent the tennis court, lay a dance floor down, and have prom parties, wedding receptions, engagements, and birthday parties. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a home with character, history, space, and views!
David Griffin has this wonderful eclectic styled ranch at 3815 Branchfield Drive listed for $2.5 million.
Realtors Open House: 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1
