Renovation, restoration, reinvention, call it what you will, but there is a movement afoot. This 1971 California shed-style home proves something exciting is happening in Dallas — buyers are choosing to restore rather than demolish historic homes.
I think it’s a generational change. Our younger buyers and investors are looking for character. They see potential and are willing to put in the effort to recreate homes, especially those from the 1950s-1970s.
When we first featured this home last March, we were all a little worried, but Realtor Katrina Whatley found the perfect buyer for this California shed-style home. Don’t be put off by the word “shed.” It’s a bona fide architectural term. The style was born in California in 1963 at a second-home community north of San Francisco called Sea Ranch. The concept was to place useful, simple structures as lightly as possible on the land, leaving surrounding forests and meadows intact.
The inspiration came from structures found on farms and western mines. The signature element was the shed-style roof, and the main features include high clerestory windows to help with passive solar cooling and unpainted wood siding. In our revered reference book “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia Savage McAlester, she states:
While never common, this late-century modern style is the primary one that evolved beyond one-of-a-kind architect-designed homes into the widespread house pattern books used by builders. First presented as appropriate for second homes, Shed-style homes were also built as primary residences in many suburban settings. They can be found throughout the United States.
A Field Guide to American Houses
The California shed-style naturally appeals to buyers seeking something distinctive, like owners Yuri Li and Lei Sun, immediately drawing them into its innovative design and character.
Architect David Atteberry designed the home, and it appears there have only been three owners, including Li and Sun.
Staging by George Bass Stage & Design.
The interior features wood cladding and a double-sided fireplace, hallmarks of the California shed-style. Although it appears to be a two-story home, it actually has four levels. Li and Sun expanded the living space by turning the garage and basement into usable areas, bringing the total footage to 2,895 square feet with four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. There are four living areas, including a lofted family room overlooking the living room. The bathrooms and kitchens are completely updated to modern standards and just gorgeous.
The home is located in the Oak Park Estates neighborhood in Oak Cliff. The area is known for its beautiful rolling terrain and mature trees, and this house backs up to a tributary of Five Mile Creek with tremendous views of the natural surroundings. Kiest Park is a short walk away, and you can be in downtown Dallas in 10 minutes.
What a great opportunity to own a fully restored California shed-style home!