Celebrate Frank Welch With This Preservation Dallas Event on April 3

You read it here first on CandysDirt.com: On April 3, Preservation Dallas will offer a rare opportunity to spend an evening learning about the work of renowned Dallas architect Frank Welch.

An Evening of Art and Architecture: Celebrating the Work of Frank Welch is being hosted by Realtor Michelle Wood with Detwiler+Wood Group of Compass Realty in the 1985-built, Frank Welch-designed home at 11515 Hillcrest Rd.

Frank Welch: A Legend in His Own Right

Although Welch designed many commercial buildings, churches, and schools, it was residential architecture that captured his heart. Mentored by the legendary O’Neill Ford, he became a legend in his own right, and his unique brand of timeless regional modernism continues to captivate us.  

The evening will feature insights from Dallas architects Bentley Tibbs, who worked closely with Welch and Marc McCollom, who oversaw technical aspects of the 2021 remodel of the home by owner Stacy Jacobsen of SJ Studio.  

Jacobsen moved to Dallas from Los Angeles three years ago. When she saw the bones of this house, the natural light, the expansive windows in the back, and the heavily wooded setting overlooking the creek, she knew she’d found her family’s next home. “We were captivated by the floor plan, the elevations, and the light,” she said.  

Jacobsen had no idea the Dean of Texas Architecture designed her home, but when she found out, she promptly joined Preservation Dallas and started to go on their home tours. As fate would have it, one of her Preservation Dallas emails featured information about nominations for remodeled homes being accepted for the 2024 Preservation Dallas Achievement Awards.

It was perfect timing.

“We had just finished a major renovation,” Jacobsen said. “We kept the same footprint but gutted the interior with the exception of the principal bathroom. It had been renovated in the early 2000s, so it was dated in terms of finishes. The nomination requirements fit our project, so I submitted photos, and they reached out with the idea of doing a tour!”

What a way to spend an evening. You get a rare sneak peek into a beautifully updated Frank Welch home, fabulous cocktails and hors d’ourves with McCollum and Tibbs (and, of course, Candy Evans).

You also get to view some incredible artwork courtesy of Talley Dunn Gallery as well as a specially commissioned painting from artist and Preservation Dallas board member Erika Huddleston. And, yes, the art is available for purchase. The JF Chen showroom in Los Angeles will also display some gorgeous antiques.

Several home design companies, whose work is featured in the renovation and décor, including The Hudson Company, Farrow & Ball, Bulthaup, and De La Vega Designs, are also sponsoring the event, and representatives will be on-site to answer questions.   

An Award Winning Legacy

This spectacular Frank Welch home is the winner of the new Legacy Architect 2024 Preservation Achievement Award, which will be presented at the May 21 ceremony at the Kalita Humphreys Theater.

We look forward to seeing you there!