Preservation Dallas Award-Winner Liz Gibson Transformed This Old East Dallas Bungalow

There are a handful of intrepid preservationists who would take on the challenge of transforming a 1914 Old East Dallas bungalow. Liz Gibson is one of those visionaries who helps us keep our built heritage alive. 

Gibson and her family are not new to the world of historic preservation. They have received two preservation awards for past projects. In 2017, Preservation Dallas presented an achievement award for the 1906 Nance House at 4722 Gaston, which is home to her brothers Mike and Patrick’s New View Roofing. In 2020, a Preservation Dallas Achievement Award went to their 4802 Gaston house, which readers may know is The Gaston, a boutique bed and breakfast and event space built in 1912 and run by, you guessed it, Gibson and her mom Maureen.  

Presently, Gibson is also a designer with Ripley Renovations, whose ethos lines up perfectly with her own:

We’re just a group who love old houses. One by one, we’re helping our neighbors love them too — and after almost a decade, we still think that’s pretty cool.

Ripley Renovations

The Old East Dallas bungalow was in pretty bad shape when Gibson discovered it for sale. “It had been neglected for some time before we got in there, but we thought it could be a great opportunity to renovate a house in a neighborhood we love,” she said. 

The house was taken to the studs, and Liz turned to pal Hannah Hargrove, owner of Orr Reed Architectural Salvage, for historic architectural doors.

“We wanted it to feel period-appropriate but also to have more of a mass appeal. We try to use more historic materials in bathrooms but use a fresh spin on patterns to satisfy tastes today.” 

The beauty of taking a home down to its studs is that it allows for the addition of modern conveniences like spray foam insulation and updated plumbing and electrical systems. Gibson’s team reinforced the foundation and added a new roof, a 17 SEER dual-zoned HVAC, Low-E windows, and Energy Star-rated appliances.  

The main reason Gibson and her team decided to rescue this Old East Dallas bungalow is the neighborhood. She lives nearby, and this is where her family has set down roots, so she is invested in rehabilitating homes when the right opportunity comes along.

This was indeed the right opportunity as this home is just located around the corner from the historic Munger Place and Peaks Suburban Addition neighborhoods. Deep Ellum and Lower Greenville are minutes away, and you can drive to White Rock Lake and the Dallas Arts District in ten minutes.

“It is a location that puts everything at your fingertips,” said listing agent Kim Elmer of Coldwell Banker. She has this completely renovated and updated Old East Dallas historic home at 326 N. Prairie Ave. available for $650,000.