Hip and Historic: A Ravinia Heights Midcentury Modern Makeover

Midcentury Modern homes are the most sought-after properties on the market, so we seize every opportunity to showcase this historic style. Not to mention, Ravinia Heights has also become a hot neighborhood. 

In 1914, developer Claude Cain was captivated by the area’s beauty. He purchased land from Eli Sanger of Sanger Brothers department store and built a family home, more accurately a mansion, on 7 acres, which is still known as Ravinia. By 1927, he’d developed the neighborhood, beginning with 75 homes. You have to admire the creativity of one of the writers at the Dallas Morning News in 1929. Here’s a paragraph from a story on the new neighborhood.

“A world all its own, pervaded with the cosmopolitan air of architecture that savors almost of every corner of civilization, with dainty homes nestling along beautiful drives and restful parks, greets the love of beauty and home when a visit is made to Ravinia Heights in the west part of Oak Cliff.”

Dallas Morning News

While the grammar and description of homes as dainty is debatable, they certainly got the point across that it was a desirable place to live!

Apparently, his son, C.D. Cain, was an architect who spent months traveling in Europe and Asia for inspiration. That world tour is the reason you find such a variety of styles here. 

As time passed, the area proved to be a perfect setting for another building push in the 1950s, and stylish houses like this one began to appear, bringing the neighborhood up to about 150 homes. Take note of the advertisement above. That does not read “Wi-fi approved, it reads WIFE approved! Oh my, the 1950s were a different time.

Set on a heavily wooded, private cul-de-sac, this Ravinia Heights Midcentury Modern features 1,584 square feet, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. It was completely updated in 2017 by owner Brittany York, owner of b.york. She was the perfect person to create magic here. As an interior designer and general contractor, York has done it all, from renovating commercial and residential spaces to making custom furniture and artwork. The updates successfully blended modern elements with the midcentury vibe.

Amy Puchaty reported for CandysDirt.com that when the home was for sale in 2017, York had countertops cut from Italian Breccia porcelain slabs, added custom cabinets, and high-end appliances. Floors were sanded down to their raw color, then whitewashed, and a generous coat of white paint was applied everywhere, creating focal points of the fireplace and the floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to the deck and saltwater pool.

If you are not familiar with Ravina Heights, it’s a nine-minute drive to Revelers Hall in the Bishop Arts District, and Moss Park is an eight-minute walk. An intriguing aspect is that this home is one house away from the famous Ravinia mansion acreage. You are truly in the lap of historic Dallas here.

Compass Realtor Jordan Rosen has this Ravinia Heights Midcentury Modern at 2849 Claudette Ave. available for $699,000.

OPEN HOUSE: Sunday, Nov. 16, from 12 to 2 p.m.