This is it — the 1930s masterpiece with concepts so advanced that others are still catching up; a home singled out by scholars as representing “Dallas’s early significant contributions to the development of the American ranch style.”

This is 3819 McFarlin Boulevard in University Park, designed by the one and only Charles Dilbeck, the master of charming, welcoming and handsome homes of immense character — and of thoughtful living. Here, in this hacienda-style house of more than 4,800 square feet, the great architect was at his best. 

Written about in the definitive book Great American Suburbs: The Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas and in Dallas-Fort Worth Home & Garden magazine, 3819 McFarlin Boulevard is one of the first of Dilbeck’s ranch-style homes, completed in 1935 for the successful owner of several North Texas movie theaters. It offers a wonderful mix of materials, including painted brick, a roof of interlocking clay tiles and a uniquely slatted wooden gate under the drive-through porte cochère. The Great Suburbs book calls out the home’s “remarkable arched entrance,” which draws the eye to its pecky-cypress front door and is “the architect’s bold gesture within a deceivingly simple elevation.”

Once inside this private world, one is positively transported, perhaps to a lodge or a country retreat. Large spaces, tall windows, a flowing floor plan: Dilbeck designed the home to take in the outdoor views and vistas — a precursor to the later midcentury concepts of seamlessly blending the indoors with the outdoors. Dilbeck’s trademark touches are everywhere, including troweled walls, troweled ceilings, rugged wood beams, brick floors, white-oak floors, gently arched passageways, iron light fixtures and detailed architectural accents. The pride of the craftspeople who created the home — and its later Dilbeck-designed addition — is evident. 

In all, the home offers four bedrooms, three full baths, one half bath, a study and gracious living spaces that include a living room, dining room and family room. (The latter’s barrel-shaped wet bar will be a popular gathering spot.) Throughout the home are handy built-ins and five oversized fireplaces, each with a unique exterior chimney. Another favorite place will be the second-floor, open-air terrace off the primary bedroom: It recalls “the lookout porch of a working frontier ranch,” wrote the Great Suburbs scholars, and is the ideal place to enjoy views not only of the landscape but also of Dilbeck’s satisfying design work and material choices. (An alfresco fireplace there is a luxurious touch, and, in the winter, one can also enjoy views of the rolling golf course of the nearby Dallas Country Club.)

The kitchen is a special place of its own and features a 60-inch Wolf range under a monumental brick arch, two dishwashers, a full-size Sub-Zero refrigerator, a separate full-size freezer, a farm sink, honed black soapstone counters and a large island. A unique kitchen luxury is the oversized brick fireplace that welcomes you to linger, as does the cozy breakfast room nearby that overlooks the home’s front patio.

The grounds of the .28-acre lot are serene and peaceful, with generous front and rear lawns and mature landscaping. A two-car garage and carport were beautifully integrated into the architecture from the very beginning. 

This is a crown jewel of University Park, a beloved icon — on many home tours and given landmark status by Preservation Park Cities — that has transcended time and is ready for its next chapter. It is the place for both grand and intimate living; a perfectly scaled home that is architecturally rewarding and completely unique. Sensitively updated over the decades and lovingly maintained by the current owners, it is an escape from the world outside, not only a personal retreat that defines easy living but also the ultimate demonstration of the art of Charles Stevens Dilbeck.