Travis grew up in Keller, on the north side of Fort Worth. The son of an engineer,
weekends were often spent building a deck, playset, or whatever the latest invention of his fathers’ was - but it wasn’t until graduating college that he began to consider construction as a career path. At the University of Texas, Travis majored in corporate communications, and he even managed to graduate in four years with a degree despite spending most of his time in either theater productions or student government meetings.

After graduating college, Travis started out in the corporate world at Dell. His stint in the corporate world was short-lived, however, as he and his wife (Amy, now an anaesthesiologist who also went to UT) spent the next few years moving around the country for her medical training. In the market collapse of 2008/2009, few corporate opportunities presented themselves, so Travis did everything from working as a professional poker player to managing a large Texas-style barbecue restaurant in the middle of Manhattan while hopping between states. In between those activities, Travis found particular enjoyment in building activities; he spent part of a year in Pittsburgh working for a residential contractor, and then in New York City he spent the first year as a one-man operation building and installing cabinetry, refinishing studio apartment floors - anything he could get his hands on.

When Amy’s job took her back to Texas and closer to family, Travis and Amy purchased a house in Munger Place (a historic district in East Dallas). It was a wreck - huge potential, but it needed every inch restored. Travis began working on the house, and within the first year he started getting requests from neighbors and other contractors to take on small jobs at their homes and projects. Realizing there was a shortage of skilled workers in Dallas, especially for historic homes, he started focusing on custom cabinetry and furniture projects, then small remodels, and eventually full-scale remodeling.

Travis is thrilled to have built a full team of craftsmen in the ensuing years, and he now spends his time training staff and coordinating the design and sales operations within the company.

Austin was raised in both Coppell and Winnsboro, TX gaining two very different ways of life. He grew up watching his grandfather work in his woodshop and was instantly hooked. After graduating from Coppell Highschool, he received his two BFAs in Photography and Communication Design from Texas State University. He worked in the corporate world as an Art Director for a few years before following his love of carpentry and woodworking and joining forces with Travis at Ripley Renovations. He currently lives in Little Forest Hills with his wife, Kara, and two children, Violet and Arlo. His dedication and eye for detail will ensure the job gets done right.

Michelle reached out to us in 2021, interested in woodworking and eager to learn some new skills.  She asked us not to hold her degree from Texas A&M against her (we’ve traditionally leaned burnt orange), which was an easy sell once we learned she had parlayed that and a master’s degree in tax accounting into a career with powerhouses such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young.  A native of North Dallas and a current resident of Lakewood, she shares our love of East Dallas and gets why these neighborhoods are special. 

When not keeping the rest of us in line and our books straight, Michelle focuses on raising her three children: Davis, Henley, and Cooper.  They were her original reason for leaving the corporate world, and now we’re truly fortunate to have her on the team in exchange for access to the shop and a wardrobe full of sawdust. 

A fellow historic district resident and enthusiast, Liz has a passion for remaking aging properties into modern masterpieces that hold true to their vintage roots.  Travis and the early members of the company have admired her work for years, whether at the high-style bed and breakfast she runs on Gaston (appropriately called The Gaston) or at one of her investment/restoration projects in Peak’s Addition.  We weren’t alone in our admiration, either; she was awarded with Dallas’ Preservation Achievement Award in both 2019 and 2020.  As Ripley Renovations’ volume grew, Liz was the obvious choice to recruit to head up and expand our design program; her work is second to none, and we kept running into all the good items at local architectural salvage yards being held for her before we even got word of their arrival.  If you can’t beat them – join them (or see if they’ll join you)!   Fortunately, it didn’t take too much convincing. 

Liz and her fiancée, Scott Berlin (who is also a contractor and our roofing specialist partner), are Texas transplants from Cleveland.  Her enthusiasm for the Browns is the only reason we question her normally immaculate taste.  You’ll see Liz and Scott walking the East Dallas streets with their two large dogs when they don’t have their hands full of samples and plans.  Stop them for a chat, and you’ll get a wealth of knowledge on the ins-and-outs of restoring nearly unsalvageable properties – and maybe a booking at a charming B&B only blocks away!