HOUSTON THE COMPLETE RESOURCE MAGAZINE FOR YOUR HOME OCTOBER 2011 RUSTIC ELEGANCE Morning Star Builders Celebrates Grand Style SPECIAL ISSUE: 2011 KITCHEN & BATH TOUR ASID GULF COAST CHAPTER EASTWOOD BUNGALOW • HOME TOURS PREVIEW • BRILLIANT KITCHENS 4 HIGHRISE APARTMENTS BY EMERGING LOCAL DESIGNERS
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H O U S T O N
T H E C O M P L E T E R E S O U R C E M A G A Z I N E F O R Y O U R H O M E
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1
RUSTIC ELEGANCEMorning Star Builders Celebrates Grand Style
SPECIAL ISSUE:
2011 KITCHEN & BATH TOURASID GULF COAST CHAPTER
EASTWOOD BUNGALOW • HOME TOURS PREVIEW • BRILLIANT KITCHENS4 HIGHRISE APARTMENTS BY EMERGING LOCAL DESIGNERS
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Senior Discounts & Cash DiscountsCelebrating 23 Years of Excellence • 20-Plus Years Serving Houston and Surrounding Areas
On the CoverEye-catching barrel-vaulted brick ceilings are a design signature of Morning Star Builders. The brick and stucco exterior of this home features custom wrought iron accents, outdoor kitchen, fireplace and a retractable outdoor movie screen and projector. The homealso includes iPad controls for HVAC, lighting,music and security. 713.249.1680www.homesbymorningstar.comSee page 16. 7056
departmentsEditor’s Note
Calendar
Home Tours PreviewGHPA Walking Tour of downtown,Eastwood Historic Homes Tour,Houston Solar Tour, AIA Houston2011 Home Tour
Before & After Budget BeautyA ’50s kitchen gets a brilliant redo
featuresUrban GemHouston House, downtown’s iconic MidCentury highrise gets a modern-daymakeover that recalls its 1960s debut
Craftsman Cool in EastwoodA Houston artist/designer creates anature-inspired bungalow redo
TEXAS GULF COAST
2011KITCHEN&BATHTOUROfficial Guide Page19
October, 2011
house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com8
October is here: get ready forfall weather (who’s notready?) and a season of
exciting, home-focused events forevery interest. This month’s calendarfeatures a well-rounded sampling oftours, ranging from historic neigh-borhoods to modern innovations.
Lovers of charming homes frompast eras can tour one of Houston’slargest intact concentrations ofCraftsman, Arts & Crafts,Foursquare and Mission architectureduring the Eastwood HistoricHome Tour. Don’t miss our featurestory on the 1920s bungalow ofEastwood resident RobertoCervantes, beautifully written andphotographed by Sarah Gandy.
History buffs can trace the pro-gression of Houston’s skyline duringthe Greater Houston PreservationAlliance’s Walking Tour, featuringDowntown’s Evolving Skyline. For aside trip to the ’60s, our featurestory on the new look of theHouston House apartment buildingprovides a groovy perspective ondowntown living.
For those who prefer to oglehomes that are at the forefront ofarchitecture, the local chapter of theAmerican Institute of Architectsshowcases nine homes that representachievements in contemporarydesign. The Houston Solar Tourhighlights the nexus of innovativedesign and engineering with 17homes and business across thegreater Houston area open for tour-
ing. Tour organizers have collaborat-ed to bring the Green Energy Fair tothe City of Houston’s Energy Day.Be sure to check out our preview ofthese tours starting on p. 48.
Coming early next month onNov. 5, the 2011 Kitchen & BathTour, presented by the Texas GulfCoast Chapter of the AmericanSociety of Interior Designers, fea-tures 10 outstanding projects byHouston-area designers. HoustonHouse & Home is proud to be a partof this tour by producing the officialguide to the tour within this issue,starting on p. 19. Congrat-ulationsto all the homeowners and designerson another outstanding tour!
Without a doubt, there’s much toexperience, admire and learn abouthappening all over our great city.Chart your course in inspiration,and bring home incredible ideas foryour upcoming projects.
PRINTING..........................DROR International
Blue Thumb Inc., dba Houston House &Home ("HH&H"), is a news magazine withemphasis on interior design and remodel-ing. HH&H does not knowingly accept falseor misleading advertising or editorial con-tent, nor does HH&H or its staff assumeresponsibility should such advertising or edi-torial content appear in any publication.
HH&H has not independently tested anyservices or products advertised herein andhas not verified claims made by its advertis-ers regarding those services or products.HH&H makes no warranties or representa-tions and assumes no liability for any claimsregarding those services or products orclaims made by advertisers. Readers areadvised to consult with the advertiser and/orother home repair and renovation profes-sionals regarding the suitability of an adver-tiser's products.
No reproduction is permitted withoutthe written consent of the Publisher.Copyright 2011, all rights reserved.Subscriptions available for home delivery ata cost of $25 per year.
editor’s note
H O U S T O N
P.O. Box 701038Houston, Texas 77270-1038
(713) 523-6523
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house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com16
SOUTHERN LIVING SHOWCASE HOME BYMORNING STAR BUILDERS CELEBRATES RUSTIC LUXURY
W R I T T E N B Y C H R I S D AY • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K O L A N O W S K I S T U D I O , I N C .
Grand Style in Cypress
The mantra adopted by Morning Star Builders CEO TedCummins is “the difference is in the details.” With one glance atthe interior of this custom home in Hidden Falls, the visitor
knows that Cummins takes this mantra very seriously. This Tuscan-stylevilla is a 2011 Southern Living Showcase home in Hidden Falls, a gatedcommunity in Cypress, Texas and boasts over 5,000 square feet of gor-geous details, including a stucco/brick exterior with custom wrought ironaccents. The intricately patterned bricks are just one of many recurringmotifs that flow throughout the house.
Upon walking through the front door, the visitor is treated to theexpansive living area featuring extensive beam work and brick accent wallsin the great room and a custom-built entertainment center with a hiddenTV storage. The great room segues seamlessly into the kitchen giving it alarge and open feel, perfect for parties and gatherings.
The kitchen, which Cummins considers “the focal point of the house,”features the Morning Star signature brick barrel-vaulted ceiling with dis-tressed beams, knotty alder cabinets and a built-in kitchen table with acustom walnut top. The stainless steel appliances are strategically placedto optimize productivity and efficiency. It only takes one look at this
kitchen to realize that cooking is about to get much easier. The backyard patio includes an outdoor kitchen, fireplace and a
retractable outdoor movie screen with a mounted projector creating theultimate outside entertainment experience.
This stunning home includes many other incredible details such asfaux painting, honed limestone countertops in the master bedroom,beautiful hardwood and stone flooring throughout, a candle fireplace inthe master bathroom, a brick accent wall with wine storage in the diningroom, iPad controls for HVAC, lighting, music and security – just toname a few. You have to see this home to really appreciate the attentionto detail and craftsmanship that is the hallmark of Morning Star Builders.For information on tours of this spectacular home visit HoustonSouthern Living Showcase on Facebook.
Morning Star Builders has been a preferred builder in Hidden Falls inCypress since 2007 and in High Meadow Ranch in Magnolia since 2002.Morning Star has also built custom homes in Benders Landing in Springand High Meadow Estates in Montgomery. Find out how Morning StarBuilders can turn your dream home into reality by visiting the Company’sWeb site at www.homesbymorningstar.com.
2909 INWOOD DR. – LAURA UMANSKY11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: “Fine Rugs - Practical Applications” by AngelRios of Hokanson. Sweets will be served.
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: “German Engineering and Functionality in YourKitchen” by Cheryl Carpenter and Tatiana Bacci of Poggenpohl.Cooking demonstration, sweets served.
2105 DEL MONTE DRIVE – ELIZABETH KOVAL10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: “Decorative Tile – How to take trans-form your current bathroom from drab to fab” by ElizabethKoval, ASID and Thorntree Tile.Refreshments to follow in the poolside garden.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.: “Kitchen Facelifts-From Quick Tips to FullRenovations” by Elizabeth Koval, ASID. Sweets served.Refreshments to follow in the poolside garden.
1025 RICHELIEU LN. – NICOLE BRUNO-MARINO OF CABINET INNOVATIONS11a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: “Decorative PaintingTechniques” by Karen Rudat of Rudat Artisan. Sweets served.
10822 TIMBERGLEN DR. - LAURA LITTON OF JPDG1 p.m. – 2p.m.: “Protecting Your Home’s Fine Finishes” by MaryBurnett of Berings Hardware. Beverages served.
3:30 p.m.: “Natural Stone Fireplaces” by Lynn McClellan ofMaterials Marketing. Beverages served.
6007 GLEN COVE ST. – JANE PAGE CRUMP OF JPDG1 p.m. – 2 p.m.: “Cutting Edge Backsplash and StoneMaintance” with Stuart Rae and Daniel Willson of Thorntree.
3:30 p.m.: Cooking Demonstration by Chef Kris Jakob, ExecutiveChef of Kris Bistro and Wine Lodge
3302 TANGLEY RD. – PEGGY HULL2 p.m. -2:30 p.m.: Jacqueline Tabbah from InternationalStoneworks features light bites made with locally producedorganic goat cheese.
1023 WEST 43RD ST. – BLAKE WOODS3:30 p.m.: “Closets – The Most Important Space in the Home”by Spaceman Home & Office
744 WEST 43RD ST. – BLAKE WOODS12 p.m.: “Container Gardening for the Kitchen” by Andrews andHoye Landscape Designs
8946 BRIARFOREST – AMILEE WENDT12 – 1 p.m.: “The unbelievable benefits of Silestone!” bySilestone. Snacks served.
1003 GARDENIA DR. – LYNNE T. JONES2 – 3 p.m.: “Going Green: Keeping it Local and Sustainable” byHomeowner, Teresa Coleman. Area Chefs will provide temptinglocally grown food samples.
DESIGN SEMINARS
25
CAMACHO SERVICES L.L.C8721 Jensen Dr., Suite B • Houston, TX 77093
713.742.8742 • 713.480.3449 Cell
Proud to be the General Contractor for the home at 1025 Richelieu on the 2011 ASID Kitchen & Bath Tour
RESOURCESABOUT THE PROJECTSet on a lot that backs up to the Hogg BirdSanctuary and Bayou Bend, the home boastslots of open space with high ceilings and largewindows. In the kitchen, a turquoise banquetteand irregular shaped table contrast with themany horizontal layers of stone and glass tile inthis contemporary, yet earthy kitchen.
For the spa-inspired master bath, wrap-around vanities, designed with a continuous stone countertop,unify the space and create a natural flow. An oversized air tub anchors a wall of windows that natural-ly warms the space while providing privacy with textured glass. A steam room further connects thebath to nature by opening onto a sundeck. The Ambra tile that resembles ripples of water was installedin the steam/shower, which functions as a major focal point. Various gray tones of flooring, counter-tops, and walls are offset by the warm glow from mother-of-pearl shell mirror frames.
ABOUT THE DESIGNERJane-Page Crump, ASID is a past president of ASID, is the president of JanePage Design Group, an award-wining interior design firm that specializes innew construction and remodeling.
6007 Glen Cove StreetJANE PAGE CRUMP, ASID RID LAURA LITTON, ASID, RID Jane Page Design Group 713.803.4999
Cunningham Building and Development knows there’smore to homebuilding than sticks and bricks. Theycreate total peace of mind for each client – from fixed-price contracts to a state-of-the-art online managementsystem that allows remote monitoring of every aspectof your home’s construction.
Cunningham has crafted more than 200 custom homesin some of Houston’s and Galveston’s most exclusiveneighborhoods, including Memorial, River Oaks,Tanglewood, Lafitte’s, Sunset Cove and Stablewood …just to name a few.
Cunningham’s top-tier design and build team includesHouston’s most prominent architects, engineers, greenconsultants, and interior designers. Lead project man-agers are Certified Graduate Builders and NAHBCertified Green Professionals – a distinction fewbuilders in the entire state of Texas can claim.
ANTIQUESThe Urban Market Houston hosts itsthird major tent sale of the year inMidtown Oct. 22-23. Shop interestingobjects, antiques, artwork, designer &decorators collections, and merchan-dise from a multitude of quality ven-dors. Saturday evening from 4 p.m. to6 p.m. is the Early Buying Event,offering first chance at the goods,plus wine/drinks and hors d'oeuvres,and re-entry on Sunday included inthe $25 entry fee. Sunday-only ticketsare $5. Located at 3101 Smith at Elgin.Info.: www.theurbanmarkethouston.com
ARTThe Bayou City Art FestivalDowntown celebrates its 40th year as ittransforms the blocks surrounding CityHall, Oct. 8-9. Explore the vast outdoorart gallery showcasing 300 artists work-ing in 19 media. In addition to perusingthe artwork, festival goers can enjoywine cafés, an interactive creative zone
for children, restaurants, and a perform-ing arts stage with on-going multiculturalmusical and dance entertainment. Newthis festival, String Theory will transformDowntown Houston’s architecture into alarger-than-life instrument during dailyperformances. Information: www.bayoucityartfestival.com
Houston Center for Contemporary Craftexplores the strong connection betweencraft and the home with Beyond Useful& Beautiful: Rethinking DomesticCraft. The exhibition presents a varietyof media—including furniture, wall paper,ceramics, quilts, needlepoint, glass andmetal—in a series of domestic vignettesset up throughout the large gallery. Oneof the founding fathers of the Arts &Crafts Movement, William Morris,famously said, “Have nothing in yourhouse that you do not know to be usefulor believe to be beautiful.” Taking thisquote as a jumping-off point, HCCCCurator, Anna Walker, selected works by
house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com46
october calendar13 contemporary artists that critique con-cepts of beauty and usefulness in theirpractice. The show features artists fromall over the U.S., including four fromTexas. The exhibition runs Oct. 1through Jan. 8. Information: www.crafthouston.org or 713.529.4848.
ARCHITECTUREThe Architecture Center Houston andHouston Public Library present the nextauthor in their Authors in Architectureseries on Oct. 20. Eric M. Wolf discuss-es his book American Art MuseumArchitecture: Documents and Design.The book explores the problems andchallenges faced by architects andclients in creating buildings that interactwith works of art. Reception and booksigning will follow the discussion. Thefree event takes place at ArchitectureCenter Houston in downtown Houston.Information: www.aiahouston.org or713.520.0155.
CLASSESHouston-area gardeners can expectwide variety of gardening classes andunique events at The Arbor Gate inTomball. Jeremy Kollaus teaches FallVegetable Container Gardening Oct.11. Class participants can learn aboutvegetable varieties that thrive inHouston’s fall weather and see howthese edible container gardens canadd a beautiful bounty to your patio or yard.
On Oct. 20, Rob Greening of NiteLitesLighting Company teaches a class onLandscape Lighting. Learn the secretsto successful landscape lighting, includ-ing instruction on layout, wiring and fix-tures. Information: 281.351.8851orwww.arborgate.com.
Nestled within Memorial Park, HoustonArboretum & Nature Center serves asboth a serene retreat and educationcenter. The Arboretum’s Joe Blantonteaches Tree I.D. for the Novice on twoSundays this month, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9.Choose a Sunday and discover how touse leaves and field guides to identify 30tree species found in our area. Cost is$30 for members, $45 for non-members.Information: www.houstonarboretum.orgor 713.681.8433.
PLANT MARTThe Garden Club of Houston presentsits 69th Annual Bulb & Plant Mart Oct.14-15. The large-scale plant sale fea-tures top-quality bulbs from domesticand international suppliers and anexpanded collection of hard-to-find andunusual plants, perennials, trees, shrubsand vines. Many of the plants and bulbsare unique offerings from the gardens ofClub members, grown specifically for theMart. This year’s event takes place at anew location, the Holly Hall RetirementCommunity, 2000 Holly Hall Street atFannin, across from Reliant Stadium.Information: www.gchouston.org
Blake Jamison Williams, Nourish. Porcelain, wire, chair. Part of Houston Center forContemporary Craft’s Beyond Useful & Beautiful: Rethinking Domestic Craft exhibit.Photo by Tim Thayer.
LEFT: A scene from the Bayou City ArtFestival Downtown, Oct. 8-9.
ABOVE: Top quality bulb plants available atthe Garden Club of Houston’s Bulb & PlantMart, happening Oct. 14-15.
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before && after
I first met David Fontaine back in 2005 when he was single and
Shelterstyle.com decorated his living and dining rooms and sunroom.
Back then, David wanted to work with inherited furniture and not
spend money remodeling since his duplex is in a popular teardown
area (see the November, 2005 Houston House & Home makeover,
“Eureka”).
Since then, he married Elaine, and I have helped the newlyweds withtheir master bedroom (see July 2011 Houston House & Home, “WarmingTrend”) and now their c. 1953 galley-style teardown kitchen. “Elaine and Iwere distracted when we looked into our dated kitchen with its mismatchedappliances and boring finishes. Next to the beautifully re-designed otherrooms, the kitchen was a real eyesore,” the Italian cuisine aficionadoexplained.
A couples’ 1950s kitchen be-bops into the modern era with smartupgrades that didn’t break the bank
AFTER: After removing the saloon doors, the additionof a new, all-white Energy Star fridge, more efficientuse of the old wall niche, new countertops and sub-way tile backsplash, new rolled vinyl flooring and effi-cient under-cabinet lighting transformed this once-dated kitchen.
BEFORE: An energy-gobbling old fridge, unused iron-ing board niche in the wall, saloon-style swingingdoors, white laminate countertops and backsplash,old vinyl tile flooring and lack of under-cabinet lightingmade for an unattractive kitchen.
Budget BeautyBEFORE
BY JOETTA MOULDEN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET LENZEN
53
The couple had plenty of ideas—in fact, too many of them—throwing theminto indecision and design overload. “The more we ‘designed’, the more frustra-tion we encountered. A few weeks into the project we decided we needed helpand called you. We didn’t want to spend money on components that if not prop-erly coordinated could result in an expensive hodge-podge,” he explained.
David explained that in years past they had interviewed several kitchen-remod-eling companies about modest options for improving the kitchen in their home,which is in a popular teardown area. The couple did not want to invest a king’sransom in a masterpiece that did not make any financial sense. None ever putforth a sensible plan, David said. All wanted to spend big bucks tearing download-bearing walls, installing granite countertops, new custom cabinets, hard-wood floors and other building blocks for spectacular kitchen makeovers. “Elaineand I decided that what we needed was a way to update what was already inplace and do much of the work ourselves. You were the perfect person to help usmake this project a success,” David explained.
We met one Saturday morning and measured, discussed ideas, materials, ven-dors and what to expect. A plan emerged and the concept was clearly made forthe couple and this house. “As veteran do-it-yourselfers, we had an affordableroad map to completion,” David said. “We were ecstatic.”
They began by stripping their l950s cabinet doors to bare wood in the garage.Then David and Elaine sanded and painted the doors and surrounds with whiteindustrial grade, self-priming Benjamin Moore Alkyd Metal & Wood Enamel in#C-163-01.
The white countertop was replaced with Pionite laminate in “Greige” SC210”installed by Venetian Blind & Floor Carpet One. The backsplash was first cov-ered in water-resistant Sheetrock, then in inexpensive 3” x 6” Bone White sub-way tiles (United States Ceramic Tile Company #078-36) purchased locally by atile store going out of business (also available at Home Depot.)
The floor had several layers of linoleum, covered by vinyl tiles. I recommendedForsyth Floor Company, who installed vinyl flooring to match the hardwoods inthe nearby dining room. During the installation, Forsyth discovered that the floorunderneath the old dishwasher was rotted through to the slab and the old dish-washer was literally chopped out. This provided a legitimate reason to replace itwith a new one and to repair the subfloor. To compensate for irregularities inheight, the entire kitchen floor was covered in new plywood. “The installationwent perfectly and the look of the low-luster vinyl has fooled many observers intothinking they are standing on solid oak floors stained like the rest of the house,”David said.
Since the gas range was only four years old and it was white, they decided tokeep it, replacing the vent hood. Not only was the old vent hood ineffective, itwas the wrong color. When they removed it, the couple discovered a nest ofproblems—the gas pipe was directly in the way of the exhaust duct. I suggestedthey call Kenny Jaines at Vogler Sheet Metal Co., who solved the problem byconstructing a duct that attached to the new hood, bypassing the gas pipe andlinking up to a new exhaust outlet on the building’s exterior--an inexpensive fixthat has worked perfectly.
“During our planning meeting, you warned us that we should expect to incurelectrical problems. When we removed the range hood the kitchen lights wentout,” David explained. Behind the hood was a tangled web of wires, no doubtthe work of a previous installer who got the hood working but compromisedsafety through poor wiring and no grounding—a scenario repeated elsewhere inthe kitchen. The old wiring was scorched or melted at key junctures.
They called Dan Brown at Dempsey Electric who talked them into installingrecessed lighting and dimmers, which they really like. “To save money, we pur-chased the lighting materials online and Dan did the installation with a discountfrom Dempsey Electric. “The electrical was an expensive and unexpected aspectof the kitchen remodel, but we know it was money well spent for our safety andpeace of mind,” David explained.
house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com54
An Ikea island was turned into an against-the-wall work surface by trimmingthe legs and adding casters from Mapp Caster & Supply. The casters allow it tomove out of the way to better clean behind it. The couple tied in the birch fin-ish to rest of the kitchen by buying birch planks from Houston Custom Woodsand David’s furniture-maker cousin trimmed out the new niche above the worktable, built a new windowsill over the sink as well as a birch veneer end cap forthe exposed side or the existing white cabinets. They also purchased two Ikeabirch veneer shelves for extra storage for pots and pans.
“We love the open shelves better than a pot rack because we can keep the lidswith the pots and don’t have to search for them in the back reaches of our cabi-nets,” David explained. Another clever idea was to use an inexpensive $30brushed nickel Ikea curtain rod outfitted with large S-hooks to fully use thespace behind the door for flatter items like skillets. “Lower on the wall wemounted small hooks for a large pizza baking stone that took up a lot of space,”he said.
To finish off the kitchen and tie it into the rest of the house, they painted thewalls Sherwin Williams “Straw Doll” #1361 and Benjamin Moore “SuperWhite” enamel #310-01 on the trim. They also used some leftover fabric fromthe living room to make their hobbled Roman shade.
“We had hoped to buy a larger refrigerator, but when you have a l950s housewith l950s appliance openings, you more or less are going to end up with whatworks and not exactly what you would have liked. But that’s OK—thanks toyou, we enjoy our charming kitchen every day for what it is,” David smiled.
TRADE SECRETS
• Establish an overall planbefore you start updatingyour kitchen. Don’t discardanything until a profession-al sees if it can be integrat-ed into your plan.
• Money saved on a budg-et plan can easily pay fordesign services.
• Eliminate costly mis-takes. Hire an objectiveprofessional to help youstay within your budget.
• Sometimes the mosteffective strategy is to notgut your kitchen, but torethink the cabinets andspaces that are alreadypaid for.
BEFORE
AFTER: Pots and pans are now well-ordered, thanks to Ikea open shelving and cur-tain rod functioning as a pot rack behind the door. An Ikea magnetic knife holdertakes advantage of vertical storage space. New brushed-nickel doorknobs andhinges go with new Ikea pulls that match those on the customized Ikea worktable.A new white vent hood and increased storage make this kitchen easy to work in.
BEFORE: White walls and white laminate countertops and backsplash, brassdoor knobs, mismatched vent hood and lack of storage made this kitchen diffi-cult to cook in.
Joetta Moulden offers home makeovers using your own home furnishings.See more makeovers on her Web site at www.shelterstyle.com, e-mail her [email protected] or call 713.461.2063. Appointments or referralsbooked by October 31 will receive a 15 percent first meeting discount.Shelterstyle.com holds a "Pages of Happiness" rating and, for the fifth con-secutive year, a “Super Service Award” presented to 5 percent of companiesthat achieve and maintain a superior rating on www.angieslist.com.
55
Our reputation brings customers in — satisfaction brings them back
house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com56
THE COOLEST DOWNTOWN ADDRESS FROM THE LATE 1960shas been made over for this millennium, yet retains is ’60s soul. Built in 1966 anddesigned by noted Washington, D.C.-area architect Charles Goodman, the 31-storybuilding was instantly considered one of the most stylish apartment buildings thecity. The mid-century modern highrise has recently undergone a ’60s-cool renova-tion that showcases the stylish functionality of midcentury modern architecture andinteriors.
More than one-third of the 396 units have been fully renovated and 90 percentare occupied. The apartment renovations are being completed at a rate of about 40units per month, with the entire building expected to be done by June 2012.
FROM THE GROUND UPIn addition to the upgrades to each unit, the amenities and common areas have
been revamped for the modern era. The generous ground-floor lobby is a celebrationof mid-century style. Also at street level, the new Go Fresh! gourmet café now servesbreakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The building also includes multiplespaces to work and play, including a pool, gym, full-size basketball court, conferenceroom, media room and party lounge.
Four rising stars of interior design decked out units in the iconic Houston Housebuilding as a way to help Houstonians see the dynamic design potential for units inthe building. We have featured each designer and their work on the following pages.
To read more about the building, go to www.HoustonHouseApts.com.
Downtown’s iconic mid century highrisegets a modern-day makeover that recallsits 1960s debutBY SANDRA COOK
PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY RICHARD PAYNEDESIGNER PORTRAIT/ APARTMENT PHOTOS BY JILL HUNTER
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WITH DEGREES IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN, SABA JAWDAco-owns the design firm Jawda and Jawda with her sister Sarah. Her design of the Houston House unit incorporatesa both neutral pieces with exquisite details.
“My vision and goal for the Houston House unit is to inspire a world of wonder, an oasis that’s a retreat from theeveryday,” says Jawda.
Jawda’s design talent shines in her use of large pieces in each of the relatively small rooms. “Design, for me, isabout depth and utilizing it to one's advantage,” says Jawda. “Using large-scale pieces in a small area actually createsthe sense of a much larger space. The combination of larger pieces in clusters creates balance. Knowing how to organ-ize them, along with the importance of the hues, is the key.”
Jawda prefers to utilize different pieces and colors that aren’t often used together, a method of mixing and match-ing the unusual to create contrast. She also chose to use a neutral palette to bring the outdoors in. “The views arespectacular and I think the finished product works wonderfully with it,” she says.
SABAJAWDA
Saba Jawda mixed neutral colors, luxe furnishings and playful pieces to create an apartment that is a relaxing retreat from city life.
house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com60
“USING LARGE-SCALE PIECES IN A SMALL
AREA ACTUALLY CREATES THE SENSE OF A MUCH
LARGER SPACE. THE COMBINATION OF LARGER
PIECES IN CLUSTERS CREATES BALANCE.”
SABAJAWDA
61
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house& home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com62
CHRISNGUYEN
GRAPHIC-DESIGNER-TURNED-INTERIOR-DESIGNER CHRIS NGUYENtakes inspiration for small-space living from dense metropolitan areas, such as New York City andTokyo, where square footage is gold. “It's really fascinating to see the clever visual and practicalsolutions that these city dwellers come up with,” says Nguyen. “Small space living provides such aunique opportunity for ingenuity. In a metropolis like Houston where there is as much legroomas there is headroom, I had to really scrutinize and break down the concepts from people who livein small spaces out of necessity and find a way to make them appealing for those who would bechoosing to do so.”
Nguyen made an effort to define the space in terms other than its square feet. “Looking at thenumber, mental limitations form and I wanted to find ways to remove those,” says Nguyen. “Ifocused on embracing the space for what it was and making it more about the quality of livingwithin a home this size rather than how much stuff will fit. I think it's easy with a large space tomistakenly fill it with things just because there's space for it, but with a small space that isn't anoption.”
The designer says he employed the opposite of what might seem to be logical for this space.“Instead of filling it with small things and reflective surfaces to make it look bigger, I put in regu-lar-scale pieces to emphasize the usability of the apartment and solid color contrast to define howthe separate spaces work,” explains Nguyen. “When you walk in, instead of seeing a series of com-promises, you see a comfortable place to sit, eat and sleep. Going with mid-century modern andcontemporary modern pieces helped a lot as they tend to be less voluminous in form, whileremaining full in function.”
Chris Nguyen’s design features bold color choices, such as a black wall in the living room, which visually de-clutters the space, whileallowing the sofa, lamp and artwork to stand out.
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ACHIEVING A BALANCE OF RICH COLORS AND BOLDSHAPES WAS KEY FORRICHARD SANCHEZ’Stake on the unit he designed.“Working and living inHouston's downtown can beoverwhelming at times and alevel of confidence is required forthis type of habitation,” saysSanchez. “This is why I choseblack. Black represents powerand confidence. In retrospect,green is proven to have a sooth-ing effect—even photos of vege-tation have a calming effect. Byplacing these two colors in thesame room, this balance of boldand calm converge and worktogether in seamless harmony.”
Sanchez took a minimalistapproach to maximize comfortin the space. “By applying theless-is-more concept oftenapplied in graphic design, Iaimed at a space void of compli-cation,” says Sanchez. Thedesigner followed the Easternphilosophy of the more youhave, the more problems youhave. “I knew this notion wouldwork well because this belief caneasily—key word, easily—beapplied in everyday living,” saysSanchez. “Likewise, your homeis everyday living.”
The designer sought toemphasize that the HoustonHouse building sits in the mid-dle of the thriving downtownscene. “I wanted to give theyoung and young at heart thesense of belonging to this scenewhen, in fact, they actually makethe downtown scene just by liv-ing there,” says Sanchez.
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AN INTERIOR DESIGNER FORTHE KIRKSEY ARCHITECTURETEAM, KRISTEN JOHNSON isan expert at making the most of a neutralpalette by layering subtle colors and textures.“This way, you can use accessories and art-work to punctuate the space,” says Johnson.
Space planning in the small apartmentwas key for Johnson. “Since there wasn’t adedicated dining room, I started with theidea of creating a dining space that wasfunctional but still felt a part of the livingarea,” she says. “I also converted the secondbedroom into a home office because thatroom was tres petite! To me, it functionedmore efficiently as a workspace than a tinyroom with a huge bed inside.”
Johnson employs metal finishes in thesame way she utilizes jewelry. “When it’sdone right—silver and gold jewelry lookbeautiful together,” says Johnson. “A deco-rated room without metal accents is likeputting on your favorite little black dresswithout a pair of earrings. It’s nice to addjust a touch of sparkle with muted tonesand textures. You need some subtlety and abit of glitz to make everything look bal-anced.”
The expansive city views were a biginfluence on Johnson’s design. “The cityviews from Houston House are incredible,”she says. “The last thing I wanted to do wasblock those huge windows! I added sheerlinen panels at the windows to soften up thearchitecture and frame the views. I didn’twant fully traversing draperies—I treatedthem like an obi sash—just a strip of fabricon either side of the window.”
KRISTENJOHNSONKristen Johnson chose a large sofa to anchor the living room, the Florence Knoll piece with slimmetal legs almost floats on top of the carpet. Neutral tones, touches of nature and an airyglass-topped table lend serenity to the space.
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Houston designer creates a nature-inspired bungalow redo
Craftsman with a TwistStory & Photography by SARAH GANDY
Back in 2006, designer Roberto Cervantes decided to buy his 1920s bun-galow in Eastwood for practical purposes as much as anything. “Thehouse had been renovated in 2005 and all the electrical and plumbinghad been redone,” says Roberto, “That meant I could get an inspectionon it, get a mortgage approved and move right in.” All of these wereessential elements for Roberto who was looking to move not only hishome, but also his business from of a rented loft space. Another key char-acteristic of the property: there was ample space in the backyard forRoberto to build a separate studio for his multi-faceted design business.
“There was nothing wrong with the house,” says Roberto. “Most peo-
ple would say it was fine.” And yet, for the designer and artist, bestknown publicly for his restaurant interiors, such as Barnaby’s, T’afia,Coppa, and Brasserie 19, the home still needed some refinements.
Though the ideas for the house would start flowing quickly, any reno-vations would have to wait. “I moved in and decided to stabilize my busi-ness in the home first,” says Roberto. “Meanwhile I designed and builtthe studio behind the house, paying for that as I went along. Once thatbuilding was complete I was able to move my business there and beginwork on the house itself. I didn’t do any renovations until 18 monthsafter I moved in.”
ABOVE: The Eastwood home artist/designer/architect Roberto Cervantesexhibits clever creative touches at every turn. The arched built-in cabinet isoriginal to the kitchen, which is painted a wasabi-like green. The colorfulobjects on the shelves complement the striped table, designed by Roberto.
OPPOSITE: The stair landing was added during renovation, replacing a smalldoorway that opened to steep attic stairs. A new stairway was also con-structed in order to match the original oak wood floors throughout and tomake the steep angle less severe. The painting is by Ryan Gieger.
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Ideas in MotionWhen the time came for the home redo, Robertocollaborated on the design with Ben Johnston (atthe time the two had a design business together,but each now owns separate companies—Robertoowns Archi-Arts and Ben owns Avondale DesignStudio). One of the most dramatic changes camein the kitchen area which had been chopped upwith pantry spaces and doorways.
“People during that time period tended tobreak up homes into compartments,” saysRoberto. “But we decided to open the kitchen tothe dining room in order to make it a more livablespace for today.” To make sense of the new openfloor plan, Roberto and Ben designed aCraftsman-inspired partition wall with an archedopening which helped delineate the kitchen fromthe dining room. “We also decided to paint therooms different colors—green for the kitchen andorange for the dining room—in order to definethe spaces separately.”
Another minor floor plan change that createdsignificant visual impact was the decision to openthe attic stairs to the main living area. WhenRoberto bought the house a small door closed offthe stunted set of stairs leading upstairs. “The stairlanding didn’t exist and the stairs were extremelysteep,” says Roberto. “So we got rid of the door,replaced the stair treads with oak to match the restof the house, and made the slope of the stairs lesssevere. We designed a new stair landing to comeout into the space, which also created a nice focalwall for art or family photos.”
RIGHT: In the dining room, a large painting by Houstonartist Seth Alverson over looks the old zinc-topped din-ing table made by Noir. Roberto and architect BenJohnston designed a Craftsman-inspired wall to providea distinct boundary between the rooms, yet allow thetwo rooms to feel connected. The chairs are goatskin-backed Tyler Chairs by Oly, while the shell chandelieruses naturally occurring holes in the shells to stringthem together.
“We decided to open the
kitchen to the dining room
in order to make it a more
livable space for today.”
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Smoother SurfaceAmong other issues were some aesthetic choices thatprevious owners had made. “The walls were all tex-tured; the ceiling had been troweled,” says Roberto.“So we smoothed out all of those surfaces andadded wood trim in order to be more consistentwith the time period.”
Some of the more intricate trim work occurson the living and dining room ceilings, wherestained wood is applied in a Craftsman-derivedpattern. “It’s the look of a coffered ceiling, onlyflattened,” says Roberto. “It’s an embellishment tothe room that brings a deep, rich color withoutlots of contrast. It’s actually a modification ofwhat would be typically seen.”
When it was time to pick colors for the home,Roberto drew inspiration from the home itself andits surroundings. “A lot of people are into neutrals,but I wanted something richer. The colors I used aresaturated, but not unnatural,” says Roberto. “Theorange is a terra cotta color and it’s found in the tileson the front porch. The green is a compliment tothat orange. The orange you could get through rust,the green comes from a copper patina—they’re stillcolors found in nature.”
Likewise, Roberto kept a natural, but visuallystimulating palette when it came to furnishing thehome. “Throughout the house I’ve used wood,metal, and hides,” says Roberto. “These are all non-synthetic ways of showing color, pattern, tex-ture, and patina.”
RIGHT: The generously sized chaise, covered in fabric byKravet, sits opposite a matching sofa. The patchworkrug is handmade and available through Archi-Arts. Thesconces above the fireplace are antiques from Canada,while the copper pendants are from RejuvenationLighting and Hardware.
“A lot of people are into
neutrals, but I wanted
something richer. The colors
I used are saturated, but not
unnatural.”
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Whether it’s ceiling trim, goat hide chairs, or light fixtures, Robertoisn’t afraid to twist the inspiration from the past in order to create his ownunique space. Musing on the two lighting pendants in the living room,Robert notes, “Light fixtures from (the 1920s) were pretty clunky andactually not very beautiful, so sometimes you have to take departures inyour decorating. The living room fixtures are more of a ’50s style, andwhen they were shown in chrome in the catalog they indeed look very’50s. But in a copper finish they take on a completely different look—andsuddenly they work with this space.”
Out the back door, Roberto’s new 900-square-foot studio also showsthat different decades of design can live in harmony. The studio stands incontrast to the brick bungalow—it’s a modern construction with flecks ofcolor throughout the grey façade. The two buildings, says Roberto, exem-plify his philosophy: “I appreciate modern design, but I also appreciatepast designs—and ultimately that’s where all modern design came from. It all draws inspiration from the past.”
BELOW: Piano is a Helpinstill Roadmaster, which was marketed in the 1970s as aportable piano that entertainers could easily take on the road. It was invented byCharles Helpinstill, who still performs in Houston under the name Ezra Charles.Roberto bought the iconic piano twelve years ago through and ad in the Greensheet.
ABOVE: Roberto chose a soft grey paint for the office to provide a visual break fromthe other color-saturated rooms. Custom wood tables were made by a Houston-basedcraftsman from Texas pecan trees. The large painting and the comic strip installationart are both by Roberto Cervantes. The handmade patchwork rug is available throughArchi-Arts.
OPPOSITE: A painting by artist Ryan Gieger hangs above an Italian Deco antiquedresser in Roberto’s peacock-hued bedroom.
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