HOUSTON OCTOBER 2011 THE COMPLETE RESOURCE MAGAZINE FOR YOUR HOME RUSTIC ELEGANCE Morning Star Builders Celebrates Grand Style EASTWOOD BUNGALOW • HOME TOURS PREVIEW • BRILLIANT KITCHENS 4 HIGHRISE APARTMENTS BY EMERGING LOCAL DESIGNERS SPECIAL ISSUE: ASID GULF COAST CHAPTER 2011 KITCHEN & BATH TOUR editor’s note O ACCEPTANCE APPLIANCE CENTER, INC. Authorized As-Is Dealer 6757 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. W. • Suite 200 Houston, TX 77064 • 281-955-0861 www.acceptanceappliance.com window treatments s FF rie O pe-11 % Dr1a0-15 20tompires x us E C WE ARE experts WHEN IT COMES TO ctober is here: get ready for fall weather (who’s not ready?) and a season of exciting, home-focused events for every interest. This month’s calendar features a well-rounded sampling of tours, ranging from historic neighborhoods to modern innovations. Lovers of charming homes from past eras can tour one of Houston’s largest intact concentrations of Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, Foursquare and Mission architecture during the Eastwood Historic Home Tour. Don’t miss our feature story on the 1920s bungalow of Eastwood resident Roberto Cervantes, beautifully written and photographed by Sarah Gandy. History buffs can trace the progression of Houston’s skyline during the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance’s Walking Tour, featuring Downtown’s Evolving Skyline. For a side trip to the ’60s, our feature story on the new look of the Houston House apartment building provides a groovy perspective on downtown living. For those who prefer to ogle homes that are at the forefront of architecture, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects showcases nine homes that represent achievements in contemporary design. The Houston Solar Tour highlights the nexus of innovative design and engineering with 17 homes and business across the greater Houston area open for tour- PUBLISHER......................Mike Harrison, Ph.D. ing. Tour organizers have collaborated to bring the Green Energy Fair to the City of Houston’s Energy Day. Be sure to check out our preview of these tours starting on p. 48. Coming early next month on Nov. 5, the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Tour, presented by the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, features 10 outstanding projects by Houston-area designers. Houston House & Home is proud to be a part of this tour by producing the official guide to the tour within this issue, starting on p. 19. Congrat-ulations to all the homeowners and designers on another outstanding tour! Without a doubt, there’s much to experience, admire and learn about happening all over our great city. Chart your course in inspiration, and bring home incredible ideas for your upcoming projects. Sandra Cook Editor [email protected] Follow us on Facebook & Twitter @househomemag HOUSTON ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ....Susie Reisenbigler EDITOR ........................................Sandra Cook CONTRIBUTING WRITERS .............................. ....Anne Breux, Sarah Gandy, Joetta Moulden ART DIRECTOR..........................Robert Coplin • • • • Custom Draperies & Bedspreads Wood/FauxWood Shutters & Blinds Duette® Shades • Silhouette® Shades Solar Shades Shop at Home Service available. We’ll do the measuring and installation–just call or visit online at windowmagiconline.com Blind & Drapery 7 Day Deliver y on Mos t Blinds 17743 Tomball Pkwy • 281.955.5676 Southwest Area Mobile Showroom • 713.781.9009 Since 1981 Woodlands Area Mobile Showroom • 281.362.0640 CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Tim Beeson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS.............. ........................Sarah Gandy, Ben Hill, Jill Hunter, ................................Richard Payne, Janet Lenzen ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ................................ Marie Brashears,Tina Laplaca, Frank Larmore, ......................................................David Marsh INSIDE SALES ................................Pete Rocha PRINTING..........................DROR International Monday - Friday 10 am - 5:30 pm, Saturday 10 am - 5 pm. All major credit cards accepted. 8 house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com Blue Thumb Inc., dba Houston House & Home ("HH&H"), is a news magazine with emphasis on interior design and remodeling. HH&H does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does HH&H or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication. HH&H has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has not verified claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products. HH&H makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by advertisers. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser and/or other home repair and renovation professionals regarding the suitability of an advertiser's products. No reproduction is permitted without the written consent of the Publisher. Copyright 2011, all rights reserved. Subscriptions available for home delivery at a cost of $25 per year. P.O. Box 701038 Houston, Texas 77270-1038 (713) 523-6523 home tours GHPA Walking Tour: DOWNTOWN’S EVOLVING SKYLINE O C T. 9 AT 2 P. M . The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance hosts this guided walk through downtown’s architectural history, www.ghpa.org/tours. Eastwood Historic Home Tour O C T. 1 5 - 1 6 , N O O N TO 5 P. M . Tour six beautifully restored homes in this historic neighborhood just east of downtown. www.eastwoodcivicassociation.org 1893 Kiam Building, an early example of a multistory downtown office building. Houston Solar Tour O C T. 1 5 , 9 A . M . TO 1 P. M . Experience solar power in action by touring your choice of 17 featured homes and business in the Houston-area. www.houstonsolartour.com 1929 Gulf (now Chase) Building 48 house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com ABOVE: The Eastwood home artist/designer/architect Roberto Cervantes exhibits clever creative touches at every turn. The arched built-in cabinet is original to the kitchen, which is painted a wasabi-like green. The colorful objects on the shelves complement the striped table, designed by Roberto. OPPOSITE: The stair landing was added during renovation, replacing a small doorway that opened to steep attic stairs. A new stairway was also constructed in order to match the original oak wood floors throughout and to make the steep angle less severe. The painting is by Ryan Gieger. Craftsman with a Twist Houston designer creates a nature-inspired bungalow redo Story & Photography by SARAH GANDY Back in 2006, designer Roberto Cervantes decided to buy his 1920s bungalow in Eastwood for practical purposes as much as anything. “The house had been renovated in 2005 and all the electrical and plumbing had been redone,” says Roberto, “That meant I could get an inspection on it, get a mortgage approved and move right in.” All of these were essential elements for Roberto who was looking to move not only his home, but also his business from of a rented loft space. Another key characteristic of the property: there was ample space in the backyard for Roberto to build a separate studio for his multi-faceted design business. “There was nothing wrong with the house,” says Roberto. “Most peo70 ple would say it was fine.” And yet, for the designer and artist, best known 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 renovations would have to wait. “I moved in and decided to stabilize my business in the home first,” says Roberto. “Meanwhile I designed and built the studio behind the house, paying for that as I went along. Once that building was complete I was able to move my business there and begin work on the house itself. I didn’t do any renovations until 18 months after I moved in.” house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com 71 “We decided to open the kitchen to the dining room in order to make it a more livable space for today.” Ideas in Motion When the time came for the home redo, Roberto collaborated on the design with Ben Johnston (at the time the two had a design business together, but each now owns separate companies—Roberto owns Archi-Arts and Ben owns Avondale Design Studio). One of the most dramatic changes came in the kitchen area which had been chopped up with pantry spaces and doorways. “People during that time period tended to break up homes into compartments,” says Roberto. “But we decided to open the kitchen to the dining room in order to make it a more livable space for today.” To make sense of the new open floor plan, Roberto and Ben designed a Craftsman-inspired partition wall with an arched opening which helped delineate the kitchen from the dining room. “We also decided to paint the rooms different colors—green for the kitchen and orange for the dining room—in order to define the spaces separately.” Another minor floor plan change that created significant visual impact was the decision to open the attic stairs to the main living area. When Roberto bought the house a small door closed off the stunted set of stairs leading upstairs. “The stair landing didn’t exist and the stairs were extremely steep,” says Roberto. “So we got rid of the door, replaced the stair treads with oak to match the rest of the house, and made the slope of the stairs less severe. We designed a new stair landing to come out into the space, which also created a nice focal wall for art or family photos.” RIGHT: In the dining room, a large painting by Houston artist Seth Alverson over looks the old zinc-topped dining table made by Noir. Roberto and architect Ben Johnston designed a Craftsman-inspired wall to provide a distinct boundary between the rooms, yet allow the two rooms to feel connected. The chairs are goatskinbacked Tyler Chairs by Oly, while the shell chandelier uses naturally occurring holes in the shells to string them together. 72 house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com 73 “A lot of people are into neutrals, but I wanted something richer. The colors I used are saturated, but not unnatural.” Smoother Surface Among other issues were some aesthetic choices that previous owners had made. “The walls were all textured; the ceiling had been troweled,” says Roberto. “So we smoothed out all of those surfaces and added wood trim in order to be more consistent with the time period.” Some of the more intricate trim work occurs on the living and dining room ceilings, where stained wood is applied in a Craftsman-derived pattern. “It’s the look of a coffered ceiling, only flattened,” says Roberto. “It’s an embellishment to the room that brings a deep, rich color without lots of contrast. It’s actually a modification of what would be typically seen.” When it was time to pick colors for the home, Roberto drew inspiration from the home itself and its surroundings. “A lot of people are into neutrals, but I wanted something richer. The colors I used are saturated, but not unnatural,” says Roberto. “The orange is a terra cotta color and it’s found in the tiles on the front porch. The green is a compliment to that orange. The orange you could get through rust, the green comes from a copper patina—they’re still colors found in nature.” Likewise, Roberto kept a natural, but visually stimulating palette when it came to furnishing the home. “Throughout the house I’ve used wood, metal, and hides,” says Roberto. “These are all nonsynthetic ways of showing color, pattern, texture, and patina.” RIGHT: The generously sized chaise, covered in fabric by Kravet, sits opposite a matching sofa. The patchwork rug is handmade and available through Archi-Arts. The sconces above the fireplace are antiques from Canada, while the copper pendants are from Rejuvenation Lighting and Hardware. 74 75 BELOW: Piano is a Helpinstill Roadmaster, which was marketed in the 1970s as a portable piano that entertainers could easily take on the road. It was invented by Charles 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 from the other color-saturated rooms. Custom wood tables were made by a Houston-based craftsman from Texas pecan trees. The large painting and the comic strip installation art are both by Roberto Cervantes. The handmade patchwork rug is available through Archi-Arts. Whether it’s ceiling trim, goat hide chairs, or light fixtures, Roberto isn’t afraid to twist the inspiration from the past in order to create his own unique space. Musing on the two lighting pendants in the living room, Robert notes, “Light fixtures from (the 1920s) were pretty clunky and actually not very beautiful, so sometimes you have to take departures in your decorating. The living room fixtures are more of a ’50s style, and when 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—and suddenly they work with this space.” Out the back door, Roberto’s new 900-square-foot studio also shows that different decades of design can live in harmony. The studio stands in contrast to the brick bungalow—it’s a modern construction with flecks of color throughout the grey façade. The two buildings, says Roberto, exemplify his philosophy: “I appreciate modern design, but I also appreciate past designs—and ultimately that’s where all modern design came from. It all draws inspiration from the past.” OPPOSITE: A painting by artist Ryan Gieger hangs above an Italian Deco antique dresser in Roberto’s peacock-hued bedroom. 76 house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com RESOURCES K I T C H E N FA U C E T: Hudson Faucet by STROM PLUMBING, www.signofthecrab.com INTERIOR DESIGN: ROBERTO CERVANTES, Archi-Arts, 281.974.2999, www.archi-arts.com CUSTOM HEXAGONAL E N D TA B L E S : IRON ACCENTS, 713.942.8676 A R C H I T E C T: BEN JOHNSTON, Avondale Design Studio, 713.876.0432, www.avondalestudio.com GENERAL CONTRACTOR: COMPLETE REMODELING SERVICES, 713.890.1043 F I R E P L A C E H E A RT H T I L E : SYZYGY TILEWORKS, www.syzygytile.com B AT H A C C E S S O R I E S : RESTORATION HARDWARE, www.restorationhardware.com LIGHTING: REJUVENATION LIGHTING AND HARDWARE, www.rejuvenation.com K I T C H E N C O U N T E RT O P : Michelangelo Marble sourced from ARIZONA TILE, 713.468.0511 I needed light, bright... We Stock Integral Colors! ... and hassle-free! Color Hardeners • Releases • Acid Stains Premium Sealers • Polyurethanes • Counter Top Mix Self Leveling Overlays • Stamps • Tools Training & Support • Seminars • Furniture Molds Come See Our Showroom Thanks to NARI, that’s exactly what I got. 713-621-NARI www.NARIhouston.com The Shutter Decor Serving Texas and the U.S. 8310 Castleford St. #250 • Houston, TX 77040 713-462-8884 • www.decorativecs.com • Manufactured Hardwood • Plantation Shutters • Wood/Poly Shutters • Blinds • Arches • All Custom • Fully Insured Builders are Welcome ALISON GLASS • Complete Bathroom Remodeling • Shower enclosures with Shower Guard & warranty • Tabletop Glass • Mirrors • Window Glass 14027 Memorial Dr. #190 Houston, TX 77079 832.878.9660 www.alisonglassinc.com 78 Everyday, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) helps consumers choose the right contractor or supplier for their job. 713.466.5440 [email protected] A.G.WELDING Custom designed ornamental iron stair and balcony railings, staircases, gates, carports, awnings, and structural iron work. Free estimates. Residential & Commercial 8125 McGee Ln • Houston, TX 77071 713-988-4200 • www.agwelding.com house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com
© Copyright 2024