Houston House & Home November 2009 Issue

H O U S T O N

15TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

T TH HE E C CO OM MP PL LE ET TE E R RE ES SO OU UR RC CE E M MA AG GA AZ Z II N NE E F FO OR R Y YO OU UR R H HO OM ME E

N O V E M B E R

2 0 0 9

RENEWING OLD BRAESWOOD

A MAD MEN-ERA MID-CENTURY HOME RESTORED

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING | TWO HOME TOURS | TREE PLANTING TIME

Porcelain

l

Marble

l

Wood

l

Granite Countertops

l

Natural Stone

l

Clay Roof Tile

l

Medallions

Best Mosaics Selection In Town and In-Stock

SPECIAL: Ceramic Tile Starting 49¢ psf and up

Selection...BEAUTY...Convenience...Savings

LM TILE, INC. 9911 Gulf Frwy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713-378-4537 100 Cypress Wood Dr., Ste. 1100 & 1200 • Spring . . . . . . . . . 281.528.5342 9930 I-45 North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281-445-4439 13939 Westheimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281-558-0202 17525-B FM 529 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281-861-6970 46IH-10 N • Beaumont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .409-813-2100 Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 7:00 pm l Sat & Sun 10:00 AM- 4:00 pm 2

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

%

0

Professional Installation Available

H U G E I N V E N T O RY

Mon-Fri 9-7 • Sat 9-6 • Sun 11-4

Prices good while supplies last on certain items We accept all major credit cards

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

13326 Westheimer

Mon-Fri 9-7 • Sat 9-6 • Sun 11-4

S A L E

4

17655 Katy Freeway

AFFORDABLE PRICES

H U G E

QUALITY FLOORING

Interest For 12 Months

PATIO COVERS • ROOM ADDITIONS • SIDING SAVE $500*

WINDOWS • SUNROOMS • SCREENROOMS

on Complete Patio Cover with Slab

$2,000 OFF*

any Complete Room Addition

BEFORE

BEFORE

Affsunrooms ordable

281-860-0000 SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTS • 100% FINANCING

* Not valid with any other offer or with existing contract.

5

May your Holidays be Merry and Bright!

Stop in to see our glorious holiday decorations & unique gift ideas!

Bring this ad in for

15% OFF

your total holiday decor purchase.*

Ask about our Holiday decorating services! *Expires November 30, 2009. In-stock holiday merchandise only. No prior purchases please.

473 Sawdust Road • The Woodlands, TX 77380 • 281.419.0419• www.woodlandsfabrics.com

Since 1988

NATURAL STONE FABRICATION FINE FURNITURE, COUNTERTOPS, VANITIES & FIREPLACES. FOR APPOINTMENT CALL (281) 242-9009 I WWW.ICMMARBLE.COM 6

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

contents

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 | Vol. 14 Issue 11

departments

8 Editor’s Note 12 Around Town 20Handbook:

Holiday Entertaining

40 DIY Decorating: Borrowed Space

Enclosing a patio enlarges a bedroom

30

44 Pet of the Month: Chico Trees 50 Gardening: Plan now for winter planting

30

features

14

16

Home Tours

Galveston’s Historic Downtown Lofts Tour and Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour House & Home’s 15th Anniversary

15 Houstonians who make our homes a better place to live

On the Cover A restored bar with soda fountain is the focal point of the den in the swell restored Mid-Century home of Zoe and Dave Thompson. See Page 30.

Photography by Miro Dvorscak.

14

Old Braeswood 30 Renewing Zoe and Dave Thompson

12

20

restore a Mid-Century classic in Old Braeswood

7

Ad good for $250 in FREE Upgrades & Accessories with purchase of $1500 or more.*

editor’s note

W

Space Man Home & Office www.SpaceManager.com 713.688.8808 Free In-Home Design Consultation Visit our expanded showroom at: 3556 West T.C. Jester • Houston *Offer expires 12-30-09.

Call for details

as it really 15 years ago that Mike Harrison and Tim Beeson were remodeling a house, had trouble finding sources for materials and asked each other: “Why isn’t there a magazine with resources for remodeling a house in Houston?”

At the time, there was no magazine in Houston devoted totally to resources for houses and homes, so they started one. You’re looking at its evolution today, yes, 15 years later.

The magazine has since broadened its scope to include new construction, interior design, home furnishings and much more. But the focus is still the same—houses and homes. We don’t do society gossip or cosmetics or nightclub reviews.

We’re house geeks and proud of it. And so are our readers. We love the smell of sawdust, the sound of a paint lid popping, the hopeful whir of a power drill. Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen quite a few experts do remarkable work. It’s been a privilege showing you their work in these pages.

So, on the occasion of our 15th anniversary, we decided to salute 15 Houstonians who make our homes a better place to live and tell you why.

Editing the list was difficult because we probably could’ve listed 1,500 architects, designers, builders, landscapers, carpenters, plumbers, PUBLISHER ....................Mike Harrison, Ph.D. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ......Susie Reisenbigler EDITOR ........................................Linda Barth CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ..........Holly Beretto, Debi Bryant, Steve Huddleston, Joetta Moulden ART DIRECTOR ..........................Robert Coplin CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR ..Tim Beeson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS .......................... Miro Dvorscak, Janet Lenzen SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

ACCEPTANCE APPLIANCE CENTER, INC.

..............................................Frances Dowling ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Authorized As-Is Dealer

....................................................Lisa Kindred INSIDE SALES ....................Kim Schwenk Tees

6757 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. W. • Suite 200

PRINTING ..........................DROR International

Houston, TX 77064 • 281-955-0861 8

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

painters and more. But, edit we did, and we hope you enjoy our story on Page 16.

Our main house feature this month started with a phone call from one of the funniest men I know, David Thompson who’s a cofounder of the advertising/marketing firm in Houston called “ttweak.” You may know Dave better as co-author of the book and Web site, “Houston.

It’s Worth It” and, more recently, the book “HIWI: Ike.” Dave called me this spring and said, “Zoe and I have found the most hilarious house.” That day the flooring people happened to be there, the house was open, and he said I could just walk inside. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The house was a fly in amber, pretty much untouched since 1955, and, boy, was it swell.

Some very careful, meticulous people must’ve lived there.

But the house did need some refreshing. Dave and Zoe found the right architect and builder to do it, and everyone did a subtle, brilliant job on the house. What fun this story was to produce.

Speaking of fun, in this season of Thanksgiving, we thank you, our readers, and our advertisers for 15 great years, and here’s to 15 more.

HOUSTON

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 2009, 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

C&D

Hardware & Gifts

FULL LINE HARDWARE STORE UNIQUE DECOR & GIFTS

Get the Holiday Spirit at C&D Gadget Caddies Put the fun in functional! Caddies are great for gadgets, tools, wine, or anyone thinking outside the box.

Also makes a great hostess or house warming gift. Available in two sizes.

Small as shown regularly $59.99, Christmas Special $41.99

Retro Pedal Cars & Tricycles Shown: Pink Jalopy Sale Price $199.99 Also available by special order: fire truck, airplane, train, tricycle.

Prices vary.

Shown from our extensive collection by renowned artist

Jim Shore Lighted Harvest Pumpkin Diorama 7 1/4" H.

YEA TEAM! Great for tailgating or gift giving.

Silicone cake pans & ice molds, gnomes, napkins, coasters, ice chests & more.

Santa with Christmas Cat 10.5" H a St. Nick W/Baby (Figurine and Ornament)

in e o wShor t r sted Jimrine. i g Re igne figu s

314 E. 11th Street (The Heights) • 713.861.3551 • www.CandDhardware.com 9

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR HOME GAME ROOM NEEDS New & Used Pinball Machines, Arcade Video Games & Foosball Large Showroom–Over 200 Machines on Display Sales, Rentals & Repairs

Downtown across from Minute Maid Park 1820 Franklin St., Suite B • www.joystixgames.com

713.224.2225 OUR SHOWROOM FULL OF WORKING GAMES IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS.

COMMERCIAL A/C, HEATING & REFRIGERATION

Don’t do it the hard way, do it the EASI way.

• Customized maintenance agreements

TACLA-681C

• Service when you need it 24/7

• All technicians registered by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

• Operators on duty 24/7

• All employees drug tested and background Checked

• Commercial Refrigeration and Process Cooling

• Members of the BBB and ACCA

24 HOUR SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODELS Cooling and Heating Houston Since 1982 • Bryan/College Station Since 1985

Chillers • Boilers • Rooftop Package Units • Split Systems • Cooling Towers

2007 Winner

®

Call the EASI Guys and Gals

713-680-EASI • www.environmentalair.com 10

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

HOLIDAY DECORATING • CHRISTMAS LIGHTS Tree & Yard Decorations Interior Decorating

PRIVATE PARTY SERVICE

AN ECLECTIC INVENTORY OF ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS Antique Beams Large Inventory of Antique Doors Antique Door Hardware Flooring Beaded Wood Quality Stained Glass Clawfoot Tubs, Sinks, Lighting, Ceiling Tin and more

Waiters, Bartenders, Valet & Caterers Students or Professionals Available RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL BONDED • INSURED FREE ESTIMATES REFERENCES AVAILABLE

Serving Houston since 1992

409 St. Francis, Gonzales, Texas 78629 • 830-672-2428

HOME & OFFICE

www.discoverys.net • swk@discoverys.net • Open Tues. - Sat., 9-5:30

HomeOfficeHouston.com • 713.440.7990

Beautiful Reflections Lighting Up Your Holiday With Style

Pre-Holiday Sale SAVE UP TO

50% OFF

The Lighting Galler y o f fers the lar gest, finest selection in Houston.

We also extend builder discounts and designer incentives to the trade • Interior & Exterior Fixtures • Mirrors, Pictures & Accessories

• Lampshades • Crystal Chandeliers

• Lamps • Ceiling Fans

L e t o n e o f o u r A L A l i g h t i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s h e l p y o u c r eate a look that compliments your decorative style.

6265 FM 1960 West Houston, Texas 77069 281-444-9299 Lighting Your Way® Since 1974

11

around town November 2009 libations are available, too. Winter Street Studios, 2101 Winter St. Tickets $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Information: 713.864.8099 or www.avenuecdc.org.

At Discovery Green park downtown, 1500 McKinney St., through Dec. 31 see Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cool Planet, an installation of 50 globes by local and international artists that depict everyday solutions for global warming. Information: www.discoverygreen.com or www.coolglobes.com

During the holiday season, ice skate at Discovery Green.

Downtown’s Main Street Square lit up for the holidays.

Discovery Green will be transformed into a winter wonderland with an outdoor ice skating rink on Kinder Lake. Information: www.houstondowntown.com

On Dec. 4, 6-10 p.m., stroll 19th Street in Houston’s historic downtown Heights, as the 19th Street Merchants present their annual Holiday on 19th celebration.

Enjoy food and refreshments, strolling carolers, live music and more! Visit shops and boutiques with cool fashions for men and women, original works of art, fun gifts, home and loft furnishings and a vast assortment of antiques. The shops are located on 19th Street between Shepherd and Yale, exit from I-10 or Loop 6-10.

exhibits

Antiques from Olivier Fleury Inc., Malvern Pennsylvania, at the Theta Antiques Show in Houston.

Galveston Bay, find everything from fine antiques shows European antiques to Native American The 57th Annual Theta Charity Antiques jewelry to American primitives.

Show Nov. 19-22 features more than 50 Information: www.antiquesbythepremiere dealers from around the world baykemah.com at Ages of Elegance at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall D. Since 1952, the Theta Charity Antiques Show has brought together world-renowned dealers who sell the finest antiques and decorative arts from the 17th through the 20th centuries. On Nov. 19, hear Forum Speaker Linda Scherbert, features editor at Veranda magazine. High tea on Nov. 19, 2-4 p.m. honors past Theta show chairs and alumnae presidents. On Nov. 20 at 10 a.m., Forum Speaker Lori Williams speaks on Christmas at Colonial Williamsburg. Tickets are $10 at the door, $9 in advance. Information: www.ThetaAntiquesShow.com At Antiques by the Bay, Nov. 5-8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Jimmie Walker Community Center, 800 Harris, Kemah, Tex., between Highway 146 and 12

home tours Galveston’s 11th Annual Historic Downtown Lofts Tour is Nov. 14 – 15.

The Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour is Dec. 4-5. For details, see Page 14.

lights and more lights Kickoff the holidays starting Thanksgiving weekend downtown with the H-E-B Holiday Parade Nov. 26 at 9 a.m.

Downtown’s Holiday Spectacular will last through New Years Eve. Main Street Square, downtown’s pedestrian plaza and retail core, will be illuminated with peppermint sticks, snowflakes and 25-foot holiday trees twinkling with jeweled red, green and white LED lights while

On Thanksgiving Evening, head over to the 24th Annual Uptown Holiday Lighting celebration on Post Oak Blvd. between San Felipe and Westheimer.

Festivities start at 4 p.m. This free event features holiday music from the Houston Concert Band and Salvation Army Harbor Light Choir, holiday characters and larger than life Santa’s reindeer. Join in Houston’s largest sing-a-long which welcomes Santa for a special appearance to illuminate more than a half million lights on 80 trees and kick-off a magnificent fireworks finale at 7 p.m.

In Galveston, the 8th Annual Moody Gardens Festival of Lights is Nov. 14Jan. 2. Santa Claus will kick off this event Nov. 14 by parachuting in to switch on a mile-long trail of more than 1 million lights. Tickets are $5.95. Information: 1.800.582.4673 or www.moodygardens.com Mark your calendar for the 36th Annual Dickens on the Strand, Dec. 5-6, Galveston’s holiday festival where bobbies, Beefeaters and the Queen herself will be on hand to recreate the Victorian London of Charles Dickens. For ticket information: 1.409.765.7834 or www.dickensonthestrand.org.

events Art on the Avenue Benefit Auction Party Nov. 14, 6-10 p.m. benefits the affordable housing programs of Avenue CDC. It’s a great way to find affordable art by more than 250 artists. Music, food and

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

The Laura U Collection, 1840 Westheimer, in conjunction with Gallery Trinity Tokyo presents Quiet Power , original works from Tokyo, through Nov. 28.

Partial proceeds of Quiet Power will benefit the Asia Society Texas Center Asia House Capital Campaign. Information: 713.522.0855 or www.laurau.com Arts of Ancient Vietnam: From River Plain to Open Sea at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 5601 Main St., presents archeological finds that reveal the rich history of Vietnam’s role as the commercial hub linking the river plains that flow through Vietnam, China, Laos and Cambodia with the open sea.

Information: 713.639.7300 or www.mfah.org

classes Fall classes at Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920 Road, Tomball: Holiday wreath creation, Nov. 14, 10 a.m., $125; Decorating with Nature, Nov. 19, 10 a.m., $40; Christmas Open House with food, fun, music and merriment, Dec. 5, 4-7 p.m. For more classes and information: 281.351.8851.

omission In our Oct. ’09 story on The Urban Market Houston which takes place Nov. 8, we inadvertently failed to credit the photographer of the market photos, Julie Landreth, who is much sought after for her portrait and family photography.

See her work at www.julielandreth.com; contact her at 713.392.5242.

an old craft reborn in a new age

New Construction & Turnkey Remodels Residential & Commercial entry doors • staircase & balcony railings • gas lanterns wine cellar gates

713-419-7650 13

home tours 2009 HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY HOME TOUR Seven extraordinary Houston Heights homes representing the architectural integrity and diversity of this eclectic neighborhood go on tour for Home for the Holidays, the 2009 Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour, Dec. 4-5. The homes will be decked in their finest for the holidays. Tour hours Dec. 4 are 6-9 p.m.; Dec. 5, 3-9 p.m.

Above: This loft honors the memory of Elvis; below, L to R: St. Germain loft, Mechanic St. Loft, a life/work studio.

Explore the neighborhood with its renowned antiques and vintage clothing shops, art galleries and restaurants. Mistletoe Madness will be in full swing on Saturday. Come early, browse, shop and enjoy local restaurants. The Heights Neighborhood Library at 1302 Heights will host an open house with refreshments and fun for the kids, including a visit with Santa.

Advance tickets are $17 and will be available online at www.houstonheights.org and at several Heights retailers. Tickets on tour days are $20 for all seven homes or $5 for each individual home and will be available at the Heights Fire Station at 107 W. 12th and Yale Streets, and at each of the homes. Shuttle buses will operate during the tour on both Friday and Saturday. Information: 713.861.4002, Ext. 7 or www.houstonheights.org.

HOMES ON TOUR : 1919 bungalow is what inspired Eddie and Elizabeth Sanchez to selffinance the pristine restoration of their Victorian and Craftsman style home. It is a work in progress.

Historic Houston supplied old handblown wavy glass to replace cracked windows.

GALVESTON’S 11TH ANNUAL HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOFTS TOUR, NOV. 14–15 Hurricane Ike couldn’t keep Historic Downtown Galveston down for long. Restored lofts in downtown Galveston are showing off their best faces and private spaces Nov. 14 and 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Tour ten of the most interesting and beautiful private loft homes in downtown Galveston.

Pick up new decorating tips while experiencing all the things that make Island loft living so special. The rich architecture of downtown, including the Strand National Historic Landmark District, is alive with history.

Each building and private loft expresses its owner’s distinctive style.

Visit a loft dedicated to the memory of Elvis; an elegant loft decorated with rich antiques; an efficiency bachelor pad, the loft home of one of Galveston’s best gumbo chefs and entrepreneurs; a live/work design studio and more.

In addition, this year the Downtown Lofts Tour will offer Featured Open Houses including The Thompson Lofts, The 2208 Postoffice Street Lofts, and The Nathan Building Lofts. Not yet owned or occupied, these properties showcase the craftsmanship of their renovation and present an opportunity to make downtown Galveston your home.

You can walk the entire tour, stopping to shop, eat or drink in one of many downtown shops and restaurants. Pre-event tickets are $12 and event day tickets are $15. For advance tickets and information: 409.763.7080 or www.galveston.com.

T HE O TTO H OUSE 835 R UTLAND

Now 111 years old, this Queen Anne style home was designed by William A. Otto and built in 1898. Mark and Linda Gonzales purchased the house in 1971 from the original owner.

The front of the house showcases original flooring, molding, hardware and light fixtures. The homeowners enjoy displaying various Christmas decorations they have collected throughout the years.

T HE S ANCHEZ B UNGALOW 832 A LLSTON

Preserving the original charm of this

F OR T R OBER T 713 WAVERLY

Tucked behind the wooden gates and brightly colored stucco wall of “Fort Robert” lies a serene, Spanishinspired enclave. Born of the owner’s own vision, the home designed by Joe Milton of Milton Architects was completed in 2002. The 2009 remodel was designed by Heights resident Michael Dreef, AIA. This hacienda has 26-foot ceilings with beams of reclaimed wood from Wisconsin, polished concrete and blue/green washed pine flooring.

The Perfect Balance Between

QUALITYand PRICE

T HE P UMPKIN H OUSE 1648 H ARVARD

The "Pumpkin House," a Queen Anne's Victorian rendition, is maintained in the Northern tradition of "painted ladies." The home was built in 1991 by Steve Waters with input from Steven Carruba of SC Designs. It showcases intricate trim and woodwork and seven distinct colors typical of the painted lady style.

T HE WATKINS H OME 816 A RLINGTON

This 1920s Craftsman style bungalow had considerable charm and potential despite some 1960s alterations. In 2007, Heightsbased Bungalow Revival began the renovation and restoration process. Gilbert Perez and Ivan Lopez created a design in keeping with the period. Many of the original doors and windows were maintained, and salvaged hardwoods were used to match the original flooring.

T HE L ONGSTRETH M ALONEY H OME – 537 C OR TLANDT

When the owners moved from New Orleans in early 2005, they did not expect to find a home reminiscent of their hometown.

Though less than 10 years old, this Victorian-styled home has the appearance of an old New Orleans dwelling. Featuring an impressive banister and stained glass windows salvaged from historic homes, the home offers an appropriate setting for owners’ possessions.

Flooring l Countertops l Indoor & Outdoor Kitchens Bathrooms l Room Expansions l Build On Your Lot Up to $1500 tax Refund on Energy Efficient Upgrades

713-454-4027 • 832-353-4895 Hablamos Español

We design and build

CUSTOM OUTDOOR KITCHENS,

T HE B OOTH H OME 1132 R UTLAND

Our stainless smokers and grills make GREAT GIFTS!

patio covers and fireplaces for a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment!

The Booth Home was originally built as a Craftsman bungalow in 1920. The current homeowners purchased the home in 2008 after it had been remodeled in 2007 by the prior owners who added a family room and second story master suite to the original footprint of the home. Period finishes were used in this thorough and careful remodel

Come Visit Our Showroom In Tomball

281-356-2168 • www.texaspitcrafters.com 15

15 HOUSTONIANS WHO MAKE OUR HOMES A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE n honor of Houston House & Home’s 15th anniversary this month, we salute 15 Houstonians who make our homes a better place to live. Since 1994, we’ve covered architects, designers, historic preservationists, contractors, painters, carpenters, stonemasons, upholsterers—people who work with their minds and hands, know exactly what they’re doing and excel in their profession or craft. Not only are they good at what they do, they’re “into” it. They love their work, and it shows in the level of service they provide and in the final product.

They’re exactly the kind of people you want to work on the most important investment you have—your home. Often their businesses are small, family-owned concerns. Many are unsung heroes.

Some have won national and international awards. Famous or not, they’re there for us, helping us make our homes and neighborhoods places we love to be. They realize that the concept of “home” isn’t just four walls, but our neighborhoods and public spaces in Houston where we live.

At House & Home, they make our jobs easier because they inspire us with their new ideas, energy and expertise. While we’ve chosen to honor these 15 Houstonians on our 15th anniversary, we know the list is much too short. We could easily have listed hundreds of folks, so stay with us for the next 15 years. For now, let’s applaud these 15 we’re fortunate to have living and working in Houston.

John Puffer, a.k.a.

“Big John” at Montalbano Lumber 1309 Houston Avenue

them the latest, most dazzling offerings from American and European designers.

I

This big, tall Montana native began his career as a museum preparator painting old stagecoaches at a Western museum in Montana. After 35 years as a geologist, he returned to his passion for paint and for the last nine years has managed the paint department at Montalbano’s on Houston Ave. Awkward do-it-yourselfers and master contractors alike get the same level of respect and attention from John, who favors Pratt & Lambert brand paints. He can mix and match colors like nobody’s business, has a cult following, and is the Rembrandt of house paint in Houston.

comes into our store, we want them to choose floors they love. And five years from now, we want them to still really love it.” With wife Valerie as his partner in the business, the company has grown to eight locations. No longer on the sales floor, Sam closely manages the company hands-on to make sure service and installation of his flooring are first rate. Former president of the National Flooring Alliance, a group of the top 36 flooring retailers in the U.S., he’s a national expert in his field. He’s maintained a wicked sense of humor through it all and plays a mean ‘60s rock guitar.

Anne Breux, architecte d’interieur Every time we see a gorgeous modern house in Houston that someone doesn’t quite know how to furnish, we think, “Where’s Anne Breux when you need her?” Her cool, cerebral interiors enhance modern architecture, rather than compromise it or apologize for it. This Paris native turned Houstonian is the ultimate modernist, crossing the Atlantic at the drop of a beret to visit the latest Paris ateliers and Milan salons and bring fresh ideas back from astonishing designers like Zaha Hadid, the Bouroullec brothers or Piero Lissoni.

Her clients range from rap stars to industry titans to ordinary Joes and Janes who love her cool, clean aesthetic. With her infectious joie de vivre, Anne leads them like a pied piper toward her optimistic vision for the future. Yesterday’s gone, Anne is now, and she’s always thinking about tomorrow.

Don’t let that intimidate you. His shop is warm and welcoming, his manners are impeccable, and if you’re lucky enough to find him in the shop and ask him about a particular piece of furniture, you’re in for a treat. His passion for the romance, history and mystery of antiques will keep you spellbound. And suddenly you’ll understand why those Cabriole legs on that mid-18th-century French chair are more lyrical and preferable to those of the early 18th century.

When you buy from Carl Moore Antiques, you are buying a fine piece of furniture more thoroughly researched than you can possibly imagine, thanks to Geoffrey’s intellectual rigor and love for antiques and their history.

15

Sam Roberts Roberts Carpet & Fine Floors 8 locations

When Sam started a small one-man storefront carpet business on Fondren in Houston in 1984, he discovered he had a knack for selling. As business grew and he added staff, he always had the highest sales figures, and no wonder. His high-energy enthusiasm coupled with in-depth knowledge of his product meant you couldn’t not buy a carpet from him. What keeps him fired up? “The creative process,” he says. “Flooring makes an enormous difference in the way your house looks and feels. When someone 16

Pam Kuhl-Linscomb Kuhl-Linscomb 2424 W. Alabama

Since 1984 Pam has worked as an interior designer in Houston, winning countless awards and accolades.

In 2001, she started a retail shop, then merged her Dec Center design showroom with the shop in 2003.

The resulting store on W. Alabama, with 70,000 square feet of retail space cozily nestled amid four 1930s duplexes is a tour de force of American retailing. She carries both modern and traditional furnishings for the home, and while every piece is carefully curated, nothing feels precious.

Pam’s warm Texas personality pervades the store. Snobbery is not condoned, and you can always find cool stuff there for under $10. This is where design-savvy Houstonians bring out-of-town guests to show

Geoffrey Westergaard, Carl Moore Antiques 1610 Bissonnet

With a background in art history and years of travel to Europe and Asia in search of rare finds, Geoffrey Westergaard of Carl Moore Antiques is one of the most knowledgeable sources in America about antiques.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Carrie Glassman Shoemake, architect A native of Houston, Carrie captures sense of place in the homes she designs for Houstonians. She “gets” Houston—its humidity, its lush greenness, the subtle change of seasons and the quality of light here. The houses she designs with architectpartner Ernest Maldonado are nothing if not local, and they are beautiful and touching in their acknowledgment of our terroir. Windows embrace exterior views and bring in natural light. Views of landscape are essential, and oak trees are celebrated.

She even thinks about winter and summer solstice in Houston and how sunlight strikes houses during the

solstice. She orients dwellings to accept the sun’s light so those who live there get a sense not only of the day, but also the year. “You get the sense you are part of a solar system, of something bigger than you are,” she says. She’s a LEED-accredited professional and a green-building advocate, too.

Ivan Martinez, ICM Marble & Granite “Perfectionist” is the first word people usually utter when asked to describe Ivan. A master of stone countertops and table tops, he is a stickler for measuring counters accurately so the granite and marble he fabricates fits perfectly. Architects and builders admire the way he works the stones’ natural color and patterns, gets the grain flowing in the right direction and minimizes and use of seams. For more than 26 years, Ivan and his wife, Dollie, have operated ICM Marble & Granite. Thanks to the Houston Ship Channel, our city has become one of our country’s largest importers of granite and marble, and Ivan and Dollie stay aware of the stone slabs coming into port, what’s available and where to direct their customers to find the best stones for their countertops.

The Stratton Family C & D Hardware 314 E. 11th St. C&D Hardware was founded in 1951 in the Houston Heights. Jim and Kathy Stratton bought it in 1999, and their friendly customer service and gift department are what lure people from The Woodlands, Galveston, Cypress and Sugar Land to their charming store in the Heights. Tired of wandering around an impersonal giant box store for hours trying to find the right sized lag bolt? Walk into C&D Hardware, show them what you need, and you can be out in a jiffy.

“A convenience store for hardware is what we really are,” says Jim. That, and a shop with great gifts and Christmas lights of every shape and color imaginable. Lights in the Heights couldn’t happen without C&D’s enormous inventory of holiday lights and decorations and electrical cords and connections to make it all work together.

Wayne Clark Clark’s Hardwood Lumber 700 E. 5 1/2 St.

The Lam Family Hien Lam Upholstery 819 W. Drew St.

Lynn Edmundson, founding director, Historic Houston

Since 1946, Clark’s has supplied lumber to homebuilders, remodelers and diy-ers in Houston. Wayne’s father bought the business in 1968, and he runs it now. Their specialty is custom milling, interior molding and exterior siding. They can match your existing molding or siding, or create it new.

They make knives to cut the molding, and save the knives, so you may be able to get your wood milled without having a knife made to cut it. Clark’s also carries more than 100 varieties of hardwoods and exotic woods and is known for its inventory of stair parts and ballisters as well.

Husband and wife Hien and Hong Lam dramatically escaped war-torn Vietnam in the late 1970s. They made their way to Houston in 1983 and opened their upholstery business in 1990. Hien, a carpenter, and Hong, a tailor, complement each other’s talents well, and they’ve managed to build a business where everyone who works there is a member of the extended Lam clan.

No one is better at matching fabric pattern to a chair or sofa than Hong. She has a great eye and her stitches hold strong. In addition to upholstery, the company does slipcovers, drapery and bedding. Their high quality work has made their business grow and grow. They now have a 32,000 square foot workshop in the Montrose.

When developers or builders win, and a historic structure is slated for the wrecking ball, Lynn Edmundson and her organization, Historic Houston, are often there to save pieces of the house before it goes down—a newel post here, a mantel there, ornate doorknobs everywhere and maybe even a houseful of oldgrowth pine flooring that can be recycled. Since 2003, Historic Houston has managed the Historic Houston Salvage Warehouse which sells salvaged building materials at low prices. Lynn’s salvage operations are great for the environment, too.

When historic houses can’t be saved, she moves them to other sites and converts them to affordable housing.

Clearly, she’d rather old houses stay intact. We’ve seen her testify at public hearings to save old buildings— she’s tall, elegant, fierce, formidable.

Nancy O’Connor Adkins Architectural Antiques 3515 Fannin Housed in a vintage Midtown mansion, Adkins Architectural Antiques is not only a distinctive store, it’s a fun getaway. Wander the grounds and rooms for hours to see all the unusual artifacts and curiosities Nancy O’Connor and her business partner Herve de Salve have amassed. Need a cupola, corbel or pediment? This is your place, and the prices are great.

Relax in the knowledge you’re recycling salvaged architectural treasures and helping the environment, as well.

We never fail to find something we can’t live without here. This Old House magazine selected Adkins as one of the top architectural salvage dealers in the country.

Steve Ista, Ista Construction Known as the This Old House man of Houston, Ista is an expert at remodeling old houses in Houston, especially in the Houston Heights. He won’t let homeowners make changes to their houses that are not in keeping with the spirit of the house or the neighborhood. He’s a true connoisseur of old houses and practically channels William W. Wilson, he’s redone so many of the houses Wilson built here at the turn of the century. When you call to ask one of his clients if they like him and his work, they always say no, they don’t just like him, they love him and his work.

David Bush programs and information director for Greater Houston Preservation Alliance Historic preservation is a thankless job in Houston, which has one of the weakest historic preservation ordinances in the country.

Nevertheless, David Bush perseveres, writing and speaking in behalf of the legions of Houstonians who treasure the city’s historic homes and buildings for their economic value as well as for their emotional pull.

When trying to prevent demolition and testifying at public hearings, David is polite yet forceful, always well-spoken and armed with the facts. If you love historic homes and neighborhoods, he’s your worthy advocate. He and GHPA win some battles and lose some (they’d win a lot more with stronger preservation laws), but he never gives up. A native of New Orleans, where the economic value of historic preservation has been proven time and again, David worked nine years for the Galveston Historical Foundation before joining GHPA in 2003.

Kevin Shanley SWA Group Instead of thinking of bayous as drainage ditches, why not make them beautiful natural waterways surrounded by parks? Harvard-educated landscape architect Kevin Shanley, president of SWA Group in Houston has been thinking and planning how to improve Houston’s bayous for more than 20 years.

Paving our bayous with cement is not the best solution for flood control, but how else to control floodwaters? Kevin’s flood control proposal for Sims Bayou, now being implemented by The Sims Bayou Federal Flood Project, is one good model to follow. It allows Sims Bayou to meander widely so more stormwater can be collected and have more opportunity to permeate the ground. And parks can be built around the stream. Kevin has participated in numerous other bayou improvement plans and projects and is president of the Bayou Preservation Association. He’s got the vision to make Houston’s waterways and green spaces a true civic treasure.

17

• SYNTHETIC LAWNS BY FOREVERLAWN •

Think Green...Think Forever...Think ForeverLawn Yes! For 15 to 20 Years. Lots of Warranty.

With the sudden water shortage, ForeverLawn is a great alternative to natural grass.

K9Grass

is the artificial grass designed specifically for dogs. Its unique features help promote a cleaner, safer, better-smelling environment for pets. With its exclusive flow-through backing, short dense blade structure, and antimicrobial protection, K9Grass is the ideal surface for both residential and commercial pet areas.

Hardwood/Tile/Granite/Stone/Concrete Flooring & Countertop Services • Foundation Repair WE POLISH AND RESTORE ANY FLOOR DUST-FREE TECHNOLOGY ON WOOD FLOORS

Let us fashion you're floors

Dust Free Hardwood Repair

COMPLETE FLOORING SPECIALISTS 713.539.6910 1207 Seco Mines Lane • Richmond

Playground Grass is lush, beautiful green grass that is safe for kids to play on, soft to fall on, and cost effective.

Low maintenance. Also works great for regular lawn areas.

info@ar tisticfloorshouston.com 18

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

713.398.1081 • 832.326.2314 www.foreverlawninc.com

Leather shoppes Since 1988 •

•

•

leather furniture • custom home theater

R EBORN G RANITE W H O L E S A L E & R E TA I L

Don’t Compromise ....... Customize!

At LeatherShoppes, being the oldest and most experienced leather speciality store in the Houston area, you will find more selection, more styles and 100’s of colors from some of the best brands like Bradington-Young, Flexsteel, Palliser, Berkline HomeTheater and more, all at discount prices.

All Wood Cabinets In Stock 96” x 26” Granite

59 ea. & Up

$

00

Installed

18 sq. ft.

$

99

Cabinets

5000ea. & Up

$

832.467.2000 • www.leathershoppes.com Monday-Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm

4321 West Sam Houston Tollway N. • Suite 180 (Clay exit either way)

713-690-4888 14730 Hempstead Road

I

Houston, TX 77040 19

handbook

No Place Like Home for the Holidays Houston’s Most Imaginative Designers Share Their Tips for Holiday Decoration and Entertaining By HOLLY BERETTO ABOVE: Recycle, reuse, rejoice! The David Starck Holiday collection at West Elm features witty objects made from humble materials like recycled cardboard and paper. Natural Weave Star Garland, $14.

Natural-Weave Trees, $24 - $99.

As you’re reading this, the holidays are right around the corner, bringing with them time spent with family, the crush of last-minute shopping and seemingly endless to-do lists. If you’re entertaining this season, you might just feel overwhelmed.

Fear not. Some of Houston’s most creative interior and exterior designers have advice for you in making your home a showplace this holiday season. Their first tip? Relax.

“I’m not a labor-intensive kind of guy,” says Blake Woods, one of the partners behind Modern Worth and Manchee Woods Design. “We advise our clients to start with a base and build on it.”

To that end Manchee Woods recently launched their line of fine table linens. The collection offers a set of core colors, and Woods says they’ve added in some seasonal hues, such as silvers, blues, greens and golds, for the holidays. The napkins, tables, runners and place mats are able to be custom embroidered to reflect your own personal style.

“It might be a monogram, or maybe you have a bumble bee in a family crest,” says Woods. “We can digitize that, then embroider it on your linens for you. This is a collection that lets you build on itself, so when you’re entertaining this season, you can grab a great piece of linen from a drawer and not worry over whether it will work with your décor.”

Red curl wreath from Pottery Barn, $39.

20

house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Carol Gibbins Antiques and Decoratives

You buy the Kitchen Granite...

95 And We’ll Throw In The Sink!

GRANITE Starting From

29

$

*See sales representative for details

Swedish Clock Cupboard • 43w x 10 1/2d x 86h c.1840

1817 Woodhead • Houston, TX 77019 713.524.9011 • www.carolgibbinsantiques.com

21

handbook |

H O L I D AY E N T E R TA I N I N G CHANGE THE DETAILS

Pat Clark, floral designer with Eklektik Interiors says having something to build on that will carry you from Thanksgiving to right before Valentine’s day will save you time and stress. She says she’s seeing a lot of natural grapevines used in arches outside Houston homes, as well as wreaths, either on doors or inside.

“And these will really carry you through the season, just by changing out ribbons, flowers, fruits or ornaments,” Clark recommends. “It’ll really help you transition from one holiday into the next.

HOLIDAY STYLE THAT SUITS YOUR HOME

From West Elm: the David Stark Silver Pick adds touch of natural arts-and-crafts whimsy for tree, table or mantelpiece, $16. David Stark Silver Bullion Ball, 6-inch diameter, $22. West Elm.

Jeweled quilted velvet stockings from Pottery Barn, $29 each.

22

house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Rebekah Johnson, owner of Bergner and Johnson, a floral design and event company in the Heights, agrees that you can transition from holiday to holiday in a few simple steps. But she also says her best tip to clients is to pay attention to style – not just your own, but the style of your home.

“If you have a traditional brick home, you want to stay in that style, using traditional colors and ornamentation. Likewise, if your house is decorated in soft pastels, bright greens and reds will be jarring.”

Johnson says that using local elements add a special touch to holiday décor.

“I like to use fresh flowers in a garland over a mantel piece or on a staircase. Or, using huge local pine cones and juniper, which we see a lot of in Texas, to give a wintry feel to the decoration.”

In addition to local elements and transitioning from one holiday design to another, Always in Season’s E.J. Farhood says he’s noticing that many decorators are incorporating props and figurines into holiday home styling.

“I’m not talking about plastic snowmen on your front lawn,” he says. “But I’m seeing trends towards large-scale wooden soldiers, a deer, maybe even a nutcracker by your door or the fireplace. Designs like this showcase an extremely traditional holiday look in a new way.”

Clark says she sees a lot of traditional holiday decorating in her Northwest Houston business base.

“There are lots of rich reds and true hunter greens in holiday style here,” she says. “And we encourage our clients to incorporate champagne and silver and bronze into that. Metallic colors are still in and those work really well with traditional style.”

Johnson agrees that a traditional look is always a holiday favorite, but she’s seeing a trend toward what she calls a garden style.

“It’s a little looser, a little less structured,” she explains. “It’s that happy medium between English and a French garden look. Not all wild, but just natural and easy.”

She says if you want to adopt this for yourself, select pine cones and juniper, as well as Noble fir and Frasier.

“The important thing is to remember what the holidays mean,” says Woods. “So many people get stressed because they’re busy and they feel there has to be all this effort. But this time of year is about being with friends and family and just enjoying that time.”

CUSTOM RUG SOURCE “More Than Just A Carpet Store”

VISIT OUR NEW

expanded showroom

at Island Furniture & Interiors

Come visit our showroom/workroom

713.973.7100 1717 Blalock • Houston TX 77080

www.customrugsource.com

“Bringing the Tropics Home” islandfurniture.net

281.532.3075 4104 Nasa Pkwy, El Lago • Mon-Sat 10-6 23

handbook |

H O L I D AY E N T E R TA I N I N G

Monogrammed napkin by Manchee Woods for a silver-themed holiday table.

Rebekah Johnson, floral and event designer, likes fresh flowers in a garland over a mantel. Photo by Larry Fagala

Home designed by Eklektik Interiors

No tinsel in this staircase garland by Johnson.

Just berries, blooms, greenery and a bauble or two. Photo by Larry Fagala

Monogrammed washable cotton and linen napkins made to order by local firm Manchee Woods Design lets you mix and match napkins and table cloth accessories in seasonal colors. Great for home entertaining, they also make great host or hostess gifts.

When you think about the holidays... think Eklektik Interiors Full Service Design Studio 10,000 sq. ft. Showroom Furniture Accessories Gift Items ________ HOLIDAY DECOR

Christmas Open House November 5, 6 & 7

Eklektik Interiors has been named among the top 50 Best and Brightest Retail Stars Nationally for 2009.

16720 Champion Forest Drive, Spring, TX 77379 • 281.379.2755 • www.eklektikinteriors.com 24

house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Houston’s Largest Selection of FRAMED MIRRORS, plus Ready-Made Frames • Custom Framing • Quality Oil Paintings • Hand Carved Frames Family Owned and Operated for Over 27 Years

3815 Fondren Rd.

(Between Richmond & Westpark) Open To The Public & Trade • Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5

R

U

B

I

N ’S

Custom Rugs and Fine Carpet

713-974-6000 www.warehouseframes.com

River Oaks Quality at National Street Prices

Cabinets in Stock

Cabinet Sales, Inc. 1200 National Street Near Downtown Se Habla Español

Custom Rug Work Room Wall-to-Wall Carpet

•

T-F; 8:30-4:00 Sat.; 8:30-12:00

Binding Service

3130 Rogerdale Rd., Suite 150 • www.rubinscustomrugs.com

7 1 3 .7 8 4 .1 1 8 0

713-869-3457 We build solid Custom stainless steel Smoker Pits, Charcoal Grills, Gas Grills and other accessories for the built-in Outdoor Kitchen Application. We can tailor any of our products to accommodate your particular cooking style and needs.

Come Visit Our Showroom in Houston 10016 Eastex Frwy, Houston, TX 77093 (281) 987-3474 • www.pittsandspitts.com 25

handbook |

H O L I D AY E N T E R TA I N I N G

resources BERGNER AND JOHNSON DESIGN 519 Pecore 713.662.3769

EKLEKTIK INTERIORS 16720 Champion forest 281.379.2755

MANCHEE WOODS DESIGN 5113 Bellaire 713.666.5113

POTTERY BARN Multiple locations www.potter ybarn.com

WEST ELM Multiple locations www.westelm.com

Live poinsettias, dried cedar and artificial pepperberries drape this

Many connoisseurs of fine spirits believe the shape of the glass enhances the flavor and

stairway decorated by Eklektik Home.

aroma. This single-malt whiskey glass by Riedel Glass is available through Spec’s Liquor Stores. Glasses for specific spirits make great gifts for connoisseurs of the “slow pour.”

Sun • Fun

Screen-enclosed patios, porches & pools are well-ventilated areas that resist pests and are easier to maintain.

ART GLASS BY WELLS

Enclosures

Since 1962

KEEP THE MOSQUITOES

CUSTOM:

OUT!

• Etchings • Transoms

Since 1982

• Sidelights

Sun • Fun

Enclosures www.sun-fun.com

• Custom Glass

281-499-8823

• Beveled Doors

ARE YOUR WINDOWS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ENERGY WASTER IN YOUR HOME?

• Stained Glass

Mayeco

• Stained Glass Domes

Magnetic Interior Insulating Windows Here’s What the Magnetic® Window System Does For YOUR Home...

• Deadens Outside Noise • Greatly Reduces Heat Through Windows • Lowers Energy Costs • Stops/Prevents Ultraviolet Fading of Drapes/Furnishings • Quick Payback on Investment

1-800-627-8061 26

On Site Repairs

12307 Chimney Rock • Houston, TX 77035 • (713)729-3699 www.artglassbywells.com

house& home | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

1500 TAX REFUND for 2009! $

Up to

European Elegance Paving Design 713-850-6375 832-607-2266 www.pavedesign.com

SLABS • TILES • COUNTERTOPS • MEDALLIONS • FOUNTAINS • TRAVERTINE SINKS • PORCELAIN SINKS • STAINLESS STEEL SINKS

The Largest Selection of Granite Slabs in Houston Granite • Marble • Travertine • Slate

New Arrival: COPPER Sinks

Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5 Sat 9-2

Granite, Marble & etc.

6401 Long Point • Building 600 713-812-8600 • www.GraniteMarbleEtc.com

Home Furnishings

Accessories

Fabrics

Trims

Kitchens • Baths Entertainment Centers Home Offices Closets Quick delivery options available

Before

PROFESSIONAL REUPHOLSTERY

After 11330 Northwest Freeway Houston, TX 77092 (290 West b/t 34th & Antoine) 713.957.0003 Phone 713.957.1450 fax M-F 10-7 • Sat 10-6

w w w. m a x i m u m f u r n i t u r e . c o m

NEW LOCATION

Nov. 2 4200 Westheimer No. 102 Houston, TX 77027 713.627.8970 ph • Since 1972 cabinetsanddesigns.net

27

SHOWER YOURSELF IN Keep it Looking as Gorgeous as the Day You Bought It!

LUXURY I All Dove Tail

Ask About Showerguard

Construction

Protected Glass.

I Great for

Pantries, Cabinets or Bathrooms I Patented All

Steel Mounting with 100 lb.

Capacity I Custom Build

Art & Frame Gallery

to Fit Cabinets I Center Post

281-763-2500

Removal Service

www.showerdoorshouston.com

FREE In Home Estimates

7770 Louetta

Lifetime Warranty

Visit our showroom Happily serving our customers for over 25 years

Heavy, frameless shower enclosures.

(281) 313-3434

www.pulloutshelf.com

WROUGHT IRON FURNITURE

Excellence in Iron

866-869-8940 Toll Free www.GreatFence.com

PAVING With

Elegance

281-446-4244 • 2803 FM 1960 E • www.ironplus.com 3 miles East of Hwy 59

Do you use protection?

Pavers Retaining Walls Concrete Works Driveways Walkways Arbors

Protect your HDTV from fingerprints, dust, wind, moisture and theft.

Professional manufacturer of covers for flat panel televisions of all sizes for indoor or outdoor use. We also provide television alarms and high definition connection accessories.

10% Discount on Purchases over $50.00 •

Free Quotes • 713-829-3140 Escobar Company 28

www.escobarcompany.com

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Check us out online @

Promo Code hst0001

www.mosscovers.com

877-443-2683

713-686-6176 Fax 713-686-3217

4910 W 34th St.

Specializing In Hardwood Lumber, Plywood and Moulding.

PERSONAL SERVICE PROMPT DELIVERY

Antique Pine, Aromatic Cedar, Ash, B. E. Maple, Basswood, Birch, Bloodwood, Bocote, Bubinga, Cherry, Cocobola, Curly Maple, Cypress, Lacewood, Mahogany, Maple, Mesquite, Mexican Rosewood, Oak, Padouk, Pecan, Purpleheart, Poplar, Spanish Cedar, Sycamore, Teak, Walnut, Wenge, Zebrawood and More

USTOM C N TO

HAT

HARDWOOD FLOORI

Custom Hardwood Floors Installation & Refinishing

NG, I NC.

713.541.4048 • 713.541.1909 fax 6141 Corporate Drive • Houston, Tx 77036

Quality Domestic & Imported Plywood (Interior & Marine) Edgebanding & Veneer Sheets • Butcher Block Tops Flooring • Moulding • MDF & Melamine

WINE CELLARS

On-Site Custom Moulding & Planing Open 7:30-5:00 M-F; 8:30-12:00 Sat. www.houstonhardwoods.com

DESIGN BUILD INC. CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING

10 Year Anniversary Sale • Nov. 9th thru 14th

281.802.2488 CUSTOMIZING SPECIALISTS DESIGN MASTER CARPENTER FOR 35 YEARS SERVICES AND CABINET MAKERS Texas Licensed Contractor

CUSTOM BUILT

• In Your Home • In Your Business

www.suncraftdesign.com

IN THE GARDEN Home of Unique Garden Décor

Vintage Furniture • Fountains • Statuary • Ornamental Iron • Benches 1405 Cedar Post Ln., Houston TX 77055 713-932-7652 Open Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 9-1 www.inthegardenhouston.com $ LOW PRICES $ • FAST PROFESSIONAL SERVICE • FREE ESTIMATES

Custom Security Fence & Iron Works, LLC

AUTOMATIC GATE OPERATOR • Key Pads • Intercoms

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

“Serving Houston and it’s surrounding area for over 20 years” 281.219.1400 • 281.219.1411 fax email: info@customsecurityfence.com

www.customsecurityfence.com

• Iron, Wood & Chain LinkFencing • Stairs • Handrails • Enclosures • Security Windows & Doors

ECO CONSTRUCTION Kitchen & Bath Specialist

PATIO COVERS Aluminum & Composition

FINANCING AVAILABLE FREE ESTIMATES Hablamos

ROOM ADDITION A To Z REMODELING Español

Call George @ 281-685-8657 • www.ecoandyou.com 29

ABOVE: The original brick and brick and wood screen separates the living room from the entry.

Fabric for the slipper chairs is from High Fashion Home. On the coffee table is the book on Hurricane Ike, HIWI: Ike, co-authored by homeowner Dave Thompson.

OPPOSITE: Entry door, unchanged from 1955, except for a new coat of paint, Sherwin-Williams’ “Tanager.”

RENEWING OLD BRAESWOOD

By LINDA BARTH Photography by MIRO DVORSCAK

BELOW: The Thompson’s mid-century ranch-style home in Old Braeswood sits on property that was once horse acreage surrounding the estate of Glenn McCarthy, Houston oilman who built the Shamrock Hotel.

A HOUSTON COUPLE DISCOVERS A CLASSIC MID-CENTURY RANCH-STYLE HOME VIRTUALLY UNTOUCHED SINCE 1955, THEN PONDERS HOW TO UPDATE IT YET KEEP ITS CHARACTER 30

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

“No one here ever dies or divorces,” jokes Dave Thompson about the Old Braeswood neighborhood where he and his wife Zoe were desperately seeking to buy a house last year.

They’d been living in a house in Montrose they had restored (House & Home, July 06), but with the addition of a third child, daughter Phoebe, to their family, they needed more room. And they wanted to live in Old Braeswood so their children could attend Roberts Elementary School nearby.

The problem was they couldn’t find any houses for sale in Old Braeswood, a subdivision begun in the 1920s as the South End’s answer to River Oaks. Its most notable resident was famed oilman Glenn McCarthy who in the 1920s built a mansion there on 18 acres with acreage for his horses. He built the Shamrock Hotel nearby in 1946; as his debts mounted in the 1950s, he sold off bits of his horse pasture and developed houses on the property. As a result, Old Braeswood has a fine collection of 1950s ranch-style houses, along with a few international-style moderns .

The Thompsons appreciate homes of that era, and a friend of theirs who lives in Old Braeswood suggested Dave take the initiative and start knocking on doors in the neighborhood to ask home-

»

New terrazzo tiles, Agglomerates Blanco Stone by Lenova, transformed the den. Dave insisted on keeping the original mono speakers for the sound system. The sofa, original to the house, was reupholstered by J. Rodriguez Upholstery.

owners if they’d be interested in selling their homes.

“Every Saturday morning, I dressed in my most conservative clothes—khaki shorts, button-down-collar shirt—and I took the minivan,” Dave recalls. “I did 12 or 13 homes.

Everybody was really sweet, which also confirmed we really liked this neighborhood.”

Someone in the neighborhood hinted a 1955 ranch-style house might be coming up for sale. An older physician, a widower, lived there, and his three adult children living in Austin wanted him to move to a smaller apartment. One son would be home visiting his father that weekend, the informant said.

The next Saturday, Dave knocked on their door and said to the son when he opened the door, “Hi, you might find this odd, but my family has sold our house, we want to send our kids to Roberts, and would you be interested in selling your house?”

The 36-year-old son, as Dave remembers it, walked out onto the porch, practically breathless in disbelief. “I cannot believe you are here on my porch saying this,” the son said. “We want my father to move to a smaller place, and I was just sitting here wondering what on earth

we were going to do with this house.”

Dave didn’t have his business card but gave the son Zoe’s business card. Zoe and the son’s wife talked by phone. They discovered that the family who had lived in the house over the past 30 years had children in the same gender and birth order as the Thompson’s three children: Gus, 7; Henry, 6; and Phoebe, 3. They set a date for viewing the house six weeks later.

LIKE COMING HOME Dave had told the homeowners before the viewing they shouldn’t feel the need to primp or decorate the house.

“All I care about is the structure,” he told them.

“The fact that you didn’t do anything to it? That’s good.”

The day of the visit, Dave and Zoe brought along their realtor and architect Joe Meppelink, a friend who would be doing the renovation.

The daughter who had grown up in the house invited them inside for the tour. “We went into the foyer,” says Zoe, “took a left into the bedroom wing, and the second I walked into that part of the house I got chills all over. I knew that was

»

The glory of the dining room is its original 1955 light fixture. All light fixtures in the house are original and were restored and brought up to UL Code by A & O Lamp.

The new terrazzo tile floor is smooth and perfect for dancing, Zoe and Dave have discovered. Their flagstone patio awaits guests for their Mad Men party.

my house. I could just tell that a happy family had been raised there. I thought our children would be happy there. It was like falling in love. I just knew this was my house. Everything else was kind of lagniappe at that point.”

Dave recalls turning a corner and seeing the family room with a large bar and soda fountain at one end. “I cried when I saw that bar,” says Dave, perhaps with a bit of hyperbole. “It was Sinatra and Martin in Tahoe, 1955.”

The masculine wood-paneled den, with ledgestone fireplace and built-in TV, opened onto a flagstone patio and large backyard, perfect for daddy-o on the patio grill parties.

Built in 1955 on the horse pasture land developed by Glenn McCarthy, the house has a dash of Hollywood glamour that McCarthy loved to cultivate. With premium light fixtures, a built-in intercom system, built-in TV, a wet bar, custom kitchen cabinets, five color-coordinated bathrooms and a master bath with 10 shower heads, this was no ‘50s tract house.

“It was fancy,” says Dave.

34

“It was a fossil from 1955,” says Meppelink. “They carpeted it once, and that’s it.”

The house had all its original linoleum, wall-to-wall bedroom carpets, custom drapes, light fixtures, windows, kitchen appliances, everything. A mixture of upscale 50s and early 60s styles that recall I Love Lucy, Leave It to Beaver, Ocean’s 11 and Mad Men, the house was not high modern, but definitely incorporated modern details and layout into its structure.

Dave and Zoe made an offer on the house after a quick walkthrough by their contractor, John Galvin of Kerry Galvin Homes, and the family accepted their first offer.

WHAT TO DO? Joe Meppelink of Framework Design Studio says his firm had three design goals in renovating the Thompson’s new house: “Retain the things that were great, edit the things that were not great and replace them with things that weren’t a kitschy imitation. All parties were part of this editing. It’s about finding the voice of this house.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Architect, builder and homeowners gather for a mini-reunion. “It’s a really fun house,” says designer Sarah Hannah. “Ending the project I was sorry to be done with it.” Left to right: Zoe Thompson, builder John Galvin, Phoebe Thompson, Sarah Hannah, Dave Thompson, Joe Meppelink. In foreground: Gus, left, and Henry Thompson. The built-in 1955 TV, non-operable, is original to the house. New metal valances behind the bar are lasered in a Champagne bubble pattern.

“Anytime we do a renovation, it’s peering back at history,” Meppelink says. “I think the original owners of this house might have been conflicted. It has an asynchronous style—modern lighting and layout—but then some more historic stylism. Some of the trim, the valances on the bar and speakers, the cabinet pulls in her closet were less modern and more decorative.” Meppelink posits that one spouse may have been a modernist while the other may have leaned more toward decorative interior details.

Meppelink’s wife, architect Marisa Janusz did all the planning and drawings for the renovation; Framework’s Sarah Hannah handled interior finishes, working closely with Zoe on paint colors and fabrics.

“We made very few moves architecturally,” says Meppelink. In an area off the den, a wall between a home office and children’s playroom was removed to provide more space for a breakfast room and play space. The master bedroom needed more natural light, so a sliding glass door to the patio was added on one wall.

The kitchen needed to be opened up. “It had no natural light,”

says Hannah. One small window opened into the carport. The opening between the kitchen and dining room was widened, as was the opening to the breakfast room on the other end of the kitchen.

All sliding glass doors to the patio were replaced with Fleetwood glass doors. “They move like butter,” says Meppelink, The linoleum in the den had to go, he says. “We felt like this floor really wanted to be terrazzo,” he says. Framework found a beautiful terrazzo tile in 2- by 2-foot squares, Agglomerates Blanco Stone by Lenova, that cost half of what regular terrazzo would cost. Meppelink wanted to set the tile on the den’s subfloor, but Galvin insisted the subfloor wasn’t strong enough, and he ripped up the subfloor and set the tiles on the original slab.

Framework recommended a high-tech sound system for the den, but Dave wanted to keep the ancient monoaural speaker mounted on the den’s wall. He and Meppelink argued back and forth, but Dave won, and now he plays his Miles Davis and Stan Getz standards on his I-pod, which feeds into the 1955 mono speaker on the wall.

» 35

The kitchen previously opened to the dining room through a door. Framework Design recommended the opening be widened to join the kitchen to the dining room better. Cabinets are original to the kitchen, but were repainted Sherwin-Williams “Passive.” At right, the vent hood and stainless countertop surrounding the cooktop are original to the kitchen. At left, the rectangular steel panel beyond the sink hides paper towels; it’s part of the original kitchen’s fixtures.

“It’s not even stereo,” Meppelink says, “but Dave was right, so right.

It has a mellifluous sound.”

Debate over whether to remove the kitchen cabinets ended when Galvin insisted that the cabinets remain. The kitchen appliances were replaced, except for the vent hood. The stainless steel countertops around the cooktop were left in place, though new countertops were added elsewhere.

Much of the work involved scrubbing and cleaning surfaces.

Dave and Meppelink marvel at Galvin’s cleaning specialist who scrubbed all the aluminum trim on the house’s existing windows, the wood paneled walls in the den, and the bathroom floors and tiles. The surfaces look like new.

But most of all, Dave and Meppelink marvel at the work of contractor John Galvin. The entire remodeling job, a large project which involved totally rewiring the house, redoing the floors and repainting surfaces took only 10 weeks. “That’s unheard of,” Meppelink says. “I cannot stress that enough. This project could’ve taken eight months to a year to finish.”

Says Dave, “One day I came home from work at lunch, and we had 37 people working in the house.”

“Intense” is the word the two use to describe Galvin’s work style. “If you like strong coffee, he’s espresso,” says Dave, in admiration.

At the end of the project, Dave recalls sitting with Galvin on the hearth in the den, looking at what they had done. “Galvin said, ‘How could we have worked so hard, and it doesn’t look like we did anything?’”

36

Exactly, says Meppelink. “Good design shouldn’t draw attention to itself.”

SETTLING IN The layout of the house has changed the way the Thompsons live together as a family in several ways. In their Montrose house, they didn’t sit down to dinner every night. In Old Braeswood, they do.

Opening the wall between the kitchen and the dining room has made it easy and inviting to serve dinner in the dining room. “We eat together there every single night,” Zoe says. “We talk about our day. Dinner has become more of a treasured ritual.”

The only TV in the main house is the non-working vintage 1955 TV hidden behind cabinetry in the den. They definitely wanted to keep that TV for its historic charm. The only operable TV is in the guest suite by the carport. “The importance of the TV has diminished even more,” Zoe says. “I think that’s a positive thing for us.”

The children can play freely in the large fenced backyard, and they have many friends to play with. “Within 100 feet of our house there are six other boys under the age of 10,” she says.

“The first week in the house we were sitting at dinner and Dave said, “’I felt my shoulders have dropped for the first time in a year and a half,’” Zoe says. “We’re home. We can finally relax. It’s really become a bit of a refuge for all of us.”

Dave enjoys making sodas—real sodas that fizz—for the kids at the fully restored soda fountain at the bar. In the evening, when adult guests gather round the bar, he shakes a mean martini, daiquiri or Manhattan.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

The bathroom was remodeled, though the man’s dressing room, seen through door, was left intact with its original cabinet door and drawer pulls.

Bathroom countertops are Equator marble from Walker Zanger.

Dave is proud of the den’s restored soda fountain. “My dad had to teach me how to use it,” he says. His father was a soda jerk in his youth. The lever must be pulled down for carbonated water; it’s pushed back for gas to make the soda foam.

This month, Dave and Zoe plan to celebrate their birthdays at home with a Mad Men party, inspired by the AMC-TV series about the advertising business in the early ‘60s.

Appropos, as Dave is in the advertising/marketing business; Zoe is a business consultant.

The Mad Men theme is also a good fit because their house could be a stage set for the TV series, acclaimed for its mid-century interiors and period clothing. “All the women are looking for pointy bras,” Dave reports, of his party preparations.

The Drapers Thompsons are ready to entertain.

RESOURCES Joe Meppelink Marisa Janusz Sarah Hannah Framework Design Studio 713.426.3640 John Galvin Kerry Galvin Homes Inc 713.683.9642 Apex Electrical Services 281.808.3725 J. Rodriguez Upholstery 713.226.8991 New Look Wood Floors 713.283.2996 Geovani Guadado, Tile 281.8850.0608 Vicente & Edgar Guillen, Painters 713.269.0908

Dave pours Zoe his famous pink daiquiri, not too sweet with just a bit of fizz.

37

MONEY MAKERS FLAGS

Big House Antiques

Flags, poles, and windsocks make great gifts. Make your own custom flag. Just send us a picture! NFL, NBA, MLB and College flags for the sports fan in your life.

We carry investment quality antiques including glassware, pottery, furniture, flow blue, crystal and many out of print books. Large selection of Trapp candles, top hats, and canes.

713.461.1153 • 1517 Blalock Rd. www.moneymakersflags.com

2212 Ships Mechanic Row Galveston, TX 77550 409-762-0559

Savvy Antiques & Décor Country French & European primitives and accessories. Unique items at great prices for the savvy shopper.

208 McCown, Montgomery, TX Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 - 5:00 Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 936-444-3248

The Nonus Collection $20 Gifts • CD by Danny Wright– Real Romance • Island Privateer scented candle $200 - $300 • Civil War Prints and Maps of Galveston 2214 Postoffice • Galveston 409-795-1454

Nolan Ryan's All Natural Beef Houston’s most unique shopping experience. Salvage and reproduction elements for the home and garden. Open 7 days.

Offering a complete selection of all-natural steaks, Nolan Ryan merchandise and gift packages for beef and baseball lovers for the holidays!

3515 Fannin Houston, TX 77004 713-522-6547 www.adkinsantiques.com

1-877-99-NOLAN (66526) (866) 282-7648 Fax customerservice@nolanryanbeef.com www.nolanryansteaks.com

Ja-Vi Boutique & Custom Made Furniture Beautiful holiday frames handmade in Houston by Marye-Kelley. These unique frames will be cherished for many years.

Personalization available.

713-524-0459 2515 Morse Street www.marye-kelley.com

We carry the latest fashions in clothing and accessories. We also specialize in custom made furniture. Bring in your measurements.

We’ll provide a quote.

1535 Yale Street (the Heights) 713.426.5284

’s AT

ANTONIO’S TREES WHOLESALE

High quality custom made silk trees, plants & greenery 8600 WESTPARK DR, STE. 112 HOUSTON, TX 77063 713.278.1145

antoniossilktrees.com

38

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

License #: TPCL-9168

Searching for a perfect gift for that special someone on your list? Stop in Woodlands Fabrics & Interiors for a unique selection of great gift items including decorative photo frames, desk accessories and beautiful candles. Beautifully wrapped Gift Certificates are also available.

473 Sawdust Road • The Woodlands 281-419-0419 www.woodlandsfabrics.com

The Lighting Gallery offers the largest Lighting Your Way Since 1974 selection of fine lighting fixtures, crystal chandeliers and ceiling fans. We also offer a beautiful selection of unusual artwork, mirrors and lamps. Let one of our lighting consultants enlighten your home. ®

281.444.9299 6265 FM 1960 West

Hearth Rugs– perfect gift that warms the hearth! Available through Roberts Carpet & Fine Floors’ Rug Gallery locations. www.robertscarpet.com

713.785.1900 3003 Fondren 281.332.4477 20810 I-45 S. (Webster) 936.271.0000 19053 I-45 N. (Woodlands)

The Arbor Gate A Perfect Pear– pear-based organic extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Once tasted, you won’t be able to cook without them. Come see these and other treasures.

15635 FM 2920, Tomball 281.351.8851 www.arborgate.com

VSG Designs Stone Sculptures Exclusive to Eklektik Interiors

Barbecue pits and smokers, stainless steel gas grills – all handcrafted for a lifetime of grilling enjoyment and great Texas BBQ.

16720 Champion Forest Drive • Spring 281.379.2755 www.eklektikinteriors.com

281.356.2168 31909 Decker Industrial Circle Pinehurst, TX www.texaspitcrafters.com

A wonderful selection of quality Early American Antiques, Indonesian Furniture, Accessories, Fine Art and Artifacts from around the world.

25915 Budde Rd • The Woodlands, Tx (281) 419-4300 www.uniquepieces.net

BOUTROS CONSTRUCTION ALL

PHASES OF

HOME REMODELING

Chana’s House of Pottery and Things Grand Opening • 15% OFF in Nov. Unique, original, and stylish Mexican pottery, decor, and gifts.

912 West 11th St. (in the Heights) • Houston, TX 281-974-5357 or 832-881-5904 www.chanaspottery.com

OVER 11 YEARS EXPERIENCE • 713-587-0000 •

WWW.BOUTROSCONSTRUCTION.COM

39

diy decorating

Borrowed Space

After After

Dorenda Longoria’s construction plans enclosed the patio space into the bedroom, creating lots of drawer storage plus a window seat. Leftover wood flooring from the

den was installed, and a bound area rug was made from wall to wall carpeting. Updated Hunter Douglas Nantucket blinds simplify the new window.

By JOETTA MOULDEN • Photography by JANET LENZEN

E N C L O S I N G PA R T O F T H E PAT I O G AV E T H I S M A S T E R B E D R O O M S PA C E F O R A W I N D O W S E AT. N E W FA B R I C S A N D PA I N T T O TA L LY BRIGHTENED THE INTERIOR.

Before 40

Before The dated master bedroom’s blue wall- to- wall carpeting, bedding and window treatments were spoiling its potential; plus it lacked space and storage.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

FLOOR DECOR Because we had successfully completed an upstairs guest suite created out of their two grown sons’ bedrooms, (Houston House & Home, September 2006, “Sweet Suite”) as well as transformed another bedroom into an upstairs nursery for grandchildren, Carol and Leonard Ferguson called me when they were ready to work on their master bedroom.

They needed a vision on how to enlarge the small room and make it lighter and brighter. They had a sliding door leading to a small porch and meditation garden, blue wall- to- wall carpeting and heavy window treatments. An inherited secretary cabinet opposite the bed jutted out into the walkway from the hall.

“The bedroom was just too small relative to the rest of the house and felt like a cave,” Carol says. “We needed your creative ideas.” The couple wanted suggestions that would be both practical and cost saving.

Working closely with my design assistant Dorenda Longoria, we transformed the space, affordably bumping out the exterior wall under roof and on slab. We then created a window seat with storage drawers underneath and two sections of bookshelves with closed drawer storage flanking the window seat.

CARPET • HARD WOOD • LAMINATE • STONE/TILE • COUNTERTOPS

ALL MAJOR BRANDS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

Member

National Wood Flooring Association

713-977-6382 3416 Fondren Rd • Se Habla Español

ALVIN ANTIQUE CENTER AND MARKETPLACE

Christmas Sale December 1st-31st 10 to 50% OFF in selected booths Acres of Antiques - Over 160 Dealers 55,000 sq. ft. of Antiques & Collectibles

Visit Alvin Antique Center & Marketplace for Treasures Galore!!

New Items Arriving Every Day!

tip> Staying within the footprint of the house and roofline is an

affordable way to add on to a room.

“We were excited about moving the wall out to the edge of the porch and gaining about four feet of floor space,” Carol says.

They also liked adding drawers underneath the bookshelves and seat, therefore eliminating the need for a separate dresser beside the bed.

Because the expansion necessitated new flooring, I recommended extending the same engineered wood flooring from the nearby den into the bedroom. Imagine my surprise when I learned the couple had several boxes of leftover flooring, which could be installed in the bedroom.

Forsyth Floor Company installed the flooring and added a few square feet of matching new wood.

To keep the floor around the bed “soft” underfoot, I recommended they consider a large area rug. With my sketches and notes, Forsyth took affordable wall- to- wall carpeting and bound it into a 100-inch by 165inch area rug, using Natural Beauty by Shaw in Boucle # 200 “Raffia”.

The room was painted “Decatur Buff HC-38 ” by Benjamin Moore, including a simple but huge change—painting the “false ceiling” under the furdown the same color. Leaving this space white is one of the most common decorating mistakes I see.

Store Hours: Tues-Sat. 10am-6pm Sun. 12-5pm 2500 S. Loop 35 • Alvin, TX • 281-388-0537 • www.AlvinAntiqueCenter.com

Painting the underside of the furdown to match the wall

tip> visually raises the ceiling and keeps the room from looking “striped”.

The trim was painted with Benjamin Moore “Bone White” enamel, and the sheetrock wall space in between the crown molding and the narrow trim was painted in the same enamel paint to look like wide crown molding.

One way to add width to the existing crown molding

tip> inexpensively is to fill in wall space above the narrow wood trim and below the crown with enamel trim paint.

Removing the dated brass ceiling fan and replacing it with a low- profile white fan visually raised the ceiling, thus making the room appear taller.

To widen the walkway from the hallway, the deeper secretary was moved to the wall beside the bed and a narrow new console

Custom Draperies, Blinds, Shutters, Bedspreads & Upholstery 3600 FM 1488 Suite 90 Conroe, Tx. 77384

936.321.5454 1.800.524.1143

www.windowsofopp.com FREE In-Home Consultation

41

diy decorating |

B O R R O W E D S PA C E table was purchased. The glass top lifts up, the perfect place to display Leonard’s collection of Indian arrowheads.

The artwork over the console is 8- by 10-inch prints of favorite Alaska cruise vacation photos, all framed alike in wood frames from Target and hung in a grid.

Creating your own personal artwork and

tip> framing and matting it in the same size

After After The tall, deeper secretary was moved beside the bed, the ceiling fan replaced, and paint filled in the blank spaces in between the moldings and on the “false” furdown

JOETTA MOULDEN offers home makeovers using your own home furnishings to create the home you’ve always dreamed of. Joetta believes your pieces collected through the years reflect your personality and can be artfully arranged. Her ability to focus on your personal style and not let her own preferences influence the design of your home makes her unique. See more makeovers on her Web site at www.shelterstyle.com, e-mail her at joetta@shelterstyle.com or call 713.461.2063. If an initial appointment or referral is booked by November 30, a 15 percent first meeting discount will be given. Shelterstyle.com holds a "Pages of Happiness" rating and, for the third consecutive year, a “Super Service Award” presented to 5 percent of companies that achieve and maintain a superior rating on www.angieslist.com.

42

stock frames and hanging it in a tight grid is an inexpensive way to create a wall of meaningful art.

Carol found a colorful set of Rose Tree bedding from www.linensource.com, including the small tasseled stripe boudoir pillow.

She ordered coordinating striped fabric for the window seat bench from the same Web site, which was fabricated by my sewing workroom along with plaid throw pillows and fringe, which came from Calico Corners.

The heavy window treatments were replaced with “Nantucket” blinds from Hunter Douglas and installed by Venetian Blind & Floor. I love these blinds because they are so multifunctional, pulling up into a head rail and disappearing” totally when the couple wants to look out, yet acting as 2-inch blinds when they are open, thus matching the rest of the window treatments in the house.

To add more light to the room, Ikea’s “Isfall” lights were added to the front of the bookshelves, their wiring and receptacles hidden behind a wood panel Dorenda designed in her drawings for the contractor.

Ikea “Grundtal” puck spotlights lights were added above the window seat bench, all controlled by a nearby separate wall switch.

Carol says they would never tackle a project of this size without hiring a professional, because ideas were presented that they would never think of. Dorenda’s accurate drawings and elevations helped them avoid costly mistakes.

“The bedroom turned out even more wonderful than we expected,” Carol says. “ Leonard loves the hardwood floor and rug and loves sitting on the window seat to put his shoes on. Our friends and family love the personal artwork and everyone comments on how much larger the room looks.”

Before

trade secrets

These problems needed solutions: the unpainted “false ceiling” over the bed, artwork hung too high, dated crown molding treatment, brass ceiling fan and a too-small dresser.

• Think outside the box. Creating your own artwork is fun and easy and far more personal than buying art.

• Paint consistently gives the most bang for the buck. Painting the under side of a furdown and the wall in between the crown molding and trim changes an entire room quite inexpensively.

• Sometimes the most effective strategy is to add on to your bedroom by first rethinking the footprint under roof that is already paid for.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

Before

Free 18 Gauge Stainless Steel Undermount Sink with min. 35 sq. ft. of countertop purchase & installation

MANY TYPES OF GRANITE TO CHOOSE FROM, 10 STYLES OF ALL WOOD CABINETS. 10’ x10’ Kitchen in New “Cafe” or “Oak” Style Cabinet with Tan Brown Granite Countertop.

(Excludes Cabinet Installation)

ONL $2,60Y 0 Peach & Luna Pearl Granite Countertop, $19.95/Sq.Ft. Installed

Free s Estimate

Tel: 713.460.6510 • 7265 W. 43rd Street @Hempstead Hwy.

CUSTOM BATH AND KITCHEN DESIGNS Complete Bath and Kitchen Renovations Serving Houston Since 1993

Bob Stehl • 281-239-8048

Antiques on Del Monte A MULTI DEALER SHOP

Is a Reverse Mortgage right for you?

Use Your Equity in Your Home to Supplement Retirement Income

If you are 62 years or older you can:

Professional Insect and Rodent Control 1. No cabinet emptying 2. Treatment options tailored to meet your particular pest situation!

3. Quarterly, 6 month or one time service available 4. Graduate entomologist/state certified applicator on staff 5. Fast, friendly professional service!

In the Heights since 1977

226 West 18th St. Houston, Texas 77008 Ph. 713.868.5219 713.862.8112

Debbie Schultz Reverse Mortgage Specialist

Quality Antiques from Around the World.

Monday-Saturday 10-5

713.952.2400 6504 Del Monte • 77057 (East of Voss)

Houston Capital Mortgage Tx Entity License #75094 713-594-1089

• Supplement Retirement Income, Tax Free • Pay for medical expenses, home improvements, and everyday expenses • Eliminate monthly mortgage payments • Stay in your home and retain the title • Make no loan payments as long as you live in the home.

• No Income or Credit Requirements

Secure your retirement and financial stability by calling an industry professional of 30 years to inquire about this government insured program and other mortgage loan programs.

7700 San Felipe • Suite 400 • Houston, TX 77063 dschultz@houstoncapital.com • www.houstoncapital.com 43

pet of the month pet of the month

U-Plumb-It Tankless Gas Water Heaters

PARTS • FIXTURES • FAUCETS INSTRUCTION

Endless hot water for your entire home heated only when you need it

FEATURING TOTO BATHROOM FIXTURES

1424 Montrose Houston, TX 77019 ALWAYS HOT

713.942.2277

Visit

shademypatio.com Houston’s premier builder of no-maintenance patio covers offers the best price and service in your area.

View our gallery to see over 200 pictures of actual projects we have installed for the discriminating homeowners and builders throughout Southeast Texas. Call today!

Free estimates and design.

Made in the Shade, llc.

281-330-8399

Fabrication & Installation • Silestone

Call for a FREE Estimate!

12 GRANITE COLORS @ $28.99 SQ. FT. INSTALLED

Hi, my name is Chico, I’m a male Australian Cattle Dog, and there’s nothing wrong with me except for one little thing—my previous owners thought I was getting too old so they brought me to the SPCA. I’m 11 years old, that’s 77 in dog years, but I feel healthy and know I have some good time left on this earth. I’m looking for one very sympathetic, compassionate person or family who’ll let me live out my remaining years with them. I’ve lived with cats and dogs, adore to be petted, love attention and delight in long walks. And, yes, I’m housebroken, thank you very much.

Eventually I’m going to need my teeth cleaned. Other than that, I’m ready go. The folks at the shelter say I have a valiant and loving heart. You—if you’re the one—appreciate the wisdom of age and the value of experience. Maybe you’ve felt the sting of age discrimination, too. Oh, let those young whippersnapper dogs be young and yappy and daring.

I’m calm and mellow and just want to sit by the fire with you in peace. Let’s talk. Come see me. Ask for my I.D. #A08537761 at

Ask for Jessica

832.207.5125 2035 Pech Rd, #C-1 Houston, TX 77055 www.davidsstones.com davidsmarble@yahoo.com 44

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

HOUSTON SPCA 900 Portway Drive, Houston 77024, 713.869.SPCA (7722) 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, www.houstonspca.org

Marble and Granite Designs

APEX REMODELING & CONSTRUCTION Room Additions Kitchen Remodeling Bathroom Remodeling Patio Covers Complete Home Remodeling Fully Licensed • Fully Insured • Texas State Registered Builder

apexrc@comcast.net

713-498-3445 www.houstonapexremodeling.com

Native Texas Landscape Design & Construction

H OLIDAY L IGHTING

Complete Landscape Design and Installation Including Irrigation LI#0016326

281.807.7881

Patio Covers • Flagstone Patios Outdoor Kitchens • Firepits Waterfalls • Retaining Walls Disaster Cleanup • Fences Insured • 100% Guaranteed

www.htiservices.net

Servicing: North Houston • Spring • Woodlands• Conroe

Wes & Rhonda Hackney, Owners

281-687-7512 • www.NativeTexasLandscape.com

We Do Windows ..and

D

oors

Personalized Service at Affordable Prices Call Nelson Fisher for estimates, brochures or more details.

Prices gladly quoted by phone.

Replacement Window Specialist • Since 1985

Texas Windows & Doors Inc. 908 Town & Country Blvd. #120

713-984-7543 www.texaswindowsanddoors.net

RESIDENTIAL

DESIGN BUILD INC.

Beat High Energy Prices WOOD BURNING STOVES 281-446-4444 • www.thefireboxinc.com 9946 FM 1960 Bypass • Humble, Texas 77338 Across from Academy in Humble

CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING

281.802.2488 CUSTOMIZING SPECIALISTS DESIGN MASTER CARPENTER FOR 35 YEARS SERVICES AND CABINET MAKERS Texas Licensed Contractor

www.suncraftdesign.com

•Custom Homes •Remodeling •Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinets •Additions •Framing •Green Building

COMMERCIAL •Commercial Build Outs •Remodeling •Concrete •Small or Large Projects

FREE ESTIMATES • LET US SAVE YOU MONEY! HEALTHY GREEN PRODUCTS

® R8 Cotton Insulated

INSULATION • ACOUSTICAL • REMOVAL COTTON - INSULATION/DUCTS/WRAP

1331 Seamist Dr. • Houston, TX 77008 • 713.868.1021 • www.PaylessInsulation.com

TACLA-011844E

281.277.7557 • Call For Appointment

TEXAS UNLIMITED CLEANING • Carpet Cleaning • General Maintenance • Maid Service A+ Rated by BBB

713-827-7020 • www.txunlimitedcleaning.com 45

2$5 OFF

GUARDIAN WINDOWS Since 1986

Let Me Show You The Difference...No Other Windows Come Close

Save Energy Cut Noise Add Security Block Out Heat, Cold & Dust

Usually 20% to 50% Off Major Competition.

• Custom Made Replacement Windows, Storm Windows & Storm Shutters • Replace Old Windows

$CASH DISCOUNT • FREE ESTIMATES Deal Directly with Owner

Lifetime Warranty

281.955.8994 www.windowreplacementofhouston.com • • • •

Stonework Stamped Concrete Outdoor Kitchens Custom Wood Arbors FREE Estimates

281.734.5368 txstone@comcast.net

Invest In Timeless Treasures

Unique Religious Art Spanish & French Antiques Accessories & Primitives

JOHN HOLT ANTIQUES 2416 Woodhead • 713-528-5065 NEW FALL/WINTER HOURS:

MON- FRI, 10 - 5 • SAT. 10 - 4 46

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

the gallery BESTCARE HOME SERVICES • Bathrooms • Tile-Wood • Painting • Gutters • Drywall • Carpentry • Cabinets • Roofing

• Shutters • Siding • Kitchens • Counter Tops

• Granite-Marble • Carpets • Cleaning • Restretch

• Brick-Concrete • Pools & Decking • Decking • Sprinklers • Landscaping

BEST QUALITY • BEST PRICES

281-821-2900

- INSURED -

Additions • New Construction Electrical • Carpentry • Painting • Granite Octavio Ramirez,

Contractor

OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE • LICENSED & INSURED

713.828.0725 . .

BC Services

Call John today @ 832-677-1800 for a free estimate jsbinterests@hotmail.com Senior Discounts • Insured For Your Protection

CABINETS

Blowout Sale !!!

281-447-9997 9815 North Fwy, 77037

CREATIVE CONTOURS L .

ANDSCAPE CO

• Underground Drainage Systems • Brick, Brick Paver, & Stone Patios • Landscape

713-723-9318

www.creativecontourslandscapingLLC.com Grad. Texas A&M

In the Heights since 1977 226 West 18th St. • Houston, Texas 77008 Ph. 713.868.5219 • 713.862.8112

WWW OBREMODELING COM

Electrical • Insulation • Plumbing Kitchen & Bath • Room Additions • Flooring Sheetrock • Roofing • Siding • Painting

Russell Budnick

1. No cabinet emptying 2. Treatment options tailored to meet your particular pest situation!

3. Quarterly, 6 month or one time service available 4. Graduate entomologist/state certified applicator on staff 5. Fast, friendly professional service!

O.B.R. REMODELING SERVICES

Think of us for your home improvement needs!

• Landscape Lighting • Sprinkler Systems • Soil pH Testing • Design • Installation

Professional Insect and Rodent Control

$50 OFF With This Ad

want more? more ideas? more resources? more great homes?

www.houseandhomeonline.com

RAINBOW PAINTING 25+ Years Serving North Houston

Residential Interior Exterior Faux Finishes Cabinet Refinishing

832-435-7845

Family Owned & Operated 22 Years Exp. Complete Home Repairs Sheetrock Repairs Painting Interior & Exterior Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Carpentry Repairs Siding Cultured Marble Tops & Rental Property Kitchen Countertops Make Readys Whirlpool Tub Repair

713-557-3310

The Yard Depot Open 7 Days

Wholesale & Retail

We Deliver

Soil • Mulch • Stone • Sand • Gravel 21202 N.W. Freeway @ Huffmeister Cypress,TX 77429

Sophies’ Upholstery & Draperies

281-807-4567 Office 281-807-9553 Fax www.theyarddepot.com

Peggy’s Services Hazel’s Custom Drapes, Over 45 years experience

Peggy Robinson

• Custom Drapes • Mini Blinds • Slip Covers • Custom Furniture • Cornices • Shades • Bedding • Pillows Fine Quality • Great Prices • Work Done on Premises

Interior Decorator

Phone: 281.345.0077 www.peggyservices.com

Staging/Design Gift Discount for family or Friend 100 Holiday

$

Open to the Public • Trade Welcome Serving Southwest Houston & Fort Bend County

• Drapes • Blinds • Shutters • Window Film

11925 Southwest Fwy. #2 • 281.879.6300

Residential & Commercial Maid Services

FALCO CONSTRUCTION, INC. www.fallcoconstructioninc.com • Remodeling Specialist Since 1976 Interior & Exterior • Kitchen • Bath • Patio Rooms • Painting • Granite & Tile • Hardie Siding & Windows • Old Light Fixtures and Door Knobs Available •

281-797-1430 Mobile 281-999-0163 Office

AFFORDABLE CUSTOM IRON WORK

SPECIALIZING IN AMERICAN ANTIQUES Spindle Back Chairs Round Pedestal Tables China Cabinets Hall Trees Kitchen Cabinets Beds Dressers Wicker Glassware Light Fixtures Trunks

912 Yale Street North of I-10 in “The Heights”

713-861-7750

We Do ESTATE SALES Call Us! www.randfantiques.com

Wed - Sat: 10:00 - 5:30 Sun - Tues: By Chance or Appt.

ENERGY Lifetime SAVINGWarranty SOLAR SCREENS • FREE Estimates

Stairs • Doors • Gates • Fences www.nandvpatioco.com

Patio Covers • Porches • Carports Deck Covers • Solar Screens • Arbors Vinyl Windows • Maintenance/Repair We Specialize In Bringing You Custom Made Rooms for All Seasons.

Call 713-957-1820 • www.rabata.com

Bob’s Renovations “Quality You Can Trust - One Call Does It All”

Free On-site Estimates

281.397.8703

Vinyl Replacement Windows Custom Made • Maintenance Free LowE Energy Saving Insulated Glass • Solar Screens Security Storm Windows 6010 W. 34th St. Unit 0 Houston, Texas 77064

Call Now! 713.290.0247 47

EVANS CONSTRUCTION Complete Home ROOFING Remodeling

Lowest Prices on Remodeling!

Gallaway Porcelain Works Reconditioning

Repair

Refinishing

Room Additions No Project Too Small or Too Large

832.526.2611

Porcelain Acrylics Simulated Marble Fiberglass Tub Chips Antique Clawfoot Tubs Refinisher for the Emporium

Cell

Bobevans28@gmail.com In the Construction Business 35 Years!

www.evansinterest.com

281-304-9300

TexasTubs.com

Think of us for your home improvement needs!

Electrical • Insulation • Plumbing Kitchen & Bath • Room Additions • Flooring Sheetrock • Roofing • Siding • Painting

BC Services

Call John today @ 832-677-1800 for a free estimate jsbinterests@hotmail.com Senior Discounts • Insured For Your Protection

Your Complete Concrete Renovation Company

281-528-7600

Call For A FREE Estimate! www.allconcretecoatings.com

Authorized BioGuard Dealer Pest Control Products Lawn Fertilizer Goggles and Floats

EVERIC POOL PLASTERING COMPLETE POOL REMODELING

Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. (9-6) Sat. (9-4) • Sun. (12-4) • Wed. (Closed)

Insured For Your Convenience

713-728-9941

Professional pest control products available to the public Steve Lacy

www.evericpoolplastering.com

22129 Katy Freeway Katy, Texas 77450

BRAZOS BEND TREE FARM Open To The Public

23111 FM 1462 Damon, TX • 979-553-3441 • 979-553-3756 fax

w w w. b r a z o s b e n d t re e f a r m . c o m REMODELING

20% Off Any Service

713-440-7990 homeofficehouston.com Bonded & Insured References • Free Estimates Professional Services

HANDYMAN-CONTRACTOR MOVING SERVICES Carpentry - Ceramic Tile

Phone (281) 392-3030

ROCK MATERIALS

Quality Container Grown Trees

BUY FARM DIRECT AND SAVE

• Decorative Spray Texture • Stampoverlays • Acid Staining • Concrete Sealers • Anti Slip Applications • Garage Floor Finishes • Decorative Concrete Repair

Residential & Commercial FREE ESTIMATES

281-804-3108

Natural Stone • Landscape • Masonry Supplies Jamey Joseph jjoseph@rockmaterials.com • www.rockmaterials.com 2610 Spring Cypress Road • Spring, TX 77388 281.353.3100 • 281.528.6081 fax • 832.381.4287 cell

www.creativeimprovementsllc.com Room Additions • Roofing • Painting • Carpentry • Electrical • Plumbing Doors • Siding • Decks • Interior & Exterior Repairs.

Remodel Kitchens and Bathrooms. Granite Countertops.

Expert Remodeling and Restoration

281-447-9997 www.DurastoneUSA.com

Roofing

COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

9815 North Frwy., 77037

Upgrade Your Style Today!

• Design Makeovers for Home & Office • New Construction & Remodeling • Window Treatments, Furniture, Art & Accessories GOLD • Feng Shui & Color Consultations As seen on Great Day Houston and Fox!

281.794.4830 Pamela O’Brien

w w w . r o o m r e d o . c o m

Construction & Remodeling FREE POWER WASH THE ROCK •• Custom Woodwork

WITH EXTERIOR PAINT

• Kitchen & Bath Cabinets • Built-Ins • We do it all!

Quality • Experience • References • Insured Roofing & Gutters l Interior & Exterior Painting Kitchen & Bath l Carpentry l Siding & Windows

713.461.2196 Uniqueinteriors2000@yahoo.com

house& home |

8315 Long Point, Ste. C Houston, TX 77055

Phone

REFERRALS AVAILALBE

COUNTERTOPS

PAINTING & SHEETROCK

713.551.9019

C REATIVE I MPROVEMENTS, LLC.

We Restore Bricks to Original Beauty Since 1993

Brick, Stone, Glass Blocks, Brick Staining Paver Designs, Brick Fences & Columns All Work Guaranteed Fully Insured Call (281) 558-1828 for a Free Estimate www.brick-restoration.com

Pool Remodeling Specialists HOUSTON’S PREMIER POOL REMODELER SINCE 1982 Total Renovations: Decking • Tile • Resurface • Waterfalls Call now for a free estimate

281-955-8114 www.competitionpools.com

FALL SPECIAL PRESSURE WASHING W/WINDOW CLEANING & DRIVEWAY

• One Story Home . . $175 • Two Story Home . . $275 • Driveways Only . . . . $50

Call 713-899-0789

C R E AT I V E L A N D S C A P E S

AZTEC HOME REMODELING • • • • • •

(#1 For Shedding Pine Needles)

Kitchen Remodeling Bathroom Remodeling Cabinets–Granite Countertops Cultured Marble Vanities Tile–Ceramic–Stone–Slate Carpets–Hardwood–Laminates

• • • • • •

FREE ESTIMATES

Painting–Sheetrock–Texturing Hardie Siding–Custom Carpentry Windows–Doors–Crown Molding Roofing–Gutters–Pressure Washing Brick–Patio Rooms–Deckings House Leveling - Fences

L

“Water Damage–Extraction and Restoration” 27 Years Experience

R-64

www.guttermaxx.com/index17.htm

(979) 285-4485 Baldemar Villarreal baldemarvillarreal@yahoo.com

www.brightlandscapedesigns.com

713-559-1100

Katy

www.reflection poolsandspas.com

• CABINETS • FIXTURES • COUNTERTOPS

281.498.1632 713.302.7381

832.482.0041 www.HoustonShuttersAndBlinds.com

Home Cell

SSProfessionalPainting.com Commercial / Residential Since 1980

Residential • Commercial • Multi-Units • structural/mechanical/termites • pools/spas/sprinkler systems • mold testing & consultation • independent foundation evaluations Licensed Mold Assessment Consultant

713-301-7157

MAC#1001

713-961-1531 Trec#2997

WAYNE’S HARDWOOD • CARPET • TILE

Porcelain Repair

713-294-5706

(1-10 @Kirkwood)

FREE ESTIMATES

Licensed Plumber

281-974-9449

Sales •Service •Installation www.GasProductservices.com

713-498-8532

OWNER CRAFTSMAN-WESLEY MCDOUGLE

M-F 10-5 • Sat 10-6 • Sun 12-5 or Appoint.

ALVAREZ BUILDERS, INC. REMODELING SERVICES

713-875-3621

Jose Alvarez

4Home Sisters Cleaning Office

• • • • •

or

Family Owned & Operated Since 1990

Spring Cleaning Weekly or Bi-Weekly Move-Ins or Move-Outs Carpet Cleaning

Reference Avail.

Call for Estimates

832.498.7709

STONE RESTORATION We restore & polish:

Marble • Travertine • Limestone • Granite Remove: Scratches • Stains We restore counters, vanities & table tops We clean and seal exterior patios

281-798-8006

Weswww.houstonstonedoctor.com Bowden 713•858•7736

KING FREEZE

Cantu Floors 281.850.6728

A/C & HEATING

Special Equipment Sales

Save Money While You Cool Your House!

-FROM FOUNDATION TO ROOF-

Jose L. Rosas•832.651.7061 Cell

Locally Owned

713-562-3305

24 Years Experience

Bathroom Detailing

281-596-8187

Experience

Wallpaper Installation, Painting and Flooring by Sergio

Wade Edwards

Bathtubs • Sinks • Tile • Repaired • Removed • Installed • Cleaned & Polished

35 Years

Any Size Job! Emergency Service Windstorm Certificate Available 713-240-7721 • JK’S ROOFING

Real Estate Inspections Plumbing Solutions Houston Since 1991

by SafeHouse Serving

Carpentry • Roofing • Sheetrock Ceramic Tile • Granite & Countertops House Leveling & Concrete Work

Recycle.

By George Szontagh TREC License #2212 Prepurchase/Slab/Pier & Beam Since 1990

• Blinds • Shades

FREE MEASURMENT!

All Kinds of Woodwork • All Custom Built

Interior Exterior

• Custom Cabinets • Remodeling • Siding • Framing

Shutters & Blinds

• Plantation Shutters • Solar Screens

281.391.6279 www.KatyKitchen.com

De La Cruz Comm & Res Insured Free Estimates 20 Yrs. Exp.

Houston

COMPLETE KITCHEN REMODELS

Kitchen Bath

Beautiful Pools at Affordable Prices

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

Serving the finest neighborhoods of greater Houston since 1982!

CABINETS

by John Corenchuk

Reflection Pools & Spas

SALDANA PAINTING & REMODELING 281-330-9986

Custom Landscaping • Natural Stonework Lighting • Maintenance Water Features • Irrigation Design & Installation • Consultation

EDWARD B. LORENZO Cell: 832.715.6271 713.956.8286

Quality Granite at Extreme Discounts ~ Countertops, Fireplaces & More ~

andscapes

Bright Ideas for Landscaping 281.496.3576

5514 Sheridan Oaks Dr. Houston,TX 77091

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR

andmark

- INSURED -

Bright Landscape Designs Inc.

LORENZO PAINTING & REMODELING

Painting & Remodeling

281.821.0809

713.523.5667

WE SPECIALIZE IN DUCT WORK

281.599.7544

TACLB 015596E

• tile • marble • slate • wood • • granite countertops •

AMAZING FENCES & BURGLAR BARS

UNIVERSAL

Beating the competition for years!

MEMBER BBB Free Estimates 281-467-1898 • 281-397-8354 fax

ALL KINDS OF COMPOSITION ROOF

ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION - RE/ROOF - ROOF REPAIRS - MODIFIED BITUMEN ROOF -JAMES HARDY PLANK SIDING -DRYWALL/PAINTING -ALL KINDS OF CARPENTRY WORK

PHONE: 713-252-0841

gardening

Time to Plant Trees

By STEVE HUDDLESTON and LINDA BARTH

Thinking about adding a tree to your landscape? Now’s the time to decide which tree species you want and plan your plantings. December and January are the ideal months to plant.

Whether you plant a containerized or balled-and-burlapped tree, both establish best during the cooler weather of winter. Consider the site, the selection of a tree and the best way to plant a tree.

SELECTING THE SITE

When selecting the site for a tree, take into consideration the type of soil and drainage in a particular site. Consider the amount of light or shade your site will offer a tree. Think about the space your tree will need at maturity. Avoid planting a tree where overhead or underground utilities will interfere with the growth of the tree. Place the tree where it will help frame the view of the house and direct attention to the front door. Also consider placing the tree where it will shade hot surfaces such as the roof and driveway.

SELECTING A TREE

After selecting a site for your tree, choose what kind of tree you want to plant.

Large trees include live oak, Shumard oak, bur oak, chinquapin oak, cedar elm, lacebark elm and bald cypress. Medium-sized trees include Chinese pistache, western soapberry and Shantung maple. For a small tree, consider desert willow, redbud, Eve’s necklace, Texas persimmon, possumhaw holly, yaupon holly or crape myrtle. Good evergreen choices include eastern red cedar, Afghan or Japanese black pine, Arizona cypress and Atlas cedar.

All of these trees can be purchased as balled-and-burlapped (B & B) or containerized trees. December and January are definitely the months for planting B & B trees; containerized trees can be planted any time of the year.

PLANTING THE TREE

A medium-sized tree, the Chinese pistache has lustrous and dark green leaves in summer and a beautiful orange to red leaves in the fall.

Trees for Houston

offers a splendid way to plant a tree in someone’s name as a holiday gift. The city of Houston plants the trees in right-ofways in honor of the gift recipients. It’s part of the Million Trees Plus Houston program led by Mayor Bill White and our region’s governments, charities, citizens and businesses. If you wish to donate a tree in someone’s name for the holidays, you are encouraged to contact Trees for Houston and order the tree

by Nov. 15.

In another program for tribute groves, you can plant a tree that commemorates people or events. Trees for Houston started its first grove in 1997, people have added over 3,000 trees. The organization now has groves from White Oak Bayou to Hermann Park. Tribute trees have a tag with the number sent in the acknowledgment. A donation of $310 will plant a 15-gallon tree or $450 a 30-gallon tree. Donations less than $310 will be used to maintain tribute trees. Information: 713.840.8733 or www.treesforhouston.org

50

After selecting a suitable location for your tree, mark out a planting area that is five times the diameter of the planting ball. Use a rototiller or shovel to loosen the soil in this entire area to a depth of 12 inches. In the center of the prepared area, dig a hole only as deep as the root ball. Set the tree in the hole so that the top of the root ball is at the same level as the surrounding soil. If the tree is in a wire basket, cut and remove the top two tiers of wire after the ball is set in the hole.

Completely remove treated burlap (feels like plastic) from around the root ball, and remove any rope or twine around the trunk/root ball; fold back untreated burlap from the top of the root ball and tuck under the ball.

Backfill with native soil; don’t bother to add soil amendments to the planting hole so roots will adapt to and venture into the native soil. Do not cover the top of the root ball with soil. Eliminate major air pockets around the root ball by tamping the soil gently and watering.

Construct a berm of mounded soil at the outer edge of the planting ring to form a water-holding basin around the tree. However, if you’ve tilled a planting area five times the width of the root ball, mulch alone should hold the water adequately. Mulch the planting area with 2 to 3 inches of organic material such as wood chips. Pull back the mulch from the tree’s trunk, however.

Staking the newly planted tree is generally not recommended because the natural swaying motion of trees helps develop strong trunks. Furthermore, it is not necessary to remove a third or half of the branches from a newly planted B & B tree to compensate for loss of roots. Leaves manufacture the food needed for root growth, so the young tree needs as much of its crown as possible.

Be sure to leave lower branches on the trunk of your newly planted tree for a few years as these branches contribute to the development of trunk taper and diameter. The only branches that should be pruned are those that are dead, broken, diseased or interfering with other branches.

Come summer time, water your new tree deeply by letting the garden hose slowly drip at the base of the tree for several hours once every seven to 10 days in the absence of rain. After two years, you shouldn’t have to supply supplemental water to your tree.

house& home | N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com

®

Call One of Our Independent, Quality Dealers Listed Below For Professional Solutions To Your Home’s Cooling, Heating and Air Quality Problems

American Standard was recently rated the most trouble-free HVAC brand among 14 leading manufacturers by readers of a national products testing publication.

Nolan Ryan says let the experts show you how to own the most comfortable home on your block and reduce your energy usage at the same time.

Ask about our new “Whole House”clean air technology. Now you can clean the air for your family as well. We can remove up to 99.98% of common household allergens.

Your Home Comfort Experts:

YOUR FAMILY DESERVES THE BEST

www.americanstandardair.com

AIR LOCK MECHANICAL Citywide • 281-213-8282

MORROW MECHANICAL, INC. Woodlands/1960 • 281-370-1566

AIR PRO, INC. Citywide • 281-880-8805

TACL B21028E

TACL A3981E

TACL B12269E

BOSWORTH A/C Galveston County • 281-534-2598

AARDVARK A/C Northwest • 281-955-1163

GOODE A/C & HTG Kingwood / Atascocita • 281-446-6719

TACL A9728C

TACL B006455C

TACL A001329C

BAKER JONES A/C Central/South • 713-529-3418

MJS MECHANICAL Citywide • 281-379-2657

HOUSE PRO Southwest • 713-218-9797

TACL A1008C

TACL B3075C

TACL B015682E

ABSOLUTE COMFORT Memorial / Katy • 281-550-5640

AIR OF HOUSTON Citywide • 281-370-4999

STERLING MECHANICAL CyFair / 1960 Area • 281-469-8958

TACL A001038E

TACL B014135E

TACL B003089C

51

N E L

O SA OW N

The Disney Collection from Shaw weaves the warmthand soft durability of Shaw carpet with the magic, beauty, and fun of Disney.

Available in: Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Winnie the Pooh, Cars, Toy Story, and Hannah Montana. © Disney. Winnie the Pooh elements are based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard. CARS & TOY STORY elements: © Disney/Pixar

* CLEAR LAKE 20810 I-45 SOUTH _____________________281-332-4477 * SOUTHWEST 3003 FONDREN _________________________713-785-1900 * WOODLANDS 19053 I-45 _____________________________936-271-0000

“Your Perfect Rug Source” www.robertscarpet.com

CENTRAL 3404 KIRBY___________________________________713-523-0666 NORTHWEST 6920 FM 1960 W. ______________________281-580-9495 SUGAR LAND 12614 S.W. FREEWAY__________________281-240-8200 GULF FREEWAY4750 GULF FREEWAY ______________713-926-5100 WEST 11177 KATY FREEWAY _____________________________713-468-1300 * Rug Gallery store locations