PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY RICHARD PAYNE DESIGNER PORTRAIT/ APARTMENT PHOTOS BY JILL HUNTER
URBAN GEM
Downtown’s iconic mid century highrise gets a modern-day makeover that recalls its 1960s debut BY SANDRA COOK
THE COOLEST DOWNTOWN ADDRESS FROM THE LATE 1960s has been made over for this millennium, yet retains is ’60s soul. Built in 1966 and designed by noted Washington, D.C.-area architect Charles Goodman, the 31-story building was instantly considered one of the most stylish apartment buildings the city. The mid-century modern highrise has recently undergone a ’60s-cool renovation that showcases the stylish functionality of midcentury modern architecture and interiors. More than one-third of the 396 units have been fully renovated and 90 percent are occupied. The apartment renovations are being completed at a rate of about 40 units per month, with the entire building expected to be done by June 2012. FROM THE GROUND UP In addition to the upgrades to each unit, the amenities and common areas have been revamped for the modern era. The generous ground-floor lobby is a celebration of mid-century style. Also at street level, the new Go Fresh! gourmet café now serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The building also includes multiple spaces to work and play, including a pool, gym, full-size basketball court, conference room, media room and party lounge. Four rising stars of interior design decked out units in the iconic Houston House building as a way to help Houstonians see the dynamic design potential for units in the building. We have featured each designer and their work on the following pages. To read more about the building, go to www.HoustonHouseApts.com.
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SABAJAWDA
Saba Jawda mixed neutral colors, luxe furnishings and playful pieces to create an apartment that is a relaxing retreat from city life. WITH DEGREES IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN, SABA JAWDA co-owns the design firm Jawda and Jawda with her sister Sarah. Her design of the Houston House unit incorporates a both neutral pieces with exquisite details. “My vision and goal for the Houston House unit is to inspire a world of wonder, an oasis that’s a retreat from the everyday,” says Jawda. Jawda’s design talent shines in her use of large pieces in each of the relatively small rooms. “Design, for me, is about depth and utilizing it to one's advantage,” says Jawda. “Using large-scale pieces in a small area actually creates the sense of a much larger space. The combination of larger pieces in clusters creates balance. Knowing how to organize them, along with the importance of the hues, is the key.” Jawda prefers to utilize different pieces and colors that aren’t often used together, a method of mixing and matching the unusual to create contrast. She also chose to use a neutral palette to bring the outdoors in. “The views are spectacular and I think the finished product works wonderfully with it,” she says. 58
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SABAJAWDA
“
USING LARGE-SCALE PIECES IN A SMALL
AREA ACTUALLY CREATES THE SENSE OF A MUCH LARGER SPACE. THE COMBINATION OF LARGER PIECES IN CLUSTERS CREATES BALANCE.
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”
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GRAPHIC-DESIGNER-TURNED-INTERIOR-DESIGNER CHRIS NGUYEN takes inspiration for small-space living from dense metropolitan areas, such as New York City and Tokyo, where square footage is gold. “It's really fascinating to see the clever visual and practical solutions that these city dwellers come up with,” says Nguyen. “Small space living provides such a unique opportunity for ingenuity. In a metropolis like Houston where there is as much legroom as there is headroom, I had to really scrutinize and break down the concepts from people who live in small spaces out of necessity and find a way to make them appealing for those who would be choosing to do so.” Nguyen made an effort to define the space in terms other than its square feet. “Looking at the number, mental limitations form and I wanted to find ways to remove those,” says Nguyen. “I focused on embracing the space for what it was and making it more about the quality of living within a home this size rather than how much stuff will fit. I think it's easy with a large space to mistakenly fill it with things just because there's space for it, but with a small space that isn't an option.” The designer says he employed the opposite of what might seem to be logical for this space. “Instead of filling it with small things and reflective surfaces to make it look bigger, I put in regular-scale pieces to emphasize the usability of the apartment and solid color contrast to define how the separate spaces work,” explains Nguyen. “When you walk in, instead of seeing a series of compromises, you see a comfortable place to sit, eat and sleep. Going with mid-century modern and contemporary modern pieces helped a lot as they tend to be less voluminous in form, while remaining full in function.”
CHRISNGUYEN
Chris Nguyen’s design features bold color choices, such as a black wall in the living room, which visually de-clutters the space, while allowing the sofa, lamp and artwork to stand out. 62
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RICHARD SANCHEZ
ACHIEVING A BALANCE OF RICH COLORS AND BOLD SHAPES WAS KEY FOR RICHARD SANCHEZ’S take on the unit he designed. “Working and living in Houston's downtown can be overwhelming at times and a level of confidence is required for this type of habitation,” says Sanchez. “This is why I chose black. Black represents power and confidence. In retrospect, green is proven to have a soothing effect—even photos of vegetation have a calming effect. By placing these two colors in the same room, this balance of bold and calm converge and work together in seamless harmony.” Sanchez took a minimalist approach to maximize comfort in the space. “By applying the less-is-more concept often applied in graphic design, I aimed at a space void of complication,” says Sanchez. The designer followed the Eastern philosophy of the more you have, the more problems you have. “I knew this notion would work well because this belief can easily—key word, easily—be applied in everyday living,” says Sanchez. “Likewise, your home is everyday living.” The designer sought to emphasize that the Houston House building sits in the middle of the thriving downtown scene. “I wanted to give the young and young at heart the sense of belonging to this scene when, in fact, they actually make the downtown scene just by living there,” says Sanchez. Taking inspiration from Eames-style furniture, such as a pair of Eames DAR Chairs, Richard Sanchez showcased mid-century modern furniture throughout the apartment.
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AN INTERIOR DESIGNER FOR THE KIRKSEY ARCHITECTURE TEAM, KRISTEN JOHNSON is an expert at making the most of a neutral palette by layering subtle colors and textures. “This way, you can use accessories and artwork to punctuate the space,” says Johnson. Space planning in the small apartment was key for Johnson. “Since there wasn’t a dedicated dining room, I started with the idea of creating a dining space that was functional but still felt a part of the living area,” she says. “I also converted the second bedroom into a home office because that room was tres petite! To me, it functioned more efficiently as a workspace than a tiny room with a huge bed inside.” Johnson employs metal finishes in the same way she utilizes jewelry. “When it’s done right—silver and gold jewelry look beautiful together,” says Johnson. “A decorated room without metal accents is like putting on your favorite little black dress without a pair of earrings. It’s nice to add just a touch of sparkle with muted tones and textures. You need some subtlety and a bit of glitz to make everything look balanced.” The expansive city views were a big influence on Johnson’s design. “The city views from Houston House are incredible,” she says. “The last thing I wanted to do was block those huge windows! I added sheer linen panels at the windows to soften up the architecture and frame the views. I didn’t want fully traversing draperies—I treated them like an obi sash—just a strip of fabric on either side of the window.” 66
KRISTEN JOHNSON
Kristen Johnson chose a large sofa to anchor the living room, the Florence Knoll piece with slim metal legs almost floats on top of the carpet. Neutral tones, touches of nature and an airy glass-topped table lend serenity to the space.
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