Modern Daring

MODERN Architect Allen Bianchi’s placement of crisp, white stucco, smoky grey brick, and cedar fencing combines for a dramatic effect, often captivating passersby.

Story By SANDRA COOK 62

Photos by LUIS DE SANTOS

DARING ARCHITECT ALLEN BIANCHI’S CONTEMPORARY DESIGN BRIGHTENS A QUIET CORNER OF THE MUSEUM DISTRICT

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A trio of baskets, Les Nymphes by Linge Roset, awaits guests just inside the front door, while a petite bird sculpture perches on the window ledge.

This is the story of a Houston couple, he a Wisconsin native and she a native of Germany, had lived in Heights cottage for several years when the decided they were ready to build a modern home. They focused their search on neighborhoods within the city, closer to the Museum District and its universities.

The pair of geologists sought to find the right piece of land and build a home that was sturdy, durable and beautiful, in other words, very much like a rock, something geologists are quite familiar with.

As fans of modern architecture, the couple had already admired the work of Allen Bianchi, AIA, when they discovered a home designed by Bianchi being built in collaboration with Yigal Kass of Crestview Homes. The modern enthusiasts fell in love with the project immediately and worked with Realtor Dennis Pow-Sang to purchase the home, located a few blocks from The Menil Collection.

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The kitchen, living area, patio and courtyard are unified by the continuation of materials and colors throughout the interior and exterior, lending an inherent sense of calm to the ground floor.

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The simple geometry of the Omega bookcase by Daniel Rode for Roche Bobois offers a gentle, yet graphic contrast to the straight lines of the home.

UNDERCOVER KITCHEN Designer Anne Breux of Interior Architecture was already on board with the project, a fortunate circumstance for the new owners. Making just a few modifications to the initial floor plan, the new owners were thrilled with their newly found dream home in progress. “Anne could help us make decisions for the interior,” says the wife. “She really understood our desire for a Bauhaus-like home.”

The couple wanted a contemporary, German design-inspired kitchen, so they hired local craftsman Alex Cubelli of Architectural Design Cabinet Works to custom build the streamlined, all-white kitchen, which features pure white Corian countertops.

“We really do love the white Corian countertop,” says the wife. “We wanted the kitchen to be nice and closed up and tidy.

We actually didn’t want it to look like a kitchen.”

“Yes, that was important because the kitchen is part of the continuous living space,” the husband says. The couple raves about Anne Breux’s design and organization of the island, which provides a world of unobtrusive storage.

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Alex Cubelli of Architectural Design Cabinet Works crafted the ultra-sleek, all-white kitchen to fulfill the homeowners’ request for a kitchen inspired by contemporary German cabinetry. The look banishes clutter to maintain the peaceful mood of the overall living space.

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Stepping stones define the fragrant pathway through the west-side herb garden.

SUBLIME SIMPLICITY “Our home was built and designed for this lot,” says the wife.

“Allen Bianchi is from Houston and he understands where to put windows, and also how to create privacy in a house that has a lot of glass.”

The couple says they enjoy seeing blue sky through those wellplaced windows daily. “The house is bright, cheerful and relaxing all at once,” says the husband.

“For us, the architecture is like art,” says the wife. “It’s artwork you can walk through and live in.”

No moldings or trims adorn the walls and ceilings of the home and the décor is intentionally minimal. The couple found that they had to be very careful with selecting new items to introduce into their home. With the crisp architecture and simple color palette, one item can make a huge impact. A circular shelf unit off

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Designer Anne Breux worked with the homeowners to maximize storage in the kitchen to keep countertops tidy. The couple chose a rustic, white dining table to proved a homey variation on their modern decor theme.

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Portland, Oregon artist Guenevere Schwien’s painting of a Ducati motorcycle undeniably revs up the wall of the stair landing.

the kitchen and a vivid motorcycle painting in the stair landing are fine examples of this.

Designer Anne Breux presented a selection of materials to the couple to help them make their decisions on the calming color palette. “When I come into a project, I respect the architect’s work first, and then select materials,” says Breux. “I make sure everything works together. For this home, it was best to use many of the same materials inside and out, rather than create a patchwork of various materials.”

To complement the white stucco walls, the same neutral stone flooring was used inside and out to extend the living space outdoors. A deep grey brick provides a sturdy counterpoint to airy white walls and expanses of glass and powder-coated metal shelves accents as an understated accent.

Bianchi’s design of the home, which sits on a corner lot, takes advantage of each day’s shifting sunlight. The front of the home is dominated by crisp, white stucco walls, while the side elevation is almost equal parts stained cedar fence, white stucco and grey brick.

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The master bedroom blends natural colors and textures, which harmonize with the outdoor views. The sense of space in the bedroom flows onto the serene patio and courtyard, where outdoor furniture from the 1966 Collection by Richard Schulz serves as a constant invitation to enjoy a quiet moment.

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“Allen caused the light to play quite brilliantly,” says the husband. “Its not just a white box, because elements of the house add angles to other elements so you’ll see shadows play on the side of the house throughout the day. It’s always very interesting.”

One thing that attracted them to the plan was having the master bedroom on the first floor. The master bedroom enjoys the view into the generous, private courtyard.

The couple appreciates Bianchi’s layout of the master bathroom. “His design is quite minimal and does not disrupt the sense of calm,” say the husband. “It flows together, rather than being chopped up into sections.”

The second floor of the home provides various optional spaces, such as guest quarters, an office and flexible lounge space that functions as a Zen room, exercise area and reading nook. The lounge area opens onto a balcony. This inviting outdoor space sits above the master bedroom and overlooks both the private courtyard and the surrounding neighborhood, further connecting the interior to the outdoors.

“I appreciate how a lot of the elements, such as the brick, go right out to the outside and come inside as well,” says the husband. “It makes it feel like the house is participating in the outside, especially with all the windows.”

“Yes, it’s a wonderful outside effect,” says the wife.

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The master bath features an uncluttered floor plan, enhanced by the glass shower enclosure and lighting installed within the mirror. Two vessel sinks sit atop the mesquite wood vanity, which was handcrafted Randy Keys.

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ABOVE: Off the second-floor lounge, a generous balcony offers views of the surrounding neighborhood. More 1966 furniture by Richard Schulz provides a restful place to pass the time.

LEFT: The combination of sunny afternoons and tree branches yields a delightful shadow cinema on the westfacing, white stucco walls of Bianchi’s design.

OPPOSITE: The well-placed windows on the east wall of the second floor provide mood-lifting daylight to the hallway, which functions as a library, in addition to connecting the office, guest room and lounge space.

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RESOURCES REALTOR: DENNIS POW-SANG, 713.522.2828 BUILDER: YIGAL KASS, Crestview Homes, 713.942.0490 ARCHITECT: ALLEN BIANCHI, AIA, 713.523.4800 INTERIOR DESIGNER: ANNE BREUX INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE, 713.301.0143 CUSTOM AUDIO, VIDEO AND BLINDS: KEVIN SUSTALA, Custom Audio and Video, 281.755.2095 KITCHEN & CABINETRY: ALEX CUBELLI, Architectural Design Cabinet Works, 713.661.3641 STAINLESS STEEL SHELVES & POWDERCOATING: GUIDO SCHINDLER, 713.880.9787 VANITIES AND HARDWOODS: RANDY KEYS, Canyon Mesquite and Selected Hardwoods, 281.620.4468 LIGHTING: FERNANDO GALARZA, Lighting Unlimited, 713.626.4025 WELDING FOR THE FRONT GATE: DAN SCHNORR, 832.455.7135 INTERIOR FINISHING & PAINTING: STEVE CROATT HOME REPAIR, 281.344.7681 DUCATI MOTORCYCLE PAINTING: GUENEVERE SCHWIEN, Portland, Oregon, www.gueneveres.com/ MotoGallery.html

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