From the editor
Still Standing
W
hen I was little, I remember a conversation between adults where someone said, “You better do something to it now before they slap a historical marker on it and then you are stuck.” They were referring to an old house that I was not familiar with. How times have changed. Nowadays, it’s the homeowners driving the designation, understanding full well the importance of preserving their homes and neighborhood. Shanon Shea Miller, San Antonio’s Historic Preservation Director, calls it a shared goal of economic, environmental and cultural sustainability. It’s impossible to imagine cities without historic districts and beautiful old homes that have been respectfully restored, and thanks to city departments, non-profits and individual homeowners in our area, we don’t have to. In Austin, homeowners rescued a 100-year-old home left as a construction site and called Tim Cuppett Architects for the lengthy restoration of the historical property. For CG&S Design-Build, their project was not that old, but a first for Austin. They renovated the city’s first concrete earth dwelling built in 1984, taking it from bunker to bright and beautiful. In San Antonio, Haven Design & Construction recreated the kitchen of a 1902 home with period-specific designs, colors and some repurposed antiques. As a mom of school-aged kids, I’ve watched the change in school design over the years. I asked McKinney York Architects and LPA, Inc, both experienced in education design, to explain how new instructional methods are driving school architecture. In the mood for fall antiquing? Antique Week continues in October and Leah Ashley of ABC’s Fablife provides tips on what to wear, eat and drink and, especially, where to find those perfect treasures. Over in Comfort, any weekend is a great day for antiquing but don’t miss out on the town’s collection of Alfred Giles-designed buildings. The famed architect worked in Comfort around the turn of the century and left incredible landmarks within a square block – perfect for a walking tour and still in use today. As we transition into fall, I wish everyone health and happiness.
Trisha Doucette
On The Cover: Though the stately, century-old home had been vacant for years, with renovations prior to that, many of the original doors, windows and other historic elements were left in the basement in what architect Tim Cuppett refers to as a treasure trove of items to sort through. Page 30. Photo by Whit Preston. 10 HOME DESIGN & DECOR AUSTIN-SAN ANTONIO |
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2020
