Urban Home Austin-San Antonio by Trisha Doucette

HOME CELEBRATING INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN AND PERSONAL STYLE

Entertaining Spaces www.UrbanHomeMagazine.com

O C T / N O V

2 0 1 2

AUSTIN-SAN ANTONIO URBAN

From the Editors

“Where I live is a reflection of who I am and how I want to live. It is my home — an extension of my soul. It’s where my spirit rests and plays. I share it with the people I love, and that makes all the difference.” This quote, pulled from a Square Nest gift tag many years ago, was beautiful enough to save but the author is unknown. It perfectly describes the dreams and goals of the homeowners, who along with their teams of professionals, created their own “nests” and graciously allowed us to share them with you. Our cover home, which was featured in the recent San Antonio Parade of Homes, exudes the cool, calm vibe of a Malibu coastal retreat circa 1972. Influenced by the homeowners’ desire for clean lines and natural materials, the team of Robert Salas, Kevin FitzGerald and Debbie Baxter created a home with smart design, rich texture and unbelievable details such as the cantilevered living area that extends over the pool. In Wimberley, a family weekend retreat needed an infusion of fun. A plan that started out as simply a barn to store the new tractor quickly grew into an entertainment haven where the extended family could gather to relax and play. The result is a “party barn,” complete with gaming tables, a silo balcony and rustic exterior finishes, designed by Rick Burleson and built by Mickey Maness so that it blends seamlessly with the existing home and landscape. And there’s even a small area to store the tractor. With a nod to homes of yesteryear designed specifically for lavish parties, an Austin home more than meets the needs of its homeowner, a consummate entertainer. The trifecta of architect Kevin Alter, builder Don Crowell and designer Tracey Overbeck Stead worked together to blend a touch of Hollywood-Regency style and Mid-Century Modern design to this home, perfectly outfitted for small, intimate gatherings or much larger affairs. With two distinct areas of this home, one public and one decidedly private, the homeowner found a perfect balance of elegance with modern livability. High above downtown Austin, two luxurious high-rise condominiums started out with the same floor-plan and finishes. However, after incredible transformations created by the talented teams at Panache Interiors and Dick Clark Architecture, these spaces now uniquely reflect the owners’ personalities and desires. Until next time, we wish you a wonderful fall season.

Trisha Doucette & Leslie Woods, editors

P.S. Visit us at our new Facebook page: Facebook.com/UrbanHomeMags Please be encouraged to recycle

On The Cover: An oversized island, anchored on bamboo floors, and layered against white, horizontal walls and a fabulous Anne Saks tile backsplash is only a snapshot of the textural finishes and smart design in this Mattern & FitzGerald Parade home, designed by Debbie Baxter. Page 22.

Scan to view more features of this home.

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

2012 | VOL. 7 | NO. 5 Publisher Louis Doucette Editors Trisha Doucette and Leslie Woods Contributing Editors Leonard Guerrero – ABOR David Davison – Austin NARI Justin Bravo – NARI San Antonio Karen Matuszewski – By Design, Real Estate Services & Custom Home Consulting Catrina Hoelke – Catrina’s at the Ranch Marty Solombrino – Service Tech AV Contributing Writers Claudia Alarcon, Sharla Bell, Jackie Benton, Julie Catalano, Mauri Elbel, Sue-Ella Mueller, Dana W. Todd Strategic Media Placement Diane Purcell Advertising Sales Sandy Weatherford Gerry Lair Photography Paul Bardagjy, Allison Cartwright, Casey Dunn, Thomas McConnell, Daniel Nadelbach, Matthew Niemann, Ethan Stead, Chad Wadsworth Design and Production Tim Shaw – The Shaw Creative Printing and Direct Mail SmithPrint Phone 512.385.4663, Austin - 210.410.0014, San Antonio Fax 830.981.8887 Business Office 4714 Cambridge / Sugar Land, Texas 77479 Sales Office 10036 Saxet Drive / Boerne, Texas 78006 Email louisd@urbanhomemagazine.com Website www.urbanhomemagazine.com Urban Home Magazine Austin-San Antonio is published by Big City Magazines of Austin, LLC. Advertising rates available upon request. All rights reserved by copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent from publisher. Every effort is made to assure accuracy of the information contained herein. However, the publisher cannot guarantee such accuracy. Advertising is subject to errors, omissions and or other changes without notice. Mention of any product or service does not constitute endorsement from Urban Home Magazine. The information contained in this publication is deemed reliable from third party sources, but not guaranteed. Urban Home Magazine does not act as an agent for any of the advertisers in this publication. It is recommended that you choose a qualified remodeling, home furnishings or home improvement firm based on your own selection criteria. Urban Home Magazine, does not act as an agent for any of the realtors or builders in this publication. It is recommended that you choose a qualified realtor to assist you in your new home purchase. Urban Home Magazine will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that is a violation of the Fair Housing Act. All real estate advertising in Urban Home Magazine, is subject to the Fair Housing Act that states “We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.”

October/November 2012

Contents

cover 22 Good Vibrations Photography by Matthew Niemann

featured homes

30 To The Party Barn Photography by Daniel Nadelbach 40 Gracious Formality In A Casual World Photography by Paul Bardagjy, Ethan Stead and Chad Wadsworth

trends 50 Design Distinctive Downtown Designs 74 Food Design The Tasting Table

highlights

38 48 58 70

A Working Order Trifecta of Design-Build Satisfying The Demand For Excellence Why This Space Works, Designer Spotlight: Julie Evans

departments fabulous finds 78 Destination: Made In Texas essentials 64 New Products: Great Design

57 60 61 81

contributing editors David Davison, Austin NARI & Justin Bravo, NARI San Antonio Karen Matuszewski , By Design - Custom Home Consulting Catrina Hoelke, Catrinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the Ranch Leonard Guerrero, ABOR

82 Advertiser Index

urbanhomemagazine.com

Mike and Tiffany Greenwood have remodeled, designed and built exclusive luxury and custom homes in San Antonio and the surrounding areas for nearly 10 years. Their homes are acclaimed by the Greater San Antonio Builders Association with awards at the 2008 Parade of Homes, the 2011 Parade of Homes in Champions Ridge and most recently at the 2012 Parade of Homes at The Dominion. Greenwood Custom Homes are renowned for attention to detail, architectural touches, and expansive spaces.

A premier builder of custom homes and construction for the distinguishing homeowner.

210.849.6300 www.greenwoodcustomhomes.com

Supplied by

7415 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78757 • 512.302.3700 www.kitchencraftaustin.com

Uncomplicated Beauty. Competitive Affordability. Polished Service. Come see what’s new at Kitchen Craft of Austin.

We’ve got great glass

www.VentanaMan.com 512-388-9400 1609 Chisholm Trail #100, Round Rock

Don ’t M ov e ,

Im p rove · Keep your great location · See your new design in 3D · Transform your house · Keep your memories at home

2011 Coty Award-Winner in the following categories: • Best Master Bathroom under $30,000 • Best Kitchen $80,000-$120,000 • Best Interior Remodel over $100,000 Winner of Best Overall Remodel – 2011 Tour of Remodeled Homes 106 Lacey Oak San Antonio, Texas 78230 210.882.6263 www.jangelodesignbuild.com

Good Vibrations By Sharla Bell | Photography by Matthew Niemann, Aberdeen Studios

As the child of a devoted Beach Boys fan, I willingly admit that, thanks to my father, much of my life plays to an internal soundtrack that includes “Barbara Ann” and “Kokomo.” So, when I strolled up the front walk of the Mattern & FitzGerald Parade Home in The Aragon in The Dominion last May, it was not surprising that “Good Vibrations” began playing through my head. Reminiscent of a Malibu beach house circa 1972, this home exudes California cool lovingly re-imagined in a Hill Country setting. What I learned when I sat down with builder Kevin FitzGerald of Mattern & FitzGerald Custom Builders and designer Debbie Baxter, ASID, IIDA, of Baxter Design Group, is that this is no accident. Rather, the laid back, soulful architecture and design of this home is the result of an incredibly intense five months of soaking up their clients’ hopes, dreams, and yes, even their vibe, and turning it into a home that evokes their very essence. The couple at the heart of this project approached FitzGerald with the possibility of building a home on a lot they had fallen in love with — that just happened to be on the Parade street. FitzGerald, a veteran of Parade homes, knew that building a home on this street meant that the cost would increase but so would the financial incentives inherent with this level of scrutiny. Still, the clients were very clear: “We were on a budget. I think the quote was, ‘if we can’t do this house for that price, then forget it.’” And FitzGerald, Baxter and the architect Robert A. Lopez, AIA, of Lopez Salas Architects, Inc., were up for the challenge. According to Fitzgerald, the clients “wanted a house with soul and natural materials that were understated, yet elegant. We chose to design and build a home that would be low on ‘stuff’ and rich on texture.”

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

pon the first meeting with this design-build team of architect, designer, builder and homeowners, the professionals listened to the couple describe, with illustrated book in hand, the kinds of architecture they gravitated towards: “every picture showed modern, clean lines, open loft spaces, and texture, lots of texture.” When asked what he means by texture, FitzGerald explains, “Texture is a term we use to describe the elements that we place on the walls. Wallpaper, cork, wood slats, rock, exposed rafters, exposed ducts; the list goes on and on. It’s more fun to be creative with different walls than just the sheetrock that everyone has. Of course, there’s a cost to that so you have to be careful, but consider materials that are both readily available and elegant. That was one of the strategies for this home.” While listening at that initial meeting, several things happened at once. The architect began to conceptualize “pod-

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

style architecture” which recognizes that each area of the home is distinct in function and also, then, distinct in style — as a way to mesh the homeowners’ wish for open, airy spaces with everyone’s desire to capitalize on the beautiful views afforded by the piece of property on which the house would sit. Each pod is centered around its purpose: the main living pavilion is “the heart of the home,” with the kitchen, dining, breakfast and living spaces completely open without any interior walls. Without impeding walls, the homeowners have fantastic views of both the front and rear of the home. The kids’ and guests’ suites make up another pod, allowing for noise control from the main living area and assuring that many restful nights’ sleep would remain uninterrupted. While the kids sleep downstairs, the guest suite is upstairs in this pod, and opens to incredible vistas. FitzGerald says the view toward the back of the property is amazing at sunset. Finally, the master suite and media area make up the third pod. “The media room is just off the front door and has a separate master vestibule in between it and the master living to offer sound respite. The master also features a custom spiral stairway that leads up to a private study. This gives it a “tree house” effect with views overlooking the pool and Hill Country. We purposely angled this wing to the left a little to not only create more space but also to concentrate on views from this pod. We have one window that has a view through a spa water feature with the firepit in the back drop all on the same axis, and of course, the main view when first walking in to the master suite is the pool going under the home with the LED lights that show this engineering marvel off.” FitzGerald gets understandably excited when he starts explaining the fruits of their labor — including the fact that part of the main pavilion living area is cantilevered out over the pool — but more on that later! Each of these pods is connected to another by a passageway, a kind of bridge, made mostly of glass, and allowing for seamless, yet perceptible, transitions from main living space to relaxing and retiring spaces. This pod concept also allowed for the exterior of the home to take shape in the design team’s mind’s eye. Meanwhile, Baxter, along with design partner Holly Hickey Moore, was getting to know “the delightful clients,” who wanted a laid back, comfortable home. “As designers, we wanted to keep the furnishings and finishes organic, clean lined and whimsical — young and comfortable — in line with the architecture and the site, a restrained interior.” FitzGerald credits Baxter with bestowing the appellation of “Malibu circa 1972” as the goal and vision for the home. She says the idea came directly from spending time with the homeowners; she saw them “enjoying a low-slung, organic home with an easy vibe, modern without being industrial,” a home that could have been found on the upscale California coastline. One other important element of the home came out of that initial meeting: the idea that the roof of the home should appear to “float.” “The floating roof is a concept that employs high windows that are close to the roof line, which we call clerestory windows, to appear to go from inside the home to out. It essentially connects you to that feature, and we spent a ton of time trying to figure out how to best do that while keeping true to codes and best practice,” explains FitzGerald. Another effect of clerestory windows: they allow more light to come in and really open up a space, which was key for these clients. Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

DESIGNER Baxter Design Group 210.828.4696 | Baxterdesigngroup.com 28

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

Special Pricing for ASID and AIA Members

C L I M AT E C O N T R O L L E D S H OW R O O M WE SELL TO THE PUBLIC

F I N E S T O N E G A L L E RY. C O M 210-889-4809 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78216 218 WEST RHAPSODY

BUILDER Mattern & FitzGerald Custom Builders 210.764.7373 | Matternandfitzgerald.com

natural stone, nature’s art . . . . like you’ve never seen before

GRANITE T R AV E RT I N E ONYX MARBLE

ARCHITECT Lopez Salas Architects, Inc. 210.734.4448 | Lopezsalas.com

RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT DURING OUR GRAND OPENING!

F I N E S T O N E G A L L E RY

As this process of envisioning the home and then making it reality continued, some truly unique design features began to evolve. For both FitzGerald and Baxter, the main living pavilion is a favorite space. For FitzGerald, it is “the beauty and craftsmanship of the space. We were challenged to come up with ‘wow’ features that didn’t break the bank. One example is the “faced” New Mexico dry stack stone added to the interior living room wall. This rich texture coupled with the staingrade, exposed roof creates a feeling that will never go stale.” Another ‘wow’ feature is the massive, custom-made metal firebox that defines the dining room and living room. The double-sided box means that one can look straight through it, and the ribbon flame dances to and fro, creating ambiance throughout the living area. “The best part is as night falls, the space becomes more and more magical due to all of the rich texture on the walls and ceilings. The sun sets, the shadows dance and the space comes alive.” For Baxter, the kitchen is irresistible, and epitomizes successful design. “The layering of our selected finishes on the architecture is comparable to a well dressed person who has dressed for comfort, but looks totally, effortlessly put together. I love the kitchen — the huge, oversized island, anchored on the bamboo floors, with the sculptural walnut stools layered against the white, horizontal walls and fabulous Anne Saks tile backsplash. It brings all the right elements into one panoramic expanse.” And one thing that will never get old in the main pavilion is standing in the back left corner and knowing that you are suspended out and over the backyard pool. This idea, to cantilever a portion of the house above the pool, originated from the architect. Lopez thought that this was the perfect opportunity to introduce a Frank Lloyd Wright type of feature that would be enjoyed from both inside and outside the house. FitzGerald recalls, “A phone call was made from the desk of the planning meeting to the engineer who told us it could be done. We started there because I knew if we could get the foundation right, the pool would be fine as well.” For both Baxter and FitzGerald, the budget was a challenge, but one that they overcame with style. Baxter explains, “We had to be very discriminating in our choices, and we spent our resources on things that they would keep, custom making many of the primary pieces to keep costs in line as well as providing craftsmanship we knew we could trust and stand behind.” And FitzGerald echoes this, “As with all homes, we strive to make sure that the homeowner gets the best visual return possible for the dollars allocated for the project. We try our best to listen to our clients and put the dollars in the areas that are most important to them.” And Parade home or not, this sounds like most excellent advice when building a dream. v

With their kids grown and living all across Texas, one empty nest couple finds a way to bring the flock together for weekends.

ive years ago, Dana Foster and her husband Storm Lippman had the perfect house built in a little community called High Ridge Ranch in Wimberley, Texas. They loved the design that architect Rick Burleson of Burleson Design Group had created and that builder Micky Maness of Coachman Homes had made a reality. The house became their escape from Houston, with trips made to their new 43-acre, country home site every weekend. It was perfect. And then Storm bought a tractor.

TO THE

PARTY BARN! 30

Urban Home Austin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; San Antonio

By Sue-Ella Mueller | Photography by Daniel Nadelbach

urbanhomemagazine.com

Urban Home Austin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; San Antonio

Wired for sound and outfitted with comfortable seating, the 1953 Chevy pick-up truck creates a drive-in theater experience. 32

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

The tractor, of course, needed to be stored somewhere. And if they were going to build a storage facility, it might as well have a workshop, too, was Storm’s mindset. But Dana had plans of her own brewing. The couple’s three children from their combined family were now all grown and scattered across Texas. While all three kids, Thomas, Bryan and Michelle, who now had a husband and baby of her own, were frequent visitors to the weekend getaway, Dana wanted to make sure she could keep them coming back. A party barn was her answer. “We all live up and down Texas Highway 35, and the house urbanhomemagazine.com

is a place where we can meet in the middle as a family on the weekends,” says Foster. “When Storm bought the tractor, we decided we needed a barn and I knew I wanted it to match the house. I also thought it would be nice to have one side of it be a place the kids, and hopefully more grandkids, could enjoy. It just sort of evolved into one, massive party barn.” For Foster and Lippman, the easiest part of the plan was rehiring Burleson and Maness. “They are just an unbelievable team. Rick has incredible vision and Micky is able to make it happen so seamlessly,” Foster says. “It’s not often that we have an opportunity to work with clients twice. Most of them build their dream house and they are not going to build another one,” says Burleson. “It was a great opportunity to work together again as a team. The clients are great. They get excited about creative approaches and they have great ideas, and Micky is talented at executing the construction.” Maness adds, “I’ve worked with Rick on several projects and I’ve stayed in contact with the owners, so I was pretty excited. We just all work really well together.” With the team back together again, they took their time with the design. “It was important that we tie the barn into the house but make sure that it didn’t dominate the estate or look out of place,” says Burleson. “The clients had specific needs; they wanted a game room, a kitchenette, a media room, a bunkroom and at least one full bathroom in addition to the storage and workshop area.” Burleson created a building oriented to complete a U-shaped compound with a southern courtyard between the house and barn, using many of the same building materials that were in the house such as the limestone brought in from Del Rio. “We wanted the structure to complement the house but still look like Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

The finished structure blends well with the

lines and a neutral background are

and evokes the

highlighted with

barn, updated for its current use. a barn, to give it the sense of an older barn structure that was rehabbed for current use,” said Burleson. When Foster brought up the idea of a second story balcony, her husband wasn’t immediately sold on the idea. That is until Burleson added a silo to the building that was perfect for the balcony as well as giving the barn that old, traditional feel they were looking for without making it too “ranchy.” “Dana calls herself a city girl. The house has a very rustic feel with lots of barn wood throughout the interior. Dana wanted the barn to have a more industrial feel. In the end, it looks cool; it’s still rugged but in a different kind of industrial way,” says Burleson. Exposed air ducts, exposed concrete floors and factory-like stairways contribute to the overall feel of the party barn. “We put horseshoe prints in the foundation, but left the original finish with just a paste wax over the concrete. Upstairs, we used a pine for the floor with different sized boards randomly placed that gives it a unique look,” Maness says. “We also put in custom made pipe handrails on the stairways with hog panel (galvanized metal mesh gates) in between the top and bottom rails for both the interior and exterior stairways.” “I wanted the barn to have a more contemporary feel for the kids, with cleaner lines and bright colors,” says Dana. “Our son, Thomas, also wanted to be involved in the design and decorating. So upstairs we just have one bunk room with Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

contemporary

natural landscape feeling on an old

Inside, clean,

urbanhomemagazine.com

bright colors to appeal to future grandkids. four big beds and it was Thomas’s idea to have each bed be a different color. He told me he could see [future] grandkids running upstairs saying ‘I want the blue bed, I get the green bed.’ He brought a lot of good ideas to the table.” Downstairs, the game room is encased between two walls of glass. Glass windows fall between the media room and the game room while the other far side of the game room features large, overhead, glass garage doors that open up to the porch and the courtyard. A small kitchenette is just off of the game room which is large enough to house a pool table, a ping pong table and a decorative, full-size, 1953 Chevy pick-up truck. “I’m a big eBayer and a few years ago all these Old Navy® trucks started coming up [for bid]. I called our local store and found out all the stores were getting rid of the decorative trucks,” Foster says. “I finally found a store in Waco that still had one. The guy I talked to said if you can get here by 7 am, Sunday morning you can have it free.” Foster turned the back of the prop truck (which doesn’t have an engine) into a day bed of sorts and faced the back towards the media room. “The truck was really the starting point of the [interior] design,” says Burleson. “The idea was that the truck would be the centerpiece of the game room and you could sit in the bed of the truck and watch TV. It’s wired for sound so it’s like you have your own personal drive-in theater.” Another integral piece to the project came with the installation of the barn urbanhomemagazine.com

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

A traditional silo turned second floor balcony reinforces the old barn design aesthetic.

doors. Massive heavy sliding barn doors were painted bright orange and tie the contemporary meets rustic theme all together. “When I told them I wanted the doors orange, not all the guys were convinced that was the best color,” says Foster. “And it’s funny. I can usually tell who the Aggies are because they usually walk in and say I like everything but the orange doors.” But Foster, who along with Thomas, is responsible for decorating the party barn, takes interior design in stride. “Decorating is not brain surgery. No one is going to die if we get it wrong. It’s just paint. If you don’t like it, you just redo it.” Outside of the color, Maness says the doors presented other challenges for him. “We had to figure out how to integrate these really big, sliding barn doors. We wanted to get as tight of a seal as possible, but still make them easily operable,” he says. “This structure really presented some unique things like the barn doors, the glass garage doors and fitting a round silo into a square structure. But I feel lucky to work on these types of projects where I’m still learning something every day.” For Burleson, the project gave him an opportunity to incorporate unique design ideas. “I like what we did on the main porch, creating heavy stone portals that support the porch roof,” he says. “The idea there was that instead of a porch with small columns, we’d give it more of a structural mass. It makes it feel as if the porch was at one time part of the interior of the barn. It’s a different feature that makes it more interesting.” Not surprisingly, their weekend home has become their family’s haven and Foster says they are at the Wimberley house now more often than not and so is the rest of the family. “We truly enjoy each other. Whether we are sitting on the porch listening to the kids play music on their instruments, competing in a family ping pong tournament or just watching a movie together, every weekend we’re aching to get there.” And who wouldn’t be? After all, where do party animals go for a good time? To the party barn, of course! v

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

24/ 7

AUTOMATIC POWER PROTECTION

When the Power goes out, RELAX.

Call Today for FREE Home Assessment

ARCHITECT Burleson Design Group 512.842.1308 | burlesondesigngroup.com BUILDER Coachman Homes 512.844.5843 | coachmanhomesinc.com

Never be without power AGAIN!

urbanhomemagazine.com

2004 Howard Lane, Austin, Texas 78728 512.251.2247 • 800.288.5582 • 512.251.3315 Fax

www.austingenerator.net

CG&S DESIGN-BUILD

A Working Order From initial plans to housewarming party, all under one roof

“What separates a true design-build experience from a more traditional building experience is that a client works with the same team from day one’s envisioning through the housewarming party.” Stewart Davis, Principal Architect, CG&S Design-Build

By Sharla Bell | Photography by Thomas McConnell

hen homeowners from Houston arrived at their Hill Country weekend retreat, the last thing they expected to encounter were soggy, ruined floors and damaged, disintegrating walls, but thanks to burst pipes on the upper level that destroyed their relaxation haven, that is exactly what they found. To add insult to injury, it was then discovered during the remediation process that the home was originally constructed with under sized floor joists and over stressed beams. In addition, almost nothing in the house was square, straight or level. The homeowners wisely sought advice from Stewart Davis, Principal Architect at CG&S Design-Build. The homeowners wanted to correct the structural issues, open up the compartmentalized common rooms and update the finishes in a contemporary style. Because they are a design-build firm, CG&S was a particularly perfect choice for this project. Able to simultaneously address both the structural and design aspects of a project, CG&S Design-Build can orchestrate a 38

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

wonderfully fluid and smooth remodel. In the case of this vacation home, Davis first hired an engineer to assess the damage and determine what needed to be done. He also sent out their in-house construction superintendents, the professionals “who understand the forensics of how to fix a house with proper expertise, materials and their costs.” According to Davis, “What separates a true design-build experience from a more traditional building experience is that a client works with the same team from day one’s envisioning through the housewarming party.” From the demolition folks to the lead carpenters to the cost estimators, all are employees of CG&S and work together as a unified whole. A single point person, the chief designer/architect, guides the client through each phase and communicates with all team members throughout the process, keeping the client informed as the project progresses. This was especially important for this project given that the homeowners lived out of town — they relied heavily on Davis’ expertise and updates. urbanhomemagazine.com

The homeowners also appreciated CG&S Design-Build’s ability to accurately estimate the cost of the entire project during each phase of the design. Because they helm every phase of the project and involve the tradesmen who will actually be addressing each piece of a remodel, CG&S is also able to give up-to-date costs if finishes change from original sketches, or in the case of this house, insurance claims are part of the puzzle. Finally, once the structural issues were addressed and the shared living spaces redesigned so that they open up to better suit the needs of the homeowners, Davis’ team was able to finish the home in the contemporary style desired by their clients. Interior design is also part of the package at CG&S. They work with the homeowners to select plumbing fixtures, lighting, flooring and finishes. For example, Davis and Project Designer Mark Lind, urbanhomemagazine.com

helped the homeowners select sleek white Caesarstone and modern cherry cabinetry for the kitchen; he also set the refrigerator, ovens and pantry in a wall of floor to ceiling cabinets, reinforcing the overall aesthetic of clean lines and simplicity. Additionally, the existing stair was completely gutted and a new stair with minimal steel railings, glulam stringers, open risers and “floating” cherry treads was built in its place, a change that greatly enhances both the overall contemporary aesthetic and feeling of spaciousness running throughout the project. It is this attention to detail as well as their streamlined process that makes CG&S Design-Build an excellent choice for your next remodeling project. v CG&S DESIGN-BUILD 512.444.1580 | CGSDB.com Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Gracious Formality in a

Casual World By Dana W. Todd

Photo by Chad Wadsworth

Today’s prevailing home design leans toward casualness and openness for entertaining ease. It’s quite unusual for a homeowner to request rooms be architecturally designed as disparate entities, especially when it comes to the kitchen, dining and living areas. A new Austin suburban home situated on a large lot on a meandering road defies the casual and open trend, employing a dose of formality and definitive room separation to complement a homeowner’s prolific evenings of entertainment. Photo by Paul Bardagjy

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Photo by Ethan Stead

he consummate entertainer, the homeowner wished to return to a more gracious, elegant home suited for formal parties of all sizes. A rich yesteryear-inspired interior design focused around Mid-CenturyModernism-meets-Hollywood-Regency adds a dose of elegance that keeps the modern architecture from being overbearingly stark and masculine. A regular schedule of entertaining and dinner parties dictated most of the home’s design. Its boomerang shape features the public rooms in one “arm” of the boomerang, the bend of the “elbow” holds the transitional semi-private rooms, and private rooms fill the other “arm” of the boomerang. Clear divisions between public and private areas alert visitors as they walk along the 145-foot corridor that follows the trajectory of the house’s long and narrow shape. 42

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Photo by Ethan Stead

“The shape of the house is powerful. The hallway takes a bend like a meandering city street, so you get a sense it continues, but you can only see so far. You get a sense of a long house, but it’s clear where the public realm ends,” says Kevin Alter, who, with his team of architects at Alterstudio, designed the award-winning house to fit a long and narrow lot. The team worked hard to create a place where the client’s expectations of clearly delineated public and private spaces on a single level meshed with the necessity of designing within the lot’s restrictive parameters.

Public Parties

On entertainment nights, the homeowner greets guests at one end of the house in the grand entry hall replete with a vintage chandelier and custom-patterned New Ravenna marble urbanhomemagazine.com

Photo by Paul Bardagjy

urbanhomemagazine.com

Photo by Ethan Stead Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Photo by Chad Wadsworth

Photo by Paul Bardagjy

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

flooring sourced through Architerra Studios. Small rooms off the entrance hall — a powder room and coat closet — allow guests to take care of essential details before they move into the main entertaining spaces. The next room in the sequence of public rooms is the living room, where guests mingle after picking up a drink in the attached, but separate, bar area. A wall of book-matched Carrara marble houses a sleek stainless steel fireplace and a vintage hotel mirror. An adjacent wall of glass, which follows along the houselength hallway, provides a visual connection with the outdoor courtyard and opens up the room. A custom woven silk rug, custom-built curved velvet sofa, and stuffed armchairs covered in “Ovina” fabric by Bergamo Fabrics provide elegant, feminine touches to the linear structure of the room. From the living room, guests follow the corridor to the ovalshaped formal dining room, which features two vintage hanging light fixtures over two custom-designed round dining tables surrounded by cream Baker quilted leather chairs. Curved, suede-covered vanilla walls convey the coziness of an upscale restaurant dining room, comfortably seating large parties of 12 at both tables or smaller parties using one table. In keeping with the entertainment theme, an unobtrusive entrance at the back of the dining room connects to the kitchen, where the chef prepares meals and the servers retreat when not working. The “elbow” of the boomerang-shaped house connects to the garage and contains the kitchen, butler’s pantry, breakfast nook, and TV/reading room. These rooms serve as the functional hub of the home, where groceries can be unloaded, the owner can eat a casual breakfast in the channeled vinyl kitchen banquette, and hired staff can perform household management tasks. “This is where the day-to-day life of the home takes place, but urbanhomemagazine.com

Photo by Chad Wadsworth

it is all very carefully considered,” says Alter. “There are a lot of concealed entries and storage that allow the house to operate seamlessly but that also can conceal its inner workings from visitors. The door between the kitchen and hallway, for example, looks like a continuation of the paneling instead of a door.”

Private Paradise

Moving through the functional portion of the house, the next wing of rooms are the private rooms reserved for the homeowner and his invited overnight guests, and include a large master suite, guest bedroom and bathroom, office and laundry room. This area of the home is where the formal ebonized hardwood flooring gives way to lush carpeting. Vein cut marble on the walls and floor of the master bath is beautiful and unexpected. White Thassos marble on the countertops brightens the space. The continuation of high clerestory windows from the public wing into the private rooms ensures an abundance of natural daylight and eliminates the need for artificial light during daytime hours. Another special feature designed by interior designer Tracey Overbeck Stead, ASID, is the focal wall behind the desk in the home office. Stead covered the wall with Maya Romanoff’s “Ajiro Sunburst” wallcovering, hand applying pearls to each section of the wood veneer-tiled paper. Treasured works of art Stead placed strategically on the walls throughout other rooms are the only items the homeowner brought along to his new home (besides his clothes and a few books). “Art is very personal [to the homeowner], which is precious to me because art is a personal statement in a residence,” says Stead. “It’s so nice to have it in the house because it represents his soul.” Touches like these make this home a truly custom

urbanhomemagazine.com

Photo by Paul Bardagjy Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Photo by Ethan Stead

AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGN custom homes • lofts spec homes • commercial Photo by Ethan Stead

Photo by Ethan Stead

project, but that doesn’t mean the design team eschewed practicality in its overall design. “My kids come over and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the vinyl and laminate banquette in the kitchen,” says Stead. Easy cleanup means guests of all ages can enjoy the home. “The design was very considered,” says Alter. “Although it is designed specifically for him and his needs, the homeowner realized a future buyer may have needs for additional bedrooms for kids and gave thought to family-friendly features.” Some design features are so special, the architect and builder conspired to create them as one-of-a-kind showstoppers for this home. The front door, for example, appears as a constellation of stars during the evening, when interior lights shine through various sizes of drilled holes in the door. “The materials are inexpensive, but the concept is unique,” says the home’s builder, Don Crowell of Don Crowell Builders. “We took a solid door, drilled varying diameter holes in it, and carefully inserted opaque acrylic rods, finishing with a coat of paint. The end result appears different from the exterior and interior. During the day, it lets in interesting light into the windowless entry hall.”

Complex Challenges

A few challenges reared their heads along the way, but Alter says they were no match for Don Crowell Builders. “Don is arguably one of the finest builders in Austin and was up to the challenge,” Alter says. “Knowing his ability allowed 46

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

us to design careful, unique features with the expectation they would be executed with aplomb.” Up front, the trickiest challenge was the lot’s expansive soils. Heavy clay absorbs excess water and expands, then contracts when it dries out, making a typical concrete slab an unreliable foundation. Instead, Crowell’s construction team drove concrete piers 30 to 50 feet into the ground, layered them with perimeter beams, and laid the foundation on top of them. The modern design of the home looks stylistically simplistic; however, the construction process for a house with long vantage points demands perfectly straight lines inside and outside. Inside, minimal moldings mean extra work to a builder. “Everything must be perfect where walls meet floors and ceilings,” says Crowell. Large exterior overhangs, which shield the interior from unwanted summer heat, must be fortified with steel, an extra step in the construction process. The challenges, however, are no match for the graciousness of the finished product. “I like to call this house a ‘return to elegance,’” says Stead. “It’s a different design than the usual done for the current generation. The rooms are functional in the private wing, but guests experience an ‘old school’ feel in the public rooms.” “This home shows design can ennoble your life in a world that’s more and more casual,” Alter says. v ARCHITECT Alterstudio 512.499.8007 | Alterstudio.net BUILDER Don Crowell Builders 512.328.9974 | Doncrowellbuilders.com DESIGNER Tracey Overbeck Stead 512.469.9749 | Traceyoverbeckstead.com urbanhomemagazine.com

Stephanie J. Villavicencio, ASID Texas Registered Interior Designer

512.443.3200 www.bellavillads.com

REALTY RESTORATION

Chemistry is important. Your intuition will lead you to the right team for your project. “If it doesn’t feel right from the beginning, it probably won’t feel any more warm and fuzzy by the end of the project!” says Bowen.

Trifecta of Design-Build Tips from the Pros on How to Choose a Strong Design-Build Team

home renovation project, whether it’s a kitchen, bathroom or the entire house, can be stressful. To alleviate much of the headache involved in the process, a homeowner’s best bet is to utilize a complete design-build team up front for greater efficiency in conception and design. Having over a decade of experience, Realty Restoration, LLC of Austin has developed a strategy for building the perfect design-build team. Their proven success is a trifecta of professionals that embody a few critical characteristics. A complete team includes an accredited remodeler/builder, architect and interior designer. Whether the team works under the roof of a design-build firm or operates as a virtual team, there are a few points to remember when selecting the professionals who will handle a renovation project.

Everyone must show mutual respect. Proven performance is a hallmark of a team that respects each other. Likewise, the homeowner must respect each of the professionals involved in the project. A team that listens closely 48

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

By Dana W. Todd

to their clients’ needs and desires will inherently instill respect and credibility. “Mutual respect ensures consistent and productive communication throughout the project, making the process and execution much smoother,” says interior designer Christy Bowen, CKD, of Twelve Stones Designs. “Our success with detailed, difficult and expansive projects is based on open lines of communication, resulting in strong relationships between our team and clients,” says David Davison, Certified Remodeler with Realty Restoration. The team should have proven success stories. Look for long-term working relationships between accredited architects, builders and designers with resulting client successes. You don’t want to be the guinea pig in a fledgling design collaboration. “Our design-build team integrates the design ideas of Christy Bowen for specialized emphasis on kitchens, baths and material selections with our firm’s proven design and building talents,” says Davison. urbanhomemagazine.com

Team Benefits. Once you have chosen a harmonious team, you will begin to see the benefits of a strong design-build collaboration. • The process is efficient, with a satisfying end product. For faster results, a diverse group brings together professionals with varying viewpoints and skills to balance out the team as a whole. The take-home benefit is nearly flawless design and execution. “When brainstorming, the team will see structural and design elements differently, bringing his or her concerns to the table to be worked out together,” Bowen says. “Personally, I love the creative process of working with the architect and remodeler simultaneously. The last thing I want is to waste my time or the homeowner’s time by designing something that can’t, in actuality, be built.” “I look at the collaboration process much the same way I view the transition from two dimensional drafting to 3D. Working with an interior design professional early on in a project forces you to take a look at the details much earlier, leaving fewer chances to forget something,” says Christopher Davison, AIA, Architect with Realty Restoration. “I can spend more time focusing on the big picture of how a space should function instead of getting bogged down with the specifics, knowing the designer is concentrating on those details.” • Enjoy a single point of accountability and responsibility. One point of contact minimizes risk for the homeowner and reduces the overall schedule, according to David Davison. • Adding a designer to the architect/remodeler dynamic equals less stress. The detailed selection process, while fun, can exasperate and frustrate an inexperienced homeowner because of all the choices in the marketplace. A designer can remove hours of comparison shopping from a homeowner’s to-do list since he or she is already familiar with the products and resources to complete the project. “Whether designing a dream kitchen, expanded master bathroom or whole house renovation, a successful partnership marries the art of creativity with the science of professional project development,” says David Davison. v REALTY RESTORATION 512.454.1661 | Realtyrestoration.com TWELVE STONES DESIGNS 512.705.2121 | Twelvestonesdesigns.com urbanhomemagazine.com

design n Trends

Panache Interiors

Dick Clark Architecture

Distinctive

Downtown Designs: Two Austin Condos as Diverse as the City Below By Mauri Elbel

Gazing out from two different highrise dwellings located in Austin’s 360 Condominiums provides the same iconic 180-degree view of the city. Towering buildings hover above downtown’s hustle and bustle as the state’s Capitol gleams in the sunlight of a brilliant day. Two spaces perched above Austin’s metropolis once shared the same floorplan, but a quick pivot toward their revamped interiors reveal they are every bit as unique and diverse as the city they loom above. Hollywood glamour drips from every corner of a suite designed by Panache Interiors for a recently retired couple relocating to Austin from their traditional New Orleans home. And just seven floors below, Dick Clark Architecture transformed a once two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo into a sprawling gallery-like space showcasing its owner’s impressive art collection and spectacular view. With clients who knew exactly what they wanted and savvy designers unafraid of taking risks to execute their visions, two distinctive urban spaces were custom-tailored to suit their owners’ lifestyles. 50

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

PANACHE INTERIORS

Photography by Allison Cartwright/Twist Tours

“W

hen my clients came to me and said they wanted bling, I told them nobody does bling in Austin,” recalls Sharon Radovich, owner of Panache Interiors. “I said Austin is relaxed and casual. But their descriptive was “bling” so I brought it on. Now, every surface reflects the towering skyline. They love it — and I love it too.” Radovich was at the helm of the design that pays homage to the Hollywood era with its precious metal color palette interspersed with punches of Corvette red. A giant leap from what it was when she first entered the front door, Radovich was able to see past the plainness to create a space that reflected a more refined time. “Initially they requested a modern look, but as we worked through their vision, I quickly discovered their style was more ornate,” she says. “They sought a luxurious feel that would transport them to a time when life was more elegant.” The condo, which was more raw and unfinished than expected, took about eight months to transform. The original blonde maple floors were stripped and restained a rich mahogany. Working with a faux finisher, Radovich camouflaged the concrete ceilings with metallic gold and silver paint, and eye-catching reflective laminates. Upon entering the condo’s red-painted door, a hallway wrapped in arabesque red-and-white wallpaper on one side and outfitted with a Marilyn Monroe portrait on the other guides you to the main living space and aerial downtown view.

urbanhomemagazine.com

The swiveling red leather recliner from Collectic Home is the perfect seat to enjoy the expansive condo views. Sourced from Z Gallery, the large mirror strategically reflects the view.

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Parallel lines of stainless edge banding adds a racing stripe effect, while the structural concrete columns were clad in stainless steel for a glamorous, reflective surface.

Crystal drops dangle over the glass table found at HOME Consignment and disappears in front of the windows. Over the metal-plate laminated bar, pendants from Lights Fantastic come with interchangeable black, red and clear tassels and beads.

The soffit, painted in the same vivid red as the door, separates the kitchen from the living area. The bar’s sports metal-plate laminate provides a bit of masculinity to the otherwise feminine décor. Radovich kept the existing wood cabinets in the kitchen, but gave them an edge with stainless steel accents. When the condo’s original walls didn’t quite touch the concrete ceilings, Radovich resolved the issue by adding stainless steel crown molding. But despite all the intricate details and finishes, the design never neglects the condo’s featured element: the remarkable view. “I wanted to maintain the commanding views in this space,” says Radovich. “During the day, the buildings and rolling hills are the artwork. At night, the view is an ever-changing show with traffic and architectural lighting creating an invigorating rhythm. It feels totally different.” 52

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

An eclectic mix of furnishings decorates the condo. Radovich sourced wholesale and resale while keeping an eye out for consignment gems and splurging on must-haves. She found the transparent glass dining table at a consignment shop but designed the cross-studded silver dining chairs. The custom tufted sofa provides a plush counterbalance to the sharper surrounding elements such as the chrome and black crystal embellished window cornice. Statement lighting — ranging from crystallized sconces to chandeliers — hang like jewels from the ceiling, each one illuminating the luxurious feel of the space through its own unique design. The master bedroom, designed around the piece of art hanging above the four-poster antiqued bed, plays out peacefully keeping the view as focal point despite powerful elements like urbanhomemagazine.com

its gold ceiling, six-foot tall peak-a-boo chair and revitalized French Provincial dresser. It transitions nicely to the master bath, which features a bold black, silver and gold harlequin-pattern wallpaper and sleek two-person curved tub finished in stainless steel and tuxedo striped glass tile. While the condo’s interior is unafraid of glitz — the guest bathroom gleams in gold and features shimmery splurges like the Swarovski crystal decorative hardware and vanity lights — Radovich’s eye for scale allows statement pieces to stand out without overwhelming. “There are lots of extraordinary pieces in this space, but together they create a transformative and stunning interior,” says Radovich. PANACHE INTERIORS 512.452.7773 | Panacheinteriors.com urbanhomemagazine.com

In the master bedroom, this French Provincial dresser was upcycled in gold and silver leaf by faux artist Zita Raymond. The master bedroom was inspired by the cheetah woman painting by New Orleans artist Craig Tracy. The antique mirror four poster bed from Louis Shanks frames the art perfectly. Metallic harlequin wallcovering bridges the silver and gold tones, and pays homage to their New Orleans roots. An iconic longhorn adds a chic Texas flair. Dripping in gold, the powder bath sparkles with Swarovski cabinet pulls and chandeliers.

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

The client purchased the custom kitchen online from a show room in San Diego and convinced the owner of the show room to drive the cabinets out to Austin for delivery.

DICK CLARK ARCHITECTURE Photography by Paul Bardagjy

brief elevator decent leads to a complete interior remodel that transformed a previously cramped and divided twobedroom condo into a spacious one-bedroom loft with a minimalist design scheme that allows the owner’s art collection and spectacular view to take center stage. “A project like this starts with a great client and really clear expectations,” says Jeff Krolicki, a senior associate and project architect for Dick Clark Architecture. “When you have three of us in there — the contractor, architect and client — with a sledgehammer in hand, you have to have a client who has a whole lot of confidence in his team.” 54

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

The Nelson lamp and bubble chair create a classic and timeless modern feel to the contemporary art collection and loft.

urbanhomemagazine.com

But Krolicki’s client was not just confident; he was hands-on from the beginning. He even lived in the condo during parts of the renovation and hand-picked many of the furnishings himself — a participatory role that provided a greater sense of pride and ownership in the finished product. “Our client is someone who travels a lot so he really wanted to be right downtown in the middle of things,” says Krolicki. “After looking at several locations, we felt like this one had a lot of potential with its great panoramic view. It’s not at the very top of the building which can isolate you from the city. Instead, its mid-level elevation gives you that iconic Austin panoramic view.” The condo’s original design didn’t take advantage of its stellar view; instead, an extensive redesign was required to open up the sight from all angles. Dick Clark Achitecture relocated the kitchen from what is now the stereo lounge to the entry area. Now, the Capitol greets guests as soon as they walk in the door rather than forcing them to navigate through a cramped hallway to get there. urbanhomemagazine.com

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

REMODELER’S ADVICE

Functionality In The Home Named Top Priority

During construction, the tub was carefully positioned to provide the optimal view while bathing. A mirror (not pictured) was installed at the jamb of the window to reflect the Capitol to the seated bather.

“There were really two main goals in this project,” says Krolicki. “This client is an art collector and he is always looking and expanding his collection so he wanted to showcase that. And he wanted us to create a very peaceful spa-like master bathroom that would have city views from the tub.” The walls of the main space were removed — save the necessary walls that transferred utilities throughout the building — creating areas to display the client’s notable art collection, including a Warhol and Banksy. A new master bathroom was built where there wasn’t one previously. Sleek steps lead up to the Zen-like, slate-surrounded master bathroom featuring a freestanding tub, fringed with garden pebbles and plants. The tub is situated in front of the window, providing a bird’s eye view of downtown with a mirror to the left that expands the view all the way to the Capitol. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the design is the clever use of contrasts. Dick Clark Architecture expertly used a limited palette of rich elements to keep the design 56

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

minimal and sophisticated. White laminate floors serve as a glossy juxtaposition to the rustic concrete ceilings above. The deep slate flooring and walls leading into the bathroom play beautifully against wooden closet panels and powder blue wallpaper featuring an artsy design of fire hydrants, parking meters and rats. A translucent bubble chair dangles from the ceiling in front of the wrap-around window panels. The same deep gray of several statement walls throughout the condo color the walls of the stereo lounge, serving to define a separate alcove in the otherwise open room that can be closed off with sheer white drapes that hang from the soffit. “Our first impulse was to make the space feel as open as possible, but we were mindful to not create too cold or sterile of a space,” says Krolicki. “We balanced the openness with rich materials, colors and changes in ceiling planes to create intimate spaces in the kitchen and lounge — spaces that create a home.” v DICK CLARK ARCHITECTURE 512.472.4980 | Dcarch.com urbanhomemagazine.com

ccording to a poll conducted by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) on its NARI.org website, the majority (56%) of homeowners cite functionality as their largest concern when it comes to their home. Functionality of the home generally starts with good design. NARI remodelers can help homeowners take special care to look for the missing details in any home design — from the location of the electrical outlets to the location of light switches to the special needs of their clients. To address concerns, homeowners should think about how they intend to use the space in the future. Young families with small kids may use the space differently David Davison, than empty-nesters. Multi-generational President, Austin NARI households oftentimes require universal design principles to be incorporated to increase the accessibility for everyone who lives in the home. “When I work with clients, I ask them to think about the ways they use their space or how they would like to use their space from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed,” says David Davison, CR, Justin Bravo, CKBR, President of Realty Restoration President, based in Austin, Texas and President of NARI San Antonio Austin NARI. “Eventually, clients start to notice consistencies in their lifestyle patterns and I help them create a design that addresses those patterns.” When planning a remodel, here are a couple details you may want to think about: • Placement of electrical outlets, telephone jacks and cable hook ups • Lighting requirements • Blending the design of new living space into existing living space • Current and future storage needs • Universal features to accommodate the needs of a broader range of people throughout their lifetimes There are also big picture lifestyle needs for clients to consider such as how often they entertain, host guests, spend time indoors/outdoors, and require residential business capabilities or special design elements for hobbies. These details will enable your remodeling contractor to help implement a design that best suits your needs, lifestyle and budget. v To find a professional remodeler in Austin or San Antonio, visit Austinnari.org or Remodelsanantonio.org.

DESIGN THEORY

“Design Theory, our new company, was born from the work we have done as California Closets,” explains Siegel. “We had customers that wanted us to create highly custom projects in other areas of the home that we, as California Closets, traditionally did not do, such as kitchen and bath remodels. As a result of their requests, we decided to create a new company that would focus on those areas.” Siegel explains that a call from some clients in Lakeway set everything in motion. “We had done some work for a family that had purchased a home in Rough Hollow and wanted their kitchen to have a functionality that the builder’s original plan didn’t provide. It was a second marriage, and they had five kids — so the kitchen really needed to function around their large family, not the other way around,” says Siegel. “They really liked the California Closets’ approach, with our philosophy that there’s a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. And so, after completing this project, we received some other calls. And after eight months, we decided to continue doing this special project work, but to continue as a new company: Design Theory.” Siegel believes California Closets’ signature emphasis on communication and quality workmanship has completely informed the experience her clients can expect from Design Theory. “We ask questions,” says Siegel. “We do a lot of interpreting. We listen. We have a conversation to get us started, and take us from concept and idea to the actual design. Ultimately, purpose is the key to any good design, with a nod to beauty and design. While some designs seem hard pressed to find a balance between its aesthetic and its functionality, we believe function is a principle associated with good design work, and the result should be

Satisfying the Demand for

Excellence By Jackie Benton | Photography by Allison Cartwright/Twist Tours

Supply and demand is the basic law of business: customers demand excellence and supplying excellence guarantees even more success — and sometimes leads to something else entirely. The creation of a new company was nowhere on the agenda for Jill Siegel. The Creative Director for California Closets of the Texas Hill Country was happily busy managing the wildly popular business creating custom bedroom, storage, media and entertainment designs with an impressive number of happy and satisfied clientele. But Siegel’s customers had other ideas: they were so pleased with the craftsmanship and attention they received from Siegel and her crew that when they wanted custom furnishings, or an update to their kitchen or bath, they found themselves calling on her to bring her magical sense of design to these projects as well. 58

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

furnishings that are as brilliant and beautiful as they are functional in purpose.” Comfort is another key consideration for Design Theory, says Siegel. “We create our products completely custom — they are not modular. We pay a lot of attention to ergonomics. I’m a cook, and cooking food for my family is important to me, and my approach to design is functionality, especially in the kitchen. Many of our clients might not spend as much time in their kitchens as I happen to, so they may not have considered that when remodeling their kitchen area that it would be nice to have a kitchen shelf that pulls out for easy access. We look at the cabinets, and see if they are too high or too low, and examine how hinges work and try to find solutions so that whoever is in the kitchen is not straining. We want this to be an easy, luxurious experience, so everything is detailed and planned out.” This attention to detail is what made Kris Webster appreciate Design Theory’s expertise when they collaborated to create a custom dining room table. “We were buying a new home in Bee Caves, and I absolutely fell in love with the table in the dining area that was owned by the sellers. I tried to get them to sell it to me, but they wanted more than I was willing to pay,” says Webster. Disappointed, Webster mentioned the situation to Siegel. “Jill suggested that she and her designer come and look at it and see if they could get it done. They took pictures, and we talked through a plan, decided on materials, and they made the table!” Webster was impressed not only with the workmanship of her new table, but also with Design Theory’s determination to make everything right. “The original table was very different — extremely modern and uniquely asymmetrical. There were a lot of details to it, and Jill’s group not only made it, they made it better, and it cost me less than if I had purchased the original. I have so many comments made on my table now — and having it made was nothing but a great experience. I definitely recommend them to others.” “I think the big attraction with us is that we can do anything,” affirms Siegel. “We can do big projects like kitchens and powder rooms, as well as small details, such as a floating teak countertop or chandeliers and wonderful lighting options. Our designs are collaborative, and the results are simple, unique and handcrafted. We can bring that artistic custom look to a home, do it locally, keep it affordable, and do it well.” v DESIGN THEORY 512.439.9570 | Designtheorytx.com Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

CUSTOM HOME ADVICE

FREE upgrades in your new custom home …

DON’T LET BUILDING YOUR DREAM Home TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE

REALLY!

Until next time, have a question about the home building process that you would like answered? Call or email me, and you might find the next Custom Home Advice Column written especially for you! 512.917.2653, Karen_Matuszewski@yhoo.com.

URBAN

HOME

Dream Home

House Warming Party

Our first ever Urban Home Dream Home has new owners and YOU’RE invited to the House Warming Party! Come see this beautifully designed and built custom home, along with demonstrations of all the latest products from our Project Partners! Celebrate as we welcome the new homeowners to the Rough Hollow community AND present our donation to Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas.

By Karen Matuszewski, By Design – Custom Home Consulting

e all love to get free stuff! A free meal, a buy-one-getone free coupon, an upgrade from coach to first-class! How about getting first-class upgrades in your new custom home? Think it can’t be done? Think again! Once a year, home buyers have the opportunity to get the latest and greatest features that the home building industry has to offer in a new home — without the upcharge. During the Home Builders Association’s (HBA) Parade of Homes, custom home builders will construct a signature home with all the bells, whistles and designer finishes for all to see. If you have ever been to a Parade of Homes, you know what I mean. The latest plumbing fixtures, lighting, flooring and appliances are just some of the features available to educate and inspire you. There is also hi-tech wiring, insulation, beams, trusses and other parts of the home that you don’t see, but are also upgraded with the latest technology. Did I mention window treatments and specialty finishes? The lucky buyer gets those, too! Outside, the list of upgrades continues. Vendors and suppliers show off their newest and best products in landscaping, hardscaping, lighting, outdoor living features like misters, summer kitchens, and pool and water features. By purchasing a Parade Home, the buyer reaps the benefits of these upgrades at a price far less than they would have paid for the same home elsewhere. The builders of any Parade Home cannot duplicate that home for the same price. In addition, the home occupies one of the best lots in that Parade community! Another benefit of buying a Parade Home: when you are ready to sell, being able to advertise the added upgrades in this manner sets you apart from the competition. Not ready for your new custom home right now? Then plan ahead for the 2013 HBA Parade of Homes in Austin or San Antonio. I can match you up with the right builder for your style and budget. I’ve already matched two custom home buyers with builders for Austin’s 2013 Parade of Homes that will take place at Willie Nelson’s Blue Skies Ranch. Not only will they get a showplace home with free upgrades, but they will be able to say they are “neighbors” of Austin icon Willie Nelson. How’s that for a deal? v

You’re Invited!

Using the services of a professional to help assemble your new home team can save you time, money and frustration. Karen and Rob Matuszewski are custom home consultants who have been helping clients build new homes for 10 years. They have earned numerous designations in home construction from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and can provide references and credentials. Call us today for your complimentary consultation.

DATE: Sunday, November 4, 2012 TIME: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm PLACE: 210 Bella Colinas Drive Lakeway, Texas 78734 NEED DIRECTIONS? Call 512.917.2653

Meet The Dream Team

Services include: Lifestyle Analysis • Community Selection • Lot Evaluation Builder Interviews • Architect Interviews Call in and talk to us live on • Plan Design Assistance Project Financing Options • Construction Visits Interior Design/Landscape/Pool Referrals • Current Home Marketing Gettin It Done @ Home & Sale Representation Thursdays 7 to 9pm Talk Radio 96.3 FM & 1370 AM • Interim Housing Assistance

HE sHe SAID saiD Meet The Project Partners

Proud partners in the URBAN

HOME

Dream Home

By Design Custom Home Consulting Karen & Rob Matuszewski

Lighting Inc.

Established 1959

Real Estate Services & Custom Home Consulting Karen • Karen_Matuszewski@yahoo.com • 512.917.2653 Rob • txrpm@yahoo.com • 512.695.6498 www.KarenSellsAustin.com

Beverages sponsored by:

DECORATOR’S ADVICE

Parade Design Smaller in scale – Bigger in details

By Catrina Hoelke, Catrina’s at the Ranch

ctober 20th is the kick off the Greater San Antonio Builder’s Association Parade of Homes™ at the new Setterfeld Estates subdivision nestled in the Fair Oaks Ranch community. I have the privilege to head up the design team for Endeavor Wall Homes®. Decorated with French New Orleans flair, which is a departure from my usual Hill Country or Tuscan styles, this home and builder have impressed me with quality and excellence in workmanship. Unlike the giant castles usually found on a Parade of Homes, in this beautiful country setting the homes are more realistically sized and priced. However, they are anything but ordinary! The finishes in the home I am decorating are nothing but the best! River City Roofing did a fabulous job blending multiple colors of barrel roofing tiles to create an old smoked look. Floors Inc. beautifully executed designer Judy Singleton’s intricate tile patterns. Holland Custom Floors created an exquisite scored concrete and marble medallion for the foyer rotunda in a Fleur-de-lis pattern. Faux finishes by artist Barrette Rankin lend a contemporary feel to this New Orleans style home with a hammered copper ceiling and kitchen counter front that mimics the custom-designed, solid copper vent hood and farm sink. The master bedroom is spacious with a wood beamed ceiling and beautiful dark wood floors leading up to an inlaid marble rotunda outfitted with a coffee bar. The master bathroom features an intricate tile pattern with a large walk-in shower and a semi-enclosed corner tub with a beautiful chandelier. The best part is the HIS and HERS toilet areas, with HERS featuring a Hollywood vanity. There are many surprises in this little “jewel box” of a home. The “chic hangout” laundry room features a deskwork area equipped with a wrapping station, a walk-in closet, travertine floors and a special space than can serve as either a housekeeper’s sleeping area or a TV area. The media room is small but packs a big punch. And the back patio is unique with rust colored stained concrete with a black border that matches the custom-designed furniture. I know that you will love this new Hill Country neighborhood and this home which is fresh, new and fun! Come visit us at the Parade of Homes, Oct. 20th through the 28th at the Setterfeld Estates, and at Catrina’s at the Ranch, 31300 IH-10 West, Boerne, Texas 78006. Alternatively, please visit our new online store at www.catrinasranchinteriors.com. Telephone: 830.755.6355 or 210.535.3070. v

etc.

The Art of Mantiquing

Although mantiquing is garnering its fair share of attention in the world of antique dealers, if you’ve ever seen a boy clutching his prized collection of baseball cards, you know that this is not a new concept. FunkyRelic owners Teresa Nunns and Darcy Mix have established a reputation among “mantiquers” in San Antonio as the go-to dealers for unusual collectibles. They say lead soldiers, old sports equipment and items that are part of old Texas history are hot right now. Other items that are big sellers among their male customers include old tools, car hood ornaments, cufflinks, military paraphernalia, old medical equipment, and old hunting and fishing items such as lures, duck calls, nets and bamboo fishing rods. FunkyRelic has three locations in San Antonio and one in New Braunfels. Visit www.funkyrelic.com for details.

Smith Map Studio Hand-Drawn Maps By artist Christopher Alan Smith

The history of Texas comes alive with this intricately illustrated republic map. This masterful work of art is a completely hand-drawn depiction of Texas including realistic portraits, weaponry, and famous and obscure battles utilizing pen and ink (stipple technique) on acrylics. Texas enthusiasts can proudly display this historically accurate representation of the 1838 Republic of Texas, which includes each battle that occurred between the years of 1775 and 1880. All prints are signed and include a certificate of authenticity. Smithmapstudio.com, 512.825.1511

essentials new products

Great design 1. Devon & Devon of Florence, Italy no doubt draws inspiration from the past in the creation of its Atelier flooring collection. However, the company takes the classic dark/light pairing so much further, by offering nine different contrasting designs made by the highprecision cutting of large-scale ceramic slabs into a variety of charming shapes and colors. Devon & Devon. Devon-devon.com.

2. The Corona Pendant by Hubbardton Forge® is part of a collection of contemporary hand-forged lighting and accessories found only at Lights Fantastic. Lights Fantastic. 512.452.9511, Lightsfantastic.com. 3. George O. Jackson de Llano’s large-scale Tzompantli photographs, printed in panels and individually on canvas, paper, metal and glass, are the evolution of his ground-breaking work documenting the seasonal religious festivals of the indigenous peoples of Mexico. Called The Essence of Mexico Collection and including more than 75,000 images, the photographs are now part of the Benson Collection of Latin American Art at the University of Texas, Austin, as well as the Latin American Collection at the San Antonio Museum of Art. The exhibition runs through November 4, 2013 at Cosas in Boerne. Cosas. 830.249.1500, Cosasonline.com.

4. A tribute to Parisian femininity, the Colette Sofa’ is flirty, a little delicate and ever so slightly vintage. Koket. Bykoket.com. 5. Natural stone Wall Textures Tiles offer a unique threedimensional sculptural approach to a traditionally flat material. Inspired by the Italian tradition of fine, natural stone used in architecture and sculpture, the design collection offers timeless design solutions for interior and exterior spaces, bridging traditional and modern aesthetics for exterior walls, cladding, baths, accent walls, kitchens, statement designs, entries, pools and outdoor living. Dunis Stone, Inc. 210.723.4565, Dunisstone.com.

6. Napoleon® fireplaces are designed to provide absolute comfort and control at the touch of your fingertips. The LHD50 Limited Swarovski Edition fireplace features a bed of authentic Swarovski crystals, comes with a certificate of authenticity and is available in a one-sided or twosided unit, making it perfect for any room. Napoleon. Napoleonfireplaces.com. 6

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

urbanhomemagazine.com

Award-winning designer Julie Evans is known for her ability to interpret her client’s desires — an acquired skill which translates into flawlessly executed design schemes capable of impressing her clients and wowing their guests. Evans’ quarter-century of interior experience shines through in one of her most recent projects that transformed a sprawling 2,500-square-foot space perched over Lady Bird Lake into a downtown Austin dream.

works WHY THIS

This high-rise condo in the Four Seasons Hotel seems to have a great balance in style. What design aesthetic were you going for? JE: This is definitely a transitional look. The client wanted a blend of both — she didn’t want to have to say it was traditional or modern. It is easy. It doesn’t try to be too much of one thing or another. But this allowed us to play with scale on some things to keep the feel from being too serious. The chunkiness of the dining table is a contrast to the more refined scale of the dining chairs. The over-scaled glass jars seem to be sophisticated and whimsical at the same time. The goal was to never get tired of this space — she wanted longevity. And she didn’t want to have to redo it, ever.

SPACE

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Designer Spotlight: Julie Evans of JEI Design, Inc.

How did you keep this space so versatile? JE: Everything in this space is meant to be multifunctional. She wanted this space to be comfortable without being boring. There are six dining chairs, three different pairs which are all

By Mauri Elbel | Photography by Casey Dunn

urbanhomemagazine.com

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

About 80 percent of the items we furnished the condo with were selected on that two-day trip, and JEI purchased everything except for two night stands. How did you decide on the window treatments for this room? JE: The fabric for the full-length drapes is Correggio, this really yummy Italian sheer wool. It sounds heavy, but they’re translucent. The full-length draperies are very important to this room because it gets lots of light, and this material also helps block the noise. We used the same fabric in the bedroom but lined them in there so she could sleep later when they are closed. Also, the way the draperies block the wall softens the room. It makes it feel more open, as if there were windows all around rather than sections of wall in between. What is your favorite element in this room? JE: The view (laughter). No, I think the sofa is one of the things that really makes this room. I love the curves of the arms. It is just beautiful. It anchors the room. The rug also serves as an anchor. The way the sofa is turned makes it perfect for entertaining and opens the space up to be multifunctional. Everything else we added is just flavorings. Seasonings. This space has fabulous light and a great view. How did that come into play when you were selecting the color palette? JE: It made a big difference. She really wanted to use a teal color because she had never used that in her other homes she’s had decorated over the years. And that color actually worked perfectly in here. It is a diluted teal which matches perfectly with the lake. If you are standing in the living area, you see the same color combinations but in different places.

neutral but slightly different in some way. They can serve as dining chairs when needed, but she can also pull them into the living area so they can serve as lounge furniture. We placed outdoor furniture by the window overlooking Lady Bird Lake and put an overhead light fixture above the table to make it feel as if you were sitting outside. The sofa is quite large with four cubes creating a large coffee table that allows for additional optional seating. With so many adaptable pieces, the furniture placement remains flexible as well. This space is filled with items that boast clean lines and exude comfort at the same time. What furniture lines did you gravitate toward? JE: For this space, I didn’t go for any particular brand. We have a mixture of everything: the sofa is Holly Hunt; the table is Century; the sideboard is Baker; a pair of the chairs are from Room and Board; the two other pairs are Kravet; the dining table and ottomans are custom-made; we have items from LaCor and Global Views and Hickory. My client was relocating from out of town so we met at her local design center. We spent two solid days in Atlanta’s decorative center selecting furniture and fabrics. Doing this really gave me a clear idea of her likes and dislikes. 72

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Are there any elements of surprise — design elements we wouldn’t normally notice in this space? JE: This client entertains a lot so she needed the space to look nice. But she really wanted it to have some subtle playfulness. And she loves polka dots. While we didn’t want to put obvious polka dots everywhere, we brought in the pattern. In this space, there is that heavy round dining table which is a large circle. There are circles on the sideboard. And there are polka dots on the mirror, which brings that teal color from the lake outside back over to the other side of the room. During this design process, did you ever doubt some of your ideas? JE: It is not so much not knowing what it will be, but more waiting to see what it will be. We had brought in several floor lamps beforehand to see which one looked best. Quite often the accessories come after — to balance color and add texture. We found some really reasonably priced pottery from Global Views and Z Gallery, which played really well into that teal color. Sometimes in a space like this you are not sure what the light will do. But in this case, it just has a really nice open and airy feel to it. v JEI DESIGN, INC. 512.330.9179 | Julieevans.net urbanhomemagazine.com

Photo by Marshall Wright

Food n Design

THE TASTING

TABLE By Claudia Alarcon

Personalized dining can take different shapes. For adventurous diners, chefs’ tasting menus are the perfect vehicle to taste new things and get to know the particular chef ’s style. For picky eaters and people on special diets, personal chefs can tailor menus to their specific needs. Whether in an upscale restaurant or the comfort

Photo by John Herdaman

of home, chefs can introduce diners to a world of flavors.

Sustenio, Executive Chef David Gilbert At fine dining venues, special tasting menus give chefs the freedom to explore new dishes and express their culinary art outside the confines of a set menu. At San Antonio’s acclaimed Sustenio, Executive Chef David Gilbert and his team offer sensational blind tastings in which the diners have very little input. “Our goal — first and foremost — is to have every diner sit back and relax. Once we are there, we want to stimulate all their senses and take them on a gastronomic journey, sharing the passion and inspirations of the whole Sustenio team,” he says. When customers request the chef tasting, they are asked if they have any dietary restrictions or food allergies. Based on their answers, the team takes it from there, “so diners don’t have to think about what to pick, and they can go back to relaxing,” says Gilbert. The entire tasting consists of dishes that are not on Sustenio’s menu, unless there is a special request for a menu item. “Then we always make sure to fulfill the request,” he adds. The tasting menu changes daily and the dishes are varied, unique and expertly prepared. “We are always creating and innovating dishes, working on new concepts, and perfecting others.” To complete the experience, these tastings can also be paired with wines designed to be in sync with the courses. Sustenio’s General Manager, Philippe Place, works with the friendly and professional floor staff to choose the wine selections. “First, we learn about diners’ wine preferences and taste profiles, then we work closely with the chefs (on the spot) to ensure the pairings are matching the flavor profile of the dishes and are to the lik74

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

ing of the diners,” says Place, who is incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating. For an even more intriguing twist, they also offer tea pairings with loose leaf teas, selected from specific areas in China by Gilbert himself. “I used to live in China so I have a strong appreciation and am well versed in high quality tea,” he says. Sustenio’s daily menu features Modern Southwestern Cuisine, which Gilbert and his team modify as the seasons change. Always mindful to include the freshest ingredients in each dish, Gilbert says, “We source as many local food products as possible and work closely with our dedicated farmers.” When asked if he has a favorite cuisine, Gilbert states, “I love all cuisines as they are all rich in culture and history. In fact, Gilbert’s first book, “Kitchen Vagabond,” was released in early October. The part memoir/part cookbook features Gilbert’s kitchen and world travel stories, and of course, recipes.

Congress, Executive Chef David Bull In Austin, one of the most celebrated tasting menus is at the elegant and beautiful Congress. Executive Chef David Bull offers a seven-course tasting menu every night, with optional wine pairing. “We’re constantly changing the tasting menu to account for seasonality so that we’re working with the finest ingredients we can get that day,” says Bull. “But we’re also never totally satisfied with every dish. Even for some of our favorite dishes on the menu, we’re always changing and working on the little things to keep pushing and improving.” Dining at Congress is a truly outstanding multi-sensory experience. “We want our guests to experience familiar foods presented in a new way, with a twist or something special they may not expect,” says the chef. “Our goal is to create dishes that are flavorful and imaginative, even surprising, but never overly complex that they can’t relate to them. Everything on the plate has to have a purpose and contribute to the overall dish. Each dish has a connection to the next — from temperature to flavor profile to texture and portion.” Because the menu is set every day, Sommelier June Rodil has the opportunity to taste and pick the wines in advance. “Each pairing is made to match the specific dish and its components. However, just as we’re open to adjusting dietary restrictions and substitutions in dishes, we are open to discussing other options with beverage pairings,” says the multiple-award winning wine guru. “It’s important for me to have a dialogue with our guests; knowing their preferences will give me more of an arsenal to tweak out our master plan and make sure they enjoy their dining experience.” Rodil has an adventurous way with wine, and a predilection for obscure varietals and curious finds from lesser-known appellations. But her impressive knowledge and spot-on palate give her an uncanny talent for wine pairing. “Pairings aren’t an exact science. Just because I have my favorites doesn’t mean it’s the only choice. Sometimes guests’ tastes and preferences lead me to a new and surprising pairing that I would have never thought of,” she concludes.

But what about those people with dietary restrictions and food allergies? “Being a personal chef is a great opportunity to help people who are struggling with weight or any other health issue, but don’t have the time or knowledge to cook the proper food they need for themselves,” says Chef Pamela Nevarez-Fisher. “It’s also an opportunity to help working families or new parents eat healthy and nutritious meals on a regular basis, rather than ‘grab & go’ food that can be high in fat, sodium, sugar or calories.” After many years in the restaurant and catering business, Nevarez-Fisher started her personal chef business, EatStreet, in 2004. “When I first started EatStreet, the South Beach Diet was huge so everyone wanted that. But right now there is no ‘fad diet’ out, so most everyone just wants good food, ever so slightly on the healthy side.” Her customer base has steadily increased, and today she cooks for a wide range of clients who need to eat a specific diet but don’t want to sacrifice the taste. When new clients approach her, she interviews them to understand their likes and dislikes, goals, allergies, etc. She presents them a customized menu or meal plan for approval, and delivers the food to their doorstep every Tuesday and Thursday in the Greater Austin area. “I come up with new menus every week, so my customers get a surprise in their refrigerator on their designated delivery day,” says the lively chef. “I know I have made life a lot easier for some of my younger, working parents. I have had one of my customers since 2004. It is a couple who eat The Pritikin Diet. Every Thursday, for the last seven years, I have delivered food to their home!” For Nevarez-Fisher, the main challenge is that some people can be very picky eaters. “Sometimes parents decide that their child doesn’t like something, and that can stay in a person’s head their whole life. They may not like something I use often in cooking, like onions or cilantro. Or, they may want to broaden their palates but are afraid of things they’ve never tasted before. I always have to realize that they are hiring me for a reason...they don’t know how to cook tasty food with their limited palate!” Her excellent cooking skills have also been put to the test on occasions when she’s had to cook for people going through chemotherapy. “They know they must eat, but they just don’t feel like it, or food has a different taste. So I try to make even simple food as nutrition-packed and tasty as possible.” The job can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. “The rewards are all the compliments, notes, Facebook comments and thanks that I get from my customers.” v CONGRESS 512.827.2760 | Congressaustin.com EATSTREET 512.350.4061 | Eatstreet55.com

Above: Watermelon and Fig Salad with Pork Belly and Tofu, Mountain Caviar and a White Soy Vinaigrette, Executive Chef David Bull, Congress. Photo by Ryann Collier.

urbanhomemagazine.com

EatStreet, Chef Pamela Nevarez-Fisher

Photo by Casey Dunn

urbanhomemagazine.com

SUSTENIO 210.598.2950 | Eilanhotel.com Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

R ecipe Corner

Other Notable Tasting Tables

For the Potato Puree

2 each Russet Potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 cup Heavy Cream 8 ounces Whole Butter 3 ounces Sea Salt Place potatoes in a sauce pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook potatoes until fork tender. While potatoes are cooking, place butter and cream together in a sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and hold warm. Drain potatoes and allow them to steam dry for two minutes. Using a food mill, rice the potatoes into a large bowl. Add salt and cream-butter mixture. Whisk together until smooth. Reserve warm for assembly.

Photo by Bob Maxham

For the Caramel Onions

Charred Ribeye Loin

With an Espresso Crust, Potato Puree and Smoked Caramel Onions Courtesy of Executive Chef David Bull, Congress 4 each Espresso Crusted Beef Ribeye Loins 2 cups Potato Puree ½ cup Caramel Onions 4 tbsp. Smoked Caramel 12-16 each Crisp Potato Chips

Assembly

On four large entrée plates, spoon the Potato Puree across the center. Place the Charred Ribeye Loin pieces on one side of the potatoes. Place a quenelle of the Caramel Onions opposite the beef. Drizzle the plate with the Smoked Caramel and garnish with Crisp Potato Chips. Serves four.

For the Espresso Crusted Ribeye Loin

4 each Ribeye Steaks, 5-6 ounces each 2 tbsp. Salt 1 tbsp. Black Pepper 1 cup Ground Espresso 2-3 tbsp. Canola Oil 2 tbsp. Whole, Salted Butter, cut into small cubes 2 each Garlic Cloves, crushed 2 each Thyme sprigs, whole Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add canola oil and allow the oil to reach its smoking point. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge the steaks with the ground espresso. Sear the steaks for two to four minutes on each side, or until slightly crisp and charred. Add the butter, garlic and thyme, and baste the steaks continuously over medium heat for two to three minutes. Move the steaks to a baking sheet and place in the oven for five to six minutes or until medium rare is reached. Discard the butter, garlic and thyme. Allow the beef to rest for five minutes. Cut the steaks across the grain and serve. 76

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

1 tbsp. Olive Oil 1 each Yellow Onion, small dice 1 ½ tbsp. Brandy 1 tsp. Sea Salt 2 tsp. Smoked Caramel Sauce (recipe follows) In a large non-stick pan over high heat, add the olive oil. Add onions and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom to prevent burning. Cook the onions for 10-15 minutes or until dark golden brown and caramelized. Add the brandy and reduce 90 percent. Season with salt and combine with the smoked caramel sauce. Reserve warm for assembly.

For the Smoked Caramel Sauce

(makes more than needed for recipe) 1 each Yellow Onion, quartered 5 ounces Mesquite Woods Chips 1 1/2 cups Sugar ½ cup Water ½ cup Heavy Cream 4 ounces Whole Butter Place wood chips in a deep oven proof pan. Place onions on a wire cooling rack on top of the wood chips. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place pan over medium heat. Smoke for five to ten minutes. Place smoked onions in a sauce pot with sugar and water. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick and dark caramel color is reached. Slowly add cream, stirring carefully. Then add butter and incorporate. Stir until completely emulsified. Strain caramel through a fine mesh sieve and allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Crisp Potato Chips

1 each Russet Potato, peeled 1 quart Water 4 ounces Sea Salt Frying Oil Using a peeler, peel off long slices off the potato. Place slices in the water, add salt and bring to a simmer. As soon as it simmers, remove slices and strain. Separate slices on paper towels and chill. Heat frying oil to 300 degrees. Place six to eight chips at a time into the oil and fry for one to two minutes or until crisp. Remove the chips from the oil and drain on paper towels. Season with salt to taste. urbanhomemagazine.com

Chicken Piccata

Courtesy of Chef Pamela Nevarez-Fisher, EatStreet I have made my version of this recipe gluten free and ‘slimmed it down’ by eliminating the flour and egg for dredging, as is called for in most popular Chicken Piccata recipes. 2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp. olive oil 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, divided 1tbsp. finely chopped shallots 2 tsp. minced garlic 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons) 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup brined capers 3 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

Assembly

Spoon sauce over chicken breasts and serve. Serves two.

For the chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to one quarter inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Add the chicken breasts and cook for two minutes per side, until lightly browned. Place them on the lined sheet pan and allow them to bake in the preheated oven for five to ten minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce

Melt one tablespoon of butter, add the shallots and cook five minutes or until softened. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, but do not let it brown. Add lemon juice, wine, stock and capers. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add the remaining two tablespoons of butter with a wire whisk. Add chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. urbanhomemagazine.com

Biga on the Banks Chef Bruce Auden

Tucked away behind a sweep of curtains just off the main dining room, Table 31 offers the perfect spot for relaxed entertaining. Treat your guests to a first-class tour of Chef Auden’s new American cuisine with five- to eight-course tasting menus. Biga’s house staff can also suggest intriguing wine pairings from their extensive cellar. 210.225.0722 | Biga.com

Hudson’s on the Bend

Chef Kelly Casey

Chef Casey prepares inspiring tasting menus featuring ingredients from local farmers and ranchers, changing regularly to accommodate the freshest gatherings of flavors. Choose from the 6-course Hill Country Tasting Menu or the 3-course Chef Tasting Menu, both available with wine pairings. 512.266.1369 | Hudsonsonthebend.com

Photo by Sweet louise photography

Olive & June

Chef Shawn Cirkiel

Large parties between 10 and 18 guests can reserve the Chef ’s Table, an intimate private dining room through the doors of the dynamic kitchen. The menu is served “family-style” and embodies the festive and interactive ambiance of the restaurant. Additionally, Chef Cirkiel will make several tableside visits to mingle with diners. 512.467.9898 | Oliveandjune-austin.com Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

Texas

r Fu

an s

10 2012

nit ure Artis

Destination:

made in

texas By Julie Catalano

Christopher Jones

Mark Macek

Christopher Jones

A graceful curve of leg. A perfectly proportioned silhouette. Raw materials carefully shaped into the ultimate in form and function, and soon you’ve got bragging rights to a beautiful piece of custom-made furniture. Texas abounds with these gifted craftsmen. Here are three of them.

Louis Fry

Louis Fry Dripping Springs Louisfryfurniture.com 512.423.9915 “Somewhere between naivete and insanity” is how Louis Fry describes the spark that started his 30-year career as a self-taught wood craftsman after his graduation from the University of TexasAustin. With a degree in philosophy and no background in woodworking, he recalled the impact of reading Somerset Maugham’s “The Razor’s Edge” in high school and became “fascinated by the idea of having a life of the mind and also this practical side of making a living with your hands.” With a growing family to support, his mid-20s led to “an idea that I wanted to learn how to make furniture.” While devouring books, visiting shops, and studying the

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

history of furniture and the properties of wood, he started to create. After 10 years of showing at Whit Hanks galleries in Austin, he went out on his own in a shop “off the beaten path” on 12 acres west of Dripping Springs. He’s fortunate, he says, to have an established clientele “that gives me a great deal of freedom.” His entertaining blog chronicles the behind-thescenes development of favorite pieces like a mesquite gun cabinet or walnut/mesquite globe stand, but modestly demurs that the work “is not about me. It’s primarily about making the client happy.” This father of six likens his three decades of passion to a religious calling. “I don’t know if it was God or the devil,” he says with a laugh. “But I think this is what I was supposed to do.”

Burton Cjoneshandcrafted.com 979.451.1799 As the son of an architect father and illustrator mother, where else could Christopher Jones go but directly to the arts – by way of Maine, that is. After graduation from University of Texas-San Antonio, the Brenham native took a winter intensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport in 2008. “It was about a year’s worth of material in three months. We just built, built, built, and that’s really when I fell in love with it.” Setting up business in Burton just two years ago, Jones has stayed busy ever since. “It started with a friend of the family who saw my work and needed a jewelry cabinet.” Others took notice, including the Copper Shade Tree gallery in Round Top, who now exclusively represents him. The wavering economy prompted him to branch out in his woodworking – specifically housewares and grooming tools. A single $50 handmade razor “is much more of an impulse buy than a $3,000 coffee table.” He compares the popularity of custom work to “the food revolution. People want urbanhomemagazine.com

to know what they’re eating. They want to know where their furniture came from.” His striking Wave table of walnut and steam bent ash is an example of how he wants to push the envelope while honoring the past. “I keep one foot planted in clean designs and the other planted in historic tradition. I believe you have to know what came before you to find out where you want to go.”

Mark Macek Austin Macekfurniture.com 512.385.7220 One look at Mark Macek’s website and you know you’ve found something special. Sleek and sophisticated, the site describes each piece meticulously but succinctly, like the stunning Sine entry table commissioned by Miro Rivera Architects that Macek (pronounced Mah-chek, the site also points out) designed and built. “It’s partially based on the materials already in the house – cypress and stainless steel.” Macek relates to “people who place importance on their houses and their personal environment.” The environment as a whole is another important aspect to his work. “I might be slightly biased because I want to encourage using local materials and making them as fashionable as possible, but I really like working with American woods better than imported woods.” With a degree in architecture from University of Texas-Austin in 1985 and woodworking classes at Austin Community College in 1991, he got a job with none other than Louis Fry in 1992. “That’s where I really learned the craft.” His favorite part of the process is the beginning. “I still draw and sketch by hand, and you just keep going until you’ve found the best or most appropriate idea for this client or environment.” As for furniture making becoming a lost art, he’s not worried. Paying it forward in a way, he teaches a course in Wood Design at UT-Austin where he meets young people “absolutely committed to learning this” and others “inspired to make a life-changing decision to become artisans. They’re awesome.” v

Mark Macek Photography by Patrick Wong

urbanhomemagazine.com

Texas Artisans Show Off in Kerrville

Custom furniture lovers, browsers and buyers can feast their eyes on a bounty of beautiful furniture at the 13th Annual Texas Furniture Makers' Show® in Kerrville, November 8 – December 8, at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center. The statewide competition is “the only juried furniture show for Texas craftsmen,” says Larry Moss, chairman. Approximately 40 participants display 50 to 70 pieces including chairs, tables, desks, beds, benches, and more, in woods ranging from curly maple, mesquite, oak and walnut to exotic woods like satine and ebony, along with plastic, metal and glass. Pieces for sale range from $1000 and up. The three-member panel of judges include Philip C. Lowe, owner of the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts; Gordon McDougal of McDougal Gallery of Fine Woodworking in San Antonio; and Randy Johnson, editor in chief of American Woodworker and Woodwork magazines. The event gets more popular every year, says Moss, last year selling more than $31,000 of furniture and accessories. “Design has become the driving factor as more younger craftsmen get involved and classic reproductions are kind of going by the wayside.” Best of Show and second place were taken last year by two first-time entrants: Caleb Nolan of Waco for his Entry/ Sofa Table in mesquite and metal; and Robert Galusha of Austin for his walnut Mobius Rocker. But the message remains the same. “To create a professional gallery atmosphere to promote the craft of Texas furniture makers. That is our most important mission.” Texasfurnituremakersshow.com, 830.895.2911

2011 First Place winner, Caleb Nolan, Waco Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

REALTOR’S ADVICE

Hardy Plants

Masters of

Illusion

for the Hill Country

By Leonard Guerrero, Chairman, Austin Board of REALTORS®

I Manuel

Flores

Landscape Designs and Consultations www.floresflowers.com • info@floresflowers.com

LIVE on Thursday Night

Austin’s hottest call-in talk show, He Said – She Said Radio ‘Gettin’ It Done @ Home’ is now primetime Thursday night! Join us from 7 to 9pm every Thursday night on TALK Radio 96.3 FM & 1370 AM

Brought to you by:

Lighting Inc.

Established 1959

Guild

MORTGAGE COMPANY An Equal Housing Lender - NMLS# 3274

WEEK IN REVIEW – Current events were never this much fun in school! Hear He Said’s colorful commentary on Sports and Around the World. Take a look into the She Said mind for Entertainment, Lifestyle and the always Austin popular, Keepin’ It Weird! BISTROS & BARS – Have a favorite neighborhood restaurant you love? Submit your favorite restaurant, trailer, hole in the wall or bar happy hour, and if we have them on the show, you get a $25 gift certificate. Post your favorites on our Facebook page and tell us (1) what you love about them, and (2) why you think we should pick them to be on the show OR call the show and tell us live!

Call in numbers are

512.390.1370 or TOLL FREE

855.390.1370

MARS vs. VENUS GAME SHOW – Alex Tribec move over! We’re gettin’ our game on with the fun, multiple choice game show where YOU call in and play with the host. If your side wins, you get a $25 gift certificate to the featured ‘Bistros & Bars’ restaurant. GETTIN’ IT DONE @ HOME – Have a product you want to know more about? A project that’s got you puzzled? Looking to create a Man Cave or She Den? Each week we invite guests who are knowledgeable in home-related subjects and anything else you tell us you want to hear about.

t’s a hard truth in redecorating that you have to work with the space you’ve got. Small rooms, low ceilings, narrow windows — unless you’re willing to shell out big bucks for major home renovation, these features of your home are likely to stay. The solution? Become a master of illusion. Believe it or not, there are several strategic design and decorating choices that fool the eye into making a room seem wider, taller and brighter. Here are some of designers’ best-kept “magic tricks” for creating the illusion of a bigger, brighter space: • Hang paintings and picture frames higher than you normally would to draw the eye upward, giving the illusion of taller walls. A strategically placed large mirror can give the illusion of a room twice its size. • Opt for recessed lighting and wall sconces to light a room versus ceiling fans and light fixtures that draw attention to a low ceiling. Also, natural light is one of your greatest resources in opening up a space. Let in as much as possible with minimal or sheer window coverings. • Brighter tones in a neutral palate will open up a space, whereas dark or heavy colors shrink it down considerably. In addition, painting the ceiling a lighter color than your walls (or white) makes low ceilings much less noticeable. • Small spaces call for smaller pieces of furniture in neutral tones. Furniture that serves more than one purpose (such as a daybed with cabinets underneath) can open up a space without compromising livability, and a few eye-popping accessories add color to a room without making it seem cluttered. • Hang floor-length curtains on curtain rods installed outside of your window frame. The resulting effect is the illusion of significantly wider windows and stretched ceilings. You can further the illusion of high ceilings by hanging curtains with a vertical pattern. As a master of illusion, you can transform your home into an entirely new space. With these tricks in mind, your room won’t be the only thing doubling in size — your redecorating possibilities will as well. What can you transform in your home? v

A DV E R T I S E R I N D E X AUDIO VISUAL

Service Tech Audio Visual www.servicetechav.com Austin: 512.456.2800 San Antonio: 210.858.5257

ASSOCIATIONS

Austin NARI www.austinnari.org 512.997.NARI

NARI San Antonio www.remodelsanantonio.org 210.348.6274

CARPET & FLOORING

Schroeder Flooring & Carpet Specialists www.schroedercarpet.com 512.462.1551

CLOSET DESIGN

California Closets of the Texas Hill Country Austin: 512.441.6061 www.californiaclosets.com/austin San Antonio: 210.829.1991 www.californiaclosets.com/san-antonio

CONCRETE REPAIR

Trim-A-Slab www.trim-a-slab.com 512.943.7655

CUSTOM HOME CONSULTANTS

By Design Custom Home Consulting www.karensellsaustin.com 512.917.2653

CUSTOM METAL WORK

QDI Stone www.qdistone.com 512.832.0500

Homewerks www.homewerkssa.com 210.499.5760

HOME BUILDERS

KitchenCraft® Cabinetry www.kitchencraftaustin.com 512.302.3700

Foursquare Builders www.foursquarebuilders.com 512.944.4520 Greenwood Custom Homes www.greenwoodcustomhomes.com 210.723.7233 Texas Casual Cottages by Trendmaker www.texascasualcottages.com 979.278.3015

HOME REMODELING

BRAVI www.bravidesign.com 210.690.4663

Lights Fantastic www.lightsfantastic.com 512.452.9511

David Wilkes Builders www.davidwilkesbuilders.com 512.328.9888 J Angelo Design Build www.jangelodesignbuild.com 210.882.6263

Bella Villa Design www.bellavillads.com 512.443.3200

INTERIOR DESIGN

IKEA IKEA-USA.com/livingroom

Panache Interiors www.panacheinteriors.com 512.452.7773

GENERATORS

KITCHEN & BATH

Austin Generator www.austingenerator.net 512.251.2247/800.288.5582

Austin Countertops www.austincountertops.com 512.835.5100

GLASS & WINDOWS

Countertop Valet www.countertopvalet.com 1.888.50.VALET

Fine Stone Gallery www.finestonegallery.com 210.889.4809

Urban Home Austin – San Antonio

LIGHTING

CG&S Design-Build www.cgsdb.com 512.444.1580

FURNITURE & DESIGN

GRANITE & STONE

Pearson Landscape Services www.pearsonlandscape.com 512.386.5900

Case Handyman & Remodeling www.austin.caseremodeling.com 512.300.2273

Realty Restoration www.realtyrestoration.com 512.454.1661

Anchor Ventana www.ventanaman.com 512.388.9400

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Manuel Flores www.floresflowers.com

Lighting, Inc. www.lightinginc.com Austin: 512.491.6444 San Antonio: 210.541.8500

Christopher Voss – 4th Generation Craftsman, Inc. www.christophervoss.com 210.843.4332 Catrina’s at the Ranch www.catrinasranchinteriors.com 830.755.6355 / 210.535.3070

Morrison Supply Company www.morsco.com 512.928.1110

OUTDOOR LIVING

Cozy Outdoor Escapes www.cozyoutdoorescapes.com 210.276.0734 HomeField www.homefieldliving.com 830.626.1971

VOSS CHRISTOPHER

FOURTH GENERATION CRAFTSMAN, INC.

POOLS & WATER FEATURES

Liquid Assets www.liquidassets-pools.com Austin: 512.444.5444 San Antonio: 210.680.7665

REAL ESTATE

Austin Board of Realtors www.austinhomesearch.com Phyllis Browning Company www.phyllisbrowning.com 210.824.7878

WINDOW COVERINGS & AWNINGS Texas Sun & Shade www.txsunandshade.com 512.402.0990

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery www.ferguson.com Austin: 512.445.5140 San Antonio: 210.344.3013

urbanhomemagazine.com

210.843.4332