Beige-on-Beige Fantasy

While perusing the February Architectural Digest I was stopped in my tracks by the amazing thoughtful and deliberate penthouse designed by Rafael de Cardenas. The skillful use of beige combined with other elements to keep it from looking like a sepia photograph. The limestone and brass mantel, the beige Malachite finish on the ceilings, light herringbone wood floors all combined with really bold moments make this penthouse a masterful expression. 

I took this shot with my phone...sorry for the quality.

The entire home was designed around the above pair of armchairs, created in 1958 by Joseph-Andre Motte. They're upholstered in soft leather the color of sand. "I totally fell in love with them, and I never fall in love with beige things," says De Cardenas, acknowledging his reputation for dramatic color. "Then I got into this whole beige-on-beige fantasy, like Armani in the 1980s, and she (the client) started teasing me that I was going through a beige phase."

Can we talk about that ceiling? I've honestly been obsessing over this very pattern of outsize slices of malachite (if malachite was anything but green) for years. I first imagined it in a gray toned concept, I love it in beige though. I'm currently having it done in a radically different colorway of nearly fuchsia in a client's dining room. 

How incredible are those kitchen cabinets? Wonderfully imaginative. The bespoke hardware was done by E.R. Butler and Co. 

Again I took this with my phone...

I had to include an image, even a poor one, of the breakfast banquet area. The chicest banquet I've seen. Very classy. I love how the photo based framed grouping by Walead Beshty add color to the space.

Here's the bold color that Rafael is known for! I can't get this space out of my mind. The reason it works is because everything else is simple and traditional. When going with a bold element in a space the rest of the room must be more restrained to keep it from being a funhouse type look. Check out Rafael's firm Architecture at Large. 

High-Rise Downsize.

I'm excited to share the final images from a remodel that's been complete for a while. I teamed up with Houston designer Kirk Longmire to complete the remodel of his mother's newly purchased high-rise in the inner loop of Houston. It was basically a blank slate and we had the luxury of completing the space before she moved in. It's really an amazing transformation. Here are the before & afters, click here for additional images. 

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love contact me about Jamie House Design services!

Highlight on Houston-Wichita St.

2309 Wichita St. 5 Bedrooms. 4 Full & 1 Half Bath. 2 Car Garage. Automatic gate. 4861 sq. ft.

Charlie Fondow purchased his home on Wichita St. in 1980 for $35,000.00. Even his realtor thought he was crazy. The home is located in the 3rd Ward of Houston, an area that in 1980 was rough to say the least. "When I would go out and mow the lawn, I would find syringes," Charlie says. Since then Charlie has been steadily working on restoring & then expanding his home. Swamplot recently posted that the home is on the market.

The Houston Press has written a couple of articles on the home. I drove by years ago & have always been incredibly curious what the house looks like inside. It's surprisingly ordinary, I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping for rooms more eccentric. I can only hope that the realtor had Charlie "make the house sellable" thus removing all unique & interesting items.

It's speculated that home will probably sell as a tear down because..."it's one of the most unique structures in town, but the list of people who, a) could afford the $300K price tag, and b) would want to live in a house that looks like Castle Grayskull, is probably pretty short." It reminds me more of the Adams Family house, or Pollyanna's neighbors house (the old man, the one she gave crystals too). What do you think?

Either way it WOULD be a shame to see it torn down. The house, even from the unfinished photos, seems to have so much potential. I'd love to have the chance to restore it to it's former, but larger, glory. I think the roof decks & the turrets, while not accurate with the original style of the house, are a great eclectic addition. To add to your house as you dream is surely exciting & rare.

The home on Wichita St. is on the market for $325,000.00. It is still in need of extensive restoration, but possibly nicer than a lot of homes in the neighborhood even in it's current state. The area has yet to see the boom that was predicted years ago, nevertheless the homes are structurally & aesthetically fantastic. I think the area will continue to steadily rise in value even in out current depression that no one will even call a recession. Check out the listing here.

xx,

Jamie