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    Heights Eyesore Transformed

    Defying recommendation to tear down eyesore, Houston couple pulls off an incredible restoration

    Barbara Kuntz
    Barbara Kuntz
    Jun 14, 2014 | 11:11 am

    What was once an eyesore along Harvard Street in the Houston Heights is now an elegantly restored Craftsman-style home for a family determined to preserve their second residence in the historic neighborhood.

    CultureMap featured Brie and Scott Kelman's first home in our continuing On the Market series last December when the couple put their sun-filled, 1,302-square-foot abode on Le Green Street up for sale.

    "We love historic preservation and had always dreamed of saving and rehabilitating an old house," Brie says, adding she and her husband thoroughly enjoyed living just seven blocks away in the 1920s home on Le Green. "But it was on a 5,000-square-foot lot — too small for our growing family and my New Zealand farmer-husband's veggie gardens."

    "It was in such bad shape, most would have wanted to tear it down. We moved in five days after our second child was born."

    Then they found the house at 1207 Harvard St. Brie says she knew that saving it would not be easy. In fact, the obstacles started before she and Scott faced the three feet of trash covering every floor, mold on the walls, holes in the floor and crumbling asphalt roofing material siding that hid the original wood structure.

    "We had issues getting through the (Houston Archaeological and) Historic Commission, despite the fact that our remodel plans met the ordinance," Brie says. "After we were denied by them and they suggested the demolition route, we appealed their decision to the Houston Planning Commission. We won the appeal —hand's down.

    "The beginning was not fun, but I'm glad we were able to save the house. It was in such bad shape, most would have wanted to tear it down. We moved in five days after our second child was born."

    The Kelmans' desire to makeover the house dovetailed with a close friend's decision to open a historic home remodeling business. David Seeburger of P&G Homes "came to the rescue," as Brie describes, even though the Harvard Street house is located next door to an apartment complex.

    "He would have likely passed on the property," Brie says. "However, we wanted it. It's the Heights, right?"

    Location is the first thing that moved the Kelmans to stay in the Heights, Brie says, and the property had so much potential. Together they sourced reclaimed doors, hardware, lights and more salvaged prizes for their new home, which also offers a large backyard where their children now play.

    With inspirational photos in hand, the Kelmans worked with Seeburger to recreate the bay window and breakfast nook for their new home. "Everyone always ends up in the kitchen, regardless of size, so it's better if everyone is comfortable," Brie says.

    More wishes came true with three bedrooms upstairs in the second story addition, the master and smaller rooms connected by Jack-and-Jill bath, and a fourth bedroom downstairs as a study or guest bedroom. The large laundry room is upstairs, a screened-in porch adds outdoor living space and a treasured procession now greets everyone in the front living room.

    "I wanted to showcase my 98-year-old grandmother's 1886 Steinway right when you walk into the house and also from a front window," Brie says.

    Construction lasted from June 2013 up until Jan. 30, 2014, when the Kelmans moved in. "It was a labor of love," Brie says. "For me the project was very fun the whole time, and I am ever grateful for all of the team's hard work.

    "We are also ever grateful to the huge neighborhood support behind our project. From neighbors we knew to complete strangers, everyone was behind us and glad that a young family was fixing up the only eyesore left on the block."

    The master bedroom. In total, the house now includes four bedrooms.

    Houston Heights house remodel 1207 Harvard St. June 2013
      
    Photo by Brie Kelman
    The master bedroom. In total, the house now includes four bedrooms.
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    news/home-design
    series/htx_realestateconfidential_2014

    Go fish

    Houston pop artist turns Xennial nostalgia into collectible ceramics

    Emily Cotton
    Apr 11, 2025 | 2:40 pm
    Julia McLaurin
    Photo by Gisele Morales Photography
    Pop artist Julia McLaurin with her wildly successful emoji series.

    Recently, more and more Houstonians have made a meteoric shift from the minimalistic home decor trend that held court for the better part of the last decade towards an embrace of full-on Maximalism. As stark white walls and grey flooring give way to bright wallpapers and organically-shaped tiles, it has become clear that FUN is trending.

    As always, the best way to dip one’s toe into a new personal aesthetic is through art. Over the past five years, Houston pop artist and ceramicist Julia McLaurin has created a fan base of collectors who enjoy, seek, and embrace fun. Through sculptures depicting emojis, Goldfish, Cheese-It’z, Pop-Tarts, and Lucky Charms, McLaurin’s work glazes its way into the shared experiential psyche of Xennials looking to incorporate vignettes of nostalgia into their homes.

    “It’s nontraditional,” McLaurin says of her sculptural subjects. “I like to iconicize everyday objects, which is the pop artist in me.”

    With three young children, Goldfish crackers have been a part of McLaurin’s life for the past decade. “They are everywhere, in my car — everywhere. It’s not the healthiest snack, but it gets the job done.” It’s not difficult to understand how the popular children’s food inspired her sculptures: “It’s just such a cute shape, and I love the color.”


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Julia McLaurin (@juliamclaurin)


    Goldfish wall sculptures paved the way to immortalizing other iconic 90s snack foods, plus standing sculptures of Whataburger combos, Happy Meals, and larger-than-life bottles of Hidden Valley Ranch. McLaurin’s Whataburger sculptures recently landed the artist in the Whataburger Museum of Art at SXSW. Newer works in the “Neo-Pop” genre include things like bottles of Chanel No. 5, Squishmallows, and her extremely popular emoji series.

    At just six inches in diameter, the semi-spherical, emoji sculptures are wildly accessible to anyone beginning their art journey. “I think it’s a Xennial thing,” says McLaurin. “That micro-generation between 1978 and 1983, where we didn’t grow up with cellphones, but we had them in high school and college, right? I vibe a lot with that. As a pop artist, when I first started making the emojis it was like, ‘That’s so cute, Julia! What a cute little project.’ But now I have a big installation at Hobby and I sell them all the time.”

    Houston Airport System curator of public art Alton DuLaney selected 100 emojis for Hobby Airport, with 88 installed between terminals 1-5. The very public display of McLaurin’s emojis results in the works being purchased by fans as far away as Singapore.

    As for why the emojis have such a “gotta have it” affect on people: “I think people really relate to having something that you always see in the digital realm put into 3D,” says McLaurin. “In today’s world, it’s kind of a cool effect.”

    McLaurin is locally represented by Mont Art House, but maintained a separate studio and gallery at The Silos until her move to Spring Branch earlier this year. The new “JuliArt Clay Studio” space allows McLaurin to offer monthly workshops, host ceramic painting parties, baby showers, and everything between. Next month, McLaurin will launch a six week “Clay 101” course that is sure to be a hit.

    A resident of Spring Branch herself, McLaurin decided that the continuous lack of a local art scene wasn’t going to change itself. “There is not an art scene [here],” says McLaurin. “My mission is now to bring artwork to the heart of Spring Branch. Bring it here where I live and to the people around me.”

    The new studio space allows McLaurin to invite the community to participate in art and to enjoy the space for workshops and events during slower months. “It’s nice to have a sort of two-pronged business because in the summer the gallery stuff slows down, then the classes and things pick up. It works out.”

    The ink is still drying on a representation contract in a new gallery on the West Coast. The new K&K Gallery in Culver City (Los Angeles) is the first step towards artistic manifest destiny for McLaurin: “They have a huge pop art scene out there.” What’s next for this up-and-coming irreverent pop artist? “My goal is Art|Basel, that’s my dream,” she says.


    Julia McLaurin
      

    Photo by Egidio Narvaez Photography

    Pop artist Julia McLaurin with her wildly successful emoji series.

    visual-arthome-designjulia mclaurin
    news/home-design
    series/htx_realestateconfidential_2014
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