On the market
Houston's James Bond pad: Sleek contemporary home offers the glamour ofHollywood
The air-conditioned loggia leads to the salt water swimming pool secluded fromthe street by a high stucco fence.
From the street, the house offers a seriously contemporary profile.
Interiors are light and airy with 12-foot ceilings the imbue a grandspaciousness.
It's a dream kitchen for home cooks and caterers alike.
Editor's Note: Houston is loaded with must-have houses for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. Throughout the month of June, CultureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge snoops through some of our faves and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.
5331 Cherokee
Walk through: From the street, one might anticipate a stark contemporary interior in this modernist dwelling. But on entering the two-story foyer and viewing the vast expanse leading from the living room through the dining area and into the breakfast space, the ambiance is warmly sophisticated.
One suddenly feels like having a martini.
Surely, James Bond is going to pop in from the loggia where he dried off after emerging from the salt water swimming pool. Film location scouts take note: This house should have a role in a major motion picture.
With its spacious open flow, the ground level features floor-to-ceiling glass doors its full length, generously embracing the pool garden that is secluded from street traffic by a high stucco fence. Soaring bamboo in the garden adds visual drama. The kitchen and breakfast area define the far end of the house, a guest room is tucked around the corner from the entry.
On the second floor, the master suite is breathtaking, opening to a private terrace overlooking the pool garden and the surrounding tree-shrouded neighborhood. And, oh, that fabulous white marble bath with his and hers vanity areas. The master shares the floor with three other bedrooms (one used as a media room/office) each with full bath.
Wow factor: The open-air loggia, overlooking the pool garden, features a working fireplace and, God love it, air-conditioning. Around the corner, an outdoor shower is tucked beneath the bamboo shoots.
Not so wow: The master closets, while spacious by many standards, are smaller than those often found in homes of this magnitude.
Neighborhood: It's called Cherokee, but it's on the edge of the Museum District. The house is located at the corner of Cherokee and Sunset, a stone's throw from Rice University and an easy stroll from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Contemporary Arts Museum.
Architect:Allen Bianchi, who worked in tandem with owners Joyce and Hugh Echols to create this dramatic dwelling.
Square footage: 5,600 in the house, 11,520 in the lot.
Taxes: $43,281
Asking price: $2,695,000
Listing agent: Rosie Meyers with John Daugherty Realtors
