• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Houston First
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    The IKEA challenge

    The meddling begins: Our room makeover designers face opposition in the office

    Caroline Gallay
    Steven Devadanam
    Sep 16, 2010 | 9:36 pm
    • The opposition blocking our CultureLounge dreams isn't this strict.
    • But it might as well be. Marketing director Carey Kirkpatrick wantsfunctionality. Blah ...
      Photo by Tony Bullard
    • We know its supposed to be all about us, so why are so many others messing withour ..
      Photo by Anthony Rathbun
    • plans to makeover the office lounge.
      Art by Steven Thomson and Caroline Gallay
    • Even the classy hookah is in jeopardy.
    • As the first trip to IKEA looms.
      IKEA/Facebook

    When our floor plan for the CultureLounge was mass-distributed to the office this week, it became obvious that some people's visions of the lounge didn't align so perfectly with ours.

    We only have 30 days to completely makeover this weirdly proportioned space and the little people are messing with the design stars? Do you think Ty Pennington has to deal with this?

    Disheartened by our coworkers lack of imagination involvement, we decided to ask them what they wanted out of the space before we actually hit IKEA to shop for the furniture we want.

    You know, sort of a, "I wanted to get your opinions before I go ahead and do what I want," kind of gesture. Armed with our oft-present video camera, we went around the office and interviewed whoever was immediately available that day, right then (we have places to be).

    We found out that the space we're crafting apparently has to fulfill multiple purposes. It needs to be event-friendly for marketing director Carey Kirkpatrick, comfortable for our overworked CEO Stephen Newman, and client services manager Madelyn Thornton demands a hookah — the one request we wished we'd thought of ourselves.

    Apparently being asked to act as design duo didn't mean we could create with only our sultry selves in mind. We might have to bypass our low-lying dining table with corresponding floor pillows (it's just so zen) and scoop up a couple of high-backed bar chairs, for one. Might. (We hear some people have trouble navigating indian-style seating in skirts, or something.) And the office has been more concerned with the neighbors than we anticipated.

    We haven't even met them all, and we bet the guy with the dogs would appreciate a David Addickes bust of Shelby Hodge.

    So far, it's been as much of a lesson in office-sibling relations for us as a lesson in good taste for our officemates. They'll learn to love it.

    Watch below as some of our sassiest staff tell us their most ardent desires for the CultureLounge. You'll meet the cast of characters that populate our north-of-downtown digs. And in case you're as devastated as we are by the potential loss of the kissing booth and kiddie pool, at least you'll be delighted by VP of sales Chad Miller's maniacal laughter.

    CultureMap readers: What would you like to see? Submit your video! Best vid response gets our begrudging affection — and probably some prizes that social media editor Fayza Elmostehi will dig up.

    Coming up next on Tuesday: Time's ticking and Caroline and Steven hit IKEA for shopping and meatballs, not necessarily in that order.

    Other articles in the IKEA Challenge series:

    Creating a lounge in 30 days without killing each other

    Sizing up the room specs, spots for the Shelby Hodge statue & kissing booth

    unspecified
    news/city-life
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.

    stadium switcheroo

    Houston's NRG Stadium returns to reliable original name

    Holly Beretto
    Apr 16, 2026 | 2:00 pm
    Reliant Stadium
    Courtesy of NRG
    NRG Stadium will return to its original name this fall.

    Everything old is new again, they say. That’s about to be particularly true for a much-loved Houston venue.

    NRG announced today that NRG Stadium and the surrounding buildings that make up NRG Park will be renamed Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park. The change takes effect this August, coinciding with the Houston Texans’ – and the stadium’s – 25th anniversary.

    The change has already been approved by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.

    “Houston is Reliant’s home, and a name Texans know and trust,” said Brad Bentley, head of NRG Consumer and Reliant. “For more than two decades, Reliant has powered the moments that bring our community together—from the Texans’ first game and hosting two Super Bowls to every unforgettable RodeoHouston performance in between. Fans have told us what this place means to them. For many, it’s always been Reliant Stadium. We heard them loud and clear. Reliant Stadium is back.”

    Those fans have been particularly vocal. Recent survey results show 90 percent of Houston-area customers support the return to the Reliant Stadium name. When the arena made its debut in 2002, it carried the name Reliant Stadium. It was renamed NRG in 2014 following that company’s acquisition of Reliant’s consumer business.

    Current NRG signage is already coming down, as the city prepares to transition to “Houston Stadium” ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

    Prior to the August renaming, several of the stadium’s partners are cheering the move.

    "As a founding partner of the team, Reliant has been a part of our Houston Texans family from the very beginning," said Mike Tomon, Houston Texans president. "Reliant Stadium has been our home since our first game in 2002 and we can't wait to celebrate 25 seasons of Texans football back where it all began."

    Tomon noted that the team’s connection to the Houston community is deeper and more extensive than its home turf in the stadium. The Texas are responsible for a variety of community initiatives, including the Scholarships for Champions Program, which has recognized and awarded scholarships to deserving student-athletes across the greater Houston area over the last two decades.

    Another scholarship-granting organization, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, is also synonymous with Reliant Park.

    "For more than two decades, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Center, and Reliant Arena have been at the heart of everything we do, serving as the home of our livestock and horse events and the heartbeat of RodeoHouston,” said Chris Boleman, president and CEO, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. "These venues are more than just a name; they represent a feeling, a tradition, and a shared experience we’re incredibly proud to call home.”

    NRG Stadium isn't the only Houston sports arena to get a rebrand. Last year, the Houston Astros changed the name of Minute Maid Park to Daikin Park, thank to a naming rights agreement with HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

    businesssports
    news/city-life

    most read posts

    This Houston suburb saw top-20 biggest drop in housing prices in U.S.

    Award-winning designer dishes on Houston's new Ritz-Carlton high-rise

    10 things to know in Houston food: Openings, closings, and Astros discounts

    Loading...