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    Ultimate Beach House

    The ultimate beach house: Designers craft a big blue Galveston stunner, right down to the fancy bunk beds

    Barbara Kuntz
    Barbara Kuntz
    Mar 14, 2015 | 12:02 pm

    A yesteryear Big Chill refrigerator in cerulean was absolutely the only choice for the bright white kitchen of a new Galveston-area beach house and became the inspiration for the sky-blue decor now cheering the rest of the happy getaway.

    "Who doesn't love a Big Chill refrigerator?" asks Laura Umansky of Laura U Interior Design, who along with designer teammate Jillian Flynn just recently completed the Crystal Beach retreat for a return client. "This retro element was the perfect pop of color and really helped to drive the cerulean blue hue used in the adjacent breakfast area, as well as in the rest of the home, including the exterior color palette."

    Umansky and Flynn worked with the client from the ground up on the new construction project, including the interior and furnishings from start to finish to the full design of the kitchen — even to the dishes that now sit in the cabinets. The goal: To create a functional, comfortable retreat with a fresh color palette for a clean, classic coastal look without breaking the bank. The homeowner also desired to make the beach house a place where she could host several out-of-town guests at one time.

    "We designed the bunk beds custom, and they were site-built by the home builder."

    "The kitchen was our favorite room to design," Umansky says. "We really brought to life our coastal design inspiration by mixing elements of the sea with classic white cabinetry. For the countertops, we incorporated a gorgeous quartz countertop containing both seashells and recycled glass in hues of lovely blues and greens. This was complimented perfectly by a high-gloss white tile backsplash and blown glass pendants over the island."

    In keeping with the casual vibe, open shelves in a driftwood finish were installed at either side of the vent hood for storing dishes, platters and other kitchen items. And to accommodate their dog-loving client, the designing duo ordered built-in dog bowls at one end of the island where the pets can easily access their food and water.

    Designers' notes: The kitchen countertops are from Vetrazzo and are in Bretagne Blue. The breakfast table chandelier is the Alberto Orb from Currey & Co.

    A great zig-zag rug in waves of colors from magenta to creams anchors the living room. Here, a mix of furniture pieces from retail outlets and to-the-trade vendors keeps the area very comfortable — and very livable. Glass- and coral-based lamps, a round metallic coffee table for a bit of shine and accent pillows in shades of blue create a collected feel.

    Designers' notes: "The rug came from one of our favorite vendors, Loloi," Umansky says.

    In the master bedroom, cerulean is joined by another natural color: Driftwood.

    "We wanted this space to truly be a retreat for our client and really have its own identity while also flowing with the rest of the home," Umansky says. "The hues of brown were inspired by driftwood and the lighting by sea glass. As seen in other spaces throughout home as well, the wall paneling in this bedroom added an additional level of interest and only further complimented the furnishings."

    Designers' note: The lounge chair in the master bedroom is the Ava by Selamat.

    And to ensure that family and friends would have a comfortable place to stay on their vacations here, Umansky and Flynn turned to custom bunks in two of the four rooms to sleep as many guests as possible in a cozy way.

    "We designed the bunk beds custom, and they were site-built by the home builder," Umansky says. "They fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the home and really play up the idea of a comfortable beach retreat.

    "The wall sconces are from one of our favorite lighting vendors, and we loved them because they reminded us of something you’d find on a ship. The bathroom mirror just complimented the space perfectly."

    Designers' notes: The wall sconces are Iris by Robert Abbey Inc., while the bathroom mirror is from Noir Furniture.

    Umansky said she and Flynn did shop locally for many of the accessories found throughout the 4,961-square-foot, four-bedroom beach house, including at The Admiralty in Galveston, where initial and even last-minute great finds helped pull the home together.

    "We wanted to get it completed in time for the return of sunny, warm weather," Umansky says.

    The breakfast area and kitchen at the recently completed beach house.

    interior design Laura Umansky Crystal Beach beach house March 2015
      
    Photo by © Julie Soefer
    The breakfast area and kitchen at the recently completed beach house.
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    American made

    Top Houston restaurant builder now crafting custom furniture and lighting

    Emily Cotton
    May 9, 2025 | 3:00 pm
    Custom Concepts Furniture & Lighting office lobby The Kennedy
    Photo by Josh Gremillion
    The company designed and built the furniture and lighting for The Kennedy.

    The last two decades have seen astronomical growth for Houston’s culinary and hospitality scene, even attracting the Michelin Guide to the Bayou City. While the fare remains of utmost importance, the most radical transformation in how diners select restaurants is all about aesthetics. If cozy dinners, matcha runs, and milestone celebrations don’t make “the ‘gram,” did they even happen?

    These days, hospitality design has to be bolder, swankier, and sexier than ever before in order to attract an elevated clientele, all while remaining practical and commercial grade in construction quality. While it has become de rigueur for restaurateurs to announce which top interior designer or architectural firm has created their latest opening, it is somewhat less common to hear about the construction firms who translate those designs into the physical realm, but that’s about to change.

    Construction Concepts — the award-winning build team behind some of Houston’s trendiest restaurants such as Marmo, Graffiti Raw, Doris Metropolitan, and Cocody, their collaboration with Houston design star Nina Magon (the full list is an astonishing 400 projects) — have launched an ambitious new venture in hopes of revolutionizing the furniture and other furnishings used in hospitality design throughout Houston. Joshua Weisman and Mark Bordman’s new stand alone project, Custom Concepts Furniture & Lighting, delivers bespoke furniture and lighting solutions for restaurants, hotels, hospitality, and corporate spaces.

    Trendy Houstonians have more than likely experienced the Custom Concepts Furniture & Lighting treatment without having realized it. New hot spots Chardon, Melrose, and Maven at Sawyer Yards have all been outfitted with Custom Concepts creations, with highly-anticipated Succulent and Recess both hot on their heels.

    After 20 years on the build side of the business and being recognized with 16 Houston Business Journal Landmark Awards for projects across four categories, the why behind creating the new company becomes clear.

    “We saw an incredible need for this product and service; it’s an underserved market. There’s very limited options for people to go find these products and we have a passion for unique designs and builds — eclectic, neat pieces,” Weisman tells CultureMap. “There’s just no big surplus for it. You’re either custom making it, or you’re going to a big box store and seeing what you can find.”

    With a robust team numbering almost 30 people, Custom Concepts handles everything for clients from design all the way to white glove delivery and installation, plus an absolutely unheard of two-year warranty on all of their products. Lead time on bespoke pieces is around 12 weeks, lighting is 8-10 weeks, and furniture requires 10-12. Amazingly, their in-stock catalog line of approximately 2,000 SKUs is ready-to-go. “You could call tomorrow and say ‘I need 40 stools with backs in this color,’ and we’d give you four or five models to choose from,” says Weisman.

    Given Custom Concepts’ quality and elite clientele, one could easily assume that services are mildly cost prohibitive. Shockingly, this isn’t the case. “Our pricing, being straight to manufacturer, is considerably less than retail. Our pricing is very aggressive and competitive compared to the national market — 40-50 percent less than nationwide retailers,” says Weisman. “We build things to last that are amazing and affordable,” adds Bordman.

    Restaurants and hospitality make up 90 percent of Custom Concepts’ business, but residential clients are not unheard of. Weisman tells CultureMap that some higher-end clients will reach out to them directly when in need of lighting and furnishings for an entire home. Otherwise, they work directly with designers. “We love having designers come in and run wild with it — and we manufacture it from scratch,” says Weisman. “Whatever their vision is, we will bring it to market for them.”

    Attention to detail is undoubtedly the cornerstone of Custom Concepts. Furnishings have felt padding to protect floors and all tables — like those at Chardon — have a velvety felt underlining to protect their clientele’s delicate garments from catching, no detail is insignificant.

    “Just being proactive in the design and product that we’re delivering, we’ve been in this arena for so long, why not go the extra step,” says Weisman. “Really refining your product and what you’re giving your client; let’s do these added features, let’s do the ‘wow’ factor. If you can make it flawless, why not?!” Why not, indeed.

    Custom Concepts Furniture & Lighting office lobby The Kennedy
      

    Photo by Josh Gremillion

    The company designed and built the furniture and lighting for The Kennedy.

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