• 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
  • Avenida Houston
  • 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

    Houston's Tiniest Park

    Houston's tiniest park: City's first parklet rises from one converted asphalt parking space

    Barbara Kuntz
    Barbara Kuntz
    Jul 10, 2014 | 12:29 pm

    A parking space converted into Houston's first parklet brought a mini-media frenzy — and fun street party — to 19th Street in the Heights, where New Living artisans, city officials and community supporters gathered to officially dedicate the green space outside New Living Bedroom Thursday morning.

    "This is a way to connect people — to the streets, to the sidewalk, to the shops," Mayor Annise Parker told the crowd. "The parklet provides a little respite in our busy, bustling city.

    "I'm amazed to see so many media here for what once was a parking space," she added with a laugh.

    "It's one single parking space that I was happy to give up," Jeff Kaplan, founder of New Living, said.

    The 125-square-foot parklet, a raised platform with benches and shade canopy surrounded by planter beds filled with drought-resistant yuccas, was built by Made at New Living artisans led by industrial manager Jose Martinez using reclaimed materials from right here in the city — including 300-year-old wood salvaged from the old Mercantile building. Artisan Heath Brodie constructed the benches, while Jenny Janis handled the landscape design. The Ground Up provided the soil for the bed. More sponsors and partners include Sherwood Design Engineers and Bobby Goldsmith.

    "It's one single parking space that I was happy to give up," Jeff Kaplan, founder of New Living, said. "I believe 19th Street is to become a major urban street in the city, and the parklet will provide a common space to gather, to rest, even a place where musicians can perform."

    Staff members at outfitters Manready Mercantile will serve as park rangers for the parklet, and were on hand for the dedication decked out in vintage ranger gear while making S'mores over a Coleman stove. Participants enjoyed homemade paletas handed out by Trentino Gelato caterers. Acoustic guitarist Melissa Eason strummed and sang folk music to add to the atmosphere.

    The parklet was once a parking space for New Living Bedroom, until Kaplan and Laura Spanjian, the city's sustainability director, began planning about a year ago to implement the pocket garden. Their inspiration came from Mayor pro-tem Ed Gonzalez, who actually presented the idea before the city council about two years ago.

    "You'll find parklets in other cities, like San Francisco and Denver," Gonzalez said. "We want this to be an example for the rest of the city. We hope this will spread to other neighborhoods."

    Councilwoman Ellen Cohen added, "Montrose wants one of these already."

    Jenny Janis, from left, Jeff Kaplan, Jose Martinez, Mayor Annise Parker, Ed Gonzalez, Ellen Cohen, Ben Hernandez, Heath Brodie and Laura Spanjian at the 19th Street National Parklet.

    19th Street Parklet July 2014
      
    Photo by Lauren Tennet
    Jenny Janis, from left, Jeff Kaplan, Jose Martinez, Mayor Annise Parker, Ed Gonzalez, Ellen Cohen, Ben Hernandez, Heath Brodie and Laura Spanjian at the 19th Street National Parklet.
    unspecified
    news/home-design

    the feel of cotton

    Designer-loved Houston company makes custom bed sheets affordable

    Emily Cotton
    Jun 6, 2025 | 3:00 pm
    Look Linen Co
    Photo by Michael Hunter
    The Diamond Pique Collection boasts clean lines and a luxurious, sophisticated texture.

    Cool, crisp, freshly-pressed white cotton sheets have secured themselves into the zeitgeist — it’s how the sensation of luxury actually feels, especially when retiring from Houston’s summer heat. Now, three local ladies with deep designer roots have joined forces to bring their attainable luxury bedding line, Look Linen Co., to market. Available online and through exclusive pop-ups, Look Linen Co. offers personalized products with personalized service.

    Sylvia Longoria Dorsey and daughter Elizabeth Dorsey Fertitta joined forces with longtime friend and designer Lizzie Kappler to create a linen line that filled a gaping hole in the bedding market: local, affordable, personalizable bedding with reasonable lead times. Look Linen Co. has quickly become a designer darling due to their classic styles and stately embroidery — luckily, it’s available to everyone.

    “It’s so complicated when you’re going through custom channels,” Kappler tells CultureMap. “Lead times are long and really expensive. We really wanted to bring luxury linens to the market that feel very custom and that are accessible and feel personal, but also attainable to our customer.”

    With a generous 12 luxe embroidery color options, customization is key. “We spent a long time curating the color selections just based on what sold best from both of our [design] backgrounds,” says Kappler.


    View this post on Instagram
    A post shared by Look Linen Co. (@looklinenco)


    All Look Linen Co. products are made of 100 percent long staple cotton, imported from Europe. Monogramming is done locally and completely in-house, which allows for their quick, two week (or less) turnaround time. Three classic styles — Banded, Scalloped, and Diamond Pique — are available, as well as a new floral addition, the Lucky Collection. The soft, delicate clover pattern found in Lucky is perfect for clients who prefer to mix-and-match their linens — especially pillows.

    One of the several things setting Look Linen Co. apart from other boutique lines is their Dorm Shop. Fertitta notes that dorm room and sorority house bedding has become a booming market.

    “These girls love to decorate their dorms,” she says. To cater to that market, Look Linen Co. offers extra-long twin bedding and a specialized, oversized pillow affectionately called “The Biggie” that can double as a headboard in a pinch. All customizable, of course.

    The runaway hit product from Look Linen Co is the wildly popular, hourglass-shaped pillow called “The Boobie Pillow.” Designed to assist ladies of a certain age keep delicate décolletage skin from creasing, it also found another life as a post-surgery neck and shoulder pillow, amazing travel pillow, and so much more.

    “We started hearing people were using them at MD Anderson: ‘I couldn’t make it through without this pillow,’ or ‘my husband used it after open heart surgery,’ etc. It has really taken on a life of its own,” says Fertitta. “It’s no longer what we intended it to be, but it’s so great, and a best seller. It makes a great gift, it’s almost like a lovey!”

    For anyone curious which collection and embroidery color has been most popular, the answer is the Scallop Collection in Baby Blue, a classic choice. “Everyone loves a scallop,” says Kaplan — we tend to agree.



    Look Linen Co
      

    Photo by Michael Hunter

    The Diamond Pique Collection boasts clean lines and a luxurious, sophisticated texture.

    home-design
    news/home-design

    most read posts

    Texas ranks near the top of best states for startups, study finds

    Houston's pioneering South American steakhouse will soon shutter in River Oaks

    Texas Monthly's BBQ Snob dishes on the magazine's new top 50 list

    Loading...