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    hottest headlines of 2024

    Store closings and consignment shops star in Houston's top 10 home stories

    Emily Cotton
    Dec 27, 2024 | 1:30 pm
    Big Lots store exterior
    Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    Editor's note: Another year is coming to a close! Firmly planted in the final stretch between Christmas and New Year’s Day, it’s time to glance back at which Home and Design topics readers flocked to in 2024. In a market the size of Houston, style and design tend to receive the attention they deserve, and 2024 really ran the gamut on the subject. From introducing suppliers and businesses, openings and closings, residential developments and restorations, antiques festivals, plus style forecasting from from local professionals, CultureMap covered it all.

    Houston is showing zero signs of slowing down in 2025, and it’s exciting to see what the new year will bring to the city. Here are 10 most read home and design articles of the year:

    1. Discount retailer Big Lots closes 4 Houston stores in bankruptcy sale. Ohio-based bargain retailer Big Lots announced that following their Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, 344 of their 1,389 stores would be closing. For Texas, that meant 16 stores — 4 of which are in Houston. At the time, the store planned to restructure, but it subsequently announced all of its locations will close.

    2. Houston design expert shares 3 consignment shops stocked with premium pieces. Classic Houston staples The Guild Shop, Upper-Kirby Consignment, and Designer’s Furniture Exchange were highlighted as interior designer favorites for finding high-end furniture and accessories for a fraction of their retail prices. CultureMap readers had a lot to say about this article and sent lists of their favorite hidden-gem resale shops — perhaps it’s time to revisit this subject.

    3. Meet the developer devoted to rescuing Houston’s historic bungalows. Minahil Halim and Tom Hickman, of Archive Construction and Bullethoof Homes, respectively, have turned a passion project into a thriving restoration business. Saving historical homes from demolition by relocating before they meet the wrecking ball is only one facet of their boutique restoration company. Archive Construction also runs a popular Instagram account that provides constant community engagement as well as salvage and restoration tips.

    4. Meet the family business that’s successfully slated many Houston hotspots. Stuart Rae continues the legacy of Thorntree Slate & Stone. With exclusivity with multi-family housing developer The Hanover Company, as well as Berg Hospitality, Thorntree is responsible for a plethora of public-facing projects in Houston and beyond.

    5. What to know about Round Top's 43-acre Marburger Farm Antique Show. In recent years, Marburger Farm and their behemoth of a quarterly antiques festival have become more popular than ever. This “what to know before you go” guide gives readers the inside scoop on planning a trip to this Round Top favorite.

    6. 4 must-follow Houston Instagrammers selling midcentury modern furniture. The pandemic threw an astronomical spotlight on just how many Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck. Side-hustles became commonplace and many of those evolved into thriving full-time businesses. As buyers’ budgets tightened, the online vintage marketplace boomed — meet the top local Instagram vintage vendors.

    7. Secret hideaways and sunrooms are the hottest home design trends right now. Popular Houzz searches showed that appliance garages, window seats, and wine bars tucked beneath staircases were all the rage this year. That’s not surprising with the upswing of home entertaining steadily increasing over the last few years.

    8. English-style kitchens among top 10 home design predictions for 2025. Houzz listed their top 10 predictions for 2025. Natural elements and organic-modern styles, range alcoves, lots of curved soft furnishings and archways listed alongside of textured cabinet fronts, warm color palettes, Maximilist decor, and more made the list.

    9. Houston designer transforms River Oaks spec house into dog-friendly home. Veteran designer Darla Bankston May transformed a soulless spec home in River Oaks into a warm, welcoming space for a family relocating from Midland with their four-legged friends in tow.

    10. Design experts and real estate pros celebrate posh plumbing brand's Houston return. Waterworks returned to Houston with a fully-branded vignette in Julie Koch’s trade-only design showroom Elegant Additions in the Heights. Famed interior designer Paloma Contreras and real estate broker Caroline Bean welcomed guests to their opening brunch and book signing.

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    news/home-design

    Hall-elujah, y’all

    Round Top antiques destination opens new hall, eyes year-round future

    Emily Cotton
    Oct 23, 2026 | 10:30 am
    Marburger Farm Gage Hall
    Courtesy of Marburger Farm
    Gage Hall is constructed of salvaged materials from around the farm, juxtaposed with modern metal and glass elements.

    It’s the best time of the year for antiques-loving fashionistas. As the 2026 Round Top Fall Antiques Show enters its second week, Texas Highway 237, aka “the hill country catwalk,” kicks into high gear. Keeping with tradition, the final Tuesday of the show is opening day for nearly 30-year-veteran Marburger Farm. Drawing top designers and architects from across the country, Marburger showcases the best-of-the-best in antiques and vintage.

    During the spring show last March, Marburger debuted phase one of an extensive restoration project that included updating and relocating 10 historic buildings, centralizing them around a newly-developed green space, and bricked walkways emulating a traditional town square. This fall, a new exhibition hall will be revealed, ending phase two of the ambitious 18-month-long project.

    The new structure marks the latest evolution of the 43-acre property, signaling Marburger’s ambition to be something more than a twice-yearly antique show. Located on Main Street, between Tent 2 and "The Park," the hall will bring an additional 7,500 square feet of temperature-controlled shopping space that will serve as the premier destination for a curated group of 12 dealers, offering antiques and vintage pieces sourced from around the world.

    Notable vendors in the exhibition hall include Mallorca-based Jay Bearden of Patternmill, a “destination dealer” whose premium furniture is a continuous draw for seasoned designers, and Bradley Hester of B. Hester Antiques, known for distinctive antiques, art, and textiles from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

    “It has taken about 18 months to complete both phases of the redevelopment, so it’s incredibly rewarding to finally share it all as one cohesive site: the 10 restored historic buildings, the town square-inspired layout, the new food and entertainment spaces, and now the new exhibition hall,” Marburger CEO John Sughrue tells CultureMap. “Our goal has always been to deliver the best antique show experience, and seeing it come together this fall, with our dealers, longtime guests, and new visitors, feels like a real milestone.”

    While the new exhibition hall may have a somewhat modern feel, reclaimed wood and salvaged materials from around the farm were used to juxtapose the contemporary sky glass features. Traditional board-and-batten and heritage elements like the Texas metal roof coexist with modern details. Together, these features tell the story of the farm’s past, present, and future. It’s too soon to tell how Marburger purists will take to the changes, but Sughrue is optimistic.

    “We were very intentional about redeveloping Marburger Farm. Marburger fans love the farm’s history, and so do we,” Sughrue explains. “Marburger Farm has always been a dynamic venue for discovery. The restoration of our historic buildings is a reflection of our deep appreciation and respect for our heritage, albeit we are not a museum and the contemporary elements of the new building speak to our intention to continue dynamic programming in the future. Steeped in our heritage while focused on the future is core to our ethos at Marburger.”


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    A post shared by Marburger Farm Antique Show (@marburgerfarm)


    Founded on a dairy farm in 1997 by somewhat-accidental-antiques-dealer Ed Gage, Marburger Farm changed hands 5 years ago and now lives comfortably under the stewardship of Dallas-based Brook Partners. The new exhibition hall — aptly named “Gage Hall” — and the plethora of newly-restored 18th and 19th century buildings turn over a new leaf for the farm. Accessibility and new all-weather facilities open the door to Marburger growing into a thriving year-round destination. One thing’s for sure, Gage doesn’t seem to mind. Shoppers will find him selling his antique wares in Tent 1 this fall.

    “Marburger Farm has always been anchored by our spring and fall shows, and our winter show will debut this January,” says Sughrue. “Those shows will always be our marquee moments. However, now we have a new exhibition hall, all 10 historic buildings are restored, and we have the incredible food pavilion overlooking the pond. We’re now available year-round as a venue for private rentals and we may program the property with additional events that appeal to Round Top lovers. Our company also operates the Dallas Art Fair, the Aspen Art Fair, and the Fashion Industry Gallery. We have the cultural resources to do more. Marburger Farm is just getting started!”

    The new entertainment pavilion overlooking the pond serves as a place to enjoy a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as a full bar. Coffee and beverage pop-ups around the farm include W6 Coffee Co., Amanecer Co., Clementine Coffee, and Big Hat Mocktails. There are also full bars around the property.

    Live music is also a big draw during the show. Rebecca Patek & Sophia Johnson (Austin country duo) will perform Tuesday, October 27, from 9-11 am, during the opening morning tailgate. Later in the afternoon, Monica Valli (blues/Americana guitarist) will perform from 3-5 pm (dinner served until 6 pm). The Reed Brothers (San Antonio band) will perform Friday, October 30, 4-6 pm (dinner served until 6 pm). On closing day (Saturday, Oct. 31), Ian Kocourek (singer-songwriter) will perform from 11 am-1 pm.

    As closing day happens to fall on Halloween this season, Marburger will offer guests a trick-or-treat trail with dozens of dealers handing out candy. Live music and photo ops will also occur throughout the day. Be sure to scout soon-to-be-coveted T-shirts inspired by Gage Hall, ringer tees, embroidered totes, artistic totes, hats, and more from Marburger Farm.

    The Marburger Farm Antique Show (2248 South Highway 237, Round Top) is open from 2 pm on Tuesday, October 27 through 5 pm on Saturday, October 31. Tickets ($15) include unlimited entry throughout the show. Early bird tickets ($40) include early shopping access in the promenade and Gage Hall (9 am entry on October 27), plus complimentary coffee and mimosas.

    Marburger Farm Gage Hall

    Courtesy of Marburger Farm

    Gage Hall is constructed of salvaged materials from around the farm, juxtaposed with modern metal and glass elements.

    marburger farmround topround top fall show 2026shoppingantiquesopenings
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