Good Brick Awards 2025

Preservation Houston honors historic buildings with annual awards

Preservation Houston’s Good Brick Awards return for their 46th year celebrating excellence in historic preservation. PH presented the first Good Brick Awards in 1979 to recognize outstanding contributions to the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of Houston’s architectural and cultural heritage. Counting the 2025 recipients, the organization has recognized more than 420 people and projects with Good Bricks in the past 46 years.

“The diversity of the 2025 award recipients reflects the remarkable evolution of Houston’s preservation movement,” says Kathy Washburn, PH’s interim executive director. “These projects are a testament to the dedication of those who care deeply about preserving our city’s heritage, and we’re honored to recognize the people and groups that brought them to life.”

Houston has many things that it does well, topping annual charts for numerous positive achievements — like the abundance of parks and other green spaces. However, the Bayou City doesn’t even rank in the top 20 of cities with beautiful old houses. Aggressive redevelopment and gentrification practices across the city have led to rapidly dwindling numbers of historic homes and other properties. Happily, creative and adaptive reuse practices are seeing more and more historic properties saved, restored, and living fresh lives. The Good Brick Awards serve as a reminder that this city is teeming with capable stewards of these buildings, great and small — and that’s something to celebrate.

So, without further ado, here are the 2025 Preservation Houston Good Brick Award recipients, along with a few words from some of the honorees about what this honor means to them. The 2025 Good Brick Award winners will be recognized during The Cornerstone Dinner on February 28, 2025, at the River Oaks Country Club.

The Preservation Houston President’s Award

Jon Deal for his contributions to historic preservation in Houston.

Deal is founder of The Deal Company, a development and investment firm specializing in repurposing former industrial and retail buildings in the urban core. He has been involved with several prior Good Brick Award-winning projects including the adaptive reuse of the former Riviana Rice silos in First Ward as The Silos at Sawyer Yards.

Juried Awards

Jason Johnson for an addition to the Lighthouse House (1906, Olle Lorehn) in the Old Sixth Ward Historic District.

“I was raised inside the loop. I love this city. I strive to be a good steward of my property. I want to do what I can to help preserve our architectural history,” Johnson says.

Diane and Ray Krueger for the adaptive reuse of the Big Three Industries Building (1974, MacKie & Kamrath) in Greater Heights.

“The Big Three Industries Building is a Houston story. Having the opportunity to acquire and repurpose it to a mixed-use of offices with our home on the top floor was a starting point for it to have a new life. Living there is a singular experience! Receiving a Good Brick Award validates our vision for this Kamrath wonder,” Ray Krueger says.

Julia W. Long for rehabilitating the Warshaw House (1965, Hy Applebaum) in Meyerland.

Hon. Annise Parker and Kathy Hubbard for renovating the Crawford House (1904) in the Westmoreland Historic District.

Mary Patton for rehabilitating the Herzog House (1956, Paul László) in Braeswood.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award. After a decade in interior design, I’ve come to realize how essential preservation is,” Patton says. “This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects a shared appreciation for valuing what already exists and finding ways to enhance it, rather than replacing it simply because we can.”

Julia and Thomas Pascal Will Robinson for rehabilitating the Waldo Mansion (1905) in the Westmoreland Historic District.

Charles Stava and Jacob Garber-Stava for restoring the Martha Perlitz House (1912, Alonzo N. Dawson) in the Avondale West Historic District.

“I've known my house for years before I purchased it, as I knew the previous owner,” Chuck Stava says. “He had it extensively modernized in the 1960s, which he later regretted. I could envision what a grand home it once was and felt it was our duty to return it to its rightful appearance both inside and outside. Receiving a Good Brick Award is a vindication of our efforts to restore one of Montrose's original grand ladies.”

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum for the rehabilitation of the Houston Light Guard Armory (1925, Alfred C. Finn) in Midtown/Third Ward.

The Church at 1548 Heights for restoring the historic windows at its building (1924, Alfred C. Finn) in Houston Heights.

Stephen Fox for his book The Architecture of Birdsall P. Briscoe.

The Martha Peterson Award

Southampton Centennial Committee for the Southampton Place Centennial Celebration.

“We are thrilled the Good Brick award honors Southampton’s architectural and cultural history. Our community’s strength and future commitment are enriched by Preservation Houston’s recognition,” committee member Joe Fischer says.

Jim Parsons is the program director for Preservation Houston and believes that highlighting the successes of dedicated preservationists remains important to the continuing efforts of individuals and communities to restore and preserve historic structures.

“From day one, we’ve believed in celebrating outstanding preservation projects and the people who make them happen,” Parsons says. “It’s not just about honoring their work — it’s about showing Houstonians that we can respect our past while keeping historic buildings a meaningful part of our city’s future.”

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Good Brick Awards and their contributions to the preservation of our historic spaces.

For more information about Preservation Houston and the Good Brick Awards, visit the organization’s website.

Preservation Houston Good Brick Awards 2025

Photo by Divya Pande

The Waldo Mansion at 201 Westmoreland.

a hidden gem

Meet the Houston designer crafting a cult-favorite Mahjong table

Elizabeth Autenreith Avella Interiors Hidden Gems gaming table

Courtesy of Avella Interiors

Elizabeth Autenreith of Avella Interiors with her popular “Hidden Gems” gaming table.

Houstonians who keep even the most casual of social diaries have come to terms with the notion that morning and afternoon gatherings centered around games of Bridge and Canasta have given way to the fashionable Mahjong craze that has taken the nation by storm. The ladies have spoken and are trading in their playing cards for flirty tiles — and a Houston designer has created just the place to store them.

Interior designer Elizabeth Autenreith of Avella Interiors — the firm was adorably named by combining the names of Autenreith’s three children: Avery, Ellis, and Laine — is the creative mind behind the cult-favorite Hidden Gems gaming table that is now front-and-center among in-the-know Mahjong groups.

Courtesy of Avella Interiors

Elizabeth Autenreith of Avella Interiors with her popular “Hidden Gems” gaming table.

Autenreith’s creation has become nearly impossible to keep in stock, and it’s little wonder why or how. Consumer trends have become enamored — rightly so — with seeking out handmade, heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down through generations.

Designed, handmade, and hand-finished here in Houston, the “Hidden Gems” table is a favorite of luxe local designers such as Paloma Contreras, James Farmer, Marie Flanigan, Haddy House, Lindsey Herod, and Katie Davis. Local purveyors such as Upper Kirby’s Lam and Spring Branch’s Little Coterie Warehouse cannot stock them fast enough. It’s also worth noting that the table has been shipped to just over 20 states.

“I just started to see an uptick in Mahjong lounges in homes,” says Autenreith. “Everyone was trying to make room for a Mahjong table. I wanted to create something that was meant to be a fixture in a home, not something that would be taken in and out like a folding table, but something that was a beautiful fixture that had a lot of functionality — I just drew a picture with pencil and paper.”

The “Hidden Gems” gaming table is available in ten colors like the very cutely-named “Sea Breeze,” “Pretty Peas,” “Make Me Blush,” and the newly-debuted “Jim for the Win.” Grasscloth versions are also available in “Natural Nouveau,” "Serene Celedon,” and "Elegant Ecru.” Custom colors are also available to meet any design needs.

Cleverly designed to appear as anything from a breakfast to a foyer table, the soon-to-be-cult classic doesn’t necessarily have to be used for Mahjong parties, but Autenreith doesn’t see the trend slowing down anytime soon.

“It’s going to keep going,” she says. “It brings people together and you get to have sweet memories with your friends and family — whether it’s a puzzle or playing cards. It was inspired by Mahjong, but the functionality is there for so many other games, and it’s so great for overflow seating like at Thanksgiving and Christmas, or as a kids’ table for arts and crafts — the uses are kind of endless.”

It’s worth noting that Autenreith’s design ethos and the price of the “Hidden Gems” gaming table ($2,250) are at a bit of an impasse — or, perhaps not. The Avella Interiors model is a niche within niches, if you will. There are no minimums, whether it be room or project. She lovingly touts herself as “everyone’s designer,” and she’s not wrong.

Everyone’s designer

Autenreith serves an underserved community of people who love design, but like to take it slow. Let’s face it, while fantastic, most Houston designers seek a $50,000 promised spend and five room minimum just to let you speak to their assistants.

Avella Interiors is not “that girl.” There is literally no minimum. “I just think there is sort of a niche that needs to be filled in the Houston market, and maybe beyond,” says Autenreith. “I’m for someone who doesn’t necessarily want to spend a lot of money on an interior designer for their entire home. I can work with the pieces in their home and just sort of zhuzh it up a bit.”

Autenreith’s design services fall distinctly between that girlfriend with great taste and too many hours cruising Pinterest — who can be bought with a night off from the kids and a bottle of Chablis — with a full-on designer.

“I can work with a budget-conscious client, and we can buy store bought drapes and make them look custom,” explains Autenreith. “It’s an area that I think is underserved. I have no minimum and am happy to just do one space. We all want to be able to afford an expensive designer, but the entire preface and bottom line of my business is to buy and invest in things in your home that you will love, and then you will love your home.”

Her perfectly-curated vintage finds can be found at the aforementioned Little Coterie Warehouse, which, by the way are very affordable as gifts or personal homewares. A quick look at her prices will ease any stress. But she understands an investment, and that’s where we are.

“I just think that you may want to spend and indulge on one piece of furniture, and love it, and then collect little things to put around your house — it’s supposed to bring you joy, right?” says Autenreith. “Home is supposed to do all those things. You don’t always have to spend a lot of money to get the same results.”

The “Hidden Gems” table is just that. The hollow body of the table, with a removable top so lightweight that a child can remove it, can conceal everything from Mahjong pieces to unfinished puzzles while smartly concealing corner-appointed and cork-lined drink surfaces at every corner.

The long and short of it is, will Autenreith happily come by to rearrange a messy bookcase? Yes. Will she also indulge the sale of a piece of heirloom furniture that she hopes will bring families together for generations? Also, yes.

home-design mahjong table furniture