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    10 Fab Homes

    10 fabulous Houston homes — from most unique to most expensive — offer unforgettable memories

    Barbara Kuntz
    Barbara Kuntz
    Sep 29, 2014 | 1:50 pm

    People love to look at photos of pretty houses. Just take a look at the ka-zillions of home, decor, interior design, makeover, etc. magazines and e-magazines solely dedicated to these topics.

    CultureMap, during our five years of publication —with more to come — has offered readers peeks into hundreds of Houston-area and beyond homes through our ongoing On the Market editorial series. We've covered the gamut, from bungalows to million-dollar mansions to every budget range and style in between.

    For our fifth birthday, we've rounded up some of our favorites, 10 as a matter of fact, to double your viewing pleasure.

    Most unique
    As the headline read, "Talk about bang for your buck." The Mid-Century mod featured in the 1955 Parade of Homes — and designed by the same architecture firm that planned the Astrodome — came up for sale in April featuring its own bomb shelter. Located at 5102 Jackwood St. in the Meyerland community, the structure includes the secret space, called the "Para-Cap" shelter, with a parabolic roof and room to accommodate up to 10 people. The emergency exit in the backyard is now hidden by landscaping, even though the circular eyepiece or telescope for observation is visible.

    Best bungalow
    When CNN Money crowned the Heights area as one of America’s 10 Best Big-City Neighborhoods in August 2013, this completely restored 1920s gem at 405 Woodland St. in Woodland Heights was listed at $974,900. Not only is the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath charmer in pristine condition; it also sits on a rare double-corner lot. The shady, fully fenced property provides a cozy covered porch, multiple courtyards and green spaces. And there’s more: A large private side yard opens to a guest apartment or a future pool house.

    Sports hero's house
    When former all-time Houston Astros great Jeff Bagwell and his decided to part ways, it became necessary for them to part with their stunning home at 405 Timberwilde Lane in Memorial - for $15 million. The 16,414-square-foot manse sits on 2.5 acres and includes a resort-sized swimming pool and a guest house that measures in at 1,750 square feet. The John Daugherty realtor showing the house at the time commented, "I think this is one of the most beautiful houses I've ever had the pleasure of listing."

    Frank Lloyd Wright jewel
    Frank Lloyd Wright architecture historians came to the 2,000-square-foot residence at 12020 Tall Oaks St. in Bunker Hill in July to officially inspect and then declare the structure an original. Once destined to be a tear-down, the home showcases signature design elements, including red-pigmented concrete floors, concrete block walls, walls of windows, built-in sofas and bookcases and lots of angles. Wright enthusiasts did air their disapproval that a substantial annex — about 6,000 square feet of contemporary architecture — wraps around the back of the Wright house.

    Readers' choice
    While CultureMap reported about the historic significance of 1885 The Waldo Mansion at 201 Westmoreland, readers talked more of the great bashes they had attended at the 6,598-square-foot residence nestled on a 25,000-square-foot corner lot among mature trees. That's easy to understand, as the home boasts a wrap-around veranda, 14- and 15-foot ceilings, 10 gas fireplaces and a private courtyard with a fountain guarded by towering palm trees. In other words, party central in Montrose.

    Best beach house
    A castle in the sand caught waves of attention as a dream sunny family retreat for generations to come. This house in the Beachtown community in Galveston offers 5,200 square feet on four levels, with seven bedrooms to comfortably accommodate friends and relatives. The custom home at 1609 Seaside Drive sits on three beachfront lots. Community space extends the life outdoors with more than 1,700 square feet of deck space on wrap-around porches. And it's still on the market, if you're interested, and still at the original asking price of $3.795 million

    Houston treasure
    A double-shotgun row house owned by Bert Long Jr. recently came on the market for $200,000. Long worked at the 4739 Buck St. home in the Fifth Ward for more than a decade before he passed away on Feb. 1, 2013. Once featured in design and architecture magazine Dwell, the structure was carefully renovated 15 years ago as part of a year-long thesis project by then-Rice University graduate architecture student Brett Zamore. The 5,831-square-foot property includes the 960-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom home as well as Long's separate studio space.

    Historic bed and breakfast
    We had high hopes of this becoming CultureMap's official retreat; however, the $1,225,000 price tag left it on the market until a buyer with deeper pockets snatched it up: The country-chic, top-rated bed and breakfast, Round Top Inn. Built in 1885, the two-story Main House is the largest residence on the property. The Farm House is complete with a sprawling front porch and plenty of rocking chairs. An adorable two-story, salt-box-style abode, the Gate House offers two bedrooms. A spacious Retreat Center is perfect for reunions, birthdays, luncheons or private parties. Quite the package for five residences and a retreat center on about one acre in this antique paradise.

    Most expensive home (when article published)
    The ticket on Bayou Breeze was first listed in 2013 at $19,995,000; today the mansion is still on the market with a reduced price of $15,995,000. The Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty listing is an incredible English-style country estate sitting on 3.7 secluded acres in the middle of River Oaks. With 16,022 square feet, the manse at 3688 Willowick is a custom wonder designed by Curtis & Windham, built by Randy Ratcliff and decorated by famed New York-based designer Bunny Williams.

    Just last week, the Bayou Breeze house seemed like a deal after a palatial Memorial chateau went on sale with an asking price of $43 million, which is believed to be Houston's most expensive home ever offered on the market.

    Best penthouse
    Also still for sale is the exclusive penthouse in the Four Seasons Hotel Houston designed by renowned architect William F. Stern. With a reduced price now of $3,850,000 (original asking price was $4.6 million), No. 3007 is one of the few private condos at the top of the hotel. Stern arranged the open floor plan into three zones: Living areas with raised ceilings just steps from the dining room, gourmet kitchen and wine cellar; master suite library and media room; and master suite and two guest suites with den. The zones are linked by a hallway along the outside wall, flooding the residence with light and maximizing views of the city's skyline.

    ----------------------

    CultureMap is celebrating its fifth birthday with a big party on Oct. 10 from 7 - 10 p.m. at the new JW Marriott Houston Downtown, with a portion of proceeds going to Casa de Esperanza. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online.

    Houston's most expensive home in 2013, 3688 Willowick, is still on the market with a reduced price.

    Houston's most expensive homes, 3866 Willowick, January 2013, aerial
      
    Photo courtesy of Martha Turner Properties
    Houston's most expensive home in 2013, 3688 Willowick, is still on the market with a reduced price.
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    Design oasis in River Oaks

    2 Austin design darlings team up for new Houston showrooms

    Emily Cotton
    Jun 13, 2025 | 1:22 pm
    Canvas Showroom
    Photo by Lindsey Brown
    Browse exclusive sustainable products curated by the team at Canvas.

    As Houston continues to see its star rise in the world of design, the onetime cliched notion that creatives simply must flock to Austin to obtain any street cred is beginning to shift. While some still consider the capital of Texas to be the epitome of cool, the pendulum swing to the east represents a well-deserved acknowledgment of the award-winning work being done in the Bayou City. And what better proof of this than two Austin design staples, Canvas Showroom and J&L Hardware, opening locations in River Oaks.

    The newly-refurbished shared space is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it trade-only building nestled amongst a nest of warehouse spaces and a scuba shop, and yet, it is truly a design oasis. Houston favorite Thompson + Hanson created the landscaping, which includes a variety of pollinator-attracting plants on the exterior and an impressively-sized olive tree in the enclosed, European-style courtyard dividing the Canvas and J&L Hardware showrooms. Dramatic, yet understated, the courtyard sets the tone for the artisanal magic found inside.

    Interior designer and Houston native Christina Cole first opened her trade-only Austin stalwart, Canvas Showroom, in 2019. Since that time, the showroom has become a must-stop-and-shop for her meticulously-curated artisanal textiles, furnishings, and more. The new River Oaks showroom is shared with Austin neighbor and fellow trade-only showroom J&L Hardware, and both promise personalized service, expert consultations, and access to exclusive products that embody artistry and functionality.

    Husband-and-wife team Josh and Naleah Rygs founded Austin-based J&L Hardware in 2015 and have since introduced an abundance of exclusive European plumbing and hardware lines to Texas. The J&L space is a remarkable reflection of Naleah Rygs: elegant, sophisticated, timeless, and warmly approachable. Garishly-branded placards are absent here, replaced by a gallery of nondescript fixtures in every finish imaginable. Guests of Miraval Resort & Spa, The Hotel Albert, The Commodore Perry Estate, and more will be familiar with their work.

    Representing a curated selection of the world’s finest artisanal brands, J&L Hardware offers trade professionals access to collections from Volevatch, Nanz, Studio Ore, The Water Monopoly, Fantini, Armac Martin, Sun Valley Bronze, Samuel Heath, THG, Cocoon, Cea, Pruskin Hardware, Studio Bookmark, Toni Copenhagen, Watermark, Merit Metals, and more. That’s not to say that J&L overlook the mainstream, everyday brands as well.

    “We look at ourselves as a big box in a little box,” Naleah tells CultureMap. “Our heart is to allow for those [mainstream brands] to be foundational, then be able to layer in or customize big pieces here and there — I never want to tell someone ‘no.’”

    Prior to moving to Texas, Naleah had only lived in Los Angeles and NYC, and her taste reflects that: “I’m feeling highly influenced by the [Houston design] community,” she says. “I love their viewpoint on things. I love the things that they are focused on that are different. Houston might be a little more traditional, or have moments of it, and then it has moments of gorgeous modern. We are such a melting pot in this landscape, and I love international influences.”

    J&L Hardware is appointment only, allowing for design professionals to come in for personalized service and work without distractions. “This is just beautiful because we want for you to enjoy your time. We want you to feel comfortable and inspired — it’s just a different way to work. You want to feel like you really have a team supporting you, because our clients are the trade: your builder, your designer, or your architect. We are an extension of a team versus a shop to shop in; the trade is the synergy of our work,” she says.

    Just across the courtyard is where you’ll find Canvas. Fans of organic, sustainable living will be found flocking to this showroom, as it’s the core identity of Canvas. This jewel box showroom features a thoughtfully-curated mix of globally-sourced materials and objects, from innovative artisanal textiles by Anne Kirk, Inata Alpaca, Chapas, Designs of the Time, JG Switzer, and Karin Sajo; to textural rugs from Awanay, La Manufacture Cogolin, Miksi, and Van Ghent; as well as distinctive lighting, furniture, and decorative objects from Kaia Editions, Alinea Design Objects, Danny Kaplan, Fern, and more.

    “Houston felt like a natural choice for Canvas Showroom’s second location, not only because I grew up here, but because of the energy, creativity, and cultural depth that define the city,” Cole tells CultureMap. “Canvas was founded on the belief that luxury should feel inviting. We offer refined, exclusive furnishings with an approachable spirit, and that philosophy resonates with the most compelling aspects of Houston’s design culture. It’s a place where warmth and elegance go hand in hand.”

    Canvas distinguishes itself by offering small-batch, artisanal, handcrafted lines, making it especially appealing to a health-conscious clientele who prefer organic materials like cotton, wool, cactus, and nettle fiber materials.

    “If you have the appetite for it, we have the product for it,” says Canvas sales director Nick Lanni. “A lot of what we carry is sustainable, it’s natural, it’s organic. We don’t want off-gassing and terrible chemicals in your house.”

    Noting that the organic movement began with food and has slowly crept into the home industry, Lanni makes a compelling argument for sourcing from Canvas: “For centuries people have been using these very products to make things — it’s not brand new — but it’s brand new to modern times, where plastic is king.”

    Very big on “vibes,” Canvas curates lines that bring soul and a human touch to the market. Family sheep farms that hand craft felted wools, husband and wife ceramicists who make lighting fixtures, woodworkers’ hand hewn furnishings — these items carry on centuries of traditional crafts.

    “Someone’s soul is in it. They are putting their blood, sweat, and tears into it,” says Lanni. “All the product from here, someone has touched it to make it, and that’s really important when you’re putting together your home. You want the good energy, and when things are created with love, it’s just better.”

    Canvas Showroom
      

    Photo by Lindsey Brown

    Browse exclusive sustainable products curated by the team at Canvas.

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