The rumor is true: The prize for this week’s Neighborhood Guessing Game is being sponsored by that brand-new restaurant on Studewood and 10th St. in the Heights: Robert Gadsby’s Bedford. The winner of this week’s game will get a $100 gift certificate to Bedford, which features “cross cultural American cuisine.”
So . . . got your attention? If this is your first time playing, please read these instructions very carefully: The goal of the game is to guess what neighborhood the pictured home is in, simply by looking at the photos below. Enter your guess as a comment. If you are the only player to guess the neighborhood correctly, you win the prize. If more than one person guesses the correct neighborhood, the prize goes to the player who provided the best explanation for the guess.
Wait: There’s more. If you already know the home pictured here — or if you come across the listing while the game is being played — do not post the answer in the comments, or you’ll likely make a lot of people very angry. Instead, send us an email with a link to the listing, so we know what you’re doing. Then, enter an incorrect guess in the comments, to throw the other players off. Back it up with some convincing explanations. If you do this well — and no one guesses the actual neighborhood — you could walk away with the prize!
Here we go with the rest of the photos:
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Gosh, this one’s easy! Don’t you think? Don’t you?
That’s all the photo you get! Study them closely. Add up those clues! Then enter your guess. The prize winner and the answer will be announced Thursday on Swamplot!
Update: And the winner is . . . !
- This week’s prize sponsor: Bedford Restaurant
Photos: HAR
There are some strange things about this place, that’s for sure. Little sink in the island with exposed plumbing? Some painted pine, some unpainted? A piece of wood over the dishwasher front? That huge laundry room and unusually spartan bathroom? That weird triangle detail in the dining area and that strange little attic bedroom? I’m thinking that this is in an upscale-ish suburb and about fifteen years old. On the low-price scale as McMansions go. Why? A newer, fancier place would have a cooktop in the island and a glass or open shower. It would have more interesting floor treatment than some of that carpet (is that carpet in the bathroom?) The daughter’s bedroom appears to overlook a deck or patio and she must have borrowed the wall paint from my daughter! Where? “Anywhere” is such an overused word. Just out of hometown pride, I’ll say Silverlake on the west side of Pearland — an older section near the lake.
Dammit, marmer, I was reading your post and you got my guess. OK, I’m heading out to another part of the vanishing flyway. This is one of the plethora of badly designed “custom” homes out in the Cinco Ranch/West of Grand Parkway area (whatever it is called).
Is that a leather overstuffed chair in the master bathroom? A shower block in the middle of the bathroom? Oh well. It is one of the first McMansions that went up in West University.
Sorry, Brad, I almost said Cinco-Ranch-ish, too! You pretty much summed it up: “badly designed ‘custom’ homes.”
Interesting that the washer/dryer sit in a well. Is that in case of overflow?
EMME, yes, that is an overflow catcher. Not a bad design, really. Otherwise the place is scary.
I agree that this could be anywhere in the Houston area but I want that gift certificate so I’m going to take a totally uneducated stab and say somewhere in the greater Clear Lake area. My reasoning? Because I have a friend in the glass business and he does a whole lot of custom showers in that part of town! Probably not specific enough to be the big winner, but worth a shot!
The first couple of photos had me thinking townhouse, but then the open kitchen and other spacious rooms took me away from that idea. It looks to me like a mid-1980’s custom 2.5 story on a somewhat spacious lot. I wish there were something to base a guess on, but the overall bizarre-ness of the attic room, custom kitchen, leather/shower combo could be anywhere that someone quirky enough to build it would live. I’m going to take a stab at Spring Valley.
long time reader – first time guesser. i agree it is clearly a late 80s to mid 90s mcmansion with a poor bloodline. last photo looks like its over a garage. this coupled with the lower end mcmansion finish and the scene outside the dining room suggests outside the loop. my guess is somewhere east of champion forest, south of spring cypress, north of cypress creek, and west of i45.
most likely the mid 90s infill along the eastern portion of cypresswood and louetta near 45, such as “the thicket” off ella or “cypress estates”.
There’s food on the line? I’ll compete! The materials say Kickerillo, Energy Corridor-ish. The Big Boy chair in the master bath suggests Energy Corridor, too. The views out the windows are tantalizing, but not sharp enough to suggest a specific neighborhood. So I’ll guess Lakes of Parkway.
This is a very unique custom home, looks to be from the late 1990’s based on the appearance of the patio out the breakfast room windows, but one with a lot of not very expensive looking fixtures and finish out. The view out the windows say EXPANSIVE, so not on a 50′ wide Bellaire type tear down lot. Too bad it is not directly on the water, since it’s so close in Bentwater, April Sound, or elsewhere near Lake Conroe.
Agree with others that this is a 90’s custom home (very custom, given some of the choices), though I’m gonna say it’s 1.5 story, not 2.5, since at least one of the bedrooms pictured are clearly on the 1st floor. The proportions indicate it’s clearly got a lot of space, and, despite questionable taste (a barcalounger in the master bathroom?) the granite and brickwork belie the fact that some decent coin went into the place, despite the knotty pine cabinetry.
It could be anywhere outside the beltway, really, but I’m gonna say northwest, north of 290, outside of 1960.
This is tough…I am stuck between Richmond and Missouri City…will go with Richmond for no particular reason.
There have been some pretty good guestimates made already. That being said, I’m going to venture something out SW like Sugarland, Misery City or perhaps even Pecan Grove. There were plenty of place along this line built out there 10 to 15 years ago. That kid’s bedroom looks like they had some paint leftover from an old ’60s Plymouth Roadrunner and decided to ruin a bedroom too. Pretty bizarre kitchen setup in addition.
I am guessing this home is in the Cypress area up 290. Has some upgrades, seems to be on a large lot. Definitely a prefab home. Attempted to look more upscale than it is with poor design decisions from the shower in the master to the sink in the kitchen.
From the looks of the green room and foyer, there’s too much open space for it to be ITL or Clear Lake. You can tell by the two lowered granite countertops that they were made for partying and bringing in your morning catch from off the warm lake water. The brick is definitely from the early 90’s. The winding wood staircase without and hand rails is definitely something a young oil man would like. The room in the attic has a window that’s perfect for looking out onto the water where little boys look out to see the pretty girls on their spring break. The towel hangers next to the mud room door are perfect for coming in and hanging your towel after taking a dip in the agua.
This was thought to be their retirement home, but after using a subprime second mortgage to purchase the place and en lieu of current economic times, they’re forced to sell and move back to Spring, TX.
This is definitely a place right off Bentwater on lake Conroe. How could one go wrong? Good luck cheering for the Lions and fighting 2920 traffic!!
I’m guessing River Oaks on the Upper Kirby side. There’s a good amount of greenery out the windows, but it doesn’t look like a spacious backyard. This seems like one of those homes that is in the area bounded by Kirby, Westheimer, W. Alabama, and Shepherd.
A lot of good guesses this week, and some sound reasoning behind them. My first Pick (Cinco Ranch) is already gone so, in the spirit of the game and hoping someone wins the GC I’m going to go elsewhere.
It’s been remodeled some, and I agree it’s probably been around since the 80’s or 90’s. I’m going to guess one of the early builds on the far Northwest Side someplace like Cole’s Crossing. Possibly even Copperfield.
Guitars, fake ferns and wierd Garfield-in-sheep’s clothing (on top of tv cabinet, dining hutch and kitchen cabinets) make this home near a fake-lake scary! I’m think “Lakes of” Somewhere that ain’t near a lake. How about near Sweetwater or Sugar Creek Country Clubs? If this is in town, I am doing a DB on Saturday!
Given the A shape of the windows I agree that this is likely to be near the water. I’m going to go with Sugar Lakes neighborhood of Sugar Land, TX because the decorating job reminds me of my ex’s family that used to live in that neighborhood.
I just wanted everyone on the guessing game to know that I would NEVER live in a house like this! What a dump. What happened to guessing about cool houses? Instead you drag the reader out to some suburb? Boooo!!!
Until I saw the pink plastic tub by the kitchen table, i thought it was a staged, model home.
I see two floors, and an abundance of wasted electricity. every light in the house is on in the middle of the day. this DUMP must be in the energy corridor! who else would waste so much electricity?
any why in the Sam Houston would you stand on a counter or something to give us an “air shot” of the kitchen??
more questions than answers, but….
big windows, no pool that I can see….. Barker Cypress* and I-10.
Probably a rental for visiting oil executives. maybe that’s why the furniture is so uninspiring -it is a furnished rental!!
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*Something with a crappy “5 Digit” address like 11274 Blah Blah Glen Dr.
my guess:
Bellaire, pre-teardown and rebuild a mansion.
Right off of 610 before Meyerland Plaza.
OK – this is a weird place. I thought glass blocks went out in the 80’s, but this place looks newer than that. It appears to be rather large and on a large lot but it must be way out or it would have better finishes and nicer furniture. The kitchen really blows my mind – exposed brick, exposed plumbing on the island sink, weird microwave built in with a toaster oven on top. But yet it has granite countertops. The second staircase (I guess) in the kitchen definitely makes it seem like a large place. I am going with Atascocita – this doesn’t look like Katy to me.
Food brings lurkers like me out of the shadows. I don’t believe this is a McMansion but re-do in an older ITL neighborhood like Linkwood or Braes Heights. Two reasons: the position of the elongated bathroom windows and the almost A-frame vault in the dining room. Both feel midcentury-ish.
I’m thinking I’ll start with the Seared Scallops and follow that up with the Rigatoni Pasta and then the Pumpkin Smore for dessert. Oh, we’re supposed to guess where the house is, not what we’d buy for dinner with the gift card? Shoot, I guess I’ll go with Kingwood. Those pictures look like a pool is hiding around that house, with some real yard space remaining, so that would rule out anywhere inside the loop, and all the other good burbs are taken.
Definitely the ‘burbs, and it looks as if the owners bought an entire house full of furniture using Mattress Mack’s “House Full of Furniture Dream Deal” (how else do you explain the overstuffed leather chair in the bathroom?). I’m ruling out Champions/Spring, The Woodlands, and Atascocita/Kingwood given the lack of mature pine trees (from what I can see outside the windows). The entry way says far west or Sugar Land to me, so I’ll just pick a generic sounding subdivision out west – Lakes on Eldridge – the house is one of the first (Lakes on Eldridge Section 1) and has lovely views of the man-made lake/detention pond.
Hmm, this one is a bit confusing for me. Just by looking at the bathroom I was going to say 50-60’s Memorial area home that was remodeled sometime in the 80’s. The rest of the house looks too modern though. Maybe a mid to late 90’s build. The windows do look rather new though. I definitely get a Katy/Cy-Fair feel to this one judging by the yard. I’ll say Lakes on Eldridge.
Ps: Nothing like taking a shower then sitting in a leather chair as I dry off. Haha!
I’ll guess Twin Lakes, off Eldridge between Clay Rd and W Little York. The cabinetry, shapes of the windows & the overhead kitchen lighting seal it for me.
Memorial. Outside the loop, but inside the beltway. Looks older than everyone seems to think. The brick and lighting in the kitchen says 1970’s to me, but extensively remodeled in the late 90’s.
Jessie M, I enjoyed your post. Are you taking a creative writing class at the moment? If no one picks the correct neighborhood you get my vote.
I agree with most of the comments here. While Cinco is not a bad guess, I’m going to go the opposite direction and take a stab in the NE with Summerwood. It gives me the feeling of some of the homes built there not long ago.
ugh. Cypress.
Early 90s, circa 1993 given the wood furniture/fixtures, glass blocks and florescent lighting in the kitchen. This feels like it is on lots of land or near water and is way outside of town. Like everyone else this seems northwest. Spring or Montgomery are my guesses.
Gonna go NE-ish. Towards Humble / Kingwood. Decent size rooms, though could be in part to realtor angle’s. Glass blocks indicate it was at the beginning/mid of that suburb boom.
it’s a suburb – a planned community – down south it seems – no tall trees. I would say around the way to Galveston – Clear Lake? I have no idea why. except it looks like it might be on a golf course too. hmmm. oh well I’ll stick with Clear Lake. that bathroom. oy.
ok – my way of doing this is NOT to look at anyone’s post until after I post. So, I’m not copying those who already said Clear Lake, ok???? but then I get swayed by what other people say. my first thoughts were this was custom too. but I just think its on the way to Galveston for some reason. it’s too late to do what i usually do next – har search to see if I’m right – which i NEVER am. :(
one last thing – those three flourescent lights in the kitchen – ughh – people remove those!!!!!! yuck. this is not a custom home – it’s what was once an upscale tract home. geared to a view of some kind. that kitchen. they added the granite later but kept those horrible lights. and what is that thing over the mantel? AND it’s red brick. so late 80s. that glass block. late 80s. its one really fugly house.
Searching for clues, Sherlock…Why is it that the only rooms out of line are the bathroom & kitchen? Believe it’s a remodel done after the homeowner became wheelchair-bound. Or maybe they worked with the builder to make it accessible. The shower was redone so a chair can get in it. The kitchen counters were lowered and made so a wheelchair can fit underneath comfortably – microwave, sink (plumbing exposed out of necessity) now all within easy reach. Front-loading new washer/dryer put in as well. Also explains the large barca-loungers in LR & bath. And no area rugs to trip up wheels. Mom or Dad is the disabled one – not Grandma.
It’s 1.5 story, I agree.
Now, where? There are no large trees to be seen – bet it is to the south. Red brick says after 80’s – but the trees outside should be taller by now…so, 90’s? How about Friendswood?
I think flake may be on to something.
Yes, good eye, flake. It seems obvious now that you’ve pointed it out.
ooh, ooh, the light switches are lowered as well. I think they worked with the original builder before the house was built. This just doesn’t feel like a remodel.
How about a $5 gift cert for figuring this out? *flutters eyelashes* I know I’m lost on the location.
Two of my picks got snatched up so I had to resort to Google and a wide lens over the map. It feels suburban, I won’t dare question the reading nook in the bathroom, and I’m tempted to say Pasadena off Fairmont Parkway but decided to push further out to Dickinson. I thought I caught a glimpse of the back fence beyond the dining room so it’s in some sort of neighborhood and not its own ponderosa. The soaring ceiling seems to want to capture a view of something…maybe the back of the cul-de-sac?
The scaling of everything, from the “big gesture” entry hall, to the size of kitchen and back yard, coupled with some of the anemic vegetation in the back and not a shade tree in site, have me heading West out 59 toward the Sugar Land area. Just too much sun and not enough shade to have me head North of I10. That’s a pretty significant masonry wall out back (I’m having to squint to make this guess), makes me think the house is on the edge of a development that back up to an arterial street. I’ll Say Sugar Land near 6. Could be off Lexington Blvd. But I’m more thinking Highway 90a between Stanford and the little regional airport.
I’m guessing ticky-tacky-Tomball. Do they really think two granite countertops makes them qualify for stylish?
I think flake is shilling and knows the location. The lights switches are not lowered, it is camera angle and the split level counters are simply a Top Design contestant mistake. Plenty of $4.99/sq.yd. Berber in this faux-dump to trip up those wheel chairs. Also, the easel with tacky kitty paint-by-numbers is still desk high. I’m sticking with my Cinco Ranch area guess and I’m going to Bedford with a $100 discount! :-)
Gee, Brad, just because I fluttered my eyelashes, you think I’m shilling? *flutters* Maybe you’re right about the switches. They just looked low to me. But I don’t think there’s a builder anywhere who’d leave the exposed plumbing in the kitchen without a reason. And easel heights are easily changed…all of this lifestyle speculation doesn’t tell us where the house is, though – only tomorrow’s posting can do that!
flake, I wouldn’t put anything against this builder using the mini-sink plumbing exposed and painting it blue after some of the other goofy design decisions. This guy ain’t Renzo Piano. I never win this, but it sure is fun.