Comments on: Southampton House of 48,762 Cubic Zirconias

By: SH snooty

SH snooty — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:55:12 +0000

Thanks Guy, I was just getting ready to post about this not being in SH when you beat me to it. I wondered why I didn’t know it, when I finally saw the link to the address. Not us.

By: Guy Black

Guy Black — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:20:24 +0000

The Cubic Zirconia Extravaganza is NOT, I repeat, NOT in Southampton. It is at 1526 Banks in Ranch Estates, formerly a modest neighborhood populated with little postwar ranch-style houses that is now morphing into a center of McMansion design. Ranch Estates is more than a half mile north and east of Southampton. Southampton is defined by Ashby on the East, Bissonet on the North, Greenbriar on the West, and Rice Blvd. on the South. We once had the “Pink Lady House” on Sunset, but its new owner covered the pink paint, and retired its pink tile walkways and other distinctive aesthetic ornamentation. So our one monument to weird art has vanished.

The Times story was badly informed about Houston geography in more ways than one. Consider the author’s confusion about “upscale” Southampton being the venue where “several jailed Enron executives have impressive homes.” I wonder if the Times writer knows the difference between down-home Southampton and a REAL “upscale” neighborhood–River Oaks. That’s where Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling and other Enron executives moved, some (Skilling included) after living for a few years in modest Southampton homes. Only the Fastow family, I believe, still lives in Southampton, in a discreet neo-Georgian house much like a dozen others in the neighborhood. The Fastow River Oaks mansion, still under construction when Enron fell, was sold. More typical of Southampton is that its most prominent Enron resident is the redoubtable Sherron Watkins, the accounting executive who played a key role in bringing down the Enron house of cards.

By: GoogleMaster

GoogleMaster — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:17:09 +0000

If you must drive by:
http://tinyurl.com/gildedhouse

I think I drove by this house the other day and didn’t notice anything unusual.

By: EMME

EMME — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:03:04 +0000

I am not opposed to it, and I see the passion in it. I just couldn’t live in it and I might get a little nauseuous visiting it. Too much to see in so little space makes my head spin.

By: Beachwatcher

Beachwatcher — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:32:12 +0000

At first glance it might seem “gauche” to someone who likes simplicity. But each room has the logic of a painting - you feel you are definitely inside an artist’s vision, not just excessive gilding.

It’s like a Baroque retablio.

By: Beachwatcher

Beachwatcher — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:30:12 +0000

I think it’s amazing. Scott is right, it’s like the Orange show house inits purity. It’s also fascinating. Would I want to live there? If I were the doctor’s wife, I would love it. It’s his Taj Mahal.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:27:50 +0000

I think it looks pretty cool. For those who have visited Barcelona, its almost impossible not to appreciate the structures Antoni Gaudi created in the city. Yet, at the time, many found his works abhorrent. So, to each his own I suppose. But I encourage things like this. If projects like this continue, maybe Houstons reputation could once and for all no longer by synonymous with traffic jams and concrete jungles.

By: snooty

snooty — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:32:00 +0000

Address? I gotta see this one, at least from the outside!

By: Miz Brooke Smith

Miz Brooke Smith — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:16:45 +0000

Scott Bodenheimer (hi, Scott!) is quite right. This is the same sort of devoted, focused, pure, and highly personal effort found in places like the Orange Show, the Beer Can House, the Palais Ideal du Facteur Cheval and other places where an individual has made it his or her mission to create an environment honoring muse or passion. Is this place gauche? Yes. Is it stupendous? Also yes. Would I live there? No. Do I salute Dr. Walter? Enthusiastically. Good for him.

By: Tex

Tex — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:05:05 +0000

Hideous

By: Scott Bodenheimer

Scott Bodenheimer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:49:20 +0000

It reminds of other unique Houston homes like the Orange Show, and the Beer Can House, and the Flower Man’s House.

By: Carol

Carol — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:12:06 +0000

I won’t say what I think because I’m afraid he might use his “power” against me ;-)
But it doesn’t matter what I think. To each his own. He certainly is dedicated.