Swamplot Archives by Tag: Home Design

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Comment of the Day: Form, Function, and Home Security

November 4, 2009 – 3:13 pm
   

“Properly implemented, turrets *are* good. The problem in this particular case as well as with so many modern faux-Tuscan and faux-Chateau adaptations is that architects fail to incorporate functional support for modern defensive armament and surveilance equipment. For instance, no McMansion is truely complete without a remote-controlled servo-actuated Browning M2 machine gun hardwired to the saferoom. But that critical bit of hardware doesn’t do the least bit of good if the turret does not project out from the structure or if it is lacking a sufficient number of meurtrieres to ensure an adequate field of fire. Along similar lines, I question the lack of murder holes above the entrances to such homes; no McMansion should be complete without the capability to dump a vat of scalding hot oil onto Jehovah’s Witnesses at the mere flick of a switch.” [TheNiche, commenting on Comment of the Day: Beauty Is in the Intention of the Landholder]

3:13 pm | 2 Comments | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Quicklink, Security
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Comment of the Day: Beauty Is in the Intention of the Landholder

November 3, 2009 – 5:20 pm
   

“Houston is full of architectural bad taste, but it tends to be bad taste that politely pays obeisance to prevailing norms of bad taste. Hence the faux-Tuscan McMansion becomes a self-perpetuating meme. Developers keep building them and homebuyers keep buying them [and] because they see so many other versions of the same crap, they start believing that turrets are good. La Luz del Mundo utterly ignores the norms of architectural tastes in Houston (which are horrible but all [too] common). Its crimes against taste are unique and displayed with gusto. Unlike the buyer of a faux-Tuscan architectural travesty, the congregants of La Luz del Mundo don’t care what other people think. To which I say, right on!” [RWB, commenting on Freeway Church of the Eastex Holy Roaming Empire: Shining a Little Light on La Luz Del Mundo]

5:20 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Quicklink
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

What You Can Get with Bad Credit: West Main Foreclosure Second Chance

October 14, 2009 – 11:31 pm

A reader accustomed to shaking his head when he drives along Greenbriar just north of Richmond informs us that the recently built “big, expensive monstrosity” for sale on that corner is now advertising its bank pedigree:

This long-on-the-market house/thingy now has large for-sale-by-bank sign slapped all over the very nice fence. This has all sort of ridiculous written over it: four car garages, pool, etc.

If a 7,976-sq.-ft. villa with 4-car garage for less than a million in that location sounds cheap, it’s because the building is actually 2 separate “townhomes” — each roughly half that size — with a “common element.” The $959K price tag is for the foreclosed unit at 2201 W. Main.

After a year-long run on MLS, that front unit is now listed as “pending continue to show.” Which in light of the ready-to-loan listing copy maybe isn’t so surprising:

FORECLOSURE!!BANK WILL FINANCE FOR 4.5% WITH 10% DOWN(BAD CREDIT OK)

Continue Reading This Story >

11:31 pm | 10 Comments | Read more about Foreclosures, Home Design, Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Upper Kirby, Townhomes
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Friday, October 9, 2009

Comment of the Day: Build More Wacky Mansions Like This, Please

October 9, 2009 – 6:37 pm
   

“. . . We need more of these. Think of all the design professionals and landscapers and carpenters and the rest that were employed to build it and then maintain it. Hell, the construction crews were probably large enough to fill one of those suburban developments that is now a ghost town.” [jost, commenting on You Love the Knight Life: Rivercrest White Castle Retreat]

6:37 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Quicklink
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Friday, September 4, 2009

Comment of the Day Runner-Up: (Don’t Fear) the Sculpture

September 4, 2009 – 12:47 pm
   

“More gargoyle!” [wilf, commenting on Piney Point Village Megamansion: Now $10 Million Off!]

12:47 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Comments, Home Decor, Home Design, Quicklink
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Secret Powers of the Cordell St. Shipping-Container House

September 4, 2009 – 12:26 pm
   

The Brookesmith home of Kevin Freeman and Jen Feldmann — fashioned from shipping containers by Numen Development’s John Walker and Katie Nichols — meets a national audience in the pages of the latest issue of Dwell: “The meat distributor [across Cordell St.] begins loading trucks as early as 5:30 a.m., but the couple imagines themselves as hipsters living in New York City’s meatpacking district, and that makes it okay. . . . The corrugated steel of the container that houses the master suite becomes a textured wall for writing messages in the home’s entrance. ‘When we were furnishing the house, I thought, “Oh no! Our fridge isn’t magnetic for Eli’s artwork,” but then I realized the whole house is magnetic,’ Feldmann says. ‘We’ve become magnet connoisseurs,’ Freeman adds.” [Dwell; previously in Swamplot]

12:26 pm | 1 Comment | Read more about Construction Materials, Green Design and Development, Home Design, Homebuilders, Neighborhoods: Brookesmith, New Construction: Residential, Quicklink, Transportation
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Thursday, September 3, 2009

Piney Point Village Megamansion: Now $10 Million Off!

September 3, 2009 – 2:36 pm

More than 6 reductions over the last 2 years mean you can now snap up this 20,000-plus-sq.-ft. Piney Point megamansion for less than half its original $19.9 million asking price. The spread belongs to Douglas R. Johnson and his wife Melanie, who divorced a year and a half ago, reports the Chronicle’s Shelby Hodge:

The house began as a 6,000 square-foot teepee sitting in the middle of a lush wooded acre on Arrowwood. We are told that the couple pumped $16 million worth of expansion and improvements into the place. Eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, three half-baths and a paneled wine room and bar dating from the 1920s are part of the package. And did we mention the vast third-floor entertainment area that features a lavish theater center, game room and bar?

According to the divorce decree, Melanie and the boys get to live in the house until it sells. The judge gave Doug the right to control that sale. He priced the property at $19 million — unheard of in the Memorial/Piney Point neighborhoods. There was little interest. Melanie went back to court recently and secured rights to control the sale herself. And how things have changed.

According to MLS records, the home went on the market in April of 2007. Its most recent price cut — just a few days ago — was a mere $3.4 million.

Until his Johnson Broadcasting Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last October, Johnson was listed as the sole owner of KNWS, local TV’s Channel 51. Johnson also filed for personal bankruptcy, but reportedly told the Chronicle at the time that it all had to do with the divorce.

How’s this home doing in the ratings? Well, the listing puts it at about 26,214 sq. ft., but the appraisal district only counts 21,240. But even that lower figure is enough to get the home onto Wikipedia’s list of the largest single family residences in the United States.

The home’s price may be down, but the commission is now up to 12 percent. And the photos sure make it look like the volume is still turned way up:

Continue Reading This Story >

2:36 pm | 18 Comments | Read more about Home Decor, Home Design, Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Piney Point Village, Price Reductions
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Low-Income Veterans’ Housing in Bridgeland

September 1, 2009 – 11:28 am
   

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates presented the keys to a new lakeside cul-de-sac home in Bridgeland yesterday to Purple Heart recipient Capt. Daniel Moran, USMC (Ret.). Moran, who was severely injured twice while on duty in Iraq, qualified for a low-cost housing program for disabled veterans administered by HelpingaHero.org. “The new 3,300-square-foot home was funded by the Strake Foundation, Rex and Marilyn King and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. Perry Homes built it with special accommodations for Moran’s physical condition. It features tinted windows, a high-efficiency air conditioner and heating system and other enhanced temperature-control measures because Moran is no longer able to control his body temperature. The lot was selected to allow the least amount of direct sunlight into the home. The house also includes an extended covered porch to allow him to spend time outdoors with his two children, Trey 4, and Macy, 2, without direct sun exposure.” [DefenseLink]

11:28 am | 4 Comments | Read more about Home Design, Homebuilders, Neighborhoods: Bridgeland, Neighborhoods: Cypress, New Construction: Residential, Quicklink
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Monday, August 31, 2009

Swamplot Price Adjuster: $2 Million Plus In Town

August 31, 2009 – 5:38 pm

The Swamplot Price Adjuster needs your nominations! Found a property you think is poorly priced? Send an email to Swamplot, and be sure to include a link to the listing or photos. Tell us about the property, and explain why you think it deserves a price adjustment. Then tell us what you think a better price would be. Unless requested otherwise, all submissions to the Swamplot Price Adjuster will be kept anonymous.

Location: 18 Eaton Sq.
Details: 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths; 4,308 sq. ft. on a 3,924-sq.-ft. lot
Price: $2,150,000
History: On the market for 3 months. Price cut $100K in early July.

The nominator of this property asks:

What am I missing here? Sure, this place has lots of nice finishes and shelving. And it faces a cute little fountain. But it’s still a garage-front 3-story attached townhouse that backs up to an apartment complex, in the shadow of an office tower. If I had $2 million to spend — or more likely, borrow — I’d want something more …. I don’t know … more.

What would be a better price?

Continue Reading This Story >

5:38 pm | 15 Comments | Read more about Home Design, Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Briar Hollow, Price Adjuster
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Comment of the Day: Cue the Wilshire Village Sale and Redevelopment Rumors

August 31, 2009 – 2:45 pm
   

“I heard (not joking) that KB homes (I think, or another home builder) was looking at this site for a new style of very small and relatively inexpensive 1,000 sf-ish single family hyomes on very small lots. The [target] pricepoint was about $150k I believe.” [Charlie, commenting on Boyd’s Wilshire Village Prayer, with Photos]

2:45 pm | 35 Comments | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Homebuilders, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Quicklink, Redevelopment
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Monday, August 24, 2009

A Little Winter St. Front Yard Action

August 24, 2009 – 4:15 pm

A reader sends in this photo, wanting us to

check out this newly built house in the first ward. On the dirt road aka Winter st. just east of White.

Who would build a house with the train running through their front yard?1?

Only in Houston.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

4:15 pm | 18 Comments | Read more about Gardening, Home Design, Neighborhoods: First Ward, New Construction: Residential, Transportation
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Friday, August 21, 2009

Pieces of Old Fort Bend County, at Rest in Montrose: A Peek Inside the Architect’s House

August 21, 2009 – 12:17 pm

Antiques fan Spencer Howard takes readers on a tour of a Hyde Park house full of them: the home of his former boss, architect John Zemanek.

The home’s design “falls somewhere between a Texas farm house and Japanese Tea House,” writes Howard:

However, the landscape, structure and furniture are accented with mysterious objects. Some are recognizable and easily comprehended, but most are not – engaging the viewer to imagine the story behind the piece.

What mysterious objects? A few choice rusting relics of Zemanek’s Fort Bend County childhood: a hunk of the engine from the family’s 1923 Buick; parts of old farming implements; the family typewriter, on a pedestal by the front door.

Wanna quick tour of the place?

Continue Reading This Story >

12:17 pm | 9 Comments | Read more about Furniture, Home Decor, Home Design, Houston Architects, Interiors, Neighborhoods: Hyde Park, Neighborhoods: Montrose
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Comment of the Day: The Houston Flood House

August 19, 2009 – 7:58 pm
   

“. . . Lifting every flood-threatened home one story would solve so many problems - where to park the cars, where to store the trash can, where to house the nanny, where to store the wine (doesn’t everybody have these problems?) Just like old-time Louisiana homes. (Anyone been to Laura Plantation?) A while back there was discussion on Swamplot concerning a prototypical or traditional Houston architecture type. I think it should be dog-trot style, with roof-top garden, and raised on gulf-coast-style columns.” [movocelot, commenting on From Show House to Wet House to No House: Saying Goodbye the MacGregor Way]

7:58 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Comments, Flooding, Home Design, Houston Architects, Quicklink
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Friday, August 14, 2009

Comment of the Day: Inner Loop To-Do List

August 14, 2009 – 3:46 pm
   

“’Improvment’ is a matter of one’s values and in Texas, nothing suceeds like excess. Plan for in-loop: remove all trees, build lot line to lot line, add patina of sophistication (re: cheese closets, gift wrapping rooms) sell and run. Goal? Push all those troublesome low to middle income people out into the suburbs.” [finness, commenting on Comment of the Day: Grading the Replacements]

3:46 pm | 1 Comment | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Quicklink, Real Estate Marketing, Trees
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Comment of the Day: The Elusive Essence of River Oaks

August 11, 2009 – 5:18 pm
   

“What the hell is ‘A River Oaks style Tuscan beauty’? Can you just add a couple million to the sales price of a house by adding the words ‘River Oaks’ to the description? . . .” [Bernard, commenting on Swamplot Price Adjuster: Blue Bonnet Spread]

5:18 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, Quicklink
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