house&home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com70

Houston designer creates a nature-inspired bungalow redo

Craftsman with a TwistStory & Photography by SARAH GANDY

Back in 2006, designer Roberto Cervantes decided to buy his 1920s bun-galow in Eastwood for practical purposes as much as anything. Thehouse had been renovated in 2005 and all the electrical and plumbinghad been redone, says Roberto, That meant I could get an inspectionon it, get a mortgage approved and move right in. All of these wereessential elements for Roberto who was looking to move not only hishome, but also his business from of a rented loft space. Another key char-acteristic of the property: there was ample space in the backyard forRoberto to build a separate studio for his multi-faceted design business.

There was nothing wrong with the house, says Roberto. Most peo-

ple would say it was fine. And yet, for the designer and artist, bestknown publicly for his restaurant interiors, such as Barnabys, Tafia,Coppa, and Brasserie 19, the home still needed some refinements.

Though the ideas for the house would start flowing quickly, any reno-vations would have to wait. I moved in and decided to stabilize my busi-ness in the home first, says Roberto. Meanwhile I designed and builtthe studio behind the house, paying for that as I went along. Once thatbuilding was complete I was able to move my business there and beginwork on the house itself. I didnt do any renovations until 18 monthsafter I moved in.

ABOVE: The Eastwood home artist/designer/architect Roberto Cervantesexhibits clever creative touches at every turn. The arched built-in cabinet isoriginal to the kitchen, which is painted a wasabi-like green. The colorfulobjects on the shelves complement the striped table, designed by Roberto.

OPPOSITE: The stair landing was added during renovation, replacing a smalldoorway that opened to steep attic stairs. A new stairway was also con-structed in order to match the original oak wood floors throughout and tomake the steep angle less severe. The painting is by Ryan Gieger.

71

house&home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com72

Ideas in MotionWhen the time came for the home redo, Robertocollaborated on the design with Ben Johnston (atthe time the two had a design business together,but each now owns separate companiesRobertoowns Archi-Arts and Ben owns Avondale DesignStudio). One of the most dramatic changes camein the kitchen area which had been chopped upwith pantry spaces and doorways.

People during that time period tended tobreak up homes into compartments, saysRoberto. But we decided to open the kitchen tothe dining room in order to make it a more livablespace for today. To make sense of the new openfloor plan, Roberto and Ben designed aCraftsman-inspired partition wall with an archedopening which helped delineate the kitchen fromthe dining room. We also decided to paint therooms different colorsgreen for the kitchen andorange for the dining roomin order to definethe spaces separately.

Another minor floor plan change that createdsignificant visual impact was the decision to openthe attic stairs to the main living area. WhenRoberto bought the house a small door closed offthe stunted set of stairs leading upstairs. The stairlanding didnt exist and the stairs were extremelysteep, says Roberto. So we got rid of the door,replaced the stair treads with oak to match the restof the house, and made the slope of the stairs lesssevere. We designed a new stair landing to comeout into the space, which also created a nice focalwall for art or family photos.

RIGHT: In the dining room, a large painting by Houstonartist Seth Alverson over looks the old zinc-topped din-ing table made by Noir. Roberto and architect BenJohnston designed a Craftsman-inspired wall to providea distinct boundary between the rooms, yet allow thetwo rooms to feel connected. The chairs are goatskin-backed Tyler Chairs by Oly, while the shell chandelieruses naturally occurring holes in the shells to stringthem together.

We decided to open thekitchen to the dining roomin order to make it a more livable space for today.

73

74

Smoother SurfaceAmong other issues were some aesthetic choices thatprevious owners had made. The walls were all tex-tured; the ceiling had been troweled, says Roberto.So we smoothed out all of those surfaces andadded wood trim in order to be more consistentwith the time period.

Some of the more intricate trim work occurson the living and dining room ceilings, wherestained wood is applied in a Craftsman-derivedpattern. Its the look of a coffered ceiling, onlyflattened, says Roberto. Its an embellishment tothe room that brings a deep, rich color withoutlots of contrast. Its actually a modification ofwhat would be typically seen.

When it was time to pick colors for the home,Roberto drew inspiration from the home itself andits surroundings. A lot of people are into neutrals,but I wanted something richer. The colors I used aresaturated, but not unnatural, says Roberto. Theorange is a terra cotta color and its found in the tileson the front porch. The green is a compliment tothat orange. The orange you could get through rust,the green comes from a copper patinatheyre stillcolors found in nature.

Likewise, Roberto kept a natural, but visuallystimulating palette when it came to furnishing thehome. Throughout the house Ive used wood,metal, and hides, says Roberto. These are all non-synthetic ways of showing color, pattern, tex-ture, and patina.

RIGHT: The generously sized chaise, covered in fabric byKravet, sits opposite a matching sofa. The patchworkrug is handmade and available through Archi-Arts. Thesconces above the fireplace are antiques from Canada,while the copper pendants are from RejuvenationLighting and Hardware.

A lot of people are intoneutrals, but I wantedsomething richer. The colorsI used are saturated, but notunnatural.

75

house&home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com76

Whether its ceiling trim, goat hide chairs, or light fixtures, Robertoisnt afraid to twist the inspiration from the past in order to create his ownunique space. Musing on the two lighting pendants in the living room,Robert notes, Light fixtures from (the 1920s) were pretty clunky andactually not very beautiful, so sometimes you have to take departures inyour decorating. The living room fixtures are more of a 50s style, andwhen they were shown in chrome in the catalog they indeed look very50s. But in a copper finish they take on a completely different lookandsuddenly they work with this space.

Out the back door, Robertos new 900-square-foot studio also showsthat different decades of design can live in harmony. The studio stands incontrast to the brick bungalowits a modern construction with flecks ofcolor throughout the grey faade. The two buildings, says Roberto, exem-plify his philosophy: I appreciate modern design, but I also appreciatepast designsand ultimately thats where all modern design came from. It all draws inspiration from the past.

BELOW: Piano is a Helpinstill Roadmaster, which was marketed in the 1970s as aportable piano that entertainers could easily take on the road. It was invented byCharles Helpinstill, who still performs in Houston under the name Ezra Charles.Roberto bought the iconic piano twelve years ago through and ad in the Greensheet.

ABOVE: Roberto chose a soft grey paint for the office to provide a visual break fromthe other color-saturated rooms. Custom wood tables were made by a Houston-basedcraftsman from Texas pecan trees. The large painting and the comic strip installationart are both by Roberto Cervantes. The handmade patchwork rug is available throughArchi-Arts.

OPPOSITE: A painting by artist Ryan Gieger hangs above an Italian Deco antiquedresser in Robertos peacock-hued bedroom.

house&home | October 2011 | house and home on l ine . com78

RESOURCESINTERIOR DESIGN:ROBERTO CERVANTES, Archi-Arts, 281.974.2999,www.archi-arts.com

ARCHITECT:BEN JOHNSTON, AvondaleDesign Studio, 713.876.0432,www.avondalestudio.com

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:COMPLETE REMODELINGSERVICES, 713.890.1043

LIGHTING:REJUVENATION LIGHTING AND HARDWARE, www.rejuvenation.com

KITCHEN COUNTERTOP:Michelangelo Marble sourced fromARIZONA TILE,713.468.0511

KITCHEN FAUCET:Hudson Faucet by STROM PLUMBING, www.signofthecrab.com

CUSTOM HEXAGONAL END TABLES:IRON ACCENTS, 713.942.8676

FIREPLACE HEARTH TILE:SYZYGY TILEWORKS, www.syzy-gytile.com

BATH ACCESSORIES:RESTORATION HARDWARE,www.restorationhardware.com

Color Hardeners Releases Acid StainsPremium Sealers Polyurethanes Counter Top Mix

Self Leveling Overlays Stamps ToolsTraining & Support Seminars Furniture Molds

8310 Castleford St. #250 Houston, TX 77040713-462-8884 www.decorativecs.com

Serving Texas and the U.S.

We Stock Integral Colors!

We Stock Integral Colors!

Come See Our

Showroom

ALISON GLASSComplete Bathroom

RemodelingShower enclosures with

Shower Guard & warrantyTabletop GlassMirrors Window Glass

14027 Memorial Dr. #190Houston, TX 77079

832.878.9660www.alisonglassinc.com

Everyday, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) helps consumers choose the right contractor orsupplier for their job.

Thanks to NARI,thats exactly what I got.

I needed light, bright...

713-621-NARIwww.NARIhouston.com

... and hassle-free!

The Shutter Decor Manufactured Hardwood Plantation Shutters Wood/Poly Shutters Blinds Arches All Custom Fully Insured

Builders are Welcome713.466.5440theshutterdecor@yahoo.com

A.G.WELDING

8125 McGee Ln Houston, TX 77071713-988-4200 www.agwelding.com

Custom designed ornamental iron stair and balcony railings, staircases,

gates, carports, awnings, and structuraliron work. Free estimates.Residential & Commercial