DECK the HEIGHTS 2011 Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour Six Houston Heights Homes Friday & Saturday, December 2 & 3   Patron Party, December 1

HOUSTON, TX – September 21, 2011 – Six Houston Heights homes will be decorated for the holidays and open for visitors at Deck the Heights, the 2011 Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour. On Friday, December 2, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, December 3, 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., tour goers will have a rare opportunity to look inside these unique spaces that reflect the rich architectural tradition of this charming neighborhood. 

HOMES ON TOUR:

The excitement of the holidays will be in the air, with Mistletoe Madness and its invitation to “Eat, drink, shop & be merry!”, Heights 1^st Saturday www.heightsfirstsaturday.com and First Saturday Arts Market on 19^th Street www.firstsaturdayartsmarket.com.  

It’s a great time to get in some holiday shopping in the antiques and vintage clothing shops, art galleries, eclectic boutiques, and the ever-popular gourmet food and cupcake trucks, and to relax in the Houston Heights coffee shops and world-class restaurants.

Tickets & other information:

Tickets will be available by credit card beginning October 31 and by cash or check at the following locations beginning November 7: Another Place in Time, Buchanan’s Native Plants, Davis Hardware, Heights Antiques on Yale, Jubilee, and Write Now!

Tickets will also be available on tour days at the Heights Fire Station (12^th and Yale) and at each Holiday Home Tour home. Credit cards will be accepted at the Heights Fire Station, but the homes will only accept cash or checks on the days of the tour.

Tickets are $20 in advance for all six homes or $25 on tour days. $5 per-home tickets can also be purchased on tour days at those particular homes. Bundles of 10 tickets will be available online for $175 through November 30. Online Tickets have been closed.

Free shuttle buses will operate during the tour on both Friday and Saturday. Patrons may board the buses at the Fire Station at 107 W. 12^th Street at Yale, where parking is available. 

The Patron Party is an annual festivity that will take place Thursday, December 1, with tickets at $125. The location is set for 205 Bayland, the magnificent historic home of Bill Baldwin and Joe Gonzalez.

For more information, visit www.houstonheights.org, call the Houston Heights Association at 713-861-4002 and select option 7, or e-mail holidaytour@houstonheights.org.   

Gribble/Eaton Home – 1116 Allston

This 2008 custom home is surrounded with lush landscaping and attractive exterior lighting that provides a warm welcome for dinner guests throughout the year. Interior features include an extensive art collection, period antiques and modern furnishings, which uniquely complement the Craftsman style of the house. The owners restored the foyer’s antique clock after salvaging it from an early 20^th century Heights home that was slated for demolition. Thomas and Phil love to entertain and designed the home for that comfort with a spacious gourmet kitchen, big open living areas with vaulted ceilings, and an inviting fireplace.  Their large master bedroom is on the first floor, along with a cozy reading nook.  The stone-decked backyard kitchen and dining area are perfect for holidays and parties with their friends and family.

George Henry Burnett purchased this Queen Anne-style home, now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, in March 1904. The house was precut at a mill in East Texas, shipped by rail, and transported to the site by horse-drawn wagon. Mr. Burnett moved to the Heights after tragically losing his family in the Great Storm of Galveston in 1900. Historic features of the home include original storm shutters, windows, heart-of-pine floors, mahogany doors and antique furnishings in the two front rooms. The leaded glass in the front sitting room was imported from France and features a palmetto and urn, depicting the Tree of Life. Old family photographs throughout the home capture the spirit of the entrepreneurial Mr. Burnett and his life in the Heights with his second wife and children. Its current owner, Mr. Burnett’s grandson, Arlen Ferguson, acquired and remodeled the original home in 2000 and completed a second renovation project in 2010.

Burnett House – 219 W. 11^th

Kirksey/Tate Home – 1133 Arlington

Built in 1920, this wonderful two-bedroom cottage retains its original floor plan and the interior and exterior design reflects a free-spirited artistry common to the neighborhood.  The recent removal of newer, shingle-type siding that was added post-World War II revealed pristine wood siding original to its 1920 construction—subsequently painted in fun, vibrant colors which reflect the personalities of its owners.  Kristal, owner of Jubilee—a favorite boutique in the Heights—collects vintage Americana and antiques, including coin-operated vending machines, mid-century furnishings, and Depression-era Fiesta dinnerware.  A separate space recently renovated behind the home is now a music studio for Kevin—a drummer in several local bands.  His studio is filled with old music posters, several collectible drum sets, and classic modern furniture.  The holidays at the home are ushered in with a large collection of vintage Christmas Americana, including a lighted angel choir and plastic Santa collection, and assorted trees—one adorned exclusively in pink ornaments.  The backyard setting filled with collectibles features a beach-entry pool, a pond, and tropical plants.

The first time the homeowners walked through the front door and entered the hallway of this majestic 1915 Queen Anne Victorian, though years of neglect had taken its toll, they knew this historic gem had a warm and grand past. The Cummings responded to the beckoning call of the house challenging them to restore it to its glory of yesteryear. The newly transitioned empty nesters enlisted Heights-based Bungalow Revival to restore and renovate their "diamond in the rough" and seamlessly introduce modern-day amenities while maintaining the original footprint and essence of the home. The house boasts a defining “dog-run” hallway, 11-foot ceilings, original wood floors, carefully restored hardware, and its amazing original etched-glass front door, side lights, and door bell. Reclaimed antique columns were located to perfectly match the existing columns for the welcoming wrap-around front porch. 

Cummings Home – 301 E. 10^th

Proto Home – 901 W. 14^th

In 1927, Claude Barnes purchased the corner lot of West 14th and Blair Streets from the Magnolia Loan and Building Company with the caveat that a premises of no less than four rooms be built there. In later years, a small cottage was added behind the spacious home. During the 1980s and 1990s, the house fell into disrepair, but in late 2004—by then in almost unsalvageable condition—the home was purchased by Bungalow Revival. Seamlessly adding over 900 square feet, the year-long total redesign and restoration transformed the house into a great example of a fine Heights Craftsman-style bungalow. The once average-sized front porch was transformed into an architecturally appealing wrap-around porch with tapered columns. Reclaimed materials were used throughout, and restored antique lights and stained glass windows added authenticity. The open floor plan and period elements captured Richard Proto’s eye in early 2006, luring him away from a swanky downtown loft. This home is a great example of renovation and innovation and will keep you guessing as to what is original, reclaimed, new, or reproduced.

Clark Home – 801 Arlington

PROCEEDS:

Proceeds from the Houston Heights Association Holiday Home Tour are used to maintain Marmion Park, Donovan Park, and the Heights Boulevard esplanade park. Among its many missions and projects, the Houston Heights Association owns and maintains the historic Heights Fire Station at 12^th and Yale as a community center (and which is currently undergoing an extensive restoration), supports local schools with grants, scholarships and classroom projects, and fills hundreds of food baskets around the holidays for the needy.

The HOUSTON HEIGHTS is the fabulous and festive

destination choice of the season!