Magnolia couple dials it again as new house embraces a less complicated type, simpler upkeep

They’d already lived in a house constructed by Ted and Yvonne Cummins of Morning Star Builders , and she or he loved going to their post-construction open homes to see the brand new issues they had been incorporating into others’ {custom} houses. She went to 1 close by, and felt impressed to start plans for a brand new house and to rent the inside designer — Ayca Stiffel of By Design Interiors — who’d labored on that one.

Their new house in Willow Creek Ranch in Tomball — an equestrian group with a golf course — adjusted to their life-style as empty nesters and grandparents who’re slowing down a bit and need their house to suit them completely. Their prior house additionally got here with some acreage, so their new place is far decrease upkeep.

Designed by David W. Patterson of DWP Architects , the brick-and-limestone house lives extra like a sprawling ranch, although there’s a little bit of area upstairs — simply two bedrooms and bogs for visitors — giving them fewer causes to navigate stairs each day.

Now in a 5,000-square-foot house, they’ve 5 bedrooms and 5 and a half bogs, and their massive important living-dining-kitchen space has massive home windows that take of their stunning yard and its lined patios, pool, pergola and fireplace pit.

Bedrooms on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
Bedrooms on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

“Our different home was darker and extra French nation type with ornate stair railings and moulding — issues from 14 years in the past,” mentioned Denise, 60. “I used to be prepared for brighter and whiter. As I’ve gotten older, I’m leaning towards cleaner traces and extra fashionable. I actually just like the distinction between traditional up to date with refined antiques and summary artwork.”

They nonetheless have loads of entertaining area, nevertheless it’s scaled again and less complicated. Russell has a comfy wine bar, and now their cocktail bar is a part of the butler’s pantry. Of their prior home this pantry had further home equipment to make post-party cleanup simpler; now, what they want is within the kitchen. The butler’s pantry is extra of a spot to retailer china, crystal and serving items. Once they’re not internet hosting visitors, stunning vintage doorways with a Segreto fake end shut all of it off.

Ted Cummins mentioned that entertaining areas in houses are as vital as ever, whether or not you’re a younger household or grandparents internet hosting multi-generation occasions. The open idea living-dining-kitchen space because the Basses have continues to be in demand, though some speculated the pandemic would possibly change that.

Eating room on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
Eating room on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

Backyards and patios have at all times been vital, and Cummins mentioned the Basses’ house lives as an indoor-outdoor area since massive, back-of-the-house home windows present a panoramic view to the whole lot. Married 39 years, the couple has two grown youngsters and 4 grandchildren. Denise and Russell Bass, 62, personal an organization within the oil subject pipe gross sales trade.

Cummins is happy with the road of sight created from the entrance to the again of the yard. From the entrance entry you see down a corridor, into the lounge and straight into the yard, the place a pergola and seating space add privateness in a neighborhood that enables solely fences with an open view.

Denise’s love of antiques is clear proper contained in the entrance door. Many had been bought at Houston retailers reminiscent of MAI, Joyce Horn Antiques, Again Row House or at antiques exhibits in Spherical High. She’s additionally a longtime collector of artwork, shopping for via Laura Rathe High-quality Artwork.

The lobby’s entrance corridor is 12 toes or extra lengthy, and Denise and Stiffel created a phenomenal gallery of antiques and artwork there.

There’s a French sofa lined in white muslin — although it’ll possible get reupholstered quickly — with a French mirror hanging behind it. Throughout from it’s a chest of drawers with an summary portray overhead, all flanked by a pair of vintage chairs. A Starck antelope print rug sits on high of French oak flooring, which run via a lot of the house.

Gallery of antiques on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
Gallery of antiques on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

Russell’s examine has a again wall with the identical overgrouted limestone as the house’s exterior, and the tongue-in-groove barrel-vaulted ceiling is certainly one of a number of distinctive ceiling remedies within the house. The inside stone repeats in a vestibule space in addition to a wall reverse the examine within the cozy household room.

A pair of custom-made cupboards — furnishings that feels extra up to date than armoires and an improve from built-ins — flank the hearth in the lounge. On a close-by wall, one other vintage cupboard and summary artwork are flanked by floating cabinets of French oak constructed right into a pair of niches, a therapy borrowed from their prior house.

“After we transfer, I’ll take these with me,” Denise mentioned of the pair of much-loved cupboards. “After we downsize (later), we might use one in a household room with a TV and one other in a master suite. I might use them for garments or in an excellent room as a bar with liquor.”

Lounge on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
Lounge on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

On this room, Cummins mentioned he was glad the Basses trusted him to attempt a brand new ceiling therapy, a four-wall vault that rises to a flat high within the middle, all trimmed with rustic salvaged beams.

The double-island kitchen — islands painted Sherwin-Williams Rocky River, a deep however comfortable inexperienced, and topped with slabs of gorgeous quartzite — has loads of work and cupboard space and a facet wall has stunning Moroccan hand-fired sellige clay tile from Ann Sacks, put in with out grout traces for an Outdated World look.

Denise fearful that having two islands meant there’d be extra to care for, nevertheless it additionally offers her two sinks, dishwashers and rubbish disposals. She loves the comfortable brass end on lighting, {hardware} and plumbing fixtures.

When she’s not utilizing her butler’s pantry, Denise can shut it off by pulling shut the vintage French doorways hung barn-style. Bass discovered them at Joyce Horn Antiques and had fake end specialists at Segreto give them a brand new look.

The spacious main toilet has a phenomenal freestanding bathtub in entrance of a trio of home windows, and curtains assist disguise the cubby-storage areas on both sides. A barrel-vaulted ceiling and fairly chandelier add drama above, and Neolith porcelain slabs had been used for the vainness counters and for bathe partitions.

The first toilet within the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
The first toilet within the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

Whereas Denise and Stiffel led the way in which on decor, Russell did have one thing to say about his wine room. It’s the place he retains his favourite reds and whites, together with bottles shipped in from wine golf equipment of which they’re members. Brass-and-glass open shelving put in on high of deep gray-green seagrass wallpaper is a superb place to show wine glasses and their favourite bottles.

There’s an outside kitchen, loads of patio area, a hearth pit and a big swimming pool that their grandchildren take pleasure in. Behind the lot there’s a pergola with seating and storage for pool toys, and in that space, they put in synthetic turf so that they wouldn’t have to fret in regards to the problem of rising grass in a shady space. To not point out that turf is just about upkeep free.

The out of doors space on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)
The out of doors space on the Tomball house of Russell and Denise Bass. (French Blue Pictures)

The grandkids, who vary in age from 4 to 13, prefer to play on the turf, tumble and do cartwheels with out worrying about ants and different pests.

“The yard will get quite a lot of use,” Denise mentioned. “After I watch the grandkids and it’s 100 levels exterior, the one factor to do is get within the pool.”

diane.cowen@chron.com