Next Friday we will conclude our six-part series on Patricia Altschul, written by Luzanne Otte. As you know, Patricia has worked with the legendary designer Mario Buatta to design four of her exquisite homes over the last 35 years, including her iconic antebellum Charleston mansion. Today we are heading to my home state of Texas to tour a 1930s Houston home built by the celebrated architect John Staub and decorated by Buatta.
The classic Georgian-style house is located in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood, and it was featured by Architectural Digest in 2007. In 2012 it was listed for sale, and thanks to Joni Webb’s fabulous blog, Cote de Texas, I recently discovered the real estate listing. I always enjoy comparing magazine images with those on the MLS, and this one is an extra special treat. Architectural Digest photography is by Gordon Beall with captions by Nancy Collins.
Lemon-yellow walls and draperies in the living room “bring in sunshine day and night,” says the designer. The painting over the mantel is by Gustave Loiseau. Kentshire side table below paintings. Gilt low table from H. M. Luther. Gilt wall brackets, round side table and giltwood chair, Hyde Park Antiques. Newel low table. Clarence House ottoman velvet and green silk on armchair. Colefax Fowler floral chintz.
To accommodate smaller gatherings, Buatta designed several distinct seating areas. Maximilien Luce painted the landscape.
real estate listing
In the dining room, the trellis carpet, from Stark, and the green chair fabric, from Travers, take their cues from the extensive gardens. Lady with a Parasol is by Frederick Carl Frieseke. Crystal chandelier from Nesle. Newel demilune table. Brunschwig Fils drapery taffeta.
real estate listing
A glass-enclosed sitting area looks out to the formal gardens. Bielecky Brothers wicker chair, with Travers cushion print. Sofas covered in fabric from Clarence House, with Colefax Fowler fringe. Slipper chair, ottoman and table skirt fabrics from Brunschwig Fils.
real estate-listing
Original paneling envelops the library. Cowtan Tout velvet on wing chair. Mirrors and Regency chair from Hyde Park. Kentshire Galleries tole lamps.
real estate listing
“Men protest canopy beds,” says Buatta, who used one in the master bedroom, “but then they get in one, and they love it.” Lee Jofa chintz on bed, with blue lining fabric from Cowtan Tout. Open-arm chair from Hyde Park. Sconces from John Boone. Clarence House settee fabric. Travers drapery plaid and blue floral chair print. Stark carpet.
real estate listing
The main room of the new pool pavilion, designed by Russell Windham, has faux palm trees, gilt tables and checkerboard floors inspired by the lobby at Claridge’s hotel in London. Vaughan table lamps. Donghia white club chair fabric. Brunschwig Fils dining chair fabric.
real estate listing
real estate listing
real estate listing
real estate listing
real estate listing
A terrace with a fountain looks from the main house to the pool pavilion.
real estate listing
real estate listing
real estate listing
Originally built for the Heyer family between 1935 and 1937, this classic John Staub estate represents Staub’s architectural timelessness. It features 8,150 square feet, five bedrooms, and 7.5 bathrooms. The exceptional grounds (1.2 acres) were originally designed by C.C. Fleming, and the pool and entertainment pavilion, fashioned after Claridges, were built in 2007. You can read more via Cote de Texas and Architectural Digest. And for more Mario, past features from The Glam Pad are linked below:
- THE MAGIC OF MARIO: THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MARIO BUATTA
- MARIO BUATTA’S TIMELESS ALLURE
- A COUNTRY ESCAPE BY MARIO BUATTA
- A PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED MARIO BUATTA APARTMENT!
- MARIO BUATTA AND PATRICIA ALTSCHUL EXUDE SOUTHERN CHARM IN CHARLESTON
- PATRICIA ALTSCHUL’S HOME IN CHARLESTON HOME + DESIGN
- SOUTHERN CHARM WITH PATRICIA ALTSCHUL
- PATRICIA ALTSCHUL’S MANHATTAN MAISONETTE: DESIGNED BY MARIO BUATTA
- MARIO BUATTA DECORATES A GLAMOROUS MANHATTAN HIGH-RISE
- PALM BEACH ENTERTAINING, MARIO BUATTA, AND A PAGODA POOL HOUSE
Be sure to check back next Friday as Patricia will be answering reader questions for our series finale!
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OMG Andrea! I remember all these pictures – separately – because each room is more beautiful than the last! I did not know, however, that they were all in the same house! Which is gorgeous beyond anything. And the painting above the dining room fireplace is very famous and is by one of the great California impressionists. The whole thing is breathtaking! One of the best works of Mario Buatta I think. These people had/ have money and taste and glamour – how refreshing!
Xo Elizabeth
LOVE John Staub and River Oaks !
Was so fortunate to work on a home there back in the roaring 80’s- with the late Tice Alexander of the old Parish Hadley fame-
The shots of the grounds convey the shocking elegance of River Oaks in all of its majestic grandeur.
This is also one of my favorite Mario jobs- and the one we did for Pat Breen was quite similar! We certainly did have a very handsome “budget” with which to work, and there were fabulous huge family portraits as well.
The lighting and the camera angles are so bad on the MLS pictures. It seems the photographer is kneeling on the floor. Yuk!
It is better to take multiple pictures of a room rather than try to squish everything in & distort the room.
It seems like MLS pictures are terrible more often that not, which makes absolutely no sense when you are trying to sell a multi-million dollar home. But I still love comparing them to the glossy magazine images, especially when it a home by a designer I love!
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Thanks for the shoutout. Did you get to see the way the new owners changed it? You might have a heart attack tho, I did
No, oh no!!! Can you post the link? 🙁
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Andrea if you get pics of what it looks like now and you publish them I will be so sad. Leave us with the Mario visions to dream about!!! Xoxo elizabeth
So odd that the real estate photos were taken at night. The windows are just black holes, and the rooms fall flat from the lighting. On the flip side, the editorial photos tell the story of the grandeur. I’ll live in the fantasy of perfectly styled rooms filled with fresh flowers, but it is interesting to see them both ways!
Greetings Andrea, from England, I have recently subscribed to your wonderful website and I always look forward to reading your posts. I’m a big huge fan of Mario’s work and his interiors here are sublime. The re-do by the new owners is not to my taste at all: what was once a gracious, beautiful and welcoming home throughout is now just like any other house that’s been ‘modernised’: a light/bright/pops of colour identikit-interior. Yawnsville. Keep up the great work Andrea. Best wishes, always. Maria .
Dear Maria,
Thank you so much for your note and kind words. Yes, it always pains me to see these exquisitely decorated homes desecrated. I will cherish the memory of its former Buattafied beauty. 🙂
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Marvelous Mario! I can’t tell if the panels are knotty pine but it sure is lovely. I just can’t get enough and grateful to see the inventory of additional articles.
What a delicious property it WAS. How could anyone in their right mind destroy a Mario interior? They are beautiful and classic. I really love the orangerie. What a gorgeous space. But I would never live in Houston in a million years. Awfully steamy there, and humidity wears me out. Anyway, Mario did an absolutely beautiful job here. Thank goodness we have lots of pictures to remind us how it SHOULD look.