I cannot believe more than a week has already passed since I started to write this! Saturday, April 9th, the
Heritage Society of Austin hosted it's nineteenth
Heritage Homes Tour, cleverly named "The Bold and the Beautiful," featuring grand estates that rarely allow access to the unwashed masses. We were washed, FYI. I was even wearing a sun dress because it was 90-something degrees!
Me, outside Woodlawn/Pease Mansion
It was unclear as to whether or not photos were allowed, but we brought the camera, just in case. As it turned out, photos were generally not allowed, but some volunteers weren't aware of the rule, so Oliver got a handful of good shots before being kind of berated.
Insallah
The first house we visited was a bit of a let down. "Insahallah" (602 E. 43rd St) was built in 1920, but, sadly, has been remodeled so many times by people who clearly weren't interested in retaining any of the historical elements of the home, as it has been almost completely stripped of all original detail.
Nothing historic-looking about that! (Real estate listing photo)
Redeeming features included an awesome inlaid wood star, and Texas star theme in general that was repeated throughout the house, in addition to some lovely tile flooring.
Photos snapped covertly by Oliver
The library was the most historic room in the house, with it's original wood paneled shelves still in place:
The rambling home had a floorplan that made no sense (one room lead to another; some rooms had three doors for entering and exiting) and poor, "builder-grade" finished (faux wood treatments, cheap flooring, faux beams made to look old and "ranchy,") which made the whole place feel cheap. The home, which is for sale, is situated on beautifully landscaped grounds, so hopefully the right person will purchase it and restore it back to the condition in which it is meant to exist. Obviously, it wasn't all bad – if I had an extra $2,950,000 burning a hole in my pocket, I might buy the place for the pool alone!
Fun wagon artifact near the front of the house
Commodore Perry Estate
The disappointment of the first house set our expectations quite low, so we were a bit wary of the next place. We were simultaneously pleasantly surprised and blown away at house number two, the Commodore Perry Estate (710 E. 41st), which was chock-full of original details and sprawling estate-y charm. Since its completion in 1928, the home has not changed hands many times over the years, so most of the original elements remain. Dallas architect Hal Thomson designed the 23-room Renaissance-style house, which features a central mass flanked by two pavilions, a terracotta roof, a triumphal arched entry with
Corinthian columns, a grand staircase and entry hall, oval walnut-paneled library, dark oak floors, Mexican tile and wrought iron details. A decorator show house was hosted in the home in the 1980s and a few remnants of the wild (and completely not historic) choices made remain, such as pseudo-trompe l'oeil wallpaper, over-the-top drapes and a pleated upholstered ceiling treatment, although none of that managed to detract from the beauty of the home.
Arched portico overlooking gardens – tile flooring from Mexico
Original marble flooring in entry with original iron door
Oval library paneled in walnut, which was cheaper and more widely available than mahogany at the time (not at all the case today)
Walnut paneled dining room (featuring heinous 1980s window treatments)
Gorgeous staircase leading from entry to upstairs bedrooms
All the bedrooms also had sleeping porches for toasty summer nights
Built-in vanity for the lady of the house. Don't overlook the lovely mouldings and intricate door details with inset mirrors!
Intercom in the servant's hall
Thankfully, a local investor has purchased the property and is working to restore and preserve the buildings and landscape further.
Sweetbrush (Swisher-Scott House)
Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin
Next we visited Sweetbrush (2408 Sweetbrush Ave), a Greek Revival built by celebrated and accomplished master builder
Abner Cook in 1853. While the property has had a handful of different owners over the last 158 years, original details have not only been preserved, but celebrated, earning it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was relocated in the early 1900s to a plot of land overlooking the future Lake Austin. Measured drawings had previously been created by Samuel E. Gideon,an avid admirer of the home, and her was able to accurately reconstruct it. The home originally had three-foot-thick brick walls but such insulation was no longer necessary, so the extra bricks were used to create two additional wings flanking the center structure, in keeping with Greek Revival's adherence to symmetry. The current owner has been painstakingly restoring various parts of the home. Operable exterior shutters have been restored or replicated, as needed. Original floors, mantels and woodwork remain. Ionic columns at the front entrance have been sanded down to remove 16 layers of paint and reveal the wood grain, once again. Abner Cook's signature is an x-motif used on railings. An example remains on a second floor balcony.
While the owner has some amazing furnishings, rugs and accessories, which add to the richness and historic elegance of the home, the she would benefit from the expertise of an interior designer who specializes in historic preservation to help with things like rugs and window coverings. Greek Revival architecture looks quite ornate and detailed by our current building standards and often inspires designers to bring in fussy decor and textiles. In reality, the style is actually quite understated and pared down. Floofy window valances and crazy drapes are not historically accurate, and tend to compete with the architecture.
Lovely furniture, but the drapery is just too much for the time period. (Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin).
Woodlawn (Pease Mansion)
Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin
Woodlawn (1606 Niles Road) was our next stop. Also designed and built by Abner Cook in 1853, the home's exterior features six fluted columns and Mr. Cook's signature openwork diamond-pattern balustrade. In 1957 the owners at the time added rooms on the northside of the property. It passed through the hands of the University of Texas before being purchased by Jeff and Laura Sandefer in 2003. While upgrading the foundation, mechanical systems and adding 21st century standards to the home, the couple removed the additions to reflect the home's original (and intended) symmetrical configuration revered by the Greek Revival style. The home, a national, state and city landmark, is considered one of the finest examples of Green Revival architecture in Texas.
Entry
Photo courtesy Traditional Home
Mark Ashby, one of Austin's finest decorators, worked his magic on the interior, which looks fresh and contemporary, but is respectful of the home's historic elements. Ashby nailed it with the window covering (clearly my obsession here); they are stately and refined without being gaudy. He brought in a variety of textiles and textures that work beautifully with the case goods and flooring to create a modern yet classic style throughout the home.
Formal living room: Ashby created two seating arrangements using different furniture in each setting, yet it doesn't look cluttered or busy. The chandelier in the center ground the room without blocking views while the gently lacquered ceiling reflects light throughout the grand room.
Photo courtesy Mark Ashby Design
Parlor: I would be honored to wait for my hosts to greet me in this lovely room!
Photo courtesy Mark Ashby Design
Family room looking toward kitchen: A variety of textures result in a visually compelling room without being overwhelming
Photo courtesy Traditional Home
Neill-Cochran House
Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin
The final home on the tour was the Neill-Cochran House, yet another Abner Cook design. Built in 1855, the 18-inch thick walls are clad in local rubble-cut limestone with contrasting painted wood trim. After completion, the owners couldn't afford to live in the house, so from the beginning, the grand manor house was a rental. It changed hands twice (owned first by the Neills, the the Cochrans) before being purchased by
The National Society of the Colonial Dames, who furnished it with 19th-century antiques and later turned it into a the
Neill-Cochran House Museum. The Dames are still restoring the house, but it is open for tours and events. They are also in the process of acquiring more furniture and accessories from the Cochran family, as one of the Cochrans is still alive and visits frequently! Photographs were not permitted and there aren't any good interior shots floating around the interwebs. You'll just have to take my word for it; the house is beautiful and worth a visit on your next trip to Austin!
This was a wonderful collection of homes that we would never have had access to otherwise! I'm already looking forward to what we'll see next year! Of course, the tour left me inspired to come up with a snappy but stately name for our own (mini) estate. I'll have to run some ideas by you guys.
