Simon and Linda Eyles love The Heights with its original Victorian homes and
classic Craftsman bungalows. After all, they lived in a 1910 two-story charmer
in this historic neighborhood for 13 years.
But when it came time to build a home, they had distinctively contemporary
ideas.
“We wanted a more modern house, but not something that would be ultra-modern and
disrespectful of the neighborhood,
” says Linda, an interior designer (Linda Eyles Design, Inc.) who knows a bit
about harmonious blending.
“We didn’t want a vintage reproduction style home. And we didn’t want something that would shout at you and not fit in.”
Then one day while driving around, she spotted a home so perfectly in step with
her vision that she looked up city tax records to get the owner
’s name and number. “It was so perfect, I could have picked up that house and dropped it onto my lot,” she recalls.
The home’s architect, she discovered, was Jay Baker. A client-architect relationship was
born.
Sitting on a corner in The Heights, the Eyles home is the perfect modern version
of a traditional house; a dwelling that gracefully blends in with the character
of the neighborhood. Certain exterior elements enhance its compatibility; for
instance, a large front porch, a wood-looking exterior (smooth Hardiplank
siding) and a roof overhang with rafter tails and a cupola.
Old French glass vessels, an early 19th-century French marble urn lamp and a
painting by artist Linda Hofheinz sit atop a vintage French table.
• The Eyles’ home blends well in The Heights. It’s a dwelling that is both classic and contemporary with neighborly features,
like a large front porch.
• A long hallway acts as axis in this home. Standing in the foyer, visitors see
all the way to the back of the house
Katy Lifestyles and Homes Magazine features Katy Homes, Upscale Living, Health
and Well-Being, Shopping, and Entertainment in Katy Texas.
