Tivoli Dr, Energy Corridor, Houston, Texas
A brick and stone house on Tivoli Drive in Houston's Energy Corridor exudes warmth from the outside and promises comfort after passing through the polished wood plank front door.
The foyer is a hub providing a line of sight and access to most of the downstairs spaces, as well as the staircase to the upstairs rooms. The foyer has warm, dark hardwood flooring, white walls, and a white vaulted ceiling. Two round, semi-flush pendant lights are suspended over the foyer. Further down the hall, a ten-arm chandelier with clear glass shade hangs from the vaulted ceiling. Natural light fills the space from a tall window in the wall to the right of the entrance, sidelights on each side of the front door, an arched window cut into the wall separating the foyer from the sitting room, and windows in rooms visible from the foyer.
To the left of the front door, on the same wall, a soffit forms an alcove in front of double French doors that open to a home office. The office has hardwood flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling with white crown molding. A large window overlooking the front lawn allows natural light into the room. Other lighting is provided by a ceiling fan/light fixture combination mounted over the center of the room. One wall is completely covered by a built-in bookcase consisting of a base made up of five small cupboards supporting five sections of shelving. A small gooseneck sconce is mounted above each section of shelving. A white painted wooden door next to the French doors hides a closet. The neutral color palette and warm wood floor and shelving make this room compatible with several modern and traditional interior design styles.
Just outside the entrance to the office, a white painted door opens to a bathroom with white stone flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling. A small wooden vanity has a white quartz countertop with a rectangular undermount sink and bronze faucet and taps. The vanity has two drawers over an open space. A wood framed, square mirror hangs above the vanity, and a bronze, three-light vanity light with clear glass shades is mounted above the mirror. The toilet sits between the vanity and the walk-in shower. The toilet is a modern, elongated, closed toilet with a skirted design and a bidet addition. The control panel for the bidet controls water pressure and is attached to the side of the toilet. The walk-in shower has small white stone tile flooring, a white ceiling, and white stone tile walls with some tiles placed in a diamond pattern that runs horizontally around the enclosure near the top of the shower wall. The shower head and handles are bronze. The clear glass door is framed in black metal. An interior designer might add personal touches such as framed art on a wall, a plant or vase of flowers atop the vanity, and a small rug in a warm color to add a bit of color to the room without overpowering the clean design.
Across the hall from the bathroom, a wide arched doorway is the main entrance to the sitting room. The floor in this room is hardwood, the walls are white with white baseboards, and the shallow tray ceiling is white with white crown molding. A bronze, eight-arm chandelier with clear glass shades is suspended over the center of the room. Large windows are located on the two outer walls overlooking the front lawn and side yard, filling the room with natural light. A wide, arched open doorway connects the sitting room to the living room. The neutral palette, hardwood flooring, arched doorways and abundant natural light allow for a wide variety of interior design styles in this room.
The living room can be accessed from both the sitting room and the hallway. It's part of a large open concept space that includes the kitchen, dining room, and a flexible space. The living room has hardwood flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling with white crown molding. Wireless speakers and recessed lights are set into the ceiling, and a ceiling fan with a light fixture attached is mounted over the center of the room. A gas log fireplace is located on a small corner wall. The fireplace has a limestone Bolection style surround, with the mantel and flush hearth also made of limestone. An insulated glass screen completes a sleek design. The living room is light and airy, with natural materials and clean lines, making it compatible with many interior design styles.
A wide arched doorway connects the living room to a narrow space at the back of the house. This flexible area has hardwood flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling with white crown molding. Lighting is provided by round, flush mount fixtures with frosted glass covers, as well as a ceiling fan with an attached light fixture. Oversized windows facing a covered patio and backyard swimming pool take up the entire back wall of the space. An interior designer can assist in creating a sun porch, homework area, playroom, or other uses according to the wishes of the owner.
The dining room may be accessed through an arched, cased doorway from the flex room, or from the kitchen. The flooring in this room is hardwood, the walls are white with white baseboards, and the tray ceiling is white with white crown molding. Four large windows on one wall overlook the lake behind the house and flood the room with light. A ceiling fan mounted in the center of the ceiling has a four-light attachment. An interior designer can choose from both formal and casual design styles in this room.
The kitchen has hardwood flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling with white crown molding. Recessed lights are installed in the ceiling. The upper cabinets hold Shaker-style cupboards with bronze pull handles and under-cabinet lighting. The lower cabinets hold Shaker-style cupboards and drawers with bronze pull handles. Countertops are white quartz. A white work island separates the kitchen from the living room. The island has white Shaker-style cupboards and drawers with bronze pull handles. The countertop is white quartz with the kitchen sink installed in it. The sink is a single basin, stainless steel undermounts with a brushed stainless steel, high arc faucet with a pull-down sprayer and matching soap dispenser. Two pendant lights with clear glass, cylindrical shades are suspended above the island. The island countertop overhangs on the side facing the living room, making a breakfast counter with room for three tall stools. Appliances are stainless steel and include a gas cooktop with four burners and a griddle, a stacked unit holding a microwave oven on top, an electric oven in the middle, and a warming drawer on the bottom, a double-wide refrigerator, and a dishwasher. Many interior design styles will work in this kitchen with the addition of artwork and textiles.
An arched doorway near the kitchen accesses a small hall with three doors. Two doors open closets. An interior designer may suggest converting one closet into a pantry. The third door provides access to the laundry room. This is a small, narrow room with room for a full-size washing machine and clothes dryer along one wall. The flooring is cream-colored stone tile, the walls are white with white baseboards, and the ceiling is white with an LED box light mounted on it. White cupboards with bronze pull handles are built-in above the washer and dryer connections. Just inside the door to the right, a shelf is mounted above a hanger rod. A small beverage refrigerator sits beneath the hanging rod. A door on the left leads to the garage; a door straight ahead opens to a walk-in closet attached to the primary suite.
The main entrance to the primary suite is through an arched doorway leading off the dining room. The master bedroom has a white tray ceiling with white crown molding and a five-blade ceiling fan mounted in the center. The walls are white with white baseboards, and the floor is covered with plush carpet in a neutral shade. One wall features three oversized windows that take up the entire wall. The windows provide a view of the lake behind the house. A door to the left of the entrance leads to the ensuite bathroom.
The bathroom has cream-colored stone tile flooring, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling. Two large, stacked cupboards are located on the wall to the left, just inside the door. Across from the cupboards, a white door hides the water closet containing the toilet. Further inside the bathroom, a wide, arched, cased doorway on the left forms an alcove in which the vanity and a walk-in shower are located. The vanity stretches from wall to wall. It's white and has multiple cupboards and drawers with bronze pulls. The countertop and backsplash are white quartz, with a rectangular, undermount sink on each end of the vanity. The faucets and handles are bronze. A very large, unframed, rectangular mirror mounted horizontally fills the wall behind the vanity. Twin bronze, four-light vanity lights with clear glass shades hang above the mirror over the sinks. A small wall on the left end of the vanity has built-in shelves inset in the wall. The walk-in shower is in the wall at the right end of the vanity. The shower has cream-colored stone tile walls like the flooring, with a row of tiles placed in a diamond pattern that runs horizontally across the walls. The shower floor is comprised of small, square, cream-colored tiles. The ceiling is white and has a recessed light installed. Across from the vanity, an oval whirlpool bathtub is installed in a cream-colored stone tile surround. The backsplash is cream-colored stone tile placed in a diamond pattern, with small brown tiles placed at the side points of the diamonds. The bathtub sits below three large windows overlooking the side yard. The faucet and handles are bronze. A soffit above the bathtub has a recessed light installed. An interior designer may choose a design style that complements the Mediterranean ambience of the bathroom.
On the far side of the bathroom, a white-painted door opens to the large walk-in closet with plush carpet in a neutral shade, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling with an LED light box and a white ceiling fan installed. A window on one wall overlooks the side yard of the house. Built-in shelves and cubbies are located on two walls, and a dresser is placed under the window. Hanger rods are mounted at varying heights throughout the closet, with some at ceiling height for easy storage of out-of-season clothing. A white wood door on one wall opens to the laundry room.
Returning to the foyer, the staircase that provides access to the second floor of the house has a small balustrade across the side of the landing facing the front door. It has a turned wood newel post, a polished wood railing and ornate, wrought iron balusters. The bullnose step is dark stained wood like the hardwood flooring in the downstairs common areas. The landing and the rest of the staircase are covered with plush carpet in a neutral shade. The outer stringer is painted white with white crown molding trim. A second, smaller newel post sits atop the bottom stringer, with a wooden handrail and ornate wrought iron balusters rising to the second floor.
The landing at the top of the staircase opens out to a large, flexible space with floors covered in plush carpet in a neutral shade, white walls with white baseboards, and a white tray ceiling. A five-blade ceiling fan with a light fixture attachment is mounted over the center of the room. Wireless speakers are installed in the ceiling, and recessed lights are installed in the soffit of the tray ceiling on one side of the room. Natural light enters the room through a wood and glass door at the end of a short hall that opens to a large, covered balcony. With the assistance of an interior designer, this room could be converted to a family room, game room, media room, homework room, library, playroom, or another use desired by the owner.
Moving down the hall toward the balcony, the first door on the right opens to secondary bedroom #1. Plush carpeting in a neutral shade covers the floor. The walls are white with white baseboards, and the ceiling is white. A five-blade ceiling fan is mounted over the center of the room. Two large windows on one wall overlook the covered balcony at the back of the house. This room has a walk-in closet, and an ensuite bathroom. The neutral palette and abundant natural light make this bedroom compatible with many interior design styles.
The bathroom has light, tan-colored stone tiles, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling. The small, white vanity has a cupboard and three drawers with bronze hardware. The countertop is white quartz and holds a rectangular, undermount sink with a bronze faucet and handles. A square, unframed mirror is mounted on the wall behind the vanity, and a three-light bronze vanity light with clear glass shades is mounted above the mirror. The toilet is placed next to the vanity, beneath a small window overlooking the side yard of the house. The bathtub/shower combination is located on the other side of the toilet. It has light, tan-colored stone walls with small brown tiles placed in a diamond position at regular intervals horizontally around the walls. The faucet and handle are bronze, as is the shower head.
Across the hall, secondary bedroom #2, which has plush, neutral-colored carpeting, white walls with white baseboards, and a white ceiling. A ceiling fan with a light attachment is mounted over the center of the room. The outer wall of the bedroom is behind a ceiling soffit and is curved outward. Four windows on the curved wall overlook the lake behind the house. A window on the wall to the right of the curved wall overlooks the covered balcony. The neutral color palette and abundant natural light make this room compatible with many interior design styles. There are both a walk-in closet and a bathroom accessible from the bedroom.
The bathroom may also be accessed from the hall. The flooring is light, tan-colored stone tile, the walls are white with white baseboards, and the ceiling is white. A small white vanity sits just inside the door, to the left. It has a small cupboard and three drawers with bronze hardware. The countertop and backsplash are white quartz with a rectangular, undermount sink and bronze faucet and handles. An unframed, square mirror hangs on the wall behind the vanity, and a three-light vanity light with clear glass shades is mounted above the mirror. The toilet is placed between vanity and the bathtub/shower combination. The bathtub walls are light, tan-colored stone tiles with small, brown diamond shaped tiles placed horizontally around the walls at regular intervals. The shower head, faucet, and handles are bronze.
This house on Tivoli Drive in Houston's Energy Corridor is filled with light, arches, connections to the outdoors, and attention to detail, with the added advantage of lovely lake views.