David and Jennifer Bradshaw thought they were on clear terms when Hurricane Harvey’s rains began to wane. They were evacuated because the waters rose in the street and were about to celebrate when the Addix and Parker tanks were released – a move that changed the lives of thousands of West Houston residents.
The Bradshaw family has lived in their Yorkshire home since 1999, and in the years leading up to the 2017 hurricane, they remodeled and expanded the 1960s farmhouse-style home to 3,700 square feet. The tank’s release sent about a foot of water to their home, where it remained for several days.
They find themselves in the same situation as many others, deciding what to do next: slime, gut and reshape again; demolition and new construction; Or cancel everything and move somewhere else.
In the end, they decided to demolish the house, raise the lot by two feet and start over. Although it’s far from covering all of their costs, they felt lucky to have a good flood insurance policy that Jennifer had taken a year ago.
Part of their research sent them to open houses, where they looked at specific homes, collected ideas, and met with builders, including Stuart Bacon of Metropolitan Custom Homes, who they hired alongside architect Alan Kent and their old friend and decorator Joani Scaff of Paisley House.
The Bradshaw couple, married for 34 years, are a fun-loving couple who have long hosted fundraisers, baby showers, weddings, and all kinds of parties for friends and family. But the latest Christmas party for 125 people was the first event they could host since they moved into their new 6,300-square-foot home in August 2019.
The original house lay empty for over a year as they figured out what to do. Once they found out, they donated the contents of the house to Habitat for Humanity, which came and stripped everything—from the closets and lighting to the hardwood floors and brick exterior.
Soon after they moved, Jennifer’s father fell ill and moved in with them, turning the guest room on the first floor into a hospital room. After his death, her mother used it while she was recovering from knee replacement surgery.
Then COVID struck and potentially empty clansmen—two sons and a third grown up at Texas A&M University—purchased exercise gear and a goldendoodle named Lucy and huddled.
Because they love to entertain and hope for a welcoming atmosphere, they wanted this home to feel more comfortable and relaxing. They were also adamant not to live in a white box.
The foyer and dining room offer the first hint of color splash: a dark red buffet against the back wall. There is also a custom-made alder wood table and upholstered chairs.
David, 60, has spent his career in IT healthcare, first for IBM and then 20 years at Memorial Hermann Health System, retiring as Chief Strategy Officer. Recently, he launched his IT consulting firm, WayPoint Healthcare Advisors, and if he needs to meet clients, they meet in his lovely “conference room” – the dining room.
The large main living area includes a kitchen, living room, breakfast area, “comfort area” and a lovely bar.
Skaff urged Jennifer to step out of her comfort zone, mixing metallics in the lighting, appliances and plumbing fixtures and using white paint on the ocean counters and the deep blue of the island.
David left many decorating decisions to Jennifer and Scaff but was adamant that their kitchen had a deep, wide sink, which becomes a major prep area when you place a tray on top. Jennifer was skeptical – until she used it.
Different ceiling treatments help create the living room in the overall space, with tongue-in-groove wood panels and white beams. Comfortable furniture includes a pair of plush dark blue sofas and a pair of dark brown armchairs. Two more options – upholstered ottomans – are installed in the corners of a large coffee table.
Instead of built-in cabinets flanking the fireplace, matching cabinets with stone counters provide additional storage space.
The breakfast area has a built-in banquette, and the cozy area nearby includes two chairs where Bradshaw can sit with a cup of coffee and a view of the backyard.
The folded bar is a gem. Copper and glass shelves hold pretty barware, but the tiled ceiling is what David and Jennifer really like.
There were only two things I wanted, one of which was a brick,” said David, from Texarkana. “I’m the son of a construction worker, so there’s no plaster on (the outside surface) of this house. And I wanted a really big garage and a brick roof at the bar. It’s a real craftsman to be able to put a brick in like that.”
The basic bedroom creates a sense of calm with soft neutral colours. A pair of armchairs with a small round table are the only pieces they brought from their previous home. Their canopy bed has a headboard and footboard upholstered in a tonal JF fabric pattern remarkably similar to the more expensive Fortuny fabric.
Also separated from the main living room by two entrances and a short hall, David jokes that when Jennifer’s girlfriends come over, he can head into the bedroom to block out their noise.
It took some convincing, but Jennifer and Skaff were able to convince David that there was no ceiling fan in the room. Instead, a beautiful chandelier hangs above, and David gets a cool breeze from a small tower fan. Motorized blinds open or close via the remote control.
The basic bathroom includes perhaps the greatest luxury in the house: a window behind the bathtub lined with an onyx plate.
Jennifer has her own desk, an energy-filled space with teal paint on the walls and a coffered ceiling, yellow backdrop-print curtains, an onyx velvet chair and ottoman and floral-print velvet decorative pillows.
The powder bathroom across the hall features peacock-colored wallpaper that plays a study, and a copper-framed mirror and natural stone vanity.
Stephen’s room and guestrooms are located upstairs, along with a trick-or-treat room. There is a full bar – painted red cabinets and an animal-print rug – and a pool table that can be turned into ping-pong with a different surface.
David wanted the two-car garage for a man cave – not for parking. He and his sons – 27-year-old Riley, 24-year-old Jacob and 21-year-old Stephen – are avid cyclists, so here are bike racks, as well as exercise equipment and a big-screen TV.
He loves to work with his hands, so there are carpentry and welding tools, and David points to a table he and one of his sons built using scrap wood.
There is a comfortable patio with seating or gathering, an outdoor kitchen with Big Green Egg, gas grill, occasional fish frying stove and fridge.
In general, Bradshaw has gone from being somewhat traditional to a transitional style.
“What I love is that every room is usable,” David said.
diane.cowen@chron.com