The Nero Chronicles: La Maison Grise

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

La Maison Grise

Back in December of 2007, PaperCity Houston ran a piece by Laurann Claridge which featured one of our city's top trend-setting doyennes, Cathy Echols, and the home she had recently renovated. Nero, in the throes of nesting and neck-deep in experimental decor was enthralled by the moody, daring redo. Echols had taken a home dating from 1979 and finished all the walls on the first floor in a tempestuous and muddy gray Venetian plaster treatment, washed in a paint color appropriately-called "Seine." This alone struck me as a particularly brazen move in an older home with modest ceilings -- it added depth and character, not to mention a very Parisian blend of gritty sophistication. The carpets had been ripped out and replaced with knotty, limed maple planks of humble provenance.

The article surfaced just before the Belgian tidal wave broke over the American design scene, ushering in with it all shades of grays, nubby linens, grain sacks galore, limed woods and white-washed slips. But there was something different about this space. It didn't feel like an American interpretation of a European look, no, certain spaces felt like they'd been lifted directly from a Left Bank flat in an uppity arrondissement.

Nero fell hard and dog-eared the tearsheets to shreds with overzealous caresses (Echols' intimate dining room, with the juxtaposition of an intricate Moroccan lantern and plastic Ghost chairs whetted Nero's appetite, and her red bar officially cemented my infatuation with black Bertoia barstools). The home was later featured in Domestic Art: Curated Interiors, also part-authored and edited by Claridge. About a year or so ago, it popped up in the market. Nero came across the listing and continued to cyber-case the joint, which languished without a buyer for some time. Interestingly, as often happens in the world of real estate staging, several months into the listing, the walls were repainted white and much of the existing furniture replaced with more staid, French and Belgian-style antiques. Was the seller pandering? Fishing for a bite? Perhaps. But Nero sincerely hopes, yes, I like to dream, that Echols swooped in and soldiered away her glamorous goods to adorn a heady homestead elsewhere.

*I've just heard from Paloma over at LDV that Cathy's latest home incarnation will be featured in an upcoming issue of High Gloss, so keep your eyes peeled.*

These images are from the initial real estate listing:

The images below are the original PaperCity tearsheets:

Labels: har.com, papercitymag.com

12 comments:

Raina Cox said...: Now I know what bugs me about open shelving in a kitchen - it looks like a retail space.; December 30, 2010 at 3:25 AM
Paloma {La Dolce Vita} said...: Cathy is so talented and such an interesting person! I am lucky to call her a friend. In fact, I was just at her new home yesterday and we will be featuring it in an upcoming issue of High Gloss. It is completely different from this house!; December 30, 2010 at 8:44 AM
christine {bijouandboheme} said...: I'd like some of those leopard chairs please.; December 30, 2010 at 9:09 AM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Morning Raina,

Indeed. Luckily, Cathy seems like the neat type. I think using all-white dishes can help unify the look. These are probably so neat and well cared for, one COULD buy them right off the open shelves ;)
Cheers, Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Hi there Paloma,

How wonderful that you know Cathy. I'm really looking forward to seeing her new place in High Gloss! Will add an addendum above.
Have a Happy New Year, Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 9:12 AM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Morning Christine,

I second that motion ;)
Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 9:16 AM
quintessence said...: Love the red bar as well! And I actually love open shelving in the kitchen - these just needed a bit more heft and definition so they didn't feel quite so commercial! Looking forward to seeing her new space!!; December 30, 2010 at 10:29 AM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Good Morning Q,

I'm pretty open to most things -- including shelving ;)
Supposedly Cathy is quite the gourmet cook, so surely these dishes need to be close at hand and easily accessible.
Can't wait to see her new home.
Cheers, Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 10:39 AM
my favorite and my best said...: i can't wait to see it lit up with better photography!; December 30, 2010 at 12:43 PM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Hey there MFAMB,

Actually, the home Paloma will be featuring is another property altogether, but I'm sure it'll be awesome.
Cheers, Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 3:02 PM
nkp said...: Rawr, love those leopard chairs and am partial to the room they reside in as well. Love it when people live the way they damn well please.; December 30, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Alcira Molina-Ali said...: Amen Nelya!

I'm a big proponent of live and let live as well.
The leopard chairs, I'm digging too.
And four of them to one room no less! Those were the sorts of touches I found refreshingly "foreign" about the place.
The French would say to Hell with us all and our arbitrary mitchy-matchiness.
Looking forward to seeing this woman's new digs. According to Paloma, the new place is completely different.
Hmm, should be fly.
Alcira; December 30, 2010 at 10:18 PM