Bob and Jennifer Shemwell’s house in Alamo Heights is a perfect reflection of the lifestyle they share with their three children. Everyone is talented, even gifted, at their passions, and all of them love to travel. Their home is beautiful and functional, designed to display treasures from around the world and close to home.
The living room is a contrast of old and new. A 1,000-year-old Han horse prances between a pair of antique Chinese lamps. Beside the horse is a set of early editions of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s books from 1880. The English chest they sit on is from the late 1600s. “We found this old oak chest in the Tower Bridge Antiques in London when we were newly married,” Bob recalls. “It was probably the last thing we needed to buy, but we loved it.”
The settee placed against the wall by the arch is another antique. “This is the heaviest thing in the world,” Bob says. “This old Spanish piece is a strongbox that doubles as a bench. You can tell by the size and position of the locks that someone was serious about keeping what was inside secure.”
The colorful painting over the mantle is by Juan Carlos Lasser. Titled , the artwork was one of the last pieces he painted before he died. The Shemwells sourced the painting through local gallery owner Patricia Ruiz-Healy.
The French side chairs beneath the windows are from the American Revolution. “They are made of fruitwood,” Bob says. “I stripped and refinished them, and then we had them reupholstered.”
Between these chairs is an old Chinese chest that supports a table lamp built of Chinese hemlock. Two Ming Dynasty statues are displayed here, as well as a heavy jade dragon Bob found on one of his Far Eastern trips.
The Buddha in the home’s entryway is a special discovery. While Bob was working on a project in Bangkok, he fruitlessly searched for the perfect Buddha. He could find nothing that appealed. Right before he was leaving the country, he visited by chance a traditional arts school and found the carved wooden deity.
Hanging behind the Buddha is a silk scroll, a gift from George Miller, who was a neighbor at the time. During World War II, George was a Marine. While he was stationed in the Far East, he acquired a number of amazing antiques; this scroll was one of them. Knowing the Shemwells’ appreciation for Far Eastern antiquities, he gave them the scroll.
ARTISTIC DINING ROOM
The dining room is one of Bob’s favorites in the house. The round table is an antique Irish wake table. Bob smiles as he explains that during an Irish wake, the table’s leaves are folded down so the coffin lies upon the center of the table. After everyone has paid their respects, the burial takes place. Afterward, mourners return to the home, where the leaves fold out and food and drink are set upon them.
The unusual light fixture over the table was commission by the Shemwells to local glass artist Gini Garcia of Garcia Art Glass. “I drew the concept but didn’t specify the glass colors,” Bob says. “Several months later she came back with this fixture, and we were delighted. She did wonderful work.”
The dining room contains several other artworks. One is a painting by Javier Arévalo, a contemporary Mexican artist. “This painting depicts the Mexican Indians’ first impressions of the conquering Spaniards,” Bob says. “Seen from afar on horseback, the Spaniards appeared to be like centaurs, half man and half animal. We bought this at the artist’s studio in Guadalajara.”
The kitchen, breakfast and family room are one long gallery at the back of the house. When the Shemwells purchased the house, they remodeled the kitchen twice. “One of the best features of the kitchen is the backsplash Lisa Wallace installed for us,” Bob says. “She used raw clay tiles interspersed with tiles imprinted with sheaves of wheat. We replaced the original lighting, which was too small for the room, with the wrought iron chandelier,” he adds. “We installed granite countertops but retained the original cabinetry; it only needed a hardware update.”
Bob’s favorite piece of art in the kitchen is the chicken painting over the refrigerator. “We found it in Comfort at a random pseudo-junk store,” he says. “The chicken is actually painted on an old glass window. I thought it was the neatest thing.”
The narrow rectangular kitchen table separates the kitchen from the family room. The table is a French country piece accompanied by six contemporary chairs.
The most striking artwork in the family room is the landscape over the sofa by Texas artist Caroline Korbell Carrington. The lush landscape is a location on the family’s ranch. Beside the Carrington is a landscape of Provence by world-renowned Evelyne Boren, known for impressionist scenes of the Southwest. Bob likes this painting for its vibrant colors and use of light.
A set of built-in shelves at the far end of the room presents more artworks. Among them is an engraving of the Château d’ Amboise in the Loire Valley, France. Before they were married, Bob and Jennifer had a picnic on the very spot shown in the engraving. Years later, on another French trip, they found the engraving and purchased it in remembrance.
The master bedroom’s theme is all about family stories and memories. Bob records the family’s travels in photo albums; a large collection is stored on the built-in bookshelves. The children’s portraits, taken at various ages, are lovingly displayed.
The iron bedstead came from Jennifer’s parents. The prints hanging over it are actually temple rubbings made by Bob’s father when he was in Thailand and Cambodia. “These are special not only because my father made them but also because no one is allowed to make rubbings anymore,” he says.
A collection of framed antique Japanese fans hangs on an adjacent wall. Their decorative storage box resides in the family room. The fan set was another gift from George Miller.
Bob’s father also provided the framed artwork of Far Eastern storytelling mythology and fortune. The story is written in an ancient Cambodian dialect on a sheer piece of silk. The words and pictures tell the story of how all things in the world fit and work together.
Art, stories, memories and family are the threads woven together in the Shemwell home. Together they make strong ties that bind well in Alamo Heights.
By Robyn Barnes
Photography by Al Rendon
