by: John Bloodsworth Photos by: Al Rendon
Downsizing with casualness and charm
With incomparable design skills, Kathy Hoermann has assembled common objects, well-worn heirlooms, vintage finds and discriminating new purchases, transforming a 1950s tract home into a jewel box of interior design.
An eye for all things bamboo and a passion for collecting shells – two elements that are repeated throughout her home — give the residence a coastal cottage casualness and charm.
Moving from a 4,400-square-foot home to a 1,500-square-foot cottage, Hoermann set her sights on the Terrell Heights community. “The very first house that I ever owned was in this neighborhood,” she recalls. “I wanted a starter house to redo.” Fortified with over 25 years of design experience as owner and creator of the Painted Pony Clothing line, and real estate savvy as a professional with Kuper Realty, Hoermann had the credentials to tackle the house hunting and major reconstruction project.
At the entry, a vintage bamboo hat rack holds an antique cane that belonged to Hoermann’s grandfather. A pair of majestic Moroccan clay pots encrusted with shells holds greenery, bringing the garden into the main living area. A shiny Asian-inspired cinnabar coffee table anchors the room. Two French armchairs upholstered in floral cotton chintz and wing back chairs that were an estate sale find offer guests a comfortable retreat for conversation.
Tramp art frames found on antiquing trips to Round Top hold medals earned by her father as a cadet at TMI and World War I and original dog tags worn by her grandfather. A photo of her grandmother holds a coveted place in an ornate tramp art frame in the same grouping. Love of home and family is abundantly displayed in this cottage with panache.
An original bedroom became a private sitting room off the new master bedroom. Open shelves in the bedroom were fitted with custom doors and made into storage closets for purses, scarves and accessories. The former laundry room was converted into the master bath.
Hardwood floors that run throughout the home were redone, and fresh paint covered all walls. Existing cabinets in the kitchen received a new coat of paint and contemporary hardware. Wooden countertops were restored, and a pull-out chopping block installed for meal preparation disappears into the cabinetry when not in use. “You’ve got to use every inch in a small kitchen,” she quips. Electrical outlets for the microwave were installed in the pantry to conserve counter space.
Drawers in bathroom cabinetry are fitted for electricity to house blow dryers, flat irons and other hair styling tools. Backs of doors all have hooks to store belts, bags and hats, while storage boxes hold an assortment of accumulation under beds. “I tried to think of things that I could do to go from big to little,” states Hoermann.
