Historic Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour & Market

HOUSTON, TX. - Thousands in the Houston area look forward to it every year - The Historic Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour & Market! Themed "Christmas Past and Present," this year's event is Friday, November 30 - Sunday, December 2, 2007, and promises to be one of the best yet.

Sponsored by the Houston Heights Association, the much-anticipated annual event takes place in one of Houston's most historic and unique neighborhoods - the Houston Heights - known for its restful tree-lined streets, unique architecture, eclectic boutiques and cozy cafes.

THE HOME TOUR highlights three beautifully restored turn-of-the-century homes and two recently constructed homes reflecting traditional Heights architecture. See all five homes, decked out in their holiday best and with docents to point out the rich history, architecture and unique holiday decorations of each home.

SECOND ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET
It was such a hit last year, it has become an annual event! The Holiday Market features local artists, crafters, and merchants with fine hand-made wares, gift items, Christmas decorations, and one-of-a-kind accessories. Food vendors will offer delicious treats for sale, and street performers will delight and entertain. Popular returning vendors include Venice Holiday Gifts, Lucia's Garden and artist Sue Kerr with her popular house portraits. Shopping items include beautiful jewelry, soft alpaca clothing, pottery, garden accents, food gifts and baskets - and much more!

The Holiday Market is at the Heights Fire Station, 107 W. 12th Street (at Yale), Houston, Texas 77008, and the homes on tour are in the surrounding area. Shuttles are available on Saturday and Sunday to go between the homes and can be boarded from the Fire Station.

DATES & TIMES:
Home Tour
Friday, November 30, 6-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 1, noon-6:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 2, noon-5:00 p.m.

Holiday Market
Friday, November 30, 6-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 1, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 2, noon-5:00 p.m.

TICKETS:
Advance tickets are $17. Tickets purchased on tour days are $20 or $5 for each home. Tickets can be purchased online at www.houstonheights.org and picked up at the Fire Station. Advance tickets are available at these local businesses: Another Place in Time, Buchanan's Native Plants, Eclectic Home and McCain's Market. Tickets purchased on tour days are also available at the Fire Station and the Tour Homes. For directions to the Fire Station and more information about The Historic Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour and Market, go to the Web site above or call the Houston Heights Association at 713-861-4002 and select option 7.

HOMES ON TOUR:

Lauden Home
1425 Harvard St.
This 1903 Queen Anne cottage is truly a reclaimed jewel. This fully restored home boasts many original architectural treasures including hardwood floors, fully functioning interior transom windows, hardware, moldings, and original pocket doors. The recently added designer kitchen and gas lanterns add the finishing touch. The exterior boasts lush landscaping and a stone patio with a fire pit. One of the owners' Christmas trees is adorned with Bethlehem stars, a reminder of their recent move from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Sackheim Home
227 W. 18th
Built in 1915 by A.F. Buchanan, this craftsman-style bungalow home has many features classic to the period. Highlights include a high-pitched gabled roof, oversized windows, tapered columns, and an extensive wraparound porch. When the homeowner purchased and restored the home in 2001, he lovingly maintained the integrity of both construction and historical setting. The many spacious rooms include a kitchen with frosted maple cabinets and Baltic brown granite counter tops, and a huge master bath with a walk-in shower. Amid the delightful interior mix of eclectic contemporary and American Empire, all will be charmed with his traditional holiday themes. This home won the "Community Improvement Award" by the Houston Heights Association in 2002.

Broman Cottage
712 West 15th Street
The best things come in small packages, and this adorable cottage is no exception. Built in the 1920s, and targeted for teardown, this home was moved to this location in the 1980s. After renovating many homes in the Heights area, Don & Debbie Broman have continued the quest for preservation by renovating this house. This cozy rental property feels like a cabin in the woods. Though it maintains most of its original design, the kitchen and bath have been updated. Keeping true to the original scale of the house but adding square footage, the homeowners enlarged the master bedroom by a mere five feet. This cottage features reclaimed 60-year old knotty-pine trim and antique furniture throughout. The rustic décor is echoed in the Christmas decorations, which feature old-fashioned popcorn garlands and nostalgic ornaments. Woven paper art by local artist Scott Bodenheimer is featured throughout the house.

Sulser Home
618 East 8th ½ Street
Built in 2005 by Kight Construction on the site of a neglected warehouse, this colonial revival is reminiscent of the New Orleans Garden District and reflects the homeowners' Louisiana heritage. This gracious home boasts a barrel-vaulted ceiling entrance, double verandas, intricate moldings, reclaimed oak floors, and recycled architectural elements. Inside, experience what Christmas looks like when Papa Noël visits. Here, the holidays are decadently celebrated with several themed Christmas trees and a lavish Christmas table. Outside, the homeowners re-created a New Orleans courtyard with a pool that features custom ironwork and antique brick reclaimed from the remains of a Virginia tobacco warehouse.

Brenner-Dumas Home
914 Nicholson Street
This beautiful, Charleston inspired, Neo-classical style home was built in 2006 by Sullivan Brothers. The traditional décor is elegant and dramatic with 10-foot ceilings and detailed custom woodwork throughout the home. The highlight is surely the rustic country kitchen with onyx countertops. For the holidays, an extensive collection of new and vintage Santas adds a warm touch. The homeowners' collection of ornaments reaches over 2,500 and feature antique figural bulbs from the turn of the century.

Money raised by the Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour and Market is used by the Houston Heights Association to support neighborhood programs, including: Maintaining, improving and beautifying parks, streets, walkways, public buildings, and vacant and underdeveloped areas; sponsoring the rehabilitation and restoration of historically significant homes and buildings; and to promote Houston Heights as the best and most livable historic neighborhood in the Houston metropolitan area.


While in the area
There is a lot to see in the area! Also check out the Heights Mistletoe Madness event on Saturday, Dec. 1, from noon - 8:00 p.m. offering an invitation to "eat, drink, shop and be merry" at the nearby boutiques, cafes and art galleries that abound in this unique part of Houston that promises "small town cool in the center of the big city."

- 30 -