river oaks

River Oaks, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates

As commenter Spectacular Bid pointed out last year on a different home, architect John Staub was one of the top architects for wealthy families in Dallas and Houston in the early to mid 20th century. Today's home in the River Oaks area of Houston shows off a bit of Staub's appeal. This home was designed by the Houston architect in 1933. Staub reversed the front and rear elevations to insure private arrivals. The home has a Tudor/Jacobean style but manages to avoid the slightly Disneyfied appearance that some Tudor aspirants can get. A two-story addition was done by architect P.M. Frost in the 1970s, expanding the interior space while keeping the home's street-side facade.

The reception parlor features carved golden oak wood paneling reportedly rescued by a New Orleans antiquities dealer and re-assembled here. A sky-painted ceiling with cherubs completes the Napoleonic theme. The original entry foyer was designed by Staub and has a wrought iron balustrade and banister. The living room with its bay window alcove and plaster moldings is also a Staub creation. The master bedroom has a fireplace with carved marble mantel and surround. The media room which could also serve as a guest suite has a ceiling-mounted retractable projection screen and projector and a built-in kitchenette with beverage fridge. The grounds include a croquet court, koi pond, sculpted shrubs and marble statuary well positioned in graceful courtyard spaces. This elegant home is listed at $9.5 million with Martha Turner Properties.

Gallery: River Oaks

Tags: estate of the day, houston real estate, john staub, river oaks, texas real estate

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The Bargain Neighborhoods, River Oaks, TX, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

NeighborhoodScout.com has used their matching function to find neighborhoods that are "discount equivalents" of some of the hot and pricey communities we recently covered in our Most Expensive Zip Codes estates.

Their choice to mimic Beverly Hills, California is River Oaks, Texas. Beverly Hills has a median price of $3.1 million but in River Oaks the median price is $1.6 million. River Oaks is part of Central West Houston. Residents love it because it has easy access to the freeways but is a charming neighborhood with manicured lawns and large homes. The area is home to many expensive properties but not as pricey as the homes we saw in Beverly Hills, CA. Consider today's example, a beautiful four-bedroom home on a wooded acre on Buffalo Bayou. The home has a kitchen with Viking, Thermador and Sub-Zero appliances. The master bedroom is on the first floor. The walnut-paneled library/den includes a large granite-topped wet bar area. The formal dining room has built-ins with lighted glass shelves. The property includes a pool, fountain, landscaped grounds, a separate entertaining deck and a large motor court in the front. It's not as lavish as the $23.5 million Beverly Hills estate we covered but at $6.9 million, it's a quite a bit cheaper.

Gallery: River Oaks