Houzz Tour: Cool Industrial Style for a Modern Bungalow
A design-build pro creates a custom home template that appeals to Houston homeowners looking for something different
After a few years of designing and building custom homes and handling high-end residential renovations in Houston, Stephen Heiman began rethinking the local housing market. Heiman, who dabbles in art and music in his spare time, wanted to create something highly designed but easily accessible. “A house that appeals to a person who appreciates creativity and doesn’t want a cookie-cutter approach,” he says.
The result is a prototype Heiman dubbed the “Nouveau Bungalow,” a spec home that reflects his artistic vision. The response has been positive. He’s now building his fifth iteration of the bungalow, all having been sold for prices ranging from $265,000 to $350,000. Here’s a closer look at the original version that launched Heiman’s new endeavor.
The result is a prototype Heiman dubbed the “Nouveau Bungalow,” a spec home that reflects his artistic vision. The response has been positive. He’s now building his fifth iteration of the bungalow, all having been sold for prices ranging from $265,000 to $350,000. Here’s a closer look at the original version that launched Heiman’s new endeavor.
In lieu of a front yard, Heiman created a gravel auto court at the property’s front, screening the courtyard and house shown in the previous photo with a tall wooden fence.
The galvanized metal garage door marks a place for residents to pull a car into a small gravel parking area inside the fence. The middle door offers pedestrians a way into the courtyard, while the door on the left makes it easy to roll trash bins to the street.
The galvanized metal garage door marks a place for residents to pull a car into a small gravel parking area inside the fence. The middle door offers pedestrians a way into the courtyard, while the door on the left makes it easy to roll trash bins to the street.
The team was able to save a few trees during construction, but Heiman opted not to put in extensive landscaping in the courtyard. “The idea of this house was simplicity,” he says. “It’s a place you can lock and leave, and not worry about mowing the lawn.” Instead, pots of plants give the deck color and texture.
Outside as well as in, Heiman curated the furnishings before putting the house on the market, relying on a collection of local art, furniture and accessories he’s picked up over the years. The table and chairs, for example, are from an old Cuban restaurant in town.
When no car is parked within the fence, the gravel area extends the outdoor living space.
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Outside as well as in, Heiman curated the furnishings before putting the house on the market, relying on a collection of local art, furniture and accessories he’s picked up over the years. The table and chairs, for example, are from an old Cuban restaurant in town.
When no car is parked within the fence, the gravel area extends the outdoor living space.
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Inside the front door, a custom divider that Heiman crafted out of galvanized steel and walnut separates the entry from the living room. Walnut cubes within the piece serve as spots to drop keys, wallets and phones.
Polished concrete flooring and white shiplap walls create a ruggedly comfortable background for the interior. The window wall slides open to connect the interior to the deck.
Polished concrete flooring and white shiplap walls create a ruggedly comfortable background for the interior. The window wall slides open to connect the interior to the deck.
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Near the entry, Heiman provided enough space for a small home office, further illuminated by a high window.
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The kitchen, part of the great room, features high-end touches and clever storage solutions that Heiman managed to incorporate despite a tight budget. “I wanted this to be a real, full-sized kitchen for people who like to cook and entertain,” he says.
Custom lacquer-finished cabinetry features drawers for easy access, and the toe-kicks also pull out for storage of flat items like cookie sheets. A slot above the refrigerator holds cookbooks.
Custom lacquer-finished cabinetry features drawers for easy access, and the toe-kicks also pull out for storage of flat items like cookie sheets. A slot above the refrigerator holds cookbooks.
Heiman designed the island with a stainless steel countertop and chose quartz to top the back cabinetry.
“I wanted to give the interior a loft-like, industrial look, so we used the stainless steel for the island counter and kept the vent hood piping exposed,” he says.
The lack of upper cabinetry allows room for open shelving and art displays.
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“I wanted to give the interior a loft-like, industrial look, so we used the stainless steel for the island counter and kept the vent hood piping exposed,” he says.
The lack of upper cabinetry allows room for open shelving and art displays.
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In addition to storage drawers, the island includes a sink and dishwasher.
Built with foam insulation, but without an attic — and therefore lacking space for traditional ductwork — the home’s heating and cooling comes from wall-mounted Mitsubishi mini-split units in the kitchen, living room and bedroom. “It’s an efficient way to cool and heat the house,” says Heiman. “You can turn the units off and on, and regulate the temperature for each space, depending on your needs.”
Built with foam insulation, but without an attic — and therefore lacking space for traditional ductwork — the home’s heating and cooling comes from wall-mounted Mitsubishi mini-split units in the kitchen, living room and bedroom. “It’s an efficient way to cool and heat the house,” says Heiman. “You can turn the units off and on, and regulate the temperature for each space, depending on your needs.”
Though the kitchen, dining room and living area are all one open area, each space is defined by a different ceiling treatment. The kitchen’s ceiling is a continuation of the white shiplap of the walls, while the dining room is marked by an open joist treatment.
Heiman immortalized a tuba once owned by his uncle in a dining room wall sculpture he designed with scrap wood pieced together to create a sound wave.
The curvaceous chairs surrounding the glass-based dining table were a find from a shop in Galveston and offer a baroque counterpoint to the modern architecture.
The curvaceous chairs surrounding the glass-based dining table were a find from a shop in Galveston and offer a baroque counterpoint to the modern architecture.
A blue ceiling adds a moody touch to the living room.
The custom cabinet, made of walnut and reclaimed wood from a historic house renovation project that Heiman completed, separates the living and dining areas. It also hides a 60-inch TV that pops up through the top.
The custom cabinet, made of walnut and reclaimed wood from a historic house renovation project that Heiman completed, separates the living and dining areas. It also hides a 60-inch TV that pops up through the top.
A deep blue sectional invites lounging in the living room, beneath a painting done on driftwood. The blue door is for the powder room, while the pale wood barn door leads to the bedroom.
Concrete plaster on the wall frames the headboard in the bedroom, while the black-painted open-joist ceiling adds a sense of drama.
The tapestry on the right wall is a bag for a camel’s saddle, a gift from Heiman’s parents, who lived in Saudi Arabia.
The tapestry on the right wall is a bag for a camel’s saddle, a gift from Heiman’s parents, who lived in Saudi Arabia.
When closed, mirrored barn doors offer privacy from the living room and make the small bedroom seem larger.
A wardrobe-style closet system separates the bedroom from the bathroom. The slatted void on top of the closets aids with air circulation.
A clerestory and an etched glass window fill the bathroom with natural light. The CMU block pony wall adds a rough contrast to the sleek custom cabinetry and the pattern of the subway tile walls.
The shower, which has two shower heads, includes a teak bench that folds up when not in use.
A portrait of Motorhead’s lead singer, Lemmy Kilmister, painted on a car radiator reigns in the powder room, which does double duty as the master bathroom’s water closet via another door.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: This was a spec home that eventually sold
Location: Houston
Size: 1,000 square feet (93 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Designer and builder: Stephen Heiman of Steven Allen Designs
Heiman built his first Nouveau Bungalow as an infill project on an empty lot in an older neighborhood of Houston.
He skipped the front-yard, backyard notion and instead pushed the house to the back of the narrow, 3,000-square-foot property, creating an expansive courtyard at the home’s front.
“We kept the architecture simple,” he says, and used a shed-inspired roof to handle rain runoff. “The painted wood deck serves as the home’s extended living space. This is not a tiny home. It’s small, but it lives large.”
Cement board cladding in different sizes and hues of silver adds interest to the house. A tall wood fence, painted a deep charcoal, ensures privacy. The front door was painted a vibrant blue as a way-finding element.
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