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By SANDRA COOK | Photos by PAUL HESTER

London transplants inspired by Houston’svibrant local art community dare to transform a historical home in River Oaks with equalparts dignity and delight

When Judy and Scott Nyquist relocated to Houston from London 14years ago, they landed in a River Oaks relic, a 1937 Georgian-inspiredtwo-story on the superbly scenic stretch of Kirby Drive. The home isquite handsome and notably understated amidst its neighbors on this oft-ogled, oak-lined boulevard.

But the quiet, respectful exterior serves as something of a chocolatecoating encasing the Nyquist’s delicious mélange—complex and curiousartworks amidst colorful, contemporary and comfortable furnishings. JudyNyquist, who studied art history at University of Michigan andNorthwestern, takes pride in the livable art experience that has evolvedat their home. Each room resembles an art gallery, yet no room isuntouchable or forbidden. Family and guests may lounge and linger (anddo so often).

The idea of preserving a 1930s home only to fill it with a youngfamily and a dynamic array of art may be unfamiliar to some, but not

The Nyquists 1937 redbrick Georgian-inspired home is a wonderfully demure example ofRiver Oaks’ early days. Sublime and stately, the two-story residences is well-proportioned withwindows distributed symmetrically, and one Oculus window above front door, lending a thirdeye of sorts to the face of the home.

LLEEFFTT:: In Judy and Scott Nyquist’s casual living area, art, color and family life find harmony. Anabstract exploration of color and pattern by Houston’s late Robin Utterback hangs behindKnoll’s Womb Chair in crimson red. The low-profile sofa allows the outdoor scene to enhancethe space, while movable, modular tables morph to accommodate various activities andrefreshments. Photo by Julie Soefer.

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to Judy Nyquist. “The concept of a contemporary insertioninto old building as a sensibility is common in the UK andall over Europe,” says Judy. “It happens a lot in centralLondon, so that was a very familiar aesthetic to me.”

SOLD ON ART“I’ve really always had a desire to collect,” says Judy. “Mystudies were specialized in works on paper.”

Judy moved to London when she was engaged to Scott,who was working there, and the pair began collecting16th-and 17th-century drawings and prints because theywere small and portable, easy to move from flat to flat.They also perused London’s local galleries, but bought themajority of their collection at auction houses such asSotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams.

After moving to Houston, the Nyquist’s collection ofcontemporary pieces expanded dramatically in response tothe vibrant contemporary art community in Houston. Today,their collection is largely made up of contemporary art.“It’s actually an easy move from old master drawings tocontemporary art,” says Judy.

TEARDOWN? NONSENSE.“I loved the bones of the house when I walked in,” saysJudy. “I was told it was a ‘teardown’ by the real estateagent—I didn’t even know the term, because it doesn’teven exist anywhere that I had ever lived. I had also beentold that Kirby Drive wasn’t an ideal place to raise youngchildren. I had just about 24 hours to look at houses andmake a decision. I told the agent, ‘I’ll take it.’”

The Nyquists employed Natayle Appel & Associates torenovate and update their 1937 River Oaks home, origi-nally designed by William G. Farrington Company (whodesigned a portion of the River Oaks Shopping Centerand the Lamar-River Oaks center, opposite Lamar HighSchool).

Natalye Appel, FAIA, and her then-associate LonnieHoogeboom, AIA, immediately were inspired by the his-tory and significance of the Nyquist’s collection of workson paper.

“It was the beginning of that mix of the older worksand the contemporary art that was so fun and inspira-tional about our design process,” Appel. “We had a sup-

RRIIGGHHTT:: The kitchen in the 1930s home received a major upgrade in 2000.Maple cabinets are topped with richly hued concrete by Spirit RidgeStudios. Architect Natalye Appel designed the glass front and back cabi-nets above the sink area to maximize the natural light in the kitchen andallow Judy and Scott to keep watch on the pool and back yard.

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porting role to the art—that was the nice thingabout being involved inthis project.”

“The final look of thearchitecture and millworkwas an attempt to let thebuilding fade into thebackground,” saysHoogeboom. “We intro-duced a lot of natural lightand art-specific lighting tolet the space be fairly neu-tral so the art could takethe foreground.”

“We really went forsimplicity when we reno-vated the house, saysJudy. “The house washandsome to begin with,but we didn’t want tointroduce any additionaldetailing,” says Judy. “Itold Lonnie, ‘I want lots ofnatural light, but I needwalls’,” laughs Judy.

Architect LonnieHoogeboom designed anasymmetrical set of displaycases to flank the door-ways between the com-fortable den and the moregallery-like front livingroom. The cases were cre-ated for a collection ofpurses made to look likeHermès Kelly Bags bycardboard artist MatthewSporzynski (whose workappears frequently in RealSimple).

“I see the collaborationbetween the art and the

LLEEFFTT:: In the Nyquist’s gallery likefront living room, Todd Brandt’smeticulous assemblage of 35mmfilm canisters filled with latex painthangs above a ceramic represen-tation of a dog bed. Two similardisplay cases were designed toshowcase Judy’s collection of deli-cate cardboard purses fashionedto resemble Hermes Kelly bags bycardboard artist MatthewSporzynski.

architecture—with the artcollection going frommostly older works tomore contemporarypieces—as similar to thehouse itself,” saysHoogeboom. “The housestarted as very traditionalolder home that evolvedinto a space for modernliving, inhabited by avibrant family and housinga dynamic variety of con-temporary art.”

HISTORIC PROPORTIONSFrom the beginning Judyand Scott did not want tochange the footprint ofthe house. “We wanted tokeep the human scale,”says Judy. They didn’twant to create a residencethat looked like palace forroyalty, so no vast, vaultedinteriors, nor ballroomswere considered.

“It has such a lovelyscale from the street,”says Appel. “As architects,we are often tasked tosolve problems. The frontof the house had a charm-ing, classic look, while theback was a mish-mash oflater additions. We tried torespect the original foot-print and work towardbringing the back view in-line with the look of thefront.”

The respectful renova-tion efforts resulted in

RRIIGGHHTT Much of the art collectionis family appropriate. TeenagersSarah, Jake and Jessica havegrown up with their own art cre-ations displayed amongst themany renowned artists’ works intheir home. Lately, 16-year-oldJake accompanies his mom togalleries and art events andreportedly “has the collectingbug.”

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the home receiving a historicaldesignation from the City ofHouston.

Initially, the Nyquists hiredNatalye Appel & Associates tomake a few improvements totheir guest house in 1998.Soon after, Judy and Scottworked with the firm to care-fully plan and execute themajor renovations on the mainhouse that were completed in2000. As the children grew up,and the art collection expand-ed, Appel & Associates werecalled upon once again torework the kids’ rooms, createan office for Judy and finishout the attic as a media room.With the attic work planned,Scott insisted on addressingthe 1930s home’s energy effi-ciency by upgrading HVACsystems, insulation and more.He reports the efforts haveyielded 25 to 30 percent sav-ings on utilities. “Visually theeffects are invisible, but stillimportant,” says Judy.

CURRATOR’S VISIONHoogeboom recalls the uniquecollaboration between thedesign team and the home-owners, noting that theNyquists approached the reno-vations as an art project, dar-ing to take risks in subtle waysto produce extraordinary envi-ronments for living with theirart collection. An example isthe Nyquists dining room. Thisformer dark, cave-like gen-tleman’s study is now a

RRIIGGHHTT The sparsely furnished livingroom/galley is the first main room off theentry. The arrangement of the room allowsguests (and the Nyquists) to breathe in thevaried artworks and sets the tone for theart experience that awaits. Todd Brandt’sclever combination of film canisters andlatex paint dominates one wall. Two Kellygreen chairs flank an antique chest, whichit is topped with an assortment of contem-porary pieces. Photo by Julie Soefer.

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delightful setting for dinnersthanks to widened doorways,walls painted a cheerful pink, andthe stainless steel fireplace sur-round envisioned by Judy andcrafted by Spirit Ridge Studios.Here, dining guests enjoy thecompany of a Warhol silkscreenof Marilyn Monroe and a Picassoetching depicting a woman withtwo children.

The front living room is also amix of ponderous artwork andhomey comforts. The room isanchored by the tiled fireplace,two Kelly green chairs alongsidean antique chest and Scott’sgrandfather’s wooden desk withtypewriter shelf. The solid woodheirloom desk functions as afoundation for display, with vari-ous work of art perched upon andsuspended above it. An old type-writer found at a junk store is acuriosity to the Nyqueststeenagers and other youngobservers. Ample open spacethroughout the room allows theviewer to breathe in the art array,thus preparing guests for artexperience the entire home holdsin store.

It’s easy to see the playful,whimsical nature of many of theNyquist’s pieces, but with furtherobservation, the more intriguingintellectual elements capture theeye. Judy and Scott still admirethe remarkable works on paperacquired in London, but are trulypassionate about the world ofcontemporary art they’ve encoun-tered in Houston.

RRIIGGHHTT Landscaper Cedar Baldridgereworked the landscaping and includedmany artful touches into the architecture.She worked the word “shade” in the pool-side pergola, in response to Judy’s affinityfor the artistic nature of text. Baldridgealso custom-designed delightful gates andhad unique finials hand-carved by artisansin Massachusetts. Photo by Julie Soefer.

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RESOURCESAARRCCHHIITTEECCTTUURREE1937 William G. Farrington Company2010, 2000, 1998, Natalye Appel + Associates- 713.522.79922003, Stephanie Eugster, 713.256.6600 (Guest House)

GGEENNEERRAALL CCOONNTTRRAACCTTOORRDovetail Builders, dovetailbuild.com, 713.665.0200

LLAANNDDSSCCAAPPIINNGG AARRCCHHIITTEECCTTUURREECedar Baldridge, Baldridge Landscape, 713.529.2646, www.baldridgelandscape.com

CCOONNCCRREETTEE CCOOUUNNTTEERRTTOOPPSS,, SSTTAAIINNLLEESSSS FFIIRREEPPLLAACCEE SSUURRRROOUUNNDDSpirit Ridge Studios, Steven Dvorak, 713.768.3026,spiritridgestudios.com

WWIINNDDOOWWSSPella, 713.572.6444

CCAARRPPEENNTTRRYYTrim Contracting, Richard Juroska, 281.331.0656

WWOOOODD FFLLOOOORRSSFloors, Etc., 713.880.8888

“When I moved to Houston, I discovered an amazing, bur-geoning, incredible contemporary arts scene—and it wasseductive,” says Judy. “So I became very involved in not onlypurchasing and looking at contemporary art, but also gettinginvolved in all the institutions. I am dedicated to workingwith local museums, galleries and art publications, in addi-tion to Houston causes like the Buffalo Bayou Partnership,Houston Arts Alliance and Hermann Park Conservancy. It’sfunny, I’m a non-native, but I have huge pride for Houstonand the many aspects it has to offer, because it was a sur-prise to me. It’s really delightful. We’re incredibly lucky to behere among all this with everything so accessible.”

AABBOOVVEE:: British artist Lisa Milroy’s large-scale painting of spectacles greetsguests just inside the front door. Houston artist Rachel Hecker’s illuminatedmatchstick sculpture lights up the corner as well as visitors’ faces.

OOPPPPOOSSIITTEE ((aabboovvee)):: The former wood-paneled study was converted into acheery dining space by expanding the doorway and painting the walls adelicious shade of pink. The glass-topped table and simple, black chairskeep the artwork in the spotlight.

OOPPPPOOSSIITTEE ((bbeellooww)):: A neon Ice cream cone beams a happy glow over thecomfortable seating area that overlooks the backyard and pool.

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