Programmatic Requirements

It’s not often that a firm is privileged to orchestrate the restoration of a historic building and three decades later, oversee the adaptive reuse of the building as a residence. The firm assisted the owners in 1982 in the complete restoration of the 1873 Bassett and Bassett Banking House, which was given an Honor Award for Outstanding Interior Architecture by the Texas Society of Architects. The three-story building was designed and used as office lease space. After three decades of changing ownership and use, the new owners wanted to convert the second and third stories into residential space. City ordinance required that the occupancy of the street level remain commercial.

Design Solutions

Rooms were reconfigured to provide 3 bedrooms, 2 guest baths, and a large gameroom on the second floor. The third floor was renovated to include a master bedroom/living suite with adjoining master bath. An open concept kitchen/dining room with a small powder bath completes the third floor living space. A modern interpretation of finish materials that were common in construction of the late 19th century, including glass tile and marble, were used. The existing long-leaf pine floors were refinished on all three levels. Interior brick walls of materials locally manufactured in the late 1800s and which were original to the building were cleaned and repointed. The exterior plaster was repainted in two tones of gray to highlight the building’s features typical of the Italianate style.

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