Spaces: Art Deco meets modern for 'a very Vivian house'

Got Space?Know of a beautiful, unique house that would be great for Spaces? E-mail suggestions for Spaces to Real Estate Editor Emily Spicer, realestate@express-news.net.

House Rules

Maximizing wall space: Vivian Paul knew she needed a lot of wall space to properly display her collection of glass and ceramic art. One way she increased her wall space was by asking that the air conditioning vents be placed higher up on the walls.

Staying Within Your Budget: Paul’s personal financial planner was closely involved with the details of the build and helped her reach a realistic vision of what was affordable. Both Paul and her architect, Darryl Ohlenbusch, say that involving the contractor early on in the process is one key to understanding budget costs. A contractor can help think of overlooked expenses and will have suggestions on where money is best spent.

Thinking About Your Future Self: Paul wanted to make the home comfortable, even if future years bring mobility or health challenges. The dishwasher, washer and dryer are all elevated off the floor so Paul doesn’t have to bend down to use them. The shower walls also include blocking, in case she needs to install grab bars one day.

It took just seven months to build Vivian Paul 's house in the Lavaca neighborhood south of downtown, but the path toward that home began years earlier.

The home's aesthetic influences were established decades ago, when Paul was a student travelling in South-Central France and became enamored with the way the strong light there played off the lines and planes of medieval buildings.

Years later, when Paul was working as a professor of architectural history at Texas A&M University, another part of the path fell into place: she met Darryl Ohlenbusch , a student who became a friend and then an architect in San Antonio and who would one day introduce her to Lavaca.

Five years ago, Paul and Ohlenbusch visited a long and narrow empty lot there, and Paul decided it would be the site of her future retirement home.

Thus began a thoughtful collaboration with Ohlenbusch to build a home that fit Paul's needs as well as the historical context of one of the city's oldest neighborhoods.

Paul knew exactly what she did and didn't want.

She wanted room for her plants and pets, wall space for her art collection, an infusion of color and a home designed to fit all the art deco furniture from her previous home in College Station.

Eagle Brooch | Rhinestone Brooch - Animal Brooch - Garnet Brooches

Eagle Brooch

The word ‘Medieval’ brings to mind the popular tale of King Arthur & his knights, around the famous Round Table. However, this is just a minor fraction of the otherwise expansive era of Medieval Art, beholding some of the finest art works. The Early Medieval Art Period stretched for over 1000 years, spanning geographically over Europe, Middle East, and North America. The prolific Medieval Period witnessed the dawn of several key art phases, Early Christian, Migration Period, Celtic, Byzantine, Islamic, Pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, and Gothic, with each period further diversifying into several other time zones. In short, Medieval Art is a blend of several art movements, such as Classical, Early Christian, and Pagan Arts.

One of the most prominent periods in the history of Early Medieval Art is the Migration Period. The art works produced during this era, drew inspirations from Germans and Eastern Europeans, who were on move from about third century to ninth century (300-900). The history of Migration Period dates back to the third century, when the Roman Empire fell to Germans. Actually, the number of Germans in the army increased and by the close of sixth century, small & less politically organized, but dynamic German Kingdoms, replaced the entire Western Roman Empire.

Though cosmopolitan, these German groups shared a common cultural background, ‘Mobile Art,’ emphasizing on the practical applicability and the functioning of weapons, tools, and jewelry. In effect, these works encompassed portable personal embellishments that could be buried in the grave, as an act of restoration to dead spirits, safeguarding the ones alive. The major styles that dominated the Early Medieval Art in the Migration Period include ‘Polychrome Style,’ ‘Animal Style,’ and ‘Hiberno-Saxon style.’

The ‘Polychrome Style,’ originated from the Goths, in Black Sea, comprised the works of art as gold figurines & objects, ornamented with precious stones. The most prominent example of this style is found in the fourth century “Pietrossa Treasure” (fourth century) in Romania, featuring a great gold eagle brooch. Some other examples include a “Polychrome Sword” (fifth century), in the Tomb of Frankish King Childeric I, “Visigothic Polychrome Votive Crown” (c. 670) of the then King of Toledo, Recceswinth, and “Alemannic Belt Mountings” (seventh century), at Weingarten.

Early medieval art

Early medieval art, 300-1150, sources and documents

Early medieval art, Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque

Early medieval art, with illustrations from the British Museum collection

Early medieval art