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Cindy and Chuck Bider loved their home in the middle of The Woodlands, but it didn’t meet their needs as empty nests.
For 29 years the house gave their two sons plenty of space to play and have friends. Now it’s Cindy and Chucks’ turn to host cocktail and dinner parties.
They considered buying an existing home, but ultimately knew that with the new build they would get exactly what they wanted – and it wouldn’t have to be constantly remodeled and maintained.
They found a new neighborhood in Creekside Park on the edge of The Woodlands, and although they expected they would end up in a smaller house, their new place has gotten a bit bigger – from 2,700 square feet to 3,000 square feet. The configuration is also a little different. Her previous home had four bedrooms and a playroom on two floors, while her new home has three bedrooms and an office on one floor.
Their tastes and style have changed over the years and this time they wanted what is in demand now: clean lines, a neutral palette, lots of art in a transitional style, with a lot fewer accessories.
Chuck, 65, who never had a strong opinion about interior design other than knowing what he liked when he saw it, walked into a model home in their neighborhood in the early construction days and immediately said, “This is the thing.”
He works for a French container shipping company and has been working from home for 12 years so having a proper office was a priority. What was originally intended as a small courtyard on the side of their house has been converted into his workplace.
“This house is about us and our friends. We made some fun games and I have a feeling we’ll be doing more of them, ”said Cindy, 64. They also get some quality time with their two grandchildren, 3 year old Logan and 2 year old Camden.
All of the work and new furniture purchases took place during the coronavirus pandemic, so they – like others – found workarounds for hard-to-get things. They signed a contract in the summer of 2020, with construction starting in November of the same year. You moved in April 2021.
The original brick and stone combination they chose wasn’t available so they had to make another choice. When the finished look wasn’t quite what they wanted, they decided to paint it – something a lot of people do because painted bricks are popular now.
They kept some of their bedroom furniture for guest rooms and had recently bought a new bed for the master bedroom, but everywhere else they needed new things.
The yardstick of everything was different. They gave their sons – 39-year-old Joe Bider and 36-year-old Austin Bider, who both live nearby – some old furniture and sold other pieces so nothing would go to a landfill.
They spent much of the pandemic searching for furniture online, sometimes visiting stores or showrooms and just couldn’t find what they wanted, or heard of long waits for delivery.
When they stumbled into Urban Leather’s showroom in Houston, they discovered a place where they could find a simple sofa they liked and then customize it to be exactly what they wanted. And they could get it in weeks instead of months.
For example, she bought a pot for plants from Pottery Barn and it took three months to arrive. A bench that she has made for the foyer will take three weeks to be made from scratch.
Urban Leather took care of the sofas and chairs in the living room as well as two upholstered chairs for the master bedroom. Then they needed a console to sit under their television, a long table for their foyer, and a coffee table and end tables. The owner of Urban Leather referred her to a friend who made bespoke suitcases.
For all the things that can no longer be obtained from manufacturers today, an opportunity has opened up for local companies that manufacture furniture here. It is an opportunity for Houston area residents to support small businesses – and those who work in them – and contribute to the local economy. And this custom-made furniture isn’t always more expensive; sometimes it is significantly less expensive.
The Biders have a 25 foot long foyer so they had a 10 foot hall table made for it. A pair of mirrors flanks a new painting, and three large hanging lanterns light up the room.
New leather furniture occupies much of the new main living area, which also includes a dining area and kitchen. What could have been a wine bar turned into a storage cabinet because the Biders didn’t feel they needed a full wine bar or bar – but they needed a place to store things.
Lacking storage space, they grew tall on kitchen cabinets and also contained a nice pantry and a butler’s pantry.
In the kitchen, Cindy chose a granite slab for the island, with a white background and taupe veins, so it would fit into her mostly neutral palette. Circumference counters are covered with quartz.
Chuck firmly believed he wanted new, original artwork for the house, but they had to spend a lot of money. They found the Trend Gallery, where they could order items online that were painted and delivered ready to hang or not yet stretched on canvas. They were shipped unframed, and the biders took them to a local framer, Davis Hardware and Picture Framing.
The couple’s primary bathroom feels luxurious compared to their previous home. A double shower would rival any hotel / spa shower and there is plenty of room for him and her. A sparkling chandelier hangs over the freestanding bathtub.
The “room” that Chuck was most interested in is his garage, which he treats like a man’s cave, with walls full of license plates collected over the years and on their travels, and with signs bought or given as gifts Has .
When he picks up the garage door, visitors are welcome. It has a table and chairs and a refrigerator full of drinks. A popcorn machine is also fired on from time to time.
A large part of the man’s cave is dedicated to Chuck’s latest hobby, the model railroad. Chuck smiles sheepishly and explains that Cindy urged him to start a new hobby because the pandemic has given him more time and nothing needs to be repaired in the new house.
He’s always loved trains, so he built a table out of reclaimed wood from nearby houses under construction and then bought wagons and tracks. He’s now designing the landscape and is just beginning to etch and paint some mountains that will run along one side.
diane.cowen@chron.com
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