From House To Home

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Life on the golf course was good, but as their two young children got older, Keith and Becky Mattocks decided to make the move to a more kid-friendly environment, both inside and out. Their wish for more space, an enclosed yard, and a family-friendly neighborhood took them only 1 mile from their previous home. To construct their newly designed house, they turned to the same builder who had built their previous one.

Altering one of their standard plans with a few custom changes, Steve Klein and Kathy Cornelius of Steve Klein Signature Homes helped the couple achieve their vision, increasing their living space with an additional 1,000 square feet.

“The kids love it,” says Becky, a part-time registered nurse. “They have their own space, theater room with a TV, and a playroom.” In addition to the first-floor living areas, the second floor features a second living room, a guest bedroom, and a Jack-and-Jill bath that connects their son’s bedroom (which doubles as the playroom) with their daughter’s bedroom. The master bed and bath and family living areas are on the first floor, and an open staircase with a window seat landing connects the two levels and continues the spacious feel.

From the kitchen’s vantage, an archway stretches above a bar and frames the view of the family room. Originally the space was painted a vibrant yellow, but after being mixed with white, the rooms are now covered with a softer chiffon yellow glow. “Yes ma’am,” Keith says, “It looked like a big lemon in here! The dark browns of the furnishings softened the look,” he adds. With assistance from Hall Electric Lighting & Design Center, the homeowners succeeded in creating a warm and friendly design scheme.

Along with a traditional take on Texas Hill Country style, Keith and Becky were also keen on melding energy-conscious products into the scheme. The windows are all double-pane, low E2 glass, which limits solar heat gain by blocking infrared and some ultraviolet rays. Cornelius explains, “These windows are 30 percent more efficient. Another green product we used is the TechShield radiant barrier, which is installed under the roof deck and can cool the attic as much as 30 degrees.”

Outside, the structure marries white Texas Hill Country stone with red brick. The light and dark juxtaposition creates architectural detail, and in the back yard, square columns frame the patio area that was expanded with brick pavers. The concrete driveway provides a perfect surface for neighborhood kids to skate, and Keith has adorned the rink with a bed of colorful flowers. A pharmacist by trade, he’s got the gift of a green thumb.

“Though I was born in El Campo, my early years were spent in Tennessee. My grandmother had a greenhouse, and my aunts and my mother had lots of flowers. I was always made to attend to the garden before I could go out and play. I guess it stuck!” he says. In the front yard bed he’s planted agapanthus, caladium, and Knock Out roses to accompany the family’s new digs.