Central Oklahoma Homes September October

6 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010 OPUBCO COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

homesclassicadj \’kla-sik\

1 a: serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value; b: Tradition, enduring;c: characterized by simple tailored lines; d: historically memorable

Timeless andalwaysappropriate:AllentonCustomHomesapplies a classical approach tohomebuilding

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010 | CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES 7

StorybyMelissaHowell

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CocoChanelhad it rightwithher approach to thelittleblackdress. Aclassicis timeless andalwaysap-propriate.Homebuildingcompany

AllentonCustomHomesapplies the samephiloso-phy tocreatinghomes.“Unlikemanyhomes that

seemtobe locked inacer-tain timeera, Iwant tocre-ate timelesspieces–homesthatdonot reflectwhentheywerebuilt andhaveaclassic look,saidownerSteveAllen. “Era-builthomes require extensiveremodelingwhen timesandstyles change, thus forcingpotential futurebuyers toconsider thecostofupdat-ing in theirpurchasedeci-sions,while timeless classichomesonly require touchesofupdates. Therefore, itismygoal toalways focuson timeless looks forourhomes.”

The 2009 Parade of Home show-cased this bedroom atCanyon Lakes housing addition,7835 NW 133rd Terrace. Thehomewas built and designed byAllenton CustomHomes.

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Steve Allenis the Chairman of the 2010Central Oklahoma Parade ofHomes. He is amember of theCentral Oklahoma and Oklaho-ma State Builders Associationsand has helpedmany positionswith both associations. Hewasa Central Oklahoma Parade ofHomes awardwinner in 2005,2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 inmultiple categories each year.His company took top honorsall of those years. The JournalRecord Publishing Company, rec-ognizing his accomplishmentsin business and communityinvolvement, named Steve as an“Achiever Under 40”.

Allen started in thehomebuildingbusi-ness in theearly 1990s.Hepurchasedafinancially ailingwaterdamageandrestorationbusiness andgrew it intoasubstantial homebuildingbusinessby1999.Now,AllentonCustomHomescontin-ues togrowbyprovidinghomebuyerswith the lookand features theywant—classicdesignswithmodern,openfloorplans that are comfortable transitional tocasual elegance.“I likemyhousesnot tobeassociatedwithaparticulardecadeof style. Somehomedesignsgooutof style in 10 to20years,butourgoal is tomakeourclients’homes remain timeless.”AllentonHomesbuildshomesof allsizeswithnumerous luxury touches.

There is a consistent emphasisonbeauti-fulmoldings,specialmaterials andfineworkmanship. SteveAllen is knowntoimplementprinciplesofFengShui tohelpfocusoncreating feelingsof comfort.Allen’s“classic”approachhowever,isnotwithout surprises.Thisyear’sAllentonHomefor the2010CentralOklahomaParadeofHomes isbuiltwithseveral unique features includinga frontentrypatiowithafireplace, televisionandwaterfall. Youcanenjoy thispatiowhileoverlookingCanyonLake. Includedwithin this,youwill finda two-storychildren’s tube slide.SteveAllenandhiswife,Megan,havefourchildren ranging inages from14 to1year–Madison, Jacob,AndrewandSydnee.


homesinnovations

story by Kim Cook

clevergadgetsA look at some

If you follow tech blogs or watcha few infomercials, you know thatinventive minds are always com-ing up with new households gad-gets meant to make life easier.Here’s a look at a few of the moreingenious ones.

ThinkGeek.com’s a great destination for use-ful gadget hunters. Never find the jam fuzzyor the milk moldy if you’ve got Days Agofridge timers stuck on the containers. Affixedby either magnet or suction cup, the timerscan be set to count off days or hours. They’rebattery-run and reusable. Two in a pack, in or-ange, lime or black, for $7.99.

Australian engineer Wilson Lee’s usefulReZap battery charger not only replenishesthe juice of rechargeable batteries but willalso revive non-rechargeables, from the tini-est AAAA to a 6V lantern battery. It uses amicroprocessor, and also serves as a batterytester. Even C and D batteries can be revivedin the ReZap. At pctreasures.com, $59.95.



Following 9/11, words such as “cocooning” and “stayca-tion” found their way into the dictionary and suburbsbecame repositories for family “enclaves.” Home becamemore than a dwelling. It was a place of safety, comfort,entertainment – in short, it became a place we rarely hadto leave, said Oklahoma City-based interior designer JanisBriseño Bevers.But nine years later, the home-buying public is beginning

to rethink the “enclave” mentality. Growing appreciationfor community and neighborly interaction, as well as livingsimply and sustainably has changed what Americans wantin a home, she said.“Urban living combines what I call the three Cs,” Bevers

Urban vs. suburban. The difference is more than simple geography.

Above: Urban condominium. Interior deco by Janis Briseño Bevers.

Oklahoma City-based designer Janis Briseño Bevers. Photo provided

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2010 | CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES 19OPUBCO COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

urban lifeDesigning for

said. “Comfort, convenience andcommunity. It’s about ‘less is more.’Simple living.”Bevers, who has designed the in-

teriors of several downtown con-dominiums, said she is seeing moreyoung professionals and emptynesters drawn to an urban lifestyleto escape the expense and hassle ofcommuting and landscaping. Butshe adds, components of the trendsuch as close proximity to retailstores and entertainment and in-creased community interaction willgo from being luxuries to necessitiesin the not too distant future.

Kitchen, bathroom and entertainment roomwithinterior decor by Janis Briseño Bevers at Block 42condominiums in downtownOklahoma City.

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To accommodate an urbanlifestyle, Bevers said several thingsneed to be taken into consideration.“I take a number of things into

account – how many people live inthe dwelling, how they entertain,pets, are they art enthusiasts, dothey travel,” she said.Additionally, Bevers said the fol-

lowing should be considered in anurban space:Multifunctional furniture — Since

condominiums typically have lessroom than a suburban home, Beverssaid furniture has to be multifunc-tional. In one of her recent projects


Above and below: Bevers useswarm colors and clean lines to create anurban look in this kitchen and bathroom.

They’re a newly married couple with five grownchildren between them. Each of them owns a subur-ban house in the area where they raised their kids.

They’re planning to sell both properties and buy an-other. But they can’t decide if they’d rather stay sub-urban or change course and buy a condo-apartmentin a downtown neighborhood.

This story illustrates a common conundrum amongbaby-boom-age homebuyers. More and more emptynesters are now attracted to city living.

Ready access to gourmet restaurants, live theater andmuseums are among the draws to life in the city, saidNancy Thompson of AARP (aarp.org).

Yet, Thompson said, there also are many people inthe boomer age group, born between 1946 and 1964,who want to remain in the same general suburban areawhere they’ve long lived.

AARP research shows that eight out of 10 boomerswould like to remain in the same house where they’renow living. Even so, a minority are determined to buyanother property and reshape their lives after theirkids leave home.

But Tyson said, “Many people who’ve lived for yearsin the suburbs would probably miss access to theirfriends and service providers, such as their doctorsand dentists, if they moved downtown.”

Are you a boomer torn between buying your nexthome in the city or suburbs? If so, these pointerscould prove helpful:

Do a realistic listing of your wants and needs.

Obviously, your ultimate choice of housing shouldreflect both your lifestyle preferences and your limi-tations. To help ensure that your next place is theright fit, Thompson suggested you list your prioritiesbefore deciding where to buy.

She also encouraged older boomers to think abouttheir housing needs as they get older. Perhaps now inyour early 60s you still find it easy to scale the stairsof a two-story house. But would a one-level urbancondo be a better bet for you as you approach age 70?That could depend on your health status and yourlevel of physical fitness.

Don’t let grown children influence you tooheavily.

It’s not unusual for couples in their 50s or 60s to beswayed in their home-buying choices by grown chil-dren in their 20s and 30s who are already indepen-dent. The parents assume, correctly or not, that theiroffspring would be disappointed should they decide toleave the neighborhood where they grew up.

Tyson encouraged those with grown kids to realizethat their offspring will probably be returning homefor overnight visits quite infrequently, especially ifthey’ve completed their schooling and taken jobs in adistant area.

Babycomprise large portion of condo marketboomers


ChadMount, a full-time artist in Oklahoma City,says the most important thing is to be emotionallyintrigued by your art so that you fully enjoy andappreciate its place in your home.“[Get] something you’re attracted to, something

you’re drawn to…whether you understandwhat itis or not. Buy something that works well with youas an individual.”This also means you may want to freshen rooms

from time to time with different art, to keep withchanging tastes.Art aficionados on the prowl for lower prices can

also check with art schools and universities if pro-fessional artists don’t work.Local art shows also provide a chance to view a

wide range of talent and styles. Art shows such asthe Festival of the Arts in Oklahoma City attracthundreds of burgeoning and established artiststhat work inmediums such as oils, acrylics, sculp-ture, fiber, wood and leather.“You can find original art for the same price as

some prints, and it’s made with lots of passion andlove,” says David Bromstad, host of HGTV’s “Col-or Splash: Miami.”Back online, there are several Web-based galler-

ies where you can browse, purchase - even test buy- original artwork. They include Ugallery, wherebuyers may try out a piece of art for a week. If itdoesn’t work out, the return shipping is free.“There’s not a lot of other galleries that allow you

to do stuff like that,” Liska says. “It really has adiverse collection of styles.”

Etsy and ArtFire sell fine art among scads ofcrafts, some of it kitschy. Other online sites arelimitedmore to the fine arts, including College ArtOnline (student, alumni and professor artwork);Gallery Today (signed oil paintings); Original ArtOnline; and 20x200, which posts a new photo-graph and work on paper weekly.Liska singles out Collectdotgive.org as a source

for contemporary photography. TheWeb site postsphotographers’ prints, and the shooters pledge todonate 100 percent of their print-sale profits to acharity of their choice.“You can go and buy something knowing you’re

also donating to really cool causes,” Liska says.

©The Associated Press.

Christian GossinWilson contributed to the story.


Top right: Rosalie Wynkoop’s “Oval Platter,” tin-glazed terra cotta platter

Middle photo: Shanna Fliegel’s “Soaring,” earthenware sculpture.

At right: Kevin Snipes, “Dag Nabit,” porcelain sculpture

(AP Photo/Archie Bray Foundation)


Apieceofhistory

At the end of the re-moval corridor, whichchronicles the Trailof Tears journey, theStomp Dance featureawaits. Dancers movewith you as you circlethe fire in the middleof the room.

Oklahoma City designer TomHoch

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>>>> story by ChristianGossinWilson

aspacethat

Oklahoma designerTom Hoch creates

‘organic’ environmentfor ChickasawCultural Center

livesandremembers

Architectureanddesignhavechangeddrasticallyover time,fromtheageofmudhuts to“LittleHouseon thePrairie”

logcabins to themodern,sleek furnish-ingsof today.For the interior spaceof theChickasawCulturalCenter inSulphur,OklahomaCitydesignerTomHochwanted toreturn towhathecalls,“organic archi-tecture.”Traveling roughly80miles south fromOklahomaCity, the skyline’s toweringbuildingsquickly recede intograsslandsand theArbuckleMountains.Theskies,flockingwithpigeonsandcrows,soonareonlyoccupiedbya lonehawk.Thesoundsof trafficare reduced towhispersof grass.This iswhatHochmeanswhenhesays,


“organic.”Thearchitecture reflects thenature,history,andcultureof the land.TheChickasawCulturalCenter,whichopened July24,hiredTomHochDesign tocreateunique furnishingsfor fourparticular areasof theCenter—theWelcomeCenter,Aachompa’GalleryGiftShop,SouvenirShop,andAaimpaCafé.“Theycametousandasked forour inputandconsid-eration indoing thedesignon it and it really evolved intoawonderfulproject,”Hochsaid.“It grew intoawonder-fuldesignexerciseofblending thecultural aspectsof theNation—whicharemany—alongwith thearchitecturalcharacteristicsof thatbuilding, that ...organic architec-ture.”Walking into theWelcomeCenter,visitors’eyesareimmediatelydrawntoHoch’sdesigns: the tallwarm-wooded informationdesk, thebrochurecabinet,and thestrikingwall hanging,carvedwith theCulturalCenter’slogo.Thewall hanging isperhaps themost important elementof theentireprojectbecause it symbolizes theChickasawwaysof living.Thespiral,eye,andsundesigns,all tradi-

Photos by Hugh Scott, OPUBCO

The ChickasawCultural Center, which opened July 24, hiredTomHoch Design to create unique furnishings for four par-ticular areas of the Center — theWelcome Center, Aachompa’Gallery Gift Shop, Souvenir Shop, and Aaimpa Café.


Photos by Hugh Scott, OPUBCO

This woven leather checkout desk is the centerpiece of the Gallery GiftShop.


tionally foundonChickasawartifacts, represent thehistoryandcultureof thepast aswellas the lifeof thepresent andfuture.Theyare incorporatedsubtly intodesigns through-out theCenter.Next to theWelcomeCenter

is theAachompa’GalleryGiftShop,whichsellshigh-endNativeAmericanart.Hochdesignedspecificdisplays forjewelry,wovenpots, tradition-al costumepieces,andothersmaller craft items.Modularshelving,madewith stripedwalnutwoodandaccentedwith leather andcopper,standagainst thewalls.Occupy-ing themiddleof thefloorareglass-encased jewelrydisplays that standonwalnutbases.Thecenterpieceof theshop,however, is thecircular,leather-wrappedcheck-outcounter,beautifullywovenwith light anddarkbrownleather andfinishedwithasleekcounter top.For theSouvenirShop,

Hoch’sorganicwalnutdisplayshelves andcabinets resemblethoseof theGiftShopbutalsoincludeahands-onactivitybench forkids.The fourthareaHoch

designed is theAaimpaCaféinwhichwalnutbenchescomplementgranite countertopsandcopperwalls.“Wedidn’t reallywant to

announce thefixtureof thefurnishing,wewanted reallytoannounce theexperience,”Hochsaid.“It’s very subtle intheway it’sdoneandwhenyougo into the space it blendsveryharmoniouslywith thearchitecture. I think it’s goingtobea timelessdesign thatwill last foryears.”Hoch’s company, locatedat

125NE38Terrace inOklaho-maCity,doesn’t justdesign,but alsobuilds specialized,custompieces for its clientsinanon-siteworkshop justonedooraway fromtheofficespaceswhere theplanninganddesignoccur.“It’s verydifficult toalways

findpiecesoffthe shelf thatfityourparticular concept,”

TomHoch hasdesigned Quail Creek

Golf and CountryClub in Oklahoma

City, the Ritz-CarltonGolf Club

inMarana, Ariz., andZavidovo Golf and

Lake Resort inZavidovo, Russia, thecompany is truly aninternational player.

Photos by Hugh Scott,OPUBCO


Top: Seating 350 people, the Anoli’ Theater features a 2,400 square foot screen. Program-ming is constantly changing and includes Chickasaw films and education material.


Hochsaid.“So there’s ahugebenefit inusdesigningandbuilding in-house.”It’sbecauseof this rare com-binationof customdesignandbuilding thatHochhasattract-edsomanyhigh-profile jobs,andnot just inOklahoma.HavingdesignedQuailCreekGolf andCountryClub inOkla-homaCity, theRitz-CarltonGolfClub inMarana,Ariz.,andZavidovoGolf andLakeResortinZavidovo,Russia, thecom-pany is trulyan internationalplayer,somethingHoch isveryproudof.“It’s exciting for a smallcompany inOklahomatobegarneringwork fromall overtheworld,”Hochsaid.“I thinkthat’s a statement to the resolveand the talent thatwehave inour state.”So far, thecompanyhas fo-cusedprimarilyoncommercialenterprises.“Wedon’tdoa lotof resi-dential design,”Hochsaid,“butwe like todowhat I callcustomdesign,so that’s veryimportant. If someone’s look-ing for somethingcustomorunique,obviouslywe’d love tohelp theminsuchanendeavor.Wedoa lotofone-of-a-kindoffshoots separate fromourhospitalitywork.”HochseeshisworkwiththeChickasawNationasyetanother career achievementin reflecting thenation’sowndistinctive surroundingsandcircumstances.“Wewere trying todefineandconvey the richhistoryand traditionof theChickasawculture,”Hochsaid.“I think itembodies the spirit of theNa-tion.”

“Wewere trying to define and convey the richhistory and tradition of the Chickasaw culture.I think it embodies the spirit of the Nation.”>>>>>>>>> Oklahoma City designer TomHoch


The Removal Corridorfeatures silhouettes,paintings, sculptures

and lighting and soundeffects that guide youthrough the history of

the Chickasaw removal.

Photos by Hugh Scott,OPUBCO


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Central Oklahoma Homes September October

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