(continued)

As greatly as the repairs benefit the house, it was only the beginning so far as the owners were concerned. Michael John Smith is an architect and lighting expert, and Malcolm Perry has an enormous talent for interior design; the restored structure began a new role as a showcase for their skills. Michael Smith began his work with the only structural change he permitted to the house- a thirty-inch extension to one wall of the dining room. Having given this area better screening from the kitchen and service areas, he turned his attention to the lighting of "Steelwood"; the results are astonishing. Smith's lighting plan for the house encompassed restoration of all the remaining 1969 fixtures, and replacement of missing fixtures with new ones that were identical or the closest possible match. State-of-the-art Lutron lighting controls were added to service these fixtures, and an entirely new system of downlights and spots was added to bring the lighting plan up to Smith's very high standards. Computerized controls now give each room lighting that can change with the owners' moods, the time of day, the seasons, or a room's use at any given moment. "Light Space II" is so integral to Malcolm Perry's design for the Living Room, it's difficult to imagine the space without the sculpture. The Dining Area chairs are "Spaghetti" by ICF.

Malcolm Perry, a self-admitted perfectionist, started his interior design with new paintwork of the highest quality. His furniture choices began with one homage to the house's 'Style in Steel" past: a pair of Knoll Barcelona chairs in the living room, near where an identical pair had been in 1969. Other Knoll pieces in the house include a Florence Knoll dining table and credenza in the living/dining area, two Bertoia chairs in the den, and a Saarinen tulip table and a rosewood dresser in the master bedroom.

Although a great fan of Modernism, Malcolm is a connoisseur of many periods and styles, and so an imposing Sheraton bed takes center stage in the master bedroom, along with a pair of Queen Anne nightstands and a beautifully reproduced Eighteenth-Century secretary- with an Eames lounge and ottoman for counterpoint. The Master Bedroom mixes many styles and periods effortlessly; the nightstand lamps are a 1998 reissue by Stiffel of one of the company's 1955 designs.

This view of the Den shows Knoll Bertoia chairs identical to the ones in the room when the house was new.
Knoll fabric is used on the Baker sofa.

A Study doubles as a guest bedroom; its furnishings include a Knoll Albini desk from 1958. Comforter fabric by Donghia Textiles.

The superb detailing of "Steelwood" extends even to its Carport, the most recently restored part of the house.

Since a house is not a home without the personalities of its owners in evidence, Perry has made generous use of things that he and Michael Smith have created and collected over the years. In addition to his other professional attainments, Michael is an artist; his works- not surprisingly- usually feature lighted details as part of their design. His most remarkable work at "Steelwood" is an enormous walk-through sculpture in birch and maple veneered plywood, titled "Light Space I"; this torii gate-like installation lends its magical presence to the entire living/dining area. Other works of Smith's in the house include "The Voyage Computer" from the same year the house was built, and a piece conceived in homage to the late Louise Nevelson. Malcolm's interests are represented with his collection of models of legendary ocean liners, and framed ads for classic Lincoln Continental automobiles. Both men have contributed "finds" of objects ranging from a pair of Egyptian-style wings carved by an amateur carver in Austin, Texas, to classic Modernist china, tabletop, and accessories from Dansk, Stelton, Vitra, Rosenthal, and Stiffel.

The result is a series of rooms that celebrate the past, embrace the present, and give hope for the future. As beautiful as "Steelwood" is today, its owners do not consider it finished; restoration is ongoing. Recent improvements include rebuilding the carport's steel framing; restoration of the painted-over walnut-veneer fireplace facing is planned.

Recently, the house was open to the public for the first time in nearly thirty years; Smith and Perry offered the house to the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for the 1999 AIA Home Tour. The highlight of the tour- for them- was the attendance of Mr. Sy Morris, one of the original architects working in association with Wilson and Weatherford.

Exactly as in the "Style in Steel" days, people came to see a dream. They found more than that; "Steelwood" is now a living document of the Modernist era, a testament to the skills of its owners, and something it never was in 1969- a home for two creative and busy people. Whatever "Steelwood" is in another thirty years, its visitors in 2030 will have its current owners to thank for its survival.

If the current interest in Modernism is any indication, they will be grateful, indeed.

Michael John Smith and Malcolm McKinney Perry of Houston, Texas
michael@mjslight.com