Selecting Art for a Luxury High-Rise in Houston’s River Oaks

Cookie Ashton painting in elegant dining room by Laura U Interior Design

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been detailing our journey from turnkey to electrifying at The River Oaks. Today, we want to dive into the art and architecture that make this condo such an incredible place to live in Houston.

Luxurious High-Rise Architectural Design

Lauren Rottet, founder of Houston’s Rottet Studio, re-designed The River Oaks. Originally constructed in the 1960s by architect Cameron Fairchild, the structure was home to an exclusive set of renters. With a central location and easy access to The Galleria, downtown, and everything in between, The River Oaks has always been a coveted residence.

Now converted to condos, the building boasts 79 units, including 4 penthouses. The building retains its Mid-Century charm and now has Rottet’s sophisticated touch.

The vibrantly colorful living room at the River Oaks

Client Inspired Art Collection

Art is powerful and deserves to be placed in a room that honors its presence. The colors, shapes, and textures of the pieces in our client’s fabulous art collection inspired many of the interior designs we created. We incorporated their existing pieces and worked with Laura Rathe Fine Art to source additional pieces of art. Tied together by vivid colors, organic shapes, and interesting textures, the art throughout the home is truly eye catching.

High-Rise Dining Room Art

The bold, energetic color palette of this Cookie Ashton painting purchased by the homeowner inspired the dining room color palette. Shades of brilliant blue, touches of chartreuse, and warm oranges and reds bring to mind the beauty of the outdoors. There’s a water-like quality to the painting that adds movement and contrast to the geometric pattern fabric on the dining chairs.

Art for High-Rise: Cookie Ashton painting in elegant dining room by Laura U Interior Design
Artist: Cookie Ashton
Art for High-Rise | Modern sculpture designed by Matt Devine
Artist: Matt Devine

Art for High-Rise Laundry Room

Laundry room designs tend to focus more on practicality and function, oftentimes sacrificing the visual aesthetic. As we were designing the laundry room, we wanted to make sure it had the same energy as the rest of the home. This organic shaped sculpture created by Matt Devine has a visual lightness to it, almost appearing as if it were made from paper. The delicate strands provide a beautiful contrast to the bold, stylized wallpaper.

High-Rise Master Bedroom Art

The tonal amethyst color palette of this Sydney Yeager painting brings depth and dimension to the desk area in the master bedroom. There’s a mysteriousness that radiates from the painting that immediately catches your eye. Gracefully curving lines in the painting mirror the curve of the desk legs and bring movement to the space. The sensuous jewel tone color palette adds a touch of luxury and glamour without feeling too feminine.

Contemporary art piece by Sydney Yeager in master bedroom of The River Oaks condominium building
Artist: Sydney Yeager
Art for High-Rise | Colorful acrylic totem art piece designed by Michael Laube
Artist: Michael Laube

Art for High-Rise TV-Watching Area

After removing a wall to create a new TV-watching area, there wasn’t space to hang a piece of art. During a sourcing trip to Laura Rathe Fine Art, we saw this hanging colored acrylic totem by Michale Laube. It’s the perfect piece for the room! The clear acrylic layers create a beautiful illusion of space, while allowing it to seamlessly blend in with its surroundings.

High-Rise Bar Area Art

A single painting can make a bold statement, but a wall covered with stunning abstract expressionist painting wallpaper is a showstopper. This Lindsay Cowles wallpaper that connects the living area to the kitchen is mesmerizing and perfect! The interplay of colors and unique shapes provide a whimsical touch to the bar area.

Colorful abstract expressionist painting wallpaper created by Lindsay Cowles
This wallpaper is no wallflower! Wallpaper by Lindsay Cowles.

The Final Reveal

Our journey of how we transformed this River Oaks high-rise condo is coming to an end. After diving into our design inspiration, unveiling the color palette, and sharing about the art for their high-rise, it’s time for the full reveal. Let me say, the result is absolutely gorgeous! This home was featured in the November 2019 Houston issue of Luxe Magazine (on the cover!) and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you next time.

Lindsey Cowles wallpaper at the River Oaks

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