House & Home Phase Value December 2011

house& home | December 2011 | house and home on l ine . com54

PhaseValueMemorial homeownersconsider the remodelingbug a beneficial insect STORY BY MARY CHAVOUSTIEPHOTOGRAPHY BY MIRO DVORSCAK

Say the word “remodel” and watch most homeownerscringe. Not Robert and Ragna Case. They’ve remodeledtheir Memorial village home four times, five if you countadding the pool, with a sixth being considered as this issue

goes to print.“I’m the kind of person that likes to work on their house,”

admits Ragna. “Every 5 to 8 years, we do something,” she smiles,“so it’s about time for another change.”

Over the years, the couple has seamlessly reconfigured their orig-inal 1600-square-foot ranch-style home into a 3500-square footoasis, in the heart of one of Houston’s most lovely neighborhoods.Their décor is spare and uncluttered, a respite from weightyantiques and knick-knacks that often take away from the cleanlines of an older home.

“We bought the house from the original owners in 1983, whilethe children were in grade school,” Ragna explains. “We fell in lovewith the neighborhood, the schools and the ease of commute forboth of our jobs.”

The 1950s house was typical of the day, complete with indoor-outdoor carpet, harvest gold appliances and knotty pine in the denand kitchen.

The first major remodel came in 1984, a move to retain theoverall shape of the kitchen but an upgrade for the cabinetry andappliances. Ragna chose white laminate and white appliances, astyle she admits faded quickly into design history.

Years later, FRAMEwork design LLC owners Joe Meppelink andMarisa Janusz helped the couple establish a three-phase majorremodeling plan. Phase One included updating the living roomand creating a study, guest room and powder room. Interiordesigner Laura Michaelides, ASID, owner of Four Square DesignStudio LLC, joined Meppelink and Janusz on the second phasetwo years later, designing and furnishing the master bath and bed-room. Michaelides recently completed Phase Three – the kitchen,laundry room and new lighting for the living and dining rooms.

“Laura worked with us on the remodeling of our master bed-room and bath and did a fabulous job so I thought of her immedi-ately (for the kitchen remodel),” says Ragna.

ROOM FOR COMPANY During Phase One, architectural designers Meppelink and Janusztransformed the small, no-longer-used children’s rooms into a sunlitstudy and guest suite. The same limestone utilized in the extensionof the living room was creatively incorporated into a portion of theguest bath. Tall mahogany pocket doors were added between theliving room and the east wing, allowing for privacy, when needed.

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Designer Laura Michaelides worked closely with the homeowners during the kitchen remodel, accomplishing what Ragna Case calls a “soft contemporary” look—one that is welcoming to notonly the chef, but equally to family and friends that gather.


Custom millwork, vaulted ceilings and stonework expanding theexisting fireplace helped recreate the living room, a comfortable area toentertain and enjoy guests. The manicured backyard and pool offer atranquil addition as viewed through the French doors and expansivewindows.

MASTERING THE MASTER SUITEAware of their clients’ propensity for books, Meppelink and Janusz cre-ated a floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookcase in the master suite, withample room for a 60-inch TV. Michaelides designed custom nighttables and also suggested a navy accent wall.

Ragna acknowledges she was at first hesitant to use such a darkcolor, given the existing expanse of wood, yet trusted her designer andwas more than pleased with the end results.

A small sitting enclave was added, with solid garnet-colored chairsblends nicely with the patterned rug.

The master bath is spacious and accommodating, complete with abuilt-in cushioned seating area that doubles as storage. Michaelidesadded a small glass-topped table to the space, a more forgiving restingplace for morning coffee cups than the nearby white marble vanities.The bathroom flooring of light Crema Marfil marble has an OldWorld appeal, while a colorful framed mirror, a good example of thehomeowner’s love of folk art, is set against a wood accent wall. The

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The deep blue tile back splash, found at La Nova Tile, mimics the expanses of blue tile around the pool and, therefore, visually connects the interior of the home to the appealing outdoor spaces. Theclean lines of the kitchen give it a modern feel, while the rich mahogany cabinets lend a warmer, more traditional sensibility.


“Meppelink and Janusz had a clean line, which blended with my eclectic mix—not too modern, not too traditional,” says homeowner Ragna Case.

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mirror is custom designed, comprised of tile that Ragna and Michaelidesfound at Architectural Design Resource.

“Ragna has a great enjoyment of folk art and also enjoys living withfurniture that she has inherited,” says Michaelides. “In working with her,I tried to create environments that would be true to her style and sensibil-ities, and that work well with the art and furniture that she has andenjoys.”

NOW WE’RE COOKINGMore room, more work space, more cabinets – it’s every homeowner’swish and Ragna was no exception.

In 2009, Michaelides implemented Phase Three, reconfiguring thekitchen area by removing walls that cut the space up into smaller, lessuseable areas, and designed the new kitchen, as well as the laundryroom and breakfast area. The general contractor for this phase of theproject was David Levy. At the time of construction, Levy constructed afalse wall between the living room and the kitchen to alleviate construc-tion dust and maintain some sense of day-to-day order for the family.Levy also brought in temporary plumbing, a sink, microwave andpower for a refrigerator, making living in the house during the remodelmuch easier.

Levy’s comprehensive remodel included demolition of the existingkitchen and adjacent walls, as well as the existing laundry room and

wall shared by the dining, living room and kitchen. He constructednew walls, rerouted plumbing and wiring to accommodate new appli-ances, and installed new lighting in the kitchen, laundry room and liv-ing room. Per Michaelides design, cabinetmaker Cal Trevino built cus-tom mahogany kitchen cabinets. New floor and backsplash tile wereinstalled, as well as new windows and doors.

Choosing the right kitchen countertop, for both beauty and func-tionality, is often time-consuming. Ragna eliminated marble because ofits care requirements. Granite was a possibility – something to play offthe white floor tile and dark wood cabinetry – yet finding a not-so-busymatch became difficult. She finally settled on a Caesarstone Quartz,adding a striking, dark blue backsplash tile – for just the right pop ofcolor and tie to the rest of the home.

Michaelides designed a small peninsula-type table for the breakfastarea, a practical solution for the empty nesters. The U-shaped table wasanchored to the window wall, and then supported with a mahoganytapered leg. Craftsman James Dawson wrapped the wood substrate topwith zinc for a clean, modern contribution to the décor.

Now complete, the wide, island-free kitchen has become one of themost well-loved rooms in the house as children and grandchildren gath-er each week for Sunday dinner.

“I’ve done lots of remodels, and I have to say it was one of the mostpleasant I’ve been through,” acknowledges Ragna.

Tile is used throughout the Case home, excluding the master bedroom. “I’m a big believer in tile,” says Ragna. “To me, it’s a lot easier to maintain than carpet and unifies everything.”


REFINED DINING The dining room is a favorite of Ragna’s. It is home to her display of deli-cate antique plates and bowls. Years ago, finding traditional plate hangersinsufficient, she decided to enlist help for her own innovative idea.Working with a fabricator, she designed a transparent, fiberglass holderthat blends inconspicuously with the wall, yet securely holds each piecewithout damaging their gold leaf accents.

A lovely wooden shelf, another design by Michaelides, underscores thedisplay, doubling as a practical serving area for dinner parties and an artis-tic focal point for the room.

Dining room chairs incorporate a geometric design, playing off thepickled wood floor and linear slats of the shuttered windows.

Intertwining steel branches combine with what resembles crystal waterdrops – striking components of the chandelier.

“Ragna and Robert are wonderful clients,” says Michaelides, “and Ienjoyed working immensely with them, for both phases of the project. Itried to create environments that would be true to her style and sensibili-ties, and that would work well with the art and furniture that they haveand enjoy.”

So what’s the next remodel for the Case family? Only time will tell.

Ragna’s spacious study invites dutiful work, yet the French door view of the backyard pool is always tempting.

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The master bath addition provides plenty of space, complete with a window seat that offers bonus storage. Crema Marfil marble floor tiles yield a classic look.


RESOURCESDESIGNERSJoe Meppelink and Marisa JanuszFRAMEwork design LLC713.426.3640www.framework-ad.net

INTERIOR DESIGNLaura Michaelides, ASIDFour Square Design Studio LLC713.802.1699www.foursquaredesignstudio.com

GENERAL CONTRACTORSDavid Levy – Phase ThreeDRLCO, Inc.281.850.8092

KITCHENKitchen Appliances includeViking Range and Refrigerator, Zephyr Range Hood, Electrolux Dishwasher, Kenmore Washer and Dryer

Kitchen Backsplash TileTrend Karma glass tile #916 fromLa Nova Tilewww.lanovatile.com

Kitchen CountertopCaesarstone Quartz

BREAKFAST AREAZinc Peninsula-style Breakfast TableDesign by Laura Michaelides, ASID,Crafted by James Dawson and Cal Trevino

MASTER BEDROOM and MASTER SITTING AREAWool sisal carpet (Godfrey Hirst#510 Wool Creations “Sandstone”)from ProSource Flooringwww.prosourcefloors.com

Kravet garnet red upholsteredchairs from the Decorative Centerwww.decorativecenter.com

Multi-colored tribal rug sourcedfrom Pride of Persiawww.priceofpersia.com

MASTER BATHSmall round table from Area

Tile for custom design mirror fromArchitectural Design Resourcewww.adrhouston.com

Floor tile (1” X 2” tumbled CremaMarfil marble) fromLa Nova Tilewww.lanovatile.com

A focal point of the generous master bath is a folk art-insipred mirror made with tile thatRagna and Michaelides found at Architectural Design Resource.

The living room extension allowed for a limestone privacy wall in the guest bath, whichalso utilizes the homeowner’s signature blue tile.

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Ragna was pleased with Michaelides’ choice of the navy accent wall in the master bedroom, which anchors both the bed and the sitting area. The patterned rughelps tie together the bold colors of the two garnet-hued chairs and the deep blues of the walls and bed linens.

House & Home Phase Value December 2011

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