THE VINTAGE ROUND TOP Hip Rental Home Defines Modern Vintage With Crisp Interiors Accented By Repurposed Antiques By Barbara Canetti
W
hen you hear oxymorons such as “open secret,” “jumbo shrimp” or even “Hell’s Angels,” does it make you smile because of the incongruous, contradictory effect of the words? What about “modern vintage?” Paige and Smoot Hull, a Houston couple with connections to Round Top, have embraced that phrase and in fact, decorated a lovely industrial farmhouse (another oxymoron?) in the Hill Country that they rent and make available to others. To Paige, modern vintage is a hip style that marries sustainability with soul, giving home interiors a clean, modern look and furnished with vintage items that appeal to both men and women. The soul relates back to the history and stories in every piece she finds. “We decorate with just the right amount of vintage — it is not overdone,” says Paige, explaining items she found at garage sales and refuse piles were rescued, reconfigured and reused as lights, tables, bed frames or unique and quirky art in the house.
“1450”
The Hulls got into the rental property business in Round Top in an unusual way. They were looking for a weekend getaway from Houston for their family when they came upon a 14-year-old house that was a mile from the Round Top square and within walking distance to venues for the twice-annual antiques show. Although the house was rather ordinary, almost a tract-style house, they rolled up their sleeves and got out their tools. They removed walls, raised ceilings, installed more windows and changed the style, character and personality of the 2,400-squarefoot, two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house. They recently painted the exterior black, with white trim and shutters and contrasted with the bright, white tones on the inside. They named the house “1450.” They knew rental property was needed during the busy show season as well as other times of the year, so they began advertising and renting their house. It was an instant success, and they soon will add a second rental to the property named ‘Boho,” which will also feature bedrooms and a large party room or conference center. 42 house& home | March 2017 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net