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The walls throughout are a Benjamin Moore hue custom-mixed for Cathy to capture the color of milk. ("Whole, not skim," she notes.) was added downstairs, in a garage area formerly connected to the house; above it, teenage son Stuart's bedroom awaits his weekend arrival. The two-story living room now feels gloriously spacious. Grounding the room are thoughtful architectural details such as V-groove-covered walls with a slight 1/8-inch reveal and cove moldings that cleverly conceal lights above. One of Andrew's fortuitous finds was a pair of marble urns from the former Chiles estate in Fort Worth, decorated by William Haines, which anchor the grand style of this expansive room. Custom sofas are covered in an inexpensive, easy-to-clean muslin — double layered, with the idea that as layers wear and soil, a new one can be upholstered atop it. With the living room, dining room and master suite all facing toward the back gardens, the team made the most of the property's cliff-hugging location by installing multiple step-down terraces. A flagstone walk leads to a dining area surrounded by lush greenery growing with abandon. A few yards further and several steps downward, is a placid pool, where one can take a dip or take in the view. "Since the property slopes downward," says Andrew, who worked with John Arns of Madrone Landscape Design of Austin, "we had to determine how the house terraces would cascade down and follow the slope." Although the house glows by both day and night, Andrew — who favors spending idle moments in the living room — remarks, "When the back is moonlit and you're inside, there's a beautiful treehouse effect." No matter one's vantage point, inside or out, this stylish retreat truly fulfills its owner's original vision: It offers a magical change of scene from a hectic Houston life. In the guest bedroom, an antique Venetian mirror attends the bedside. Pillow covered in Fortuny fabric. Distressed Chinese side tables, which Cathy had whitewashed, from Balinskas. Top: In the master bedroom, a Ming chair from Balinskas substitutes as a nightstand. Hargett lamp by J. Randall Powers, from Circa Lighting. Above, middle: In the dining room, the giant hand-shaped andirons on the hearth are from Blackmon Cruz, Los Angeles. Above, bottom: The 1932 bungalow was added onto two decades ago and yet again in 2010 by Michael Landrum. Far left: In the master bedroom, a white-upholstered chair from Watkins Culver stands beside a resin reproduction elephant-foot table. Antique Russian secretary from Howard Hand Antiques. African vintage antler trophies. Left: The guest bath was remodeled with Carrara marble tiles. Polished-nickel bath fixtures from Fixtures & Fittings. OCTOBER | PAGE 60 | 2012