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APRIL | PAGE 45 | 2014 The three houses on the Palacios property together reveal not only the history and architecture of the original settlers of Round Top but the personal history of the homeowners. I left Houston with the eager anticipation that attends one's first approach and encounter of an unknown place. I had never been to Round Top but, through my exposure in the design field, had come to hear of its mythical biannual antiques fair — a story, told and retold, that in my imagination had transformed an expanse of country road into an endless exhibition of relics from the past. Exiting onto 237 from Highway 290, I soon saw road signs with antiquated words like "mill" and "creek." I was nearing my destination. An upward shift of my eye caught sight of a towering, overhead presence: an empty billboard advertising for fresh ads (a nod to the growing consumerism surrounding Round Top and its increasingly renowned fairs). I began to animate the alternating open fields and open-air structures draped in plastic in advance of this month's thousands of incoming dealers, collectors and curious visitors. I mentally populated each with variegated antiques, piled wide and high for crouching, hovering and peering bodies to handle and examine, to catch the glimmer of an overlooked piece that, to the purchaser, would become this year's found treasure. I passed the inaugural sign: Round Top City Limits Pop. 77 (although a Google search suggests a current population of 91), veered right onto South White Street and came to a stop at number 304. I was greeted by a scrolling white picket fence that runs the extent of the property, turning corners to delineate the grounds on which three separate historic houses stand together. I quickly adopted the informal habits of rustic, small-town living, leaned over the white gate, flipped the latch from the inside and proceeded to the porch. There hung an inviting swing, still in motion from the slight breeze (or perhaps the quick descent of a child), opposite two metal Harry Bertoia diamond chairs. This distinct combination of porch elements rendered an impression of the style of the current owners, Armando and Cinda Palacios — a smart and creative installation, exploring the turnover of contemporary objects as inventory of the past. On this porch, Harry Bertoia and the swing were equally vintage. The three houses on the Palacios property together reveal not only the history and architecture of the original settlers of Round Top but the personal history of the homeowners (well-known Houstonians and owners of the eponymous restaurant Armandos). Armando, on a country excursion 37 years ago, impulsively purchased the property, which at the time supported only the home of Round Top's original settler, James Winn (1830s). He did not immediately attend to its preservation but was keenly aware of its history and potential to become a significant cornerstone of his life. A professional encounter with a smart and unabashed architect, Cinda Ward, to assist on the renovation and permitting of his Houston residence resulted in a permanent union of creative and collaborative forces through marriage. Thus began the accumulation of additional structures onto the property: a purchase of another historical Round Top structure from the local Bybee foundation (2002), followed by the transplanting of the couple's Houston bungalow residence (2009) from Nett Street in the West End to Round Top. As to the oldest home in the Palacios compound, that of the Winn family that dates to the 1830s, the couple rigorously maintained a restorative eye on the preservation of the original structure, selectively stripping the paint layers to expose the natural finish of the underlying floor and wall boards. A certain charm is evinced when one realizes that the interlocking wood planks come together unevenly, an embracing of imperfection at odds with our modern insistence on the symmetrical application of building materials. I questioned Cinda if perhaps there was a purposeful pattern to the boards' placement; she smiled then proceeded to curtail my idealism: "Aesthetics was not a concern for them. Survival was." The decor of the house reflects the natural commingling of multiple styles that in their ease and guileless simplicity of execution affirm the simple elegance of the structure. In the bedroom, two Artemide Tizio table lamps surround the head of the bed, their slim geometry contrasting with the backdrop of the thick wood siding. The living area is an ode to comfort and leisure, composed of a slipcovered sofa, enveloping armchairs, salon-esque paintings, stacked books and historical ephemera. The spirit of the owners as adventurous collectors with urbane taste comes through the details, such as the gaping purse with a Scotch drink topped with a burning cigarette, resting on an accent table — a feat of trompe l'oeil until one discerns a humorous art piece by their close friend and artist, Franco Mondini- Ruiz. Rustic French chairs in the breakfast room surround a bright-white Saarinen tulip-base table. In the adjacent kitchen, integrated and efficient European cabinetry provides the necessary modern amenities Owners Armando and Cinda Palacios with their three dogs, on the lush yard in front of the Round Top Houses. Bedroom in the house moved from Houston (now called The Nest), with a skylight to fill the space with natural light. Bathroom at Winn House with bright white- painted wood-plank walls and floors. Lucy the Mexican chihuahua in her favorite place in the sun at Winn House. Dining area in Winn House with French antique dining chairs and a Saarinen dining table. Armando and Cinda Palacios walking the compound.