Risin g from the Ashes story and photos by VJ Arizpe From the moment Ed and Bea Uvacek opened the door, they could tell they were walking into a very special home. The beautiful Mediterranean-style home is filled with an eclectic mix of traditional home furnishings and intricate custom details. You see that etched glass piece framed over the arched window? asked Bea, It came from the old home. The Uvacek s original 1970s multi-level ranch house caught fire around noon on December 11, 2009, when a rusted burner in the furnace over the kitchen ceiling, leaked gas, igniting the insulation, starting a fire that consumed the home. The blaze was so hot, the fire chief had to pull his men for a period of time, so we all sat outside and watched it burn. It felt AT HOME MAGAZINE - 2012 ISSUE 25
surreal, Bea said as she stood gazing at the curved wall of arched windows in the new living room. As she walked into the open kitchen, Bea commented how fortunate she was. So many people in the community were there to help us, she said. As the fire dwindled, the fire station PR department helped them get a room at the Courtyard Marriott, which offers free rooms for victims of house fires. At the time, we were house-sitting for our neighbors, the Goeberts, who after hearing about the fire, insisted we stay in their home, while they were away. It makes me feel badly for those with no place to go after something like that happens, Bea said. When the newspaper contacted Ed and Bea to see where they wanted the donations sent, the Uvacek s asked them to tell people to donate to Twin City Mission and Hospice Brazos Valley instead. As Ed and Bea dealt with the aftermath of the fire, they were faced with the option of building a new house in a new location, or rebuilding at the existing site in their neighborhood surrounded by the friends they had grown to love. They decided to stay. Then they called Billy Chenault, owner of CGM Home Builders, on the recommendation of the Woodbury s, their close friends from church. How can you not love Billy, Bea exclaimed. From the moment we met him, it was obvious he had to be our builder. 26 Having the opportunity to rebuild the Uvacek s home was one of the most rewarding experiences for me both professionally and personally. Bea and Ed are such exceptional people. They always put their friends and family s needs before their own. It was clear from the first AT HOME MAGAZINE - 2012 ISSUE
time I met the Uvacek s that this project would be special, Chenault said. As we walked through the charred structure of the Uvacek s 1970s home, I knew we could create a floor plan that would accommodate their lifestyle and be much more functional, accessible, and energy efficient using the existing foundation and materials that could be salvaged. { Home Feature } In order to achieve these goals, Chenault called on local architect Nathan Winchester, of Winchester Designs. Nathan and I have worked on many projects over the years and the thing that I really appreciate is his patience with each client. We often meet together with clients in order to design a home that meets both their needs and their budget. Nathan is truly talented. At their meeting, it became evident that even though they were building in the same location, the Uvacek s needs and tastes had changed over the 30-year period since the home was originally purchased. For instance, they now liked the idea of an open kitchen, and they wanted the new house to be handicap accessible. They also wanted the guest space, that before was not directly accessible to the main house, to now have direct access. The goal from a cost standpoint was to work with the existing slab, Winchester said. This presented a challenge, since many of the spaces were originally expressed with the changing floor levels. To allow for handicap accessibility, all of the functions now needed to be on a single floor, and the intermediary levels were eliminated. We wanted to maintain, and even further identify individual spaces, while considering the accessibility issues. So the spaces were defined with the ceiling articulation instead. First Page: Furniture from Ambrose Furniture in Downtown Bryan, fills the Uvacek s living room. Opposite page: The before and after photos show the transformation of the entry hall way from the studs to the finished product. This page: Above Top: The master bedroom transformed into a retreat including a reading nook with a fireplace. Above: The dated master bathroom was reworked to include a trayed ceiling, more counter space, and luxurious finishes. AT HOME MAGAZINE - 2012 ISSUE 27
Above and AboveTop: The exterior of the house transformed styles. What was once a ranch-style home, is now a beautiful Mediterranean-style home. Left: The gutted kitchen after the fire. Below: The neutral kitchen greets guests with light and provides ample space for entertainment. Originally the house had long, narrow halls and low ceilings throughout, except for the family room. The long halls were shortened and now opened to spaces along the circulation path. This allowed for views from multiple rooms to the front and rear of the home. The existing master bath was large, but needed updating and had no windows. To brighten the space, the bath was moved and positioned on an exterior wall to allow for natural light. The exterior of the home was also transformed. There was a large wooden patio with several levels off the family room and breakfast area. The exterior living spaces were replaced with hardscape materials reducing the need for regular maintenance. The patio was also raised to the level of the interior for easier access. To complete the new patio, a summer kitchen and outdoor fireplace were added off the breakfast room for entertaining their friends and family. 28 AT HOME MAGAZINE - 2012 ISSUE
Left to right: Don Feltz, Bea Uvacek, Billy Chenault, Ed Uvacek, Josh Ortiz, and Nathan Winchester The original slab stepped out beyond the framed wall to support a brick veneer. Ed decided he wanted a Spanish style, clay tile roof and stucco exterior finish, Chenault said. A simple bump out low on the exterior wall was created to incorporate the concrete that had remained after the brick was removed. Bea and Ed s close friend Don Feltz, a retired mechanical and nuclear engineer from Texas A&M, was their consultant during construction, Chenault said. Don was wonderful to work with and his input was always appreciated and helpful. The project became a family affair as Bea and Ed s son, Eddie, and daughter and son-in-law, Debi and Peter, also contributed their time and talents to the family home re-construction. Eddie did all the structured wiring for sound, television, computers, Internet, etc.; Peter re-built the fence; and Debi assisted Bea and Patty Chenault in making selections such as paint colors, granite, and lighting. Ed was great at keeping everyone entertained and smiling. See those bricks that form part of the back patio? queried Bea. My Debi reclaimed them from the burned house, and worked them into the new patio design. We thought it was a great idea. With their expertise and experience, Billy and Don made the process easy for us. We had so much faith in the team that we took off to Mexico for vacation, Bea said. As the home was coming down to the final touches, Becky Luther, faux finish artist of Custom Wall Designs, was brought in to work her magic by glazing and painting the cabinetry and trim, thus establishing the perfect mood for each room. When it came time to furnish the home, Bea wanted to add a few new pieces to her collection, and re-use some of her salvageable existing furniture, which had to be reupholstered. For this job, Bea went to Ambrose Furniture in downtown Bryan. Josh and Ray were great to work with. They were patient with me, and made sure I didn t make quick decisions that I would regret. Josh even pushed me to think outside of my comfort zone and choose accent pillows that I would have never thought to use, and I m so glad he did. I love them. Walking through the home, it is evident how much Bea and Ed are present in every space. I consider being chosen as someone s home builder a distinct privilege and honor, Chenault said. Given such a high level of trust inspires an equal sense of responsibility to my clients. When we finish a project and the homeowner walks in, and there are tears of happiness, I feel we ve met our goal. The most rewarding feeling comes from the fact that through this process of constructing a home, we have now built a special friendship with the entire family. They all became part of our family, Bea said. I feel like the Lord sent angels to take care of us. And while they all sat together laughing around the kitchen table surrounded by intricately detailed woodwork and vistas of the sprawling backyard, one could tell that it was true. AT HOME MAGAZINE - 2012 ISSUE 29