Above: E. J. Farhood ’s tree sports 5,000 sparkling lights and hundreds of Christopher Radko and Jonathan Adler ornaments he’s collected during the years. Three pendant lights from Geometrix by Schonbek bring year-round sparkle to the living room. Under the pendants, the semicircular sofa is from Contempo at the Decorative Center of Houston.
e.j. farhood is known for the spectacular holiday decorations he creates for shopping centers and office buildings. at home, he likes the warm ambiance
of a classic american christmas.
BY SANDRA COOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIRO DVORSCAK
The 1929 home of E.J. Farhood is situated in a blissful residential pocket of the dynamic Montrose district. Subdued and traditional, this unassuming two-story on a quiet street evokes visions of the ideal holiday card photo. With classic multicolored lights strung along the roofline and graceful garlands and wreath dressing up the porch, the scene only lacks the ever-elusive Houston snow.
Holiday images are something that affable homeowner E.J. is quite familiar with. He is co-owner of Always in Season, a commercial decoration design and interior landscaping company. If you ever shopped almost any major mall or significant shopping center during November or December, then you’ve seen E.J.’s grand and glistening designs: giant bows at Highland Village, oversized wreaths at Uptown Park and elaborate Christmas trees in office buildings and hotel lobbies all over town.
For his own holiday décor, E.J. adheres to modest, traditional accents, eliciting comments such as “Simply elegant,” rather than the “WOW!” required by his commercial decorations.
“My tree is decorated with my collection of Christopher Radko and Kurt Adler Polonaise hand-blown glass ornaments from Germany,” E.J. says with a smile. “I have a lot of boxed sets that feature themes like ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Casablanca.’”
The traditional approach for holiday décor complements the home nicely. Extensively renovated by the home’s previous owners, the house today is distinguished by its generous rooms, clean lines and broad, arched doorways.
“Two designers helped me out a lot with the house,” E.J. says, naming Caren McAllister at Contempo Design and Paul Brockman of Paul Brockman Creative.
GRACIOUS LIVING
The spacious living room is anchored by E.J.’s eye-catching semicircular sofa from Contempo at the Decorative Center. A convenient center table links two arcs in neutral upholstery. Three pendant lights from Geometrix by Schonbek feature amber Swarovski crystals layered over blue and green for a rich, full-color effect. Original black tile surrounds the fireplace, which boasts a brass bumper with muted green cushions — an icon of the home’s era.
Striped drapes hug the corners of the living room, giving the illusion of larger windows. E.J.’s 1920s 20-by-16-foot (gallery size) Tabriz Persian rug previously welcomed guests at an Austrian hotel and is a perfect fit for the space.
The adjacent sunroom features E.J.’s prized 1963 Seeburg jukebox. Acquired when he was just a teen-ager, the treasure plays real 45s and always
is a hit with party guests. Speaking of parties, the nearby bar serves both as beverage station and workstation, with a small desk tucked behind the counter.
The combined kitchen/sitting room/dining room works as one large social room for dinners and gatherings. The thoroughly modern kitchen features stainless appliances, including two dishwashing drawers that make running small loads practical and convenient. A generous island accommodates appliances and bar seating, while a group of chairs from Contempo handles social overflow and sits opposite artist Nicholas Bakaysa’s painting of Houston artist Kelly Lauren.
Above the glass dining table hangs a 1930s French Art Deco light fixture found at Wooster Gallery in New York. The elongated fixture, which most likely came from a department store, drenches the entire length of the very modern table in nostalgic grace.
“I love Art Deco pieces, and I do have a few, but my style is very mixed,” says E.J. “I have everything from antiques to ultracontemporary.”
“Ultracontemporary” certainly describes Marlys Tokerud’s design in the downstairs powder room. The ASID designer created a dazzling look with mica wall covering and a solid onyx sink on a gold leather countertop. Copper-colored mini glass tiles lend plenty of glitz to this tiny room that was once a mere coat closet, but now serves as a splendid treat for guests.
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RESOURCES
PAUL BROCKMAN CREATIVE
INTERIOR DESIGN
713.628.4849
CONTEMPO DESIGN
Modern furniture and accessories
Decorative Center of Houston
5120 Woodway Drive, Suite 101
713.439.0044
KRISPEN
Decorative accessories
3723 Westheimer Road
713.621.4404
RETRO GALLERY
Vintage posters
1839 W. Alabama St.
713.522.7074
LIGNE ROSET
Modern bedroom furniture
5600 Kirby Drive, N-3
713.629.7722
Marlys Tokerud
42
713.520.8666
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