Folded into verdant fairways, the Country Club hides some of Corpus Christi’s most distinctive and varied properties. True to the architectural building style during its development, an array of residences line an island in the heart of the golf course.
Corpus Christi natives Ana and Jeff Lehrman were looking for just such a property as the ideal home to raise their family. Taken by its abundant natural light, versatile layout with both open concept and specific purpose spaces and beautiful outdoor patio and swimming pool, the couple purchased the home in 2019.
“We liked the fusion of an older home mixed with modern elements,” Ana recalled of their initial attraction to the house, a quality which is apparent immediately upon entry. The double-height foyer, washed in natural light from large arched windows, highlights a cable-suspended floating staircase to set the tone for this pseudo-Mediterranean turned contemporary residence.
Honed rustic travertine tiles and warm whites mixed with natural wood tones provide a subtle backdrop to set off one of the couple’s passions: a collection of Latino art. Primarily sourced from artists in Santa Fe and Mexico City, the abstract and vividly colored imagery brings the foyer and front living room to life.
“This art is special to me; I’m very proud of my culture, and it’s important to see Latino artists representing my heritage,” Ana explained. A mixture of mediums, canvases and framed artwork adorns the walls and main hallway, which leads to a second floating spiral staircase.
Taking full advantage of the property’s footprint, the Lehrmans undertook a home theater addition for extra living space where friends and family could gather. As an avid sports fan and movie buff, Jeff had always dreamed of a space where his hobbies could converge.
“We were very intentional in having it feel like a theater,” Jeff explained. With the help of contractor Vince Gutierrez, Jr. of Bell Luxury Homes, they took special measures to achieve the theater effect both audiovisually and aesthetically. From sourcing popcorn-themed carpet to a wall-to-wall viewing screen and cinema-ready lounge chairs, this space adds another much-used space to the home for the family to enjoy.
The kitchen, the heart of the home and a place where Ana derives great joy from cooking and entertaining their extended families, takes a more contemporary line. With hospitality in mind, the original open concept kitchen/dining/living space was ample but was not functionally optimum. “It was really important to remodel and open up the kitchen and living space,” Ana shared. “We have a really large family, so we wanted room to host comfortably for the holidays.”
The Lehrmans solicited help from interior designer Elizabeth Welsh to reimagine the space to suit the family’s needs. By adding a second island, a treatment being seen more often in kitchen design, they were able to double the counter space for serving and bring bar seating closer to the dining area. Matching the two stones was a design challenge that bore a very fruitful outcome when seeing the two islands together, as though they’d both always been there.
At the far end of the room, a wall of river rock did not suit their more elegant contemporary interiors. In its place, Welsh designed a focal wall that combined white oak millwork elements for storage and display with an electric fireplace and flush mount television. “I prefer the primary areas of my home to be more scaled back with a neutral palette. It feels clean and comfortable,” Ana said.
To Jeff and Ana, home is a safe space, a sanctuary to feel most relaxed and comfortable surrounded by loved ones and mementos of their life together.
A cable-suspended floating staircase and vibrant Latino artwork are juxtaposed in the entry foyer. Each striking art piece, while in a collective setting, holds its own with dissimilar textures, hues and materials, displaying a collage of intricate details. The Lehrmans are proud to showcase the creativity and vitality of Mexican culture.
