As a custom home builder and founder of Mirador Builders, Jennifer Hamelet is no stranger to the newest trends in home design, yet Hamelet’s projects often embrace traditional styles and materials. “I still want them to have a bit of that Old World feel,” Hamelet previously told Houstonia. Consider this European-style estate in River Oaks, designed by Hamelet and Murphy Mears Architects. From the stucco and stone exterior, to the reclaimed antique French tile flooring in the primary suite, it’s got Old World vibes to spare.   

This being an estate and all, of course it’s big, with an 8,900-square-foot plan for the primary house, on a .62-acre lot that includes landscaped gardens, a pool and spa, and pool house, all in the sought after River Oaks neighborhood. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a room that doesn’t glory in Hamelet’s eye for detail, starting at the entry, with its custom carved white oak door stained to contrast gently with the surrounding stone exterior. 

The main floor has a host of formal spaces earmarked for entertaining. There’s the main salon, which has eleven-foot-high beamed ceilings and a custom stone fireplace with five-foot-tall firebox. Custom steel and glass doors open to an exterior loggia with a groin-vaulted ceiling that protects the patio, so any party can easily flow outside. 

Additional formal spaces include the dining room, wired for sound and with a fireplace of its own, and two powder rooms, each done up in a stunning combo of wallpaper and statement stone vanities. There’s even a wet bar outfitted in custom cabinetry and marble slab counters with a serving window, for a steady flow of libations during any gathering. 

As for informal, family-oriented rooms, they’re here, too, differentiated from the formal spaces by their crisp, white-painted wood-paneled ceilings, which lend a cozier feel. The den, breakfast room, and kitchen are all clustered together, with views and easy access to the backyard. 

In the kitchen, find an over seven-foot-long Lacanche range, matched by a sizable butcher-block topped island that’s paired with a marble baking counter—lower in height for optimal kneading. With a gold-finished sink lit by Murano sconces, the dishwashing station is no less well-appointed. 

A nearby scullery has additional workspace and custom storage, built-in SubZero wine storage, and a swing door to the dining room. Add to all that, a library with paneled walls, shelving, and unique inlaid flooring.       

Upstairs, there’s a game room, kitchenette, and powder room, as well as four en-suite bedrooms, and the primary suite. In the latter, find a vaulted ceiling, fireplace, luxe bathroom fittings, and two closets, both with plentiful custom storage ready for everything, from handbag niches to fancy formal wear. Such is how, in a home like this, even something as mundane as a closet is elevated.  

Listing Fast Facts  

Address: 2445 Pine Valley Ct, Houston, TX 77019

Size: 8,900 square feet/5 bedroom/6 full + 4 half baths  

List Date: 10/28/2022  

List Price: $12,900,000  

Listing Agent: Patricia Reed, Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty