Saturday Shelterporn

Yes, we know, it's been a while — a long time, really — since Houstonist brought you the last installment of shelterporn, in which we indulge our fascination with both architecture and places we don't live. But, see, we've been busy doing what we do in our spare moments: driving the curving streets of River Oaks, pretending we live in the lap of luxury. "Yes," we tell passers-by as we stand very near the lawn of a sprawling River Oaks manse, "this is our little cottage. It's not much, but after all, we do only have a staff of eight." (That's about as far as we usually get before the River Oaks Patrol shows up and kicks escorts us out of the neighborhood.)

Speaking of River Oaks, we call your attention this week to a 1939 home on Kirby Drive, designed by Hiram Salisbury and expanded by noted architect John Staub. Outside, the house is a traditional 1930s Georgian, but two renovations in the 1990s left its interior a striking mix of old and new. Downstairs are the generous living and family rooms, both of which have their original mantelpieces and neutral color schemes that serve as perfect backdrops for contemporary art (which, sadly, probably isn't included in the price of the house). There's also the light kitchen, with Italian marble and stainless steel countertops, a Viking range and oven and a Sub-Zero refrigerator — and if we've learned anything by looking at fancy houses, it's that a kitchen just isn't a kitchen unless it has appliances that cost as much as small cars. The Staub addition we mentioned earlier is downstairs, too; it houses a black-and-white marble-floored sunroom that overlooks the lawn with its professionally designed gardens and 60-foot lap pool. Upstairs, four bedrooms (each with a private bath) sport their original oak floors and plenty of windows.

Though we love contemporary houses, we also have a soft spot for traditional architecture, so a house like this is perfect. Now we just have to figure out how to get around the price — where's one of those subprime motrgages when you really need one? Bedrooms: four. Bathrooms: four and a half. Square feet: 4,940. Price: $2.199 million.