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Lighting tucked in the boxed ceiling crevice creates a warm glow in the living area where the Born family enjoys watching movies together.

By Diane S. Morales, Caller-Times

October 09, 2005

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Instead of a formal dining room, the Borns formed a casual sitting room near the home’s entrance. A colorful patchwork area rug from Colorado picks up the neutral tones in the room and adds a hint of color as well.

Replacing a snow blower for a riding lawn mower was a bittersweet day for Patrick Born when he moved his family from Colorado to Corpus Christi in December 2004.

“It takes about three hours to mow our 1-acre lot. We’d like it more if the beach was right here,” Born said, motioning to the thick brush landscape bordering the backyard.

A little extra mowing is worth the labor for a slice of peaceful living in La Cantera in Flour Bluff for the South African-born couple and their three children.

“We grew up along the coast in South Africa,” Penny Born said. “And we wanted to live by the water again. We just love the beaches here because they’re flat and good for walking, exercising.”

And with only a 20-minute jaunt to Padre Island, the Borns plan to stay in Corpus Christi for a long while.

The couple chose the four-bedroom, four-bath home built by Jim Phillips & Sons Construction for its location, design and its ready-to-move-in appeal.

When the Borns lived in Colorado, they spent a lot of time and money on home improvement projects in their 6,200-square-foot home. The only room the couple changed in their two-story Cantera Trail home was converting a third-car garage into an art studio for Penny’s ceramic painting hobby and business.

Penny’s South African roots are reflected in the brightly colored, pin-dot ceramic artwork of guinea fowl and fish themes on platters displayed in her studio and throughout the home.

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Custom-made bedding from the couple’s homeland, South Africa, graces the rustic teal iron bed frame.

Other reminders of their homeland accent the decor along with a few family heirlooms, antique shop finds and rustic furniture pieces for a warm and comfortable setting.

At the entrance, ivory tanned tile floors lead guests to a casual sitting area where a tan leather sofa overlooks a paned window with a view of the front lawn. Faux dark wood floors contrast with an ivory tapestry loveseat set opposite the sofa in the room.

“We had no need for a formal dining room, so we use it as a sitting area,” Penny said.

Beige colored walls come to life in the room with a bouquet of pheasant feathers topped on a natural wood TV armoire.

A trio of slender wooden giraffe peek around the armoire’s corner, and a glimpse of Penny’s artistic talent is introduced in the guinea fowl plates displayed on an iron rack on the wall.

Across the sitting room is the family’s classroom where Penny home schools her 11-year old son Warrick and 6-year old daughter Paige.

Eddie Seal/Caller-Times

In the master bath, granite counters cover separate vanity stations. Red accents from the chair and the wooden frame contrast with the neutral tones.

‘Heart of the house’

In the living room, more rustic furnishings dominate the decor, especially a wall-to-wall entertainment center housing a big-screen television.

Penny said they bought the expandable natural wood unit in Colorado. The family often congregates in the living room to watch movies, Patrick’s favorite pastime when he isn’t working on his photography business.

“It’s the heart of the house,” he said. “When Penny cooks, I can sit in the dining or living room and we can all chat with the kids.”

Two-toned charcoal black sofas contrast with the geometric patterned pastel yellow, blue and green toss pillows that match the window sheers.

Penny describes her decor as “eclectic,” combining bits of home with new and antique pieces, which suits Patrick just fine.

“We wanted a home, not a museum, something comfortable,” Penny said. “Everything we have is well-used.”

And thoughtfully placed from the abstract African art above the two-sided fireplace to the hand-made natural wood bench and matching shelf set on the opposite side of the room behind the sofa. Patrick said he crafted the pieces from wood scraps from their home in Colorado.

“I just couldn’t bear seeing that wood go to waste,” he said.

Eddie Seal/Caller-Times

Bright mustard walls inspire creativity in Penny Born’s art studio where she works on painting ceramics. “Patrick bought me a potter’s wheel for my 40th birthday,” Born said. “I used to do it a long time ago, but I’m getting back into it.”

Art is life

The split bedroom layout divides the master suite near the kitchen with two bedrooms on the other side of the living room and the Borns’ 17-year old son Jarryd’s room upstairs near Patrick’s office, which overlooks a balcony into the backyard.

In the master suite, a boxed ceiling with inset lighting around the crevices — identical to the living room’s ceiling — centers an iron bed frame.

African patchwork bedding in red, orange, black, tan colors depicts abstract images of fowl, fish, huts, chameleons and African ladies.

Hanging behind the bed, framed abstract African artwork in shades of black and yellow illustrates a man playing the congas and another piece in green and black tones depicts a maraca player.

On the opposite end of the house near the living room, Paige’s room of quaint decor in pink and white accessories is a girl’s dream with it’s white canopy net draped above the white iron framed bed.

But it’s Penny’s art studio where vibrant color flows freely from the mustard colored walls to her painted platters.

Penny painted the room and stained the concrete floors a rich brown. Animal print sheers contrast with bright yellow curtains swagged on iron rods overlooking the front yard.

The neighborhood children often ask Penny if they can paint in her studio, a request she rarely denies.

What’s also undeniable is the peacefulness of living on a one-acre lot.

“We love the wildlife here,” Patrick said. “The javelinas, tree frogs, deer and there’s a lot of birds, too.”

“I like that Corpus Christi has a small-town feel, but it has everything you need,” Penny added.