Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

French doors in the master suite open to the deck. ‘We like to come out here at night and sit,’ Pam said. ‘I know when my brother-in-law comes to visit he’ll want to be out here, too. The Norwegians love the outdoors since they can’t spend too much time outside in the wintertime.’

By Diane S. Morales, Caller-Times

Octoberr 22, 2006

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

Before the redesign, a wall in front of the kitchen island stretched to the banister, leaving a narrow opening for the balcony. The wrought-iron detail released the space’s weighed-down volume.

PHOTO GALLERY

Blasts from the decorating past kept Pam Fjeld-Hansen up at night, especially a 20-foot brick wall above the fireplace mantle. Other nightmarish details: mauve carpet, a brass and glass chandelier above the master tub, and black and white tiled kitchen counters with a cactus pattern wallpaper.

“This poor little house was so bad,” she said.

But the home’s bones — the roof, studs, foundation — were solid. And the waterfront view in the Padre Island home was breathtaking.

Texas-hearted

Pam and Jan Fjeld-Hansen moved from Venice, Fla., in September. They left a custom-built home after six months because Pam was homesick for Texas.

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

The master bath was a guest bedroom before the remodeling. A walk-in closet connected to the master bath leads to the utility room. The renovation also left enough room for a powder room outside the utility room.

“Most of our family is in Houston. I lived there for 20 years and I thought it would be nice to live by the water,” she said. “Family could visit us more often. I just thought ‘ah, perfect.’”

A magazine article about Padre Island convinced Pam, a former Realtor, to check out the market. Her real estate agent convinced Pam to check out the view of the Tesoro Street house.

“I called Jan and told him, ‘You should see what you bought,’” Pam said, laughing.

For eight months, Pam traveled between Florida and Corpus Christi to oversee the morphing of their four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home.

The couple consulted Jon Hall, owner of Prime Designs, to restructure the layout and builder Diana Homes Inc. to make it all happen.

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

To update the house, the exterior brick was smoothed over with stucco, the roofline changed to flatten the ceiling in the living room and the house was gutted. Walls near the entry were removed. Also, a closet under the staircase was removed to maximize space. Now it’s a cozy writing nook.

Coastal colors

Pam borrowed the same color palate of her Florida house — pale yellow walls and cream-colored crown moulding — for a fresh, comforting scene throughout the 3,100-square-foot spread.

“It’s bright, yet warm and neutral enough that I could do the whole house that color,” she said.

Amber and ivory marbleized porcelain tile floors laid with a thin grout line mimic a travertine appeal but without the cost. Bringing the house up to code meant conceding to porcelain floors, but style was hardly sacrificed.

Removing the walls around the dining area, kitchen and the balcony upstairs overlooking the living area lifted the space’s weight and exposed the volume of the house.

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

Besides pleasant sunrises, the Fjeld-Hansens enjoy watching boaters cruise the canal. The covered patio replaced the former open deck.

Cantera columns around the dining room frame the oval wood dining table. A china cabinet filled with sparkling stemware is showcased through glass doors. Some of the glasses are wedding gifts, heirlooms and finds from a retired cruise ship Jan captained.

The couple didn’t invest in new furniture or accessories to decorate their home.

“We had all of this junk at the other house,” said Jan, a retired commander of the Royal Norwegian Navy.

Both amassed an interesting collection of artwork by Janet Treby, Itzchak Tarkay, Roy Fairchild, Marcel Mouly and other mementos from their international travels.

Old meets new

Vertical picture windows in the living room filter sunlight around antique furniture, spotlighting the refinished cantera fireplace. Peacock lacquered panels from Vietnam color the wall above the mantle.

Eddie Seal/Special to the Caller-Times

Pam’s background in real estate, art and architecture classes helped her pull together the look of their Mediterranean-style décor. She keeps antique furniture alive by reupholstering them. The iron fireplace screen belonged to her grandmother.

This is the sixth home the couple has renovated, and Pam’s background in art and design made decorating the home easy and fun.

“I have to say this is my favorite space,” Pam said, waving her arm around the living area. “To see what it is now . . . it’s amazing the change.”

Pleasant views of the canal and a gallery of art behind the black wrought-iron banister upstairs replaced drab walls and the pink brick that stretched to the ceiling above the fireplace.

The outdated kitchen went from black and white funk to classy cherry-stained, maple cabinets, gourmet appliances, caramel-colored granite counters and a breakfast area with a waterfront view.

Upstairs to down

The redesign moved the upstairs master suite downstairs next to the kitchen where two guest bedrooms once sat.

Dark wood furniture enriches the nautical inspired colors of the bedding in rich blue, gold and burgundy. The elongated room cozies next to the master bath complete with amber-colored, onyx sink bowls on separate vanities.

Up the wood stairs, three niches trimmed with a cantera shelf display decorative masks, entertaining the walk up to the open balcony.

Alongside Pam and Jan’s shared office space, guest bedrooms sit quiet for visiting grandchildren and other family members from Houston and Norway.

French doors near the office lead to a balcony accented with a cantera balustrade. No brick walls here, but plenty of space for sunbathing and daydreaming.

Contact Diane S. Morales at 886-3758 or moralesd@caller.