How many 1-and-a-half-year-olds have a Jimmy Sasso painting hanging above their cribs? Pilar Carolina Hoitsma does. She lives with her mom, Texas Monthly style editor Kristie Ramirez Hoitsma, in a 1930s-built Lakewood home. The Spanish revival-themed dwelling is also shared with dad Tom Hoitsma, who is in television production, and 4-and-a-half-year-old brother, Cruz.
The home is east Dallas cool, marrying modern accoutrements and rustic finishes. Built in 1935 by Dallas commercial builder J.M. Friedman (as his personal residence), the house features a stucco and solid granite exterior that was hand-cut on site by a crew of more than 100. Topped with a red terra-cotta tile roof, the home has the feel of a Spanish villa as one walks over hardwood floors and dark-stain tiles. Prominent local craftsman Henry Potter of Potter Art Metal Studios crafted the original ironwork, which is still showcased all over the house, most visibly along the staircase railing. The refurbished kitchen has a glass backsplash along all walls, constructed of blown glass, painted robin’s egg blue on one side. The color is a striking contrast to the black-stained cabinetry. An elevator, believed to be installed in the 1940s, is in working condition but kept unplugged for safety concerns. Perhaps the most enticing feature of the house is its huge backyard, which leads to a 2,000-square-foot guest house. The Hoitsmas have carved out an office for Kristie and an art studio for Tom on the bottom floor of the space, leaving the top floor to house visitors.
Kristie admits that it takes some work to keep her home in order and be able to showcase her eclectic style — a mix of old and new. “Tom and I are both so affected by aesthetics. If the house is in disarray, I can’t function. I think we basically try to keep temptation out of site. Anything of value we’ve put high enough that little hands can’t reach it. As for everything else, I think I’m like every mom. I’m in constant pick-up, wipe-up, sweep-up mode. We try to keep it contained in the TV room so the rest of the house is clutter-free, but that’s not always realistic with small kids. I regularly find Hot Wheels cars in my bed, blocks in my underwear drawer or lipstick scrawled on my bathroom floor. I try to keep it together, I try to do my best, but it doesn’t always happen,” says Kristie. “I refuse to let them take over the house. They are part of the house, not the whole house. I admittedly drive myself a little crazy sometimes — the wheels come off sometimes.”
Kristie is quick to credit the help of her nanny, Patricia, as part of the support system that helps keep her work/home schedule going. “It is also a big help and I’m fortunate to have someone that I completely trust to take care of my kids during the day while I work.”
Nonetheless, Kristie has found a way to naturally incorporate small children into the living space. “Cruz races on the PlasmaCar under that David LaChapelle. They have the freedom to be out and playing in the house,” she says. Other art of note in the Hoitsmas’ home includes works by Keith Haring and Cindy Sherman.
Kristie says the most important aspect of creating a perfect environment pertains to what is inside her home: her children. “We are very clear about our expectations: things like behave at restaurants, look someone in the eye when you say hello, etc. But we always come back to this life rule: be kind,” says Kristie. “Be kind to everyone, no matter what. I really do believe that your outlook on life will change if you treat everyone with kindness and do things without calculating a return. Pretension and snobbery is not tolerated in our house.”
