Restoration and Renewal

Learn how a Texas family rebuilt their home after a flood took everything.

- LAUREN HOFER

PUMPKIN ABUNDANCE.

While Kim kept the indoor pumpkin usage to a minimum, outside she used an assortment of different pumpkins in abundance to make a dramatic and natural statement.

PULL UP A CHAIR. These antique chairs were another Round Top find. They face the kitchen to provide a comfortable place for guests to relax while Kim is working in the kitchen.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, Kim and Austin Elizondo anticipated a flood of perhaps 6 inches. As they retreated to their second story, trying to stay calm and entertain the children, the waters continued to rise through the night. They soon realized that not only was the damage to their home going to be worse than they had ever imagined, but they would also need to abandon their home and make it to safety. “At 1:45 a.m. my husband blew up a twin-sized air mattress and pushed our kids to safety to the highest point on the street,” Kim says. Later, rescue teams in boats rescued her too.

ZONING OUT. Known to the Elizondo family as “the reading room,” this space is Kim’s relaxation zone and one of her favorite rooms in the house.