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Preservation Houston members are invited to a special open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 27, at the Martha Perlitz House in Montrose, one of Houston’s finest Craftsman-style homes. As the property comes on the market, this special open house offers visitors the chance to see the results of an award-winning restoration up close.
Built by the Russell Brown Company for Martha Schuhmacher Perlitz, the house is said to have been designed by Houston architect Alonzo Dawson. According to family accounts, Dawson based the design on a Pasadena, California, residence that Martha and her late husband admired during their honeymoon.
When the current owners purchased the property in 2020, much of the original design had been lost. Windows had been sealed shut, the floor plan had been altered and much of the millwork, wainscoting and beamed ceilings had been removed. Over the next several years, the owners carefully restored the house using historic photographs, architectural evidence and accounts from family descendants. Porches were reopened, 14 window sashes were recreated from a 1912 photograph, the original floor plan was restored and long-lost interior details were reconstructed. Several original light fixtures removed during an earlier renovation were also returned to the house. The restoration project received a Good Brick Award in 2025.
Visitors will see a home complete with leaded glass, a screened sleeping porch, tiled fireplaces and beautiful interior woodwork — all Craftsman hallmarks that bring the house closer to Dawson’s original vision than at any point in recent memory.
Open house details
📅 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 27
📍 503 Avondale Avenue
🚗 Street parking is free in the neighborhood; please observe posted regulations
🎟 This event is free and open to PH members and their guests