< Previous50 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 FEATURE the neighborhoods she has selected — in scale and design, she said. “I wanted to show I could be thoughtful in my approach, integrating exquisite, one-of- a-kind materials in a more efficient, well-de- signed footprint,” she said. “I want the world to know that there is something really special happening on a small island in Texas.” Plum Construction uses craftsmanship from days past, she said. “I want people to see that a single mom is a builder, working to turn new construc- tion on its head,” she said. “I’m not building anything ordinary or for the masses.” Plum uses vintages items when she can — for doors, trim, flooring and lighting, to name a few. Using vintage items, most locally sourced, reduces the carbon footprint of her houses, she said. “During construction, I save all usable lumber and other construction materials for the next project, rather than throwing ev- erything in the dumpster. It does take some storage space, but it’s totally worth it.” She also uses finishes made of natural ma- terials such as stone and wood, she said. “I use finishes that are not only timeless so they’ll stand the test of time and not need to be ripped out when the trends change, but also high quality so they’ll last and only get better with time,” she said. In her latest home, she reused the tops of the pilings for a patio behind the house, keeping the large timber out of landfill. She also stages and styles her homes af- ter construction with mostly vintage items, she said. “Vintage is good for the environment because it’s already led a life and is so well made that it can continue in another life in a modern home for years to come,” she said. Plum most often can be found in a Wild- fang jumpsuit and her floral Doc Martens. On site, she wears a pink hard hat with a pink tool belt. “Pink is my favorite color,” she said. (Right) The kitchen in the House of Salt and Honey on Ursuline Street in Galveston showcases custom cabinets and marble surfaces as well as vintage-in- spired appliances. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 5152 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 FEATURE Plum was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Bitburg, Germany, into a family of builders. “I grew up in a family of builders and con- tractors, playing on job sites and entranced by the puzzle of putting together a remark- able living space,” she said. “My grandfather, dad and uncle were all builders in Grass Valley, California. When I was married, I was always the handy one.” Plum was a stay-at-home mom for 17 years until a divorce forced her to recreate herself, she said. “When my oldest and middle sons left for college, I sold the large family home and, using the equity, bought a small cottage in Galveston, which I turned into a vacation rental. It was extremely successful.” Soon, she saved enough for a second cottage. “It was my first mortgage as a single mom,” she said. “I was so proud, so I turned that house into a vacation rental as well.” Six months later, she began building her first home under the name of Plum Con- struction and Design. In her earlier homes, she tiled the bathrooms and finished the whole project by herself. Now, she has a project manager and team of carpenters, engineers and masonry workers who share her commitment to authenticity. Plum’s latest masterpiece, the House of Salt and Honey, 4010 Ursuline St. in Galves- ton, reflects the culmination of the best in all she’s learned about what her audience desires, she said. The 1,300-square-foot home aligns with the goals of a generation focused on profes- sional achievement rather than accumulating possessions, she said. Some homeowners are couples who prefer the freedom of a minimalist lifestyle, she said. Ten-foot ceilings throughout Plum’s design provide a sense of spacious expanse. Down the hall, an antique vanity graces the Jack-and-Jill bathroom off the secondary bed- room. All cabinets and lighting fixtures are cus- tom, including a ceramic light from Belgium and a chandelier made from the original clock from the 1968 HemisFair in San Antonio. Open rafter tails, hand-thrown ceramic vessels in the bathrooms, Art Deco light fixtures — often in a shade of pink or a paint color she concocts to mirror a color in a painting or a doorway in France — have Ten-foot ceilings and windows allowing in natural light provide a sense of spacious expanse in the 1,300-square-foot home. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 53 become Plum signatures. An antique interior door from Europe decorates a wall between the kitchen and living room. Her light fixtures also are remarkable, as are the antique mirrors, accenting the rooms that are filled with natural lighting. There’s a fixture in one of the bedrooms, which are painted in deep, dark rich colors, made from a drop cloth splattered with a Jackson Pollock pattern. Bathrooms feature leathered marble countertops, offering a more tactile experience. Fully landscaped lots with paver walkways and a unique wood-piling patio also are Plum signatures. The kitchen is home to a sideboard cre- ated from an antique card catalogue, with drawers that are perfect for linens, napkin rings, small utensils or cooking tools. A red ticking stripe fabric widely used for farm- house kitchens, but done in a fresh, modern way, graces the space under the travertine farmhouse sink. The kitchen showcases cus- tom cabinets and marble surfaces, as well as vintage-inspired appliances. The House of Salt and Honey is a standout among the Victorian and Crafts- man homes, reflecting a creative spirit of fun, whimsy and beauty. The vibe of the home is warm modernism with a Mediterra- nean flair. Saltillo tile throughout her new, 1,300-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home also is found in the one-bedroom casita with kitchenette and full bath. “I love showcasing artists in my homes,” she said. “Whether it is a ceramic artist who has hand-made tiles and vessel sinks, or a fiber artist who has commissioned a piece specifically for the home, every choice I make for my homes is about curating some- thing so special that you know this home is art in every sense of the word.” The bedrooms are painted in deep, dark rich colors. “Every choice I make for my homes is about curating something so special that you know this home is art in every sense of the word.” CHRISTINE PLUMAt Texas A&M University at Galveston, marine biology students research the genetic mechanisms of Turritopsis dohrnii, a biologically immortal jellyfish, right alongside renowned faculty. While human immortality is distant, with this research and the advent of DNA-based technologies, relief for those with genetic disorders could be within a tentacle’s reach. Whether your interests take you above, below or on the water, as the marine & maritime campus of Texas A&M University, we have the resources you need to succeed. Discover your part in driving our blue economy with degrees in science, engineering, transportation, business and liberal arts. Chart the course to your future today. Visit tamug.edu for more. EVEN BETTER THAN DEVELOPER SERVICES PROPERTIES &CO COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 57 Money Management – Included in Our Online Banking See ALL your accounts in one location and keep track of your spending. Money Management lets you sync any account from any institution and budget accordingly. It’s simple to add a new account through your HomeTown Bank online app or by logging in from your computer. Just sign in and you can see all your current balances and your personalized budget. The smart and fun way to budget – HomeTown Bank Money Management Galveston • Pearland • League City Friendswood • Alvin • www.HomeTown.Bank OOOOO Five-Star “Superior” rating by BauerFinancial, Inc., awarded December, 2022 OOOOO 58 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 HOMEPORT ‘A TREASURE HUNT’ Dickinson couple turns back the clock in cozy ranch-style home story by BARBARA CANETTI | photos by STUART VILLANUEVA T iffany and Tyler Cloud live in a comfortable, tree-lined Dickinson subdivision where most of the houses are ranch style with brick exteriors. On the outside, their home matches everyone else’s. But inside, the Clouds have turned back the clock many decades and furnished it with antiques and vintage furniture collected after many hours of scouring thrift stores, garage sales, Facebook markets and through the generosity of relatives. “I have a liking for vintage,” said Tiffany, who works at the University of Texas Medical Branch as an animal resources technologist. “I like the old-school farmhouse theme. Some- day, I would love to live in an old farmhouse.” For now, she’s happy decorating her four-bedroom house Tyler and Tiffany Cloud have filled their Dickinson home with an assortment of antiques and vintage furniture they’ve collected. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MArCH 2023 59 Mismatched frames sit atop a fireplace mantel Tyler Cloud erected in the living room. in Sherwood Oaks subdivision with fun finds that give her home an eclectic feel. For instance, she and husband Tyler, a chemical process operator at Braskem, erected a fireplace mantel — there’s no fireplace though — in the living room and placed four mismatched antique and ornate gold frames on top with nothing in the settings. “I like the empty look in the frames,” she said. “I really just liked the frames. But I am constantly moving things around. When I get bored, I change things. I think my husband ap- preciates what I am doing.” An old deli scale she found at a garage sale sits atop the granite kitchen counter, contrasting with the more modern kitchen and appliances. Her plan is to try to incorporate Next >