Arty Living In The Woodlands — 1 Riva Row Takes Creative Spaces To New Levels With Kelie Mayfield’s Interiors

1 Riva Row, the new 13-story high-rise, townhomes and two-story poolside dwellings land in The Woodlands, certainly boasts a novel, striking exterior. But Riva Row’s interiors, designed by the MaRS Culture team led by interior designer Kelie Mayfield, is arguably even more unparalleled. International art abounds, along with the kind of place setting story telling that makes Mayfield in such demand.

“We got the shell of the building, and we started studying it from an architecture standpoint,” Mayfield tells PaperCity The Woodlands. “Part of the concepting that we were doing and the research that we’re doing early on centered on The Woodlands. Trees are inspirational and what this area is about. So nature was a big influence that played into it.

“You can look out and see the tensile structure from The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. That kind of light and airiness — we thought was quite lovely as well. The Waterway, with all the activities; we took inspiration from. We took all of this research and study and walking around and experiencing things, and it distilled into our own story about the project.”

1 Riva Row’s story includes 75 pieces of art, a commitment to the ethos The Woodlands has become known for in its own story.

“Art in general at a community level, we probably have more public art than any community of our size,” Jim Carman, the president of the Texas region for developer Howard Hughes, tells PaperCity.

That comes to life as soon as you enter the lobby of 1 Riva Row, with suspended resin-and-wire sculptures from Japanese artist Yuriko Yamaguchi overhead, evoking the sensation of walking under sunlit branches, and sculpted plaster works from Brandon Mike framing views with graceful curves reminiscent of the Pavilion’s architecture. Yamaguchi was on hand for the installation of her work, and she visited the site often. Her work is done in hand-cast resin pieces, which gives the multi-story piece a lightweight feel despite its massive size.

“She even built a huge template, so that the connection points were exactly on the ceiling, because from an engineering standpoint, they have to be and they were,” MaRS’ Jen Henderson says. “From there, a mock up was created to be able to see the piece and study it in sections.”

The luxe interior spaces, from community gathering spaces to individual and co-working areas, games rooms and the fitness center, all have curated artwork, jewel-toned furniture and accents and bespoke finishes.

“This project, really this and the Ritz-Carlton (Residences, The Woodlands), overlapped a lot — in terms of when we kicked off the thought process,” Carman tells PaperCity. “The Ritz being a for sale project and this one being for lease. With the idea that we needed to enhance lifestyle opportunities for people in The Woodlands.”

1 Riva Row is built to last every bit as much the showcase Ritz-Carlton condominium high-rise. With studio apartments starting at $2,100 per month, the townhomes starting at $4,250 per month and the penthouses (the first penthouses ever for rent in The Woodlands) beginning at $4,000 per month, the quality shining through is a must. The world class art of Riva Row is a major part of that.

An Arty World

One of the favorite art pieces of early residents of 1 Riva Row (the first residents moved in last November) can be found in the lounge next to the pool deck. MaRS commissioned a tile mural, created from a photo by California photographer Mallory Morrison.  Her photo “Rebirth” — which essentially depicts the dream-like scene of a woman falling through water — turned into the inspiration for the pool lounge’s eye-catching mosaic.

“We give them the photograph, and then they have a selection of color palettes of their glass,” Mayfield says. “In here, it’s iridescent. And then they digitally put it in photo, and it’s installed in squares that are 12 x 12.”

The photo mural outside the elevator bank is another standout piece that grabs your attention. Titled “Still Life 5,” this wall-sized photo from Bas Meeuws of still life flora, is its own vibrant bouquet. Look closely and you’ll see tiny bees working on the flowers. This larger-than-life photo mural sets its own scene.

Other art at 1 Riva Row almost serves as a nod to the amenities of the community.

Riva Row is a dog-friendly complex, with an outdoor dog park and an indoor dog-washing space. A commissioned photo from German photographer Christian Vieler, known for his photos of dogs catching treats, brightens the space with the face of a friendly shepherd.

All art on the first floor are commissioned pieces, designed specifically for 1 Riva Row.

Ceramics, Bespoke Rugs and More

The work of MaRS and Mayfield goes far beyond the art of 1 Riva Row. It includes curating ceramics and vases created exclusively for the project. The work of Texan Kylie Nicole is featured. Her ceramics thematically complement the “harmony in nature” of Riva Row according to Mayfield. The ceramics are immediately visible on the first floor of the jewel box four-story lobby and amenity center of 1 Riva Row. They are displayed on shelving, which function as room dividers.

Giant earthenware vessels that hold plants throughout the building come from Living Century, a Houston home store founded by Umit Aktura. Aktura searches out rare antiques from Greece, Turkey, India and Indonesia. Each piece comes with an identifying ribbon, marking its country of origin.

The custom bespoke rugs from Abbey Branch’s Branch PR Custom Rugs in 1 Riva Row are works of art too. The woven pieces’ hues bring out the jewel tones of the upholstered pieces throughout the building.

Then, just behind the back doors of 1 Riva Row, Gustavo Velez’s “Hipercubicos V” greets all along The Waterway, which sits a ridge below. This stainless steel work resembles a cube, but it appears folded. This is a piece of artwork with a flow to it, much like The Woodlands Waterway itself.

1 Riva Row is certainly a visual treat, inside and out.

PaperCity network editorial director Chris Baldwin contributed reporting to this story.

1 Riva Row is located near the northwest intersection of Six Pines Drive and Timberloch Place in The Woodlands. For more information, go here. This is the second story in this series.