He envisioned a studio house, one that provided living space but also served as his studio and gallery. Gabriel Velasquez designed the Mexican contemporary house; Juan Martinez built it in just over six months.
When it came time to paint the exterior stucco, Lopez like the idea of a bright and vibrant pink. They had to go to Monterrey to get the paint, Rosa Mexicano, because it was not available locally. Reaction was immediate when it was applied to the drab concrete. “What happened here?” Lopez was asked. “People were driving off the road; they were that shocked,” Halsema recalls. Overall though, the couple found that a majority of people like the brilliant hue.
The entrance to the house is on the side; the large foyer serves as a greeting area as well as display space for artwork. To the left, through double doors, is Lopez's studio at the front of the house. The artist who loves color had the walls painted white so the focus would be on the art.
Stained concrete floors throughout the house were a practical move. Lopez says the floor isn't hurt while he is painting and drops of paint hit the floor. And when he has to move furniture around to prepare for meetings of the Tobin Hill Arts Alliance (which he founded this year) or remove furniture for the Second Friday events, scratching the floor isn't disastrous.
Lopez omitted the designer's fireplace, but didn't alter the design, creating a niche at the center of the room. The studio's spacious feel comes from 14-foot ceilings and sparse furnishings. A table and chairs at one end, near a built-in bookcase, is a place to conduct research. A colorful upholstered chair and ottoman at the other end is a spot for relaxing. In a corner, an antique chest that he bought at an estate sale stores his paints and brushes.
Double doors on the right side of the foyer open to another large room; it's the living and dining area as well as more gallery space. Furniture is kept to a minimum here as well; there's a dining table and chairs, a sofa with a side table that's a tiger with two heads. A large painting of a matador dominates one wall.
The couple's bedroom and kitchen were deliberately kept small and simple, for this is a house where the focus is on art.
Even outside, art is emphasized. Halsema and Lopez have created a sculpture garden, displaying pieces by other artists in the xeriscaped front yard, where they replaced grass with gravel.
The front yard's iron fence is another creation by Lopez. At Ashley Salvage Co., he found leftovers from laser work — panels with pieces cut out — brought them home and put them together “like a puzzle.”
Lopez says he and Halsema wanted to create something beautiful with La Casa Rosa and contribute new life to the Tobin Hill neighborhood, “because it was very run-down back then.”