Aussie Furniture Brand Marks Its Texas Debut with a Stylish VIP Soiree

Alex Montoya
Aussie Furniture Brand Marks Its Texas Debut with a Stylish VIP Soiree

Benny Ballarin, Nicholas Condos, James Whitley, Harrison Condos, Fay Whitley

DESIGN AFICIONADOS GATHERED at the Decorative Center of Houston to welcome its latest tenant, Harbour, an Australian company specializing in modern coastal furniture that will be able to withstand Houston's heat.


Speaking of, it doesn't hurt that Harbour cofounders, brothers Nicholas and Harrison Condos are incredibly good-looking. The guests, including interior designers, real estate mavens and other VIPs, rubbed shoulders with the Condos bros while perusing Harbour's chic offerings and enjoying the evening's signature cocktail, the aperol-fueled Bondi Beach Spritz.

“From spending time here in Houston, we feel a deep link between the way Houstonians treat one another — and visitors such as ourselves — and how we were raised in Australia to be kind and generous to anyone we encountered,” said Nicholas. “Our father taught us how to work hard and prioritized dedication to one’s craft, and I hope that is borne out in the pieces that you all see here this evening. We are very proud of Harbour and feel that it is worthy of being a part of this exceptional community.”

Harbour was initially known as Tecno Furniture, launched by their father Jim Condos in the 1970s.

Linda Sheldon, Peta Rubinstein

Kenya Ocampo, Paola Leoz

Cara Panyard, Nicole Graf, Morgan Peters

Adam Koch, Rajani Alvarado

Anna McGrath, Kate Weldon, Kate Jackson

Benny Ballarin, Renee Lewis, Susan Gray, Nicholas Condos

Samantha Mansur, Eloisa Talarico

Carrie Evans, Steve Summers

Shelia and Adya Roy

Parties

David Ansell, Bennie Flores Ansell, Thuy Tran and James Tiebout

THE ROTHKO CHAPEL held its Inspirit fundraiser — a celebration of the power of art and activism — at the industrial-chic Astorian. The evening featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and an onstage conversation with actor Cheech Marin, one of the world’s foremost collectors of Chicano art; 2023 Art League of Houston Texas Artist of the Year Vincent Valdez; and legendary civil rights advocate Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with César Chávez. (She’s 93, by the way!)

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Cheech Marin reflecting outside of The Cheech (photo by David Fouts)

WHEN YOU TALK to Los Angeles-born actor Cheech Marin, regardless of how serious the subject, you can’t help but smile. His pop-culture presence is infused with an astute awareness of politics and history, and a “can do, make do, find a way to move ahead” spirit he connects to the word “Chicano,” a derogatory term that came to signify resilience, creative thinking, and social consciousness. “My dad, who died at age 93, always described himself as a Chicano, because it described him,” says Marin.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment