Monte Vista Home Combines Talent, Treasures, and Travel

Historic homes in San Antonio tend to go one of two ways: Their interiors either remain true to their original designs, or they are renovated beyond recognition.

Fortunately, Ed and Priscilla Kohutek are preservationists who respect the history of old homes and do their best to maintain the integrity of the original architecture. 

The couple’s Monte Vista residence, completed in 1921, was designed by Ralph H. Cameron, a prominent San Antonio architect. A beautiful example of Italianate architecture, the home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Priscilla is a well-known author; Ed retired as an executive from an international corporation. The couple lived all over the world during Ed’s career.  While he worked in foreign offices, Priscilla soaked up the local culture, refining her interest in combining different elements of global décor.

The couple purchased the house upon their return to San Antonio. A compulsive decorator, Priscilla used her “global approach to eclectic decorating” in her home, always mindful of keeping the house as close to its original architectural design as possible. She and Ed had collected many treasures during their 25-year sojourn in the Far East, and the home is like a travelogue of their lives.

Classical elements throughout the house include elaborate crown moldings; two solariums, one upstairs and one down; a symmetrical floor plan, both upstairs and down; panels and columns — all handcrafted details that lend a unique personality to the home.