Meet Christine Plum | Designer/builder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Plum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, what principle do you value most?
First and foremost, I want to build something that showcases artists and makers. I want to show that building a home can and should be more than just 4 walls and a roof. It’s important to me to bring back craftsmanship and thoughtful design into a home. Whether it’s a mansion or a tiny home, everything should be curated and well thought out. Living with art is a beautiful and meaningful experience that everyone should be able to experience. I say my homes are “livable art” and I mean that in the most authentic way possible. I strive to build and design a home that is really more of an experience for anyone who walks in. I want you to feel something when you approach my homes that tells you that you’re getting ready to experience something extraordinary inside. When you first walk up to my homes, you know this construction and design is different than any new construction you’re used to seeing. Then as you enter the front door, your eyes dance around the room anxious to take it all in. Your first impressions are awe and excitement. Then as you hear the stories behind each piece and finish, you start to gain appreciation for the thought and energy that went into each and every choice. I love showcasing artists in my homes. Whether it’s a ceramic artist who’s hand made tiles and vessels sinks, or a fiber artist who’s commissioned a piece specifically for the home, or a sculpture artist who’s made a beautiful light. Every choice that is made for my homes is about curating something so special that you know this home is art in every sense of the word.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is the design and curation of the homes I build. I’m most proud of how I have evolved and continue to evolve. I always say, this is my best house yet! Until I build another one haha. I am most excited about seeing my visions come to life. It’s one thing to see it in my head, but to then watch it all come together when it was just a blank plot of land a few months ago, is incredibly fulfilling. My road to building came from taking a lot of risks. I was a stay at home for 17 years and did not work outside the home until a contentious divorce. I was left with no savings and a large mortgage and 3 boys to feed. I worked as a server, bartender, landscaper, caterer, property manager….anything I could do to pay the bills. When my oldest and middle children left for college, I sold the large family home (the only thing I got from the divorce) and using the equity, bought a small cottage on the island of Galveston which I turned into a vacation rental. It was extremely successful. At this time, I was promoted to General Manager of the restaurant I had been working at for the past 2 years. It was long hours and I was still raising the youngest son. I would finish work at midnight, drive an hour to the island to get the cottage ready for the next guests, then drive home and sleep a couple hours before getting up in the morning to take my youngest to school then off to work at the restaurant. But my hard work paid off and after a year, I was able to save up enough money for a down payment on another cottage on the island. It was my first mortgage as a single mom. I was so proud! I turned that house into a vacation rental too. It was crazy successful also. This house was unique because it sat on a large lot that could be subdivided. A few months after I purchased it, I started planning a tiny house build on the lot. I grew up in a family of builders and developers in California, so I’d been around construction my whole life. But building on an island was completely different than building in earthquake prone California. But I threw myself into it! I took every opportunity to learn what I could from anyone willing to sit with me and talk about construction on the island. Less than six months after purchasing my second cottage, I broke ground on my first house. I had a shoe string budget ( I was paying cash for it) so after the house was dried in and sheetrock was in place, I did all the interior work myself. Painting, tile, hanging doors, trim, installing kitchen cabinets and countertops, wood floors, etc. At this point I had quit my job at the restaurant, but was still working part time in Houston, while building and managing two vacation rentals. My youngest child was still at home at this time. From start to finish, that house took me 6 months to build. Even with me doing all the interior finishes and landscaping myself. I turned that house into a vacation rental too. I was making six figures off those houses. More than I had ever expected to do. But after building my first home, a spark was ignited in me and I decided to sell everything and start building full time. Best decision of my life. It’s never easy, but it’s extremely rewarding. I deal with challenges everyday that cause a lot of stress and anxiety, but the rewards are 100% worth it.

I want the world to know that there is something really special happening on a small island in Texas. Plum Construction is building unique, beautiful, high design homes using craftsmanship from days past. I want people to see that a single mom is a builder, working to turn new construction on it’s head. I’m not building anything ordinary or for the masses. I’m building livable art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Galveston is tourist destination! I would first recommend my favorite brunch destination, Blvd Seafood. The bloody marys are to die for and you’ll be right on the seawall over looking the gulf. Then I’d head down to the beach to watch the paddle boarders and surfers. I love walking out on the jettys and watching waves crash over the boulders. My next destination would be the strand. It’s our downtown that is straight out of Dickens. Full of beautiful old historic buildings. Walking around the strand, checking out the antique shops, boutiques and diverse eateries. The best antique shop of all is Antique Warehouse where you’ll find the owner Scotty, greeting shoppers and sharing amazing stories of the history of his building and Galveston. This place is definitely a DON”T MISS destination! Next I’d recommend a Ghost tour of the island. It’s full of history and enough creepy facts to keep you glued to the tour guides every word. Galveston has so many beautiful museums and historic home tours that I would say you could stay busy for a week just visiting those. The historic east end of the island has many amazing homes that survived the 1900 storm. Just take some time to either bike the neighborhood or walk. While you’re over there, stop by Pattycakes Bakery. My absolute favorite place for fresh bread and pastries. I’d also recommend the helicopter tours to give you a birdseye view of our quaint little island. If you’d like to see dolphins, take the free ferry to Crystal Beach. The dolphins love to jump out of the water in front of the ferry. These are definitely my favorite things to do on the island!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people who’ve helped me along the way but the biggest impact to my career has been my Hemphill family. Hemphill is a small East Texas town with a few really special artisans. First, there’s Shannin Williams. She’s an artist and designer who does hand renderings of my homes. Not only is she incredible at what she does, I’ve learned so much from her. Then there’s her daughter Erica Williams. She’s a ceramic artist who hand makes tiles, lighting and vessel sinks for my homes. I love seeing her fingerprints in each of these tiles. And last but not least is Sam Melton of Lonesome Pine Home. He owns a high end store selling vintage/handmade home and lifestyle pieces. I’ve learned so much from him regarding sourcing of materials, furnishings, textiles etc. He has an incredible eye for design and I continue to be inspired by him and his store. Not to mention so many of my special pieces in my homes come from his store. The biggest role these special humans have played in my career though, is their unending support and love for what I’m doing. I can definitely say they have really shaped my career.

Website: www.tinyhousegalveston.com

Instagram: Plum_Construction