GARAGE STYLE FILES CUSTOM-BUILT BARN + 2,000 NEONS It’s common knowledge that things are done to a larger scale in Texas. It’s just the way it DON WEBERG Don is the editor and publisher of Garage Style Magazine and a self-proclaimed car-nut from birth. To Don, there are no bad cars—he loves them all—but he favors the 1976-89 BMW 6-series, the 1981-83 DeLorean and the 1974-89 Lamborghini Countach. Having worked both in-house and freelance for various A-list magazines, Don launched Garage Style Magazine in 2007. He enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter, and tending to his cars—a ‘79 Fiat Spider, a ‘79 Caprice Classic, a ‘65 Mustang and a ‘49 Willys panel wagon. is, and John Hovas sees no reason to change anything about that. This is evidenced by his overwhelming collection of signs, both neons and not, that bedazzle his already stunning garage. Called the Hemi Hideout, the roughly 22,000 square-foot, scratch-built structure, known as “The Barn” to family and friends, lends the feeling of a cathedral more than any garage. Elegant with a feeling of down home America might describe it well, but there’s so much more to the understated elegance than meets the eye. In its size, there are thousands of subtle design elements that are seen more subconsciously than obviously, but when they’re discovered, it’s remarkable to notice the level of details built into every crevice. Outside, from a distance, The Barn looks pretty much like that—a massive barn. But, getting closer, weeping willow trees, a barbeque pavilion complete with food prep and display areas, multilevel ponds connected by little streams and waterfalls, some winding bridges and a couple of porticos indicate that it’s not the typical barn. The fit and finish of the entire structure isn’t barnlike at all, and inside, you know this place has never seen hay or horse—only horsepower. Lots of it. “The Barn was designed by me and Bill Seitz, and the awesome design team at Texas Timber Frame of San Antonio, Texas,” Hovas said. “The landscape theme was designed by Don Looney out of Orange County, California, and was implemented by Kevin Steed, of McDugald-Steele Landscapers of Houston, Texas, and the landscape design continues to evolve.” Using heavy timber frame construction, the scissor-arched ceilings and elements remind of bygone eras, and Amish-style construction methods and design. An octagonal cupola is the crowning jewel of the project, rising up 54 feet, lending a remarkable finishing touch, and drawing the eye from the sloped side roofs upward to the point. The structure uses mortise and tenon joinery, and all the timber pieces are secured with oak dowels, eliminating the need for bolts, nails, screws or glue. The majority of the wood is Douglas Fir, and all of it has been sourced from sustainable forests. Remarkably, it’s the largest structure of its kind in all of Texas. “Bill Seitz, Shelly Gates and Don Looney are tremendous friends and were all instrumental in bringing together the overall artistic vision of The Barn,” Hovas said. “To the smallest detail, they each contributed substantially to the project, and continue to do so. Diane, my wife of 43 years, has been with me all the way, my whole life. I think she is as proud of The Barn as we all are, and I think she enjoys it just as much.” That said, though, Diane does have a sign between the diner and living rooms reading, “NO! This is not a museum! Everything is for sale—Contact Diane Hovas.” Neons are obviously the main items battling for attention, and Hovas has enjoyed working with individuals and running around swap meets and auctions buying various signs and figuring out how and where to hang them in The Barn. He’s purchased a number of Chrysler- related signs to match up with his fleet of nearly 30 Mopar muscle cars from the 1960s and ’70s. Among the cars is a Moulin Rouge Hemi Cuda convertible and a Panther Pink 440-6 Pack Dodge Challenger, rare cars made even more so thanks to the color. Original drag racing cars and massive Power Wagons bookend the collection, with a few Triumph motorcycles and antique tractors thrown in for good measure. 110 // MECUM.COM
