Muralist brings new light to former Cockrell House

PHOTOS BY DAVID LOWE New Lampasas residents Tracy Langley and her daughter, Baylee, stand behind a metal sign the family has illuminated at the former Cockrell residence, built in 1917.

Owners of the former Cockrell House on South Park Street are bringing new color to the Lampasas landmark.

Tony and Tracy Langley purchased the residence after six months of negotiations and moved to Lampasas with their daughter, Baylee Langley, in January. A professional commercial and residential muralist, Mrs. Langley has begun painting the walls of the home and is completing a living room mural of a woodland waterway.

"Any little nook and cranny is going to have a mural on it," Mrs. Langley said.

The artist, who operates the Design Chalet in Lampasas and keeps another office in Florence, plans to paint the walls of her family's new home, update the kitchen, and decorate the dining room ceiling with a sky and cloud mural.

Other paintings will emphasize the watery views Mrs. Langley enjoyed when she grew up around Lake Austin and Lake Travis.

Tracy Langley, who recently moved to the former Cockrell house on South Park Street with her husband, Tony Langley, is completing a living room mural of a woodland waterway. Mrs. Langley plans a mural for her dining room ceiling, along with other decorating projects.

"It's definitely going to be scenery," she said. "I love the rivers and lakes."

Along with adding artwork, the Langleys have reilluminated the metal Park Place sign at the end of the Park Street cul-de-sac.

In addition, the family has completed half of a teak wood basement floor. The Langleys also will paint an apartment on their lot and install a tile or wood floor.

Mrs. Langley painted murals for Leopard Daisy owner Renee Alaniz, who told her about the Craftsman-style Cockrell home, built in 1917 by the Stokes brothers. Mrs. Langley and her husband looked at the house and felt drawn to it instantly.

"Tony and I have always loved old homes," Mrs. Langley said. "We'd go look at brand-new ones, and then we'd find ourselves looking at the old ones."

The appraisal on the home took four months to complete, as officials compared the house with three residences in Georgetown to determine its value. "They had a very hard time finding similar homes," Mrs. Langley said.

The new Lampasans' work will be on display in December, as the Langley home will be featured on the Christmas Tour of Homes.