HOUSTON, TX — In the heart of Houston’s Spring Valley neighborhood, behind a modest industrial facade marked by a giant olive oil jar housing an olive tree, lies a hidden treasure: Living Century Home. This unique showroom specializes in rare, 100-plus-year-old imported decorative pieces from Greece, Turkey, Indonesia, and India.
Founded in 2023, Living Century Home has quickly earned a reputation for its exceptional quality and curatorial expertise, gaining a devoted following among designers and architects across the Southeast. Remarkably, the store’s marketing strategy is entirely word-of-mouth, with a focus on personalized appointments that often last two to three hours. With just two visitors per day on average, each experience is immersive, offering an escape into a world of timeless treasures, including olive jars, antique wooden pieces, and more.
Umit Aktura, the founder of Living Century Home, started the business after struggling to find authentic antique olive jars for his own home. Alongside his wife, Melis, Aktura’s frustration with the lack of genuine items available in the U.S. led to the launch of the company, which has rapidly expanded to include a second location near Dallas’ Design District.
“I’m not someone who can sit behind a computer monitor all day,” Aktura says. A former software engineer and University of Houston alumnus, Aktura turned his passion for authentic décor into a thriving business after sourcing pieces for his own home. “We try to source the best products, we have Round Top quality and better,” he adds, emphasizing the effort to hand-select pieces from overseas, sometimes taking up to two months for sourcing.
Living Century Home is known for offering authentic items that cannot be replicated, in contrast to mass-produced replicas found in garden centers and big-box stores. Popular items include Turkish olive jars, which are highly regarded for their distinct regional characteristics. Among the most coveted are the Avanos, Aydin, and Odemis styles, known for their intricate textures and patinas.
For customers seeking to complete the Living Century aesthetic, the store also offers “Shady Lady” or “Black Olive” trees in heights of 6 to 9 feet, adding a distinctive touch to any space.
Each item in the showroom undergoes a meticulous authentication process and is tagged with a numbered seal, ensuring provenance. “Everything we have, I’ve put my own hands on and personally selected,” Aktura explains.
From olive jars and bread boards to accent tables carved from a single piece of wood, Living Century Home’s inventory is diverse and exquisite. The store also carries beautifully carved Indian cabinets, rare lime-washed paper mache bowls (which, Aktura jokes, are not for water), and a selection of dining tables.
“The best pieces are only here because we love them,” says Aktura. “That’s why we take so much time sourcing.”
Although the majority of items are purchased for private collections, Living Century Home’s antiques can also be spotted at local spots like Houston’s Greek restaurant Niko Niko’s, the Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott store, and an upcoming art installation at a soon-to-be-announced restaurant.
Despite its appointment-only model, Living Century Home’s pricing is surprisingly accessible, ranging from $45 to $2,000. However, bargain hunters should take note: “This isn’t a Round Top festival-style ‘buy two, get 50 percent off’ sort of place,” Aktura says with a laugh. “Everything here is special.”
Living Century Home continues to be a hidden gem for those seeking authentic, high-quality antiques that tell a story.
