We are very excited to begin revealing our Dallas project today! Designing long distance in general can be extra tricky at times but having an out of state project right when a pandemic happens is another story. We were in the right in the middle of the design process when the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down, so we had to switch gears and do a lot more virtual than was originally planned. But, everyone jumped in with both feet, learned so much along the way, and the end result was still spectacular.
We were lucky enough to go out to Dallas to meet our clients at the begining of the year where we took measurements of the home, went over what they wanted and was able to break bread with our clients and really get to know them. Our clients are a young, active family of four who found us through our design process video on Instagram. They are extremely down-to-earth, fun, and were very trusting and supportive of our team throughout the process. They aren’t afraid of color or patterns which lead us to using TEN different wallpaper patterns in the home! We love when clients really want to have their personality shine through their home. It became a super collabortive effort when sourcing art to make sure they felt a personal connection with every piece. We even helped pulled off a surpirse for our clients wife with a special piece of art for the primary bedroom. After almost TEN months of waiting, endless amounts of virtual design meetings, miles of emails back and forth, 3 palletts of accessories and a week of install later, They are thrilled with their new home. We have to say, their son’s reaction to seeing it for the first time was the BEST reaction we have ever gotten, and it was extremely fulfilling to witness and even capture on film.
THE ENTRY
We’ll start in the entryway. The home’s foyer is quite long and divided into two sections. We wanted to ground the space near the front with a heavier console table that would make a bold statement as soon as you walk through the door. We opted to use a tone similar to the wood floors so it wouldn’t compete with the nearby door or the color of the walls in the office, which sits opposite the console. We balanced all of the wood finishes with a large metal mirror, which also bounces light around the space. Plus, I like to use a mirror at an entry — it’s nice to be able to check your appearance as you leave the house.
As you walk further inside, we added a bench where guests can leave their bags or jackets before entering the main living spaces of the home. Small spaces like this can be tricky design-wise, but the woven suede on the bench brings in a lot of texture and interest. The “Howdy” print by photographer Gray Malin is an homage to the family putting down roots in Texas.
THE OFFICE
Just off the entry, the office needed to serve several purposes. It is primarily used by the husband for work, but it also needed to be a space for him to entertain friends, and an evening getaway for the couple while still being kid-friendly. The room was already painted a soft gray but we warmed up all the millwork by adding drapery on each window. Our client wanted the room to lean on the masculine, bolder side, so we used a moody color palette with deep greens, a lot of black, and plenty of brown and wood tones.
We brought in lots of texture with raw wood, leather, velvet, cement, and glass. They all balance each other to make the space feel both moody and bright. We hung our client’s amazing hat collection on the wall and put his vinyl record collection front and center to give the room plenty of personality and purpose. This room is the first you see so we needed it to make a statment. My most favorite thing about this room is the way the light hits it in the morning casting the prettiest glow throughout the space.
THE GUEST ROOM
Our clients have frequent guests so a well-appointed guest room was a must. We wanted the space to feel super relaxing and inviting. We were inspired by the coastline to use a soothing color palette of whites, muted blues, rusty oranges, and hints of green. The room has tall ceilings, which we grounded with soft gray drapery that pops against the white walls and upholstered bed. Wall sconces keep the surfaces uncluttered and the bed is dressed in plenty of texture.
A wood console and nightstands warm up with lighter tones in the room and provide a place for guests to stash personal items. The artwork over the bed is by Sarah Ellefson for Juniper Print Shop and was sentimental to our clients since it reminded them of their vacation on the Amalfi Coast.
Fun Fact: During install our clients were gracious enough to hand over the keys so we could stay at their house and work all through the night if we needed to (which we did more than once!) and I was lucky enough to experience this room personally. Here's three tips for creating a killer guest space. Fill the room with greens, invest in good bedding and an awesome mattress and you have an instant hotel vibe in your own home!
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we reveal the rest of this happy home!
Photos: Amy Bartlam