When I flip through the monthly shelter mags I subscribe to, I always perk up a bit when I see details of a Houston home. As most of you know, I lived in Houston for five years before relocating to Manhattan, and the design industry there is still very near and dear to my heart. It goes without saying, then, that I was thrilled to see a bright and beautiful Houston residence featured in this month's House Beautiful designed by Celerie Kemble and her former associate, Lindsey Herod. One great thing about many of the classic homes in Houston is that they were designed with individual, defined rooms rather than a wide, open floor plan. This means that each room can take on it's own individual personality without worrying too much about making the room's design work perfectly with the adjoining rooms. The key is to find one or two small elements or patterns to continue throughout the home to create a subtle flow and continuity. In this house, the connecting element appears to be botanicals. The sitting room, featuring a custom wallcovering from Fromental, feels bright and ethereal:
And I can't help but love a good bullion fringe on the base of a sofa. It's so feminine and flirtatious.
In the back entry, a chartreuse tufted banquette is tucked underneath the house's staircase, perfect for perching with a book or sorting the mail right after walking in the home:
The light and airy vibe from the entry and sitting room is juxtaposed with a much more dramatic dining room. Lindsey and Celerie wanted to be sure and utilize their client's current antiques in to the house's new design, so they incorporated a few of the pieces in this space. The homeowners like to throw dinner parties, so a moody palette of raisin purples, charcoals, and a gorgeous red marble mantle create a luxurious environment for guests. I love the Schumacher curtains especially:
The expansive living room paint color at first felt a bit jarring- but the girls coaxed their clients to trust them with the color decision. Sure enough, once the furniture was in place and the rug spread, the custom green paint color infused colorful life in to the space.
The most ingenious element of the home is the headboard design in the lavender guest room. Celerie feels that walking in to a bedroom and seeing the side of a bed isn't ideal- and she really wanted the bed in this room to be the focal point. However, a round window on the opposite wall of the entry made it difficult to build a bed around, and they weren't about to block the room's light source. Their solution was to work with their upholsterer to give the window a headboard "hat":
Genius, ladies. The master bath is glamorous with mirrored cabinet fronts and a clear shower enclosure.
And who couldn't love a canopied master bed?
McKinnon & Harris outdoor furniture makes the backyard feel just as chic as the interior:
{see more details on this story in the May issue of House Beautiful, or here on their website}