Client Project: When New York City Meets Houston
It’s always a treat to have a client who you just instantaneously “click” with, and that’s exactly what happened with one of our favorite Havenly clients recently. After helping to put the finishing touches on her gorgeous weekend getaway home in the Hamptons, she asked us to help her design (from scratch!) the main spaces of her new home in Houston, Texas. Wanting to blend a refined, modern look à la New York City & a more inviting, warm look that fit the Texas neighborhood with oak-lined streets, we got to work on the living room & open dining nook, formal dining room, and master bedroom to suit her family’s needs for a sophisticated, yet comfortable, design that would work well for family get-togethers and gatherings with colleagues.
Since the main heart of the house features a gorgeous modern kitchen with black & white cabinetry, dark wood accents, and white subway tile that opens to the living room & dining nook, our goal was to create a space inspired by the materials, neutral colors, and rich textures. The living room has gorgeous large windows & it was important to the client that the fabrics wouldn’t fade, so we went with a UV-resistant fabric upholstery on Crate and Barrel’s Lounge II grande sofa & statement leather chairs. We repeated the leather with these great McGee & Co. counter stools & also added some wood elements by way of a coffee table & reclaimed wood side tables. To incorporate a bit of a coastal flair, we went with blue accents in the pillows & added jute poufs for extra seating.
The open dining nook behind the main living area was already painted in a dramatic bold hue, which we loved! To brighten up the space & complement the adjacent white shiplap in the hallway, we went with a modern white table surrounded by black McGee & Co. chairs & brought in natural textures with the Pottery Barn rug + some gold accents by way of gallery frames, an overhead light fixture, and placemats to better blend with the metallic details in the main living room.
SHOP THE LIVING ROOM & DINING NOOK
While most of the family meals will take place in the dining nook, the formal dining room is intended for holiday meals or hosting family and coworkers. As such, our client wanted the space to feel more “grown up” and honor her husband’s love of mid-century modern design – while fitting with the rest of the home’s design. Since they already owned a beautiful West Elm walnut dining table, we added chic, sophisticated additions to build on the mid-century design. A large dark patterned rug helps set the tone for the neutral space, while the CB2 woven chairs & the classic Williams-Sonoma armchairs at the heads of the table provide high-end, yet approachable, seating options. To make a statement, we incorporated a gorgeous brass sideboard topped with walnut table lamps & styled with modern-abstract artwork.
Shop the Formal Dining Room
The master bedroom was intended to be a cozy, sophisticated space for the couple to relax. Since they already had the walls painted in a nice, dark grey with a contrasting white mid-century style bed, the goal was to make the room feel as though it belonged with the rest of the house, while staying cozy & serene like a master bedroom should be! We layered the bed with an Anthropologie duvet & pillows from Little Design Company. Reclaimed wood made an appearance with the Pottery Barn nightstands & the rich, brown hue was repeated with the end-of-bed bench from Article topped with a Williams-Sonoma faux fur lumbar pillow & faux fur throw. Since the room was large enough for a reading nook, we added a comfortable oversized chair, a wool pouf, and modern white bookcases to complete the look.
Shop the Master Bedroom
Let us know what your favorite room in the home is… we’d love to hear your feedback in the comments! Also, if you’re interested in having a room in your home transformed, we’re now offering e-design services!
For more home & lifestyle ideas, discover chic vintage finds from one of our favorite online shops, read our guide to a weekend getaway in Monterey & Big Sur, and start (or add to!) your cookbook collection with 24 cookbooks we can’t wait to buy!