Text: Charlotte Safavi | Photography: Michael Hunter
“With four kids ranging in age from 2 to 13, I’d say my clients have all sorts of color in their lives,” laughs interior designer Ashley Goforth as she talks about her latest project, a renovated 6,100-square-foot, five-bedroom family home in Houston’s historic River Oaks neighborhood. As it turns out, one of the homeowners (the wife) and Goforth also share some local color, having attended the same alma mater. “We go back a long way,” the designer says. “We weren’t in the same grade, but we both attended Memorial High School.”
Goforth was hired in 2015, along with architect Roger Cooner and builder Frasier Homes, to update the home and refine its layout. “The homeowners wanted a comfortable, kid-friendly house with vibrant, colorful spaces for entertaining,” she says. “They are active philanthropists, and they frequently host events.”
The husband is from Shreveport, Louisiana, so perhaps it’s no coincidence that the clients were partial to a Mardi Gras-inspired palette of green and purple. The couple also met at Southern Methodist University (SMU), hence the navy and red school colors in the library. Goforth, who has long championed the use of color in her design, was in her element with this project. “The wife is traditional at heart, but in this home, she was open to pushing some boundaries, including those of color,” says the designer.
Starting in the foyer, a pair of wingback chairs upholstered in purple velvet sets the lively tone for the interiors. The color is also picked up in the powder room’s stylish, yet practical, vinyl wall covering.
In the living room, an unexpected forest green fabric covers a conventional sofa. Vivid hues also appear in a pair of custom-made embroidered Pierre Frey pillows, as well as in the artwork. A commissioned piece above the fireplace perfectly blends the darker green of the sofa and the lighter green of the grass cloth wall covering in the adjacent dining room. “When you choose bold hues, you don’t want to use too many competing colors and patterns,” says Goforth. “I like to start with neutrals and then selectively juxtapose colorful furnishings or art.”
“Vibrant color is strategically placed in the formal entertaining spaces, while the living and sleeping spaces are softer and more livable with just enough color to make them interesting.”
—Ashley Goforth
The library, however, is the one space where color was all-out embraced. Navy wraps the walls and bookshelves in a high-lacquered finish, and touches of red appear throughout, including in the built-in bar. “The husband wanted a bold SMU vibe here—a place to watch sports or have a drink with his friends. It’s a very dynamic room,” says Goforth.
In contrast, the kitchen offers a more serene palette with Calacutta marble counters and polished nickel fixtures. The connected family room also emits a quieter tone with mint and lavender accents. “The family is in here a lot, so the colors are more relaxing,” says Goforth.
The designer took the same approach upstairs in the family’s private quarters. For the master bedroom, Goforth used what she refers to as “an angelic palette.” Gold accents lend warmth to the cool silver-sage and crisp white furnishings, creating the perfect balance for the sophisticated retreat.
With the project complete, Goforth reflects on the results of the color-filled spaces. “In Houston, people still tend to do a lot of neutrals, so it’s refreshing to see people embrace color in a way that’s timeless, classic, and unique,” she says.
