Text by Charlotte Safavi
One of the highest compliments an interior designer can receive is a repeat client. Such was the case for Ashley Goforth when a Houston family called on her a second time to furnish their brand-new home. “My clients moved to a larger house in a more kid-friendly area,” says Goforth. “It’s a home that better accommodates their growing family of three young children.”
The house was a builder spec home, so Goforth’s first task was to create a more custom look. “We repainted everything, mostly in a fresh greige palette,” she explains. “We switched out the hardware and light fixtures, and we ripped out all the darker granite kitchen counters and replaced them with white marble.” In addition, the designer wallpapered the dining room in grasscloth, replaced an ornate carved fireplace with a simple understated one, and created a paneled library with built-ins.
Once the custom touches were complete, Goforth set about furnishing the interiors, using her signature feng shui approach to create harmonious rooms. In the navy-blue-clad library, she lightened the moody darkness of the walls and woodwork by installing a large hexagonal glass-and-brass chandelier and wool carpet in a lighter hue. A Lucite-base armchair brings a sense of airiness to the space as it appears to float in the room.
“I also like a mix of masculine and feminine elements in a home,” says Goforth. “While I personally lean toward contemporary upholstered furniture with tailored lines and neutral hues, I like to throw in something unexpected for visual balance, such as the feminine plum-colored velvet armchair in the drawing room.”
Above all, however, the designer emphasizes practicality with indoor-outdoor fabrics that are easy to maintain, especially for a young family. She used these to reupholster certain pieces from the homeowners’ existing collection. Other items were purchased or designed for the new spaces. For example, the family room’s custom-crafted corner banquette was finished in a plasticized Schumacher fabric that can literally be swiped clean with a wet wipe.
Despite these practical elements, Goforth keeps things from getting too pedestrian, as seen in the dining room’s two-tone fabric wingbacks. The sophisticated chairs are upholstered with smooth canvas backs and textured woven fronts. Cut-velvet patterned pillows in chocolate-brown and sea-foam hues bring in the right amount of color. “I tend to integrate patterns in the accents,” explains Goforth. “I find that using patterns in smaller doses adds personality and allows those pieces to really shine.” The drawing room’s silk ikat throw pillows further demonstrate her theory as they catch the eye by pulling hits of yellow, magenta, and turquoise from the painting above the sofa. “Lively pops of color throughout the home balance out the overall neutral palette of its open floor plan,” says Goforth. “They make the home fun and youthful, just like this family.”
