Photos: Tobin Davies
It was love at first sight for Chris Epp when, 22 years ago, he first visited his wife’s, Mairin Epp, hometown in Wilton, Connecticut. A seventh-generation Texan, Chris was in awe of the classic simplicity of the Saltbox-style colonial homes, including Mairin’s own childhood home. With the help of architect Clint Garwood, they built a 3,000-square-foot home that is a contemporary take on the New England Saltbox.
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design Brings a Bit of Connecticut to Texas
As their family grew over the next decade, the Epps set out to add on to their home. The major challenge was to blend the original structure with the new structure, make it look seamless, and preserve the distinct Colonial-style exterior.
To bring the space to life, they tapped designer Bambi Bratton of Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design in Austin, TX.
“Knowing Mairin and Chris’s love of the Connecticut area, I wanted to make certain they felt comfortable in their new home,” says Bambi. “I had several classic, iconic fabrics that I knew she would love including Quadrille’s Henriot, Brunschwig & Fil’s Les Touches, Madeleine Castaing’s Rayuere Fleurie, and started with these.”
Choosing the living room as her central point, Bambi selected fabrics for that space and then built the other rooms off that palette. To incorporate a bit of English heritage, Bambi had Delft tile installed for the fireplace surround in the living room, and she chose an Elizabeth Eakins rug, woven in Connecticut, to cover the floor.
Once Bambi had the soft colors of the living room, she knew that the cabana needed to be similar but more youthful and colorful, so she chose fabrics with brighter blues and greens for the space.
For the primary bedroom, Bambi veered towards a softer and more soothing palette, washing the walls in Benjamin Moore’s Marilyn’s Dress and dressing the windows and bed in Lisa Fine fabrics. The girls’ bedrooms emanate charm with their subdued tonal wallpapers accented by pops of color over the dormer windows which are framed in vibrant patterned fabric London shades.
While the Epps utilize every space of their new addition, they find that their favorite space in the house shifts with the seasons. During the summer, Mairin and Chris enjoy the cool air in the Great Room while keeping an eye on the kids in the pool, which with its 20-foot vaulted ceilings, allows the entire space to be open to the outside patio during good weather days. In the winter, their favorite spot is the living room where they gather around the fireplace for game nights and cozy dinners with the kids ensconced in the newly designed banquette that merges the kitchen and living room spaces.
“Families like the Epps bring joy into the design process,” says Bambi. “While I love scouring the design center for the perfect fabric, wallpaper, paint color, and furnishings, seeing a family enjoy their new surroundings and living life comfortably within is the pinnacle.”
