Pulp Design Studio Creates a Modern Mediterranean Haven in Texas

When the client’s family expanded again with children, Gentry told her, “You have outgrown this house. It’s time for a bigger one.” The two began house-hunting in Laredo, Texas, scouring the market for a spacious candidate for renovation. When they came upon a dated Mediterranean-style house, they saw beyond the yellow brick to the pretty architectural details, including the arched front door, tiled roof, and engaged columns. “Everything was dark and heavy,” says Gentry. They saw an opportunity for a refreshed, light-filled house that would provide the perfect setting for family life.

“Our clients are young and vibrant, and they needed interiors that are as modern as they are,” says Gentry.

First, the team came up with a chic black-and-white color scheme for the exterior that amplifies the green plantings around the house. They added outer walls for privacy, using custom metal doors and planters to animate the approach to the house. The enclosure allowed them to enlarge the windows to let in light and create space for pretty courtyards, pools, and green spaces. The entry, previously guarded by a massive wooden door, was also clad in dark carved stone. “It was very Game of Thrones,” says Gentry. So, the team chose a modern glass door that lets in bountiful sunlight. To further amplify the light, Gentry mirrored the wall opposite the door and installed a herringbone- pattern, white oak floor that gleams.

In the sunken living room, Gentry raised the floor, swapped cold tile for warm hardwoods, enlarged the windows to better view the courtyard, and removed arches and columns that broke up space rather than opening it. A swank bar with inlaid brass now fills one end of the room for easy entertaining. Gentry also commissioned artist William McLure to paint an abstract canvas that fills the wall behind the seating area.

A painted silk tapestry hanging in the dining room provides one of the few notes of color in the house and is made all the more vivid by its neutral surroundings. A cherished heirloom from the client’s grandmother, the textile and many other antiques sourced from the Round Top Antiques Fair, add richness to the black-and-white palette and give the house a collected look. In the bedroom, Gentry channeled a neutral scheme into a serene, sophisticated aerie with Parisian flair. The dreamy room is the perfect place for parents of young children to relax and recharge. “We help clients make their lives beautiful,” Gentry says. “It’s very rewarding for us. ”