Written by Alice Welsh Doyle | Photography by Julie Soefer
Instead of seeing a bland spec house languishing on the market and passing on it like many before her, one homeowner saw something else—a well-built blank slate to make her own. In addition, the home was in a very desirable location in the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston near her children’s school. “It was definitely lacking character, but I knew that it could be changed,” says the homeowner. She also saw the house as an ideal backdrop to showcase her art collection.
To assist with the makeover, the owner sought assistance from Sarah Eilers of Lucas Eilers Design Associates, whom she had worked with on a previous home. “This time, my client wanted to go in a more transitional direction and introduce bolder colors,” says Eilers. “While the house looks totally transformed, almost everything we did was simply cosmetic.” Those changes, however, made all the difference. Lackluster light fixtures were replaced with modern shapes and lively finishes, saturated color graces the walls and upholstery, and fresh patterns appear in rugs and decorative accents such as pillows and lamps.
Each room features elements specially chosen to counter the home’s traditional leanings. The living room shows off a Lucite cube-like lantern; a pair of Bradley bronze-finished, kidney-shaped cocktail tables; and a Bunny Williams blue-and-white brush stroke lamp. In the family room, deep teal grasscloth lines the back of the built-in bookcases, and an oversized Holly Hunt leather ottoman in a similar shade doubles as a coffee table. Custom stenciled walls in a feathery motif enliven the powder bath, along with a chandelier made of elegant orbs that resemble pearls.
In reference to her art collection, the homeowner adds, “It’s a true passion of mine, especially photographic art. I also gravitate towards pieces that are architectural in nature.” The selections are unique and engaging, such as a circular wood carving by James McNabb that resembles a series of skyscrapers, a neon abstract by Robert Kelly, and Abelardo Morell’s upside-down photograph of Central Park in summer transposed on a hotel room image. All of the pieces add just the right amount of personalization to a home that has transformed from dull to dazzling.
