Text: Margaret Zainey Roux
Photo: Michael Hunter
Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan have no fear of change. The Dallas couple embraces any occasion to redecorate and has perfected the art of doing so. In fact, one of the few things that remains constant in their University Park home is its ever-evolving décor.
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
Inside the Dynamic Dallas Home of Shelby Wagner and Niven Morgan
“I love making our home look new over and over again,” says Wagner. “As an interior designer, I am perhaps my best client because I allow myself the freedom to create whatever I want whenever I want as often as I’d like. I’m always experimenting and editing. I know when to go bold but also when to hold back. That’s important when tinkering with the kinds of vibrant colors and eye-popping patterns that Niven and I are drawn to.”
When Wagner and Morgan purchased their 4,900-square-foot Mediterranean-style manse in 2008, they were immediately smitten with the inherent elegance of its architecture—the graciously arched windows and French doors, the grand floating stairwell in the entry, the paneled walls in the foyer and library, and the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the dining room.
Despite being nearly 20 years old at the time, the home had been meticulously maintained by its previous owners, so there was no dire need for a major renovation—but the duo wanted to make it their own. They stayed within the home’s original footprint and focused their efforts on adding personal panache through a variety of custom finishes and appointments like the silver-leaf ceilings in the living and dining rooms; the glossy, lacquered walls in the foyer and library; the hand-painted Gracie panels in the dining room; and the bold zebra-striped wall covering in a guest room. They also upgraded the kitchen and bathrooms with sleeker cabinetry and more contemporary fixtures and fittings.
To determine the home’s color palette, Wagner sought inspiration from their art collection, including Impressionist pieces passed down from Wagner’s mother and grandmother, folk art from Morgan’s home state of Louisiana and across the Deep South, and a host of abstract paintings that the couple acquired together during their worldwide travels. Like their artwork, the couple’s furniture selections are equally as eclectic and run the gamut from traditional to trendy.
Antique tables, chairs, and case goods with rich stains, delicate fluting, and burnished brass hardware convey a sense of history amidst the more modern Lucite and gilded metal pieces. To temper these sculptural forms, Wagner brought in curvy upholstered seating—wingback and barrel-back chairs and camelback sofas—dressed in cozy velvet, wool, and chenille. Nailhead, tufts, and other dressmaker details make each piece as easy on the eye as they are to the touch.
“Comfort was key for us,” says Morgan, who frequently travels the globe to research fragrances for his eponymous home and body line. “We are gone for long stretches of time, so we wanted our home to feel like a home—not like a hotel or a museum.”
