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MAR APR
Scene
62 DESIGN DISPATCH
The little black book of all things new and fabulous in the local community.
Radar
78 EVOLUTION
Leading landscape designers weigh in on the growing appeal of showcasing art in natural surroundings.
82 HUE
Gardener Ellen Ogden Ecker pens an ode to the sights of spring and the color of new beginnings.
84 INSPIRATION
Florida-based sculptor Jorge Blanco is on a mission to spark happiness through eye-catching art.
86 INNOVATION
With a line of outdoor planters and a new Miami outpost, Adam Sirak is making waves in landscape design.
Market
102 MATERIAL
Textile artists stitch one-of-a-kind creations for Luxe featuring this season’s performance fabrics.
112 TREND
Find inspiration in the jaw-dropping terrain of three U.S. National Parks.
120 SPOTLIGHT
From benches to loungers to dining chairs, herald alfresco living with colorful outdoor seating.
Living
146
KITCHEN + BATH
Hotelier Liz Lambert unveils her collection with Perennials and her charming ranch in Marfa, Texas.
158 THE REPORT
A look at how today’s pool houses are being designed as backyard vacation destinations.
Layers
Data Driven
One Austin artist looks to numerical information when creating vibrant works of art.
Point of View
Dramatic vistas set the tone for the update of an Austin residence fusing ease with luxury.
It Had to Be You
Dallas clients enlist their dream design team when building their new family home.
“I’m passionate about bringing my clients’ dreams and visions to life.”
Susan Semmelmann
The spirit of living is in the giving
"You've designed a truly iconic residence, utilizing natural light and maximizing the pristine views throughout the property.
We can help elevate your design with lighting and shade products that will compliment the aesthetics of the home."
- Steve EllistonPhoto by:Nathan Schroder Photography
BRIDGING TECH & DESIGN
Whether you are an architect, interior designer, builder, or end-user, the right technology partner is paramount to establishing a home that doesn’t just look good, but offers effortless and intuitive control to anyone in the home.
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Historic 6,000 sq. ft. home located in the South Shore Hamlet of Islip. Coach Real Estate Associates, Inc.
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Drawn to Spring
Welcome to our March/April issue! It’s the season of renewal, green shoots and bucolic surroundings. In this issue, our editors bring fresh perspectives on landscape design and sculpture gardens, the latest in outdoor seating and incredible pool houses. We also head to a west Texas ranch that’s both laid-back and chic for a primer on alfresco entertaining. And, of course, our line-up of fabulous homes. May it all bring you endless inspiration.
Pamela Jaccarino VP, Editor in Chief @pamelajaccarinoSCENE
WRITTEN BY PAULETTE PEARSON | PRODUCED BY KRYSTAL RACANIELLOFAB COLLAB
JAN SHOWERS X KRAVET COUTURE
You’ll be charmed, to say the very least, by the second fabric collection from Jan Showers for Kravet’s luxurious Kravet Couture label. Aptly named Charmant, this timeless assortment was inspired by the City of Light. In creating the designs, Showers recalled her many trips to Paris over the years— specifically the fabrics she would find upholstered onto furnishings from the late 1930s and ’40s. The resulting offerings— Fiorella, Bambu Fret, Lynx Dot, Passerine, Ravelry and Unfray—comprise linens, velvets and bouclés in a classic palette of corals, French blue and chocolate. “Welcome to my world of charm, glamour and forever Paris chic,” says Showers. kravet.com/jan-showers-charmant
A LA CARTE
LATIN AMERICAN FLAVOR COMES TO LIFE AT TWO NEW TEXAS EATERIES.
EMILIA’S HAVANA
Tucked away alongside The Annie Café & Bar in Houston, Emilia’s Havana is not to be missed. Berg Hospitality Group’s Benjamin Berg and Sam Governale worked with Issac Preminger Architecture & Design Intl. to transform a former storage closet into an intimate speakeasy recalling a 1950s Cuban club with a luxe Latin vibe. De Gournay’s Deco Monkeys wallpaper envelops the seating area, creating a jewel-box effect, while palm trees and trellis details frame the bar. emiliashavana.com
EL CARLOS ELEGANTE
From its authentic fare and cocktails to the interior design, Mexicaninspired restaurant El Carlos Elegante, from Duro Hospitality, takes its Dallas Design District guests on a culinary journey the moment they walk through the door. Helmed by brothers Ross and Corbin See of Sees Design, with architecture by Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects, “this project was a complete redesign,” says Corbin. A few highlights include two interior fireplaces, commissioned art and wallpaper, and furnishings custom-made in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. elcarloselegante.com
Style, fashion, flair, design, it is all personal. It is all unique to you and your family and when we partner with you, it becomes personal to us. Every nail, tile, and coat of paint comes together to tell your story. It is personal to us, because it is personal to you.
DESIGNING WOMEN
MEET THREE TEXANS ESTABLISHING A UNIQUE ETHOS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS OF ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
ANNE BARGER
“The spaces I design are filled with bold colors, inviting textures, curated antiques and conversation starters,” describes Austin-area designer Anne Barger of Anne Barger Designs. “I want my clients’ homes to tell their story, surround them in beauty and be talked about long after the party is over.” Indeed, this burgeoning talent’s vibrant work warrants prolonged discussion. Drawing inspiration from neoclassicism, Art Deco and traditional English design, she is redefining classic-meets-contemporary interiors—not only her clients’ but also her own. Barger recently helmed a large-scale remodel of the home she shares with her husband and three young children on a 10-acre property, using it as a canvas for her individualistic flair. Case in point: millwork and walls painted a deep blackberry hue to accent a lilac marble backsplash and antique Art Deco lighting. “Another old-world aesthetic I love is plaster,” Barger continues. “We’re creating a bespoke wall finish for the first floor. It’ll be atmospheric and cloud-like.” annebargerdesigns.com
ERIN STETZER
Houston-based Erin Stetzer launched Stetzer Builders in 2003 “with the ambition to be the most service-driven builder in the industry,” she recalls. Two decades later and she has transformed meeting that objective into an art form. Stetzer studies and digs deep to understand what the owner wants, what the designer is creating and what the architect is visualizing. “I ask my clients to imagine eating breakfast with their family and what brings them joy in that moment,” she says. “Having a clear understanding of those expectations and desires helps us determine how to best meet their goals.” stetzerbuilders.com
ANNA GRASSO-GAY
Playing a role in clients’ lives through architecture is an honor that San Antonio architect Anna Grasso-Gay, a principal and partner at Grasso Gay Architects, does not take lightly. Spending formative years in Mexico, soaking in the Spanish-colonial architecture, she further developed an interest in traditional design while living in Rome. Today, she draws on her vast experience to create timeless homes. “Classical principals remain the same regardless of style,” Grasso-Gay says, recalling a recent C ape Dutch project with an elegant symmetrical façade, steep pitch roofs and parapeted gables. “Elements like fireplace hearths can bring new life to contemporary homes, infusing a sense of permanence and architectural adventure.” grassogayarchitects.com
ON THE HUNT SHERRELL NEAL
As the principal designer of Houston-based Sherrell Design Studio, Sherrell Neal is celebrated for custom interiors that seamlessly blend traditional style with modern living. Founded in 2016, her firm curates “chic and livable interiors that are both elegant and timeless, with a natural Southern sensibility,” she explains. With that in mind, Luxe recently asked Neal where she turns for furnishings and accessories to bring her rooms to life. Read on for a few of her top picks. sherrelldesignstudio.com
MAPS AND ART mapsandart.com
Favorite Find: Still Life, Jeanne, 1913
Why she loves it: “Still life paintings capture a moment in time. This murky, saturated watercolor reminds me of the world’s hidden and temporary ordinary
LAUNCH
BENJAMIN JOHNSTON X CHADDOCK
There’s no limit to what Houston designer Benjamin Johnston can do. Adding to his impressive résumé, he recently celebrated his first collection of furnishings with Chaddock. “We have sourced their products for our clients for years, and our mutual passion for innovation and commitment to exceptional quality and service made this partnership feel like a natural next step,” Johnston shares. “Together, we are building upon Chaddock’s legacy and paying homage to traditional silhouettes in fun, unexpected ways.” The collection spans all key furniture categories with items for the bedroom, living and dining spaces, and several accent pieces to round out the selection. A modern interpretation of neoclassical forms with midcentury influences, each style is inspired by Johnston’s travels and work worldwide. chaddockhome.com/benjamin-johnston
ARIA STONE GALLERY
ariastonegallery.com
Favorite Find: Azul Macaubas Quartzite
Why she loves it: “The demonstration of land and sea in its formation is captivating. It’s the perfect backdrop for a wet bar.”
PALOMA & CO
shoppalomaandco.com
Favorite Find: Black Marble Bookends
Why she loves it: “These are functional and would look fantastic on their own or on top stack of co ee table books.”
Why she loves it: fantastic on their own or on top of a ee
UNIQUE LOOM
uniqueloom.com
Favorite Find: One-of-a-Kind Rugs
Why she loves it: “I like to balance new and found items.
The geometry, soft, uneven colors, motifs and handmade tradition of these rugs fit into any of my interiors.”
world’s hidden and temporary beauty, even in objects.”
BRING YOUR VISION TO US
The experts at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery are here to help create a home that’s as extraordinary as you are. Any project, any style, any dream—bring your inspiration to Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. Visit build.com/ferguson to schedule your personalized showroom experience today.
INTERIOR DESIGN • NEW CONSTRUCTION • RENOVATION
There's a word for the way an expanse of doors blends the indoors and outdoors into one space. It's called biophilic design. But whatever you choose to call it, the effect is the same – your favorite spaces become better, sunnier, and filled with fresh air as they're transformed into a paradise of nature. Another defining element of doors made with rich wood interiors, aluminum clad exteriors, and no compromises.
Invite More Outside, Inside.
ARCHITECT: Matthew Lechowick BUIILDER: Kinetic Partners PHOTO: Kat Alves PhotographyRADAR
From boundary-pushing landscape design to alfresco art, the world of outdoor living is as dynamic as ever.
Grounds for Celebration
THE LATEST SCULPTURE GARDENS FEATURE MUSEUM-QUALITY WORKS THAT ENGAGE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, INVITING WONDER AND INTROSPECTION.
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE BRUNNERJAMES DOYLE DESIGN ASSOCIATES
It would seem that Mother Nature shouldn’t need much embellishment, but in his new book, Intersection of Nature and Art, landscape architect James Doyle makes a convincing case for using world-class sculpture to enhance outdoor environments. “Once you set the right piece in a meadow, it ends up making sense; the scale is correct, and it adds whimsy and artistry to the natural surroundings,” he says. For art connoisseur clients, outdoor sculpture gardens provide an opportunity to expand their collection and experience pieces while communing with nature. “Some homeowners may want these works front and center, while others will prefer them to be more of a surprise that’s discovered as the landscape gradually unfolds,” says Justin Quinn, partner at JDDA. At a historic estate outside Philadelphia, an Antony Gormley sculpture punctuates the expansive grounds. Whether situated to inspire public awe or private contemplation, an artfully placed sculpture has the power to beguile onlookers. jdda.com
ARTERRA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
While northern California vistas take pride of place in landscape architect Gretchen Whittier’s designs, even the most breathtaking scenery can need a little coaxing. “Sometimes you have to reshape the view, and we often use sculpture to accentuate the end of a vista or create a focal point,” she says. For a Napa Valley project, finding the right location for a monumental tree sculpture by Ai Weiwei required much deliberation. Whittier ultimately landed on the entry courtyard, where it serves as a crowning centerpiece. Placing art en plein air also helps to create a dialogue between interior and exterior spaces, visually extending the living area. “When you see a piece of sculpture through a window, and it feels like part of the decor, a beautiful connection is made.” arterrasf.com
MIRADOR GROUP
For architect Jerry Hooker, using sculpture in landscape design isn’t just about creating an aesthetically pleasing composition—it’s an opportunity to craft a personal narrative. A partner with Mirador Group, Hooker has used art to enhance the grounds of many projects, including the private roof terrace of a new condominium in Houston. Hooker created three separate garden “rooms” housing a sculpture that holds special meaning to the homeowner. Providing clients with such thoughtful landscapes encourages the kind of introspection one might experience in museums, a similarity not lost on Hooker. “Every single person will have a different interpretation,” Hook er says. “That’s the purpose of art.” miradorgroup.com
Green Thumb
AVID GARDENER ELLEN ECKER OGDEN REFLECTS ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GREEN HUES AS A WELCOMING OF THE SEASON AHEAD.
It’s a gardener’s spring ritual: waiting and watching for hints of green. Who knew that a color could hold so much promise and ll me with such a sense of hope. Like listening to music wafting through the air, shades of emerald and sage begin to layer through my garden the surrounding Vermont hills. I notice how fresh, minty green buds give to blooming leaves, and celadon spears of asparagus poke through the soil. Emerging plants move to a tempo all their own like a well synchronized orchestra.
Weeks ago, I went through the sacred processes symbolizing spring: cupping a handful of soil and inhaling as I put it to my nose. Healthy and organic, the mixture smelled sweet like chocolate cake and felt rich and crumbly in my palm. Preparing soil was only my rst act before pushing and sowing seeds for peas and lettuce in long, straight rows. Within a week, tiny sprouts have given way to tendrils, then so much more.
garden in a lush valley between the Green Mountains and Taconic Range, where pine, pistachio and jade tones blanket the verdant landscape like a giant tapestry of color coming together to create a rich work of art. As I follow a well-worn path from the woods, freshly punctuated with lime-colored buds peeking through the ground, back to my own garden, I pause. A medley of green hues will soon emerge to mean one thing—spring is here.
Whether soaring 20 feet above a bustling city street or punctuating a serene park, Jorge Blanco’s vibrant, aluminum sculptures are instantly recognizable. The playful silhouettes—depicting everything from human forms in motion to fruit and abstract shapes—are his vehicle for spreading joy. “Art is communication and feeling,” says the Sarasota-based artist, whose practiced sculpture for nearly 50 years. “I always have the same intention in my work: communicate happiness, energy and enthusiasm.”
Blanco’s penchant for art began in his native Venezuela. As a child, he discovered Auguste Herbin’s colorful and geometric paintings, which had a profound impact on
Bold Strokes
ARTIST JORGE BLANCO’S SCULPTURES
CAPTURE THE DELIGHT HE FINDS IN LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES.
WRITTEN BY KELLY VELOCCI JOLLIFFEhis work. While Blanco’s early sculptures portrayed darker subjects, his artistic language shifted to express a more positive point of view upon meeting his wife, Elena, in 1984. “The world has two sides,” Blanco explains. “One is sad, scary and painful, whereas the other is about beauty, smiling and comfort. I choose to focus on the latter because it is encouraging.”
Bold primary hues or bright white coloring are hallmarks of his work, which include 30 permanent public sculptures, in addition to private commissions, throughout the U.S. and abroad. His pieces directly reflect the inspiration he finds in day-to-day life, whether that be sports or the color of a piece of fruit.
Before embarking on a new sculpture, Blanco closely surveys the site where the work will live, observing shadows cast by the sun, wind conditions, vegetation and surrounding architecture. Each design originates as a humble paper sketch, evolving into a model and then a technical drawing before reaching its final machinecut, powder-coated form. “It’s important to me that people smile when they see my work,” Blanco muses. “It is a gift that encourages me to continue working.”
jorgeblancosculpture.com
Nueve a large-scale, aluminum powder-coated commission, is a tribute to life and nature that lives on the grounds of a large Caribbean estate.Home Grown
BETWEEN A THRIVING LANDSCAPE AND EXTERIORS BUSINESS, A DEBUT LINE OF PLANTERS AND A NEW MIAMI OUTPOST, THERE’S NO TIME FOR MOSS TO GROW UNDER ADAM SIRAK’S FEET.
WRITTEN BY MAILE PINGEL
“My practice is about telling stories,” Adam Sirak explains. Whether creating the garden at Art House of San Clemente, an artist-in-residency program outside Los Angeles, or a rooftop green oasis in West Hollywood, Sirak takes an uber-creative approach to exterior design. This approach has brought him residential projects throughout L.A., where he lives, and new hospitality work including a forthcoming hotel near Joshua Tree National Park.
His love of gardens was inherited from his parents, both of whom are landscape designers in South Florida. “I grew up in a masterpiece garden, and we were always taking trips to botanical gardens or the Everglades. It was plants, plants, plants,” he says, laughing. Now, Sirak is working with them to establish an office in Miami from which he can operate.
“Gardens are transportive, they’re living expressions of time and place. I find that endlessly inspiring.”
For his latest venture, a line of planters, the designer was inspired by an interest in classical antiquities and ancient civilizations. “I’ve used every planter under the sun and thought, where’s the one that’s really cool?” Sirak let ideas develop organically, sketching hundreds of prototypes by hand. Soon a collection developed; the drawings digitized, the molds made, and casting done at his California facility.
The made-to-order planters caught the eye of David Alhadeff, founder of The Future Perfect, who now carries the line, which takes cues from the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman empires of Istanbul’s history. At once ancient and modern, the designs can tell any story one might imagine. sirak.com
“I think of front yards as portals: They should welcome you into the garden and set the tone,” Sirak explains of this West Hollywood project. Although short on space, the fountain acts as a centerpiece while the sound of bubbling water adds a serene note.
“The key to the design was openness. We wanted to bring the outdoors in, especially on the main level, and allow for outdoor areas on different levels of the home.”
Adam Steiner, Cornerstone ArchitectsDesignBetter
DISCOVERIES
LEFROY BROOKS
The XO range of bathroom fittings, covering showers, taps and accessories, takes inspiration from designs of the 2000s. This modern, minimalist collection offers clean, straight, angular lines. Available in polished chrome and brushed nickel. lefroybrooks.com
GROTHOUSE
Grothouse crafts the ultimate in luxury wood surfaces, making gorgeous bespoke pieces for every room in the home. Designs are fully customized, like this walnut butcher-block table with brass accents. grothouse.com
J. TRIBBLE
A premier builder of custom-designed sink bases, J. Tribble’s handcrafted cabinets are a valuable asset for designers with a discerning eye, and for homeowners looking for something truly distinctive. jtribble.com
TEAK WAREHOUSE
Modern and eclectic in design, this hand-poured concrete tabletop with warm teakwood legs would make a bold statement in a clean, contemporary home or turn-of-the-century villa. teakwarehouse.com
DISCOVERIES
ARCADIA CUSTOM
THERMADOR
Your private showcase awaits at Thermador Experience & Design Centers. Explore bespoke kitchens and discover how true craftsmanship, design and innovation can bring visions to life. thermador.com/showrooms
the collection to enhance Experience
real wood can without on and unlimited
Explore the reimagined VistaWood window and door collection to enhance unique architectural style. Experience the warmth and character only real wood can provide, without compromising on today’s designs—narrow sight lines, large glass and unlimited configurations and customizations.
arcadiacustom.com
NOIR TRADING, INC.
The Mars chair is a unique statement in hand-carved walnut that features an arching back and armrests with a graded arch design on each plane of the frame. Arch reliefs are highlighted in white for a graphic emphasis. Priced at $2,607. noirfurniturela.com
STARK
A contemporary take on a traditional Moroccan design, the Lesa rug features soft neutrals and bold graphics. Stark Performance Acrylic fibers provide the perfect union of luxury and high-end performance. starkcarpet.com
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
Let us help you put the finishing touches on your next project. Stop in to learn more about our Designer Program offerings.
Dream Decor Made Easy
When it comes to determining success in business, a major benchmark is word of mouth. A client truly loves a company when they happily pass along its name to friends and family. For Nicole Arnold Interiors, that’s the business model—and it’s working. With a clientfocused approach and strong design talent, the interior design company stands apart amongst luxury firms. After 16 years in the corporate wing of fashion design, Nicole decided to hang her own shingle in 2008. Today, the company is an award-winning small business that employs a team of seven. The secret to her success?
Nicole cites her “intuitive talent for color theory, art and space planning” mixed with her corporate executive background and textile experience. This unique skill set—layered in with the firm’s process-based approach to projects—has earned the company what Nicole calls “an extraordinarily high referral rate.”
with Nicole
Q+A Arnold PRESIDENT AND PRINCIPAL DESIGNERHow do you define “good design?”
Customer satisfaction and magazine-worthy rooms. We know we’ve had success in a project when we have made sure all goals and objectives of the customer are attained and we have created a design we are proud to call a Nicole Arnold Interiors creation.
What is your firm most known for?
We specialize in the upscale customer with discerning taste who wants to enjoy their furnishing, building or renovation project as a turnkey experience while working alongside their own dedicated, trusted advocate.
What inspires you?
I am currently inspired by the opportunity to mentor and encourage students and people in business just starting out. I advise them to pursue their dream careers, and I consider it an honor to share the gifts and talent that I possess with others.
“Professionalism, strong communication and the highest standards for our work are the mainstays of our company. Mediocrity is not an option.”
Walls
MARKET
Discover performance fabric masterpieces, America’s diverse natural terrain and must-have outdoor seating.
Common Thread
WITH SPRING RENEWAL AS THEIR PROMPT, FOUR ARTISTS CRAFT ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART USING THE LATEST PERFORMANCE FABRICS.
HOPEFUL JOURNEY
“It’s like a bouquet of flowers,” says Atlanta-based Jamele Wright Sr. of his colorful creation drifting, 01 The piece was made with Pierre Frey’s newest performance lines—Outdoor Prints, Guethary and Enchantee—as well as objets trouvés like copper wire, broaches and driftwood from nearby Lake Lanier. “I’m always bringing found materials into fine art,” says the multidisciplinary artist. Wright’s hanging
pouches are reminiscent of gris-gris bags carried by African Americans during the 20th century’s Great Migration from southern states to northern and western cities (Wright’s own grandparents were among the millions who uprooted, moving from Alabama to Ohio). The pouches held good luck charms and tokens for those in search of a better quality of life. septembergrayart.com; pierrefrey.com
BLOSSOMING BEAUTY
Textile artist Maggie Dillon specializes in portraiture, and while her color palette is usually more subdued, the saturated hues and bold prints of Sunbrella’s new Perspectives collection led her to compose the stunning portrait, You Belong Among the Wildflowers
“I seek a feeling of calm in my work, and the title felt like a deep breath of fresh air,” says the
Sarasota resident. The collection’s orangey red fabrics inspired the striking scene featuring a woman surrounded by poppies (a fitting choice as the flower blossoms in springtime).
“I toyed with the idea of a woman smelling the flower,” says Dillon, “but came up with a more playful version with her hiding behind the bloom.” maggiedillondesigns.com; sunbrella.com
LIGHT TOUCH
Dana De Ano starts each piece with an examination of the materials. “I hear what they have to say,” says the Chicago-based visual artist. “We have a conversation and then I play.” In this case, De Ano listened to the colors and textures of Donghia’s Lake Hill Performance/Outdoor collection. She was particularly drawn to the neutral colors and textural feel of its rich boucle and chenille designs.
For Front Lawn, the artist was inspired by Chicagoan’s determination to regrow their surrounding landscapes after the long winter months. An alumna of the Art Institute of Chicago, she categorizes the piece—and her work as a whole— as drawings that use untraditional materials, whether that be paint, fabrics or found objects. danadeano.com; kravet.com
BLUE PERIOD
“I love working with textiles because there is such a wide range of possibility and freedom to experiment,” says Liz Collins, a Brooklyn artist and designer who conceived Blue Window No stranger to performance fabrics, Collins recently launched a capsule collection with Pollack which she used here alongside standouts from the brand’s latest line, Art School. Collins relied on her years of
textile experience to create this graphic arrangement featuring layers of rectangular cuttings in an echo chamber-like framework that successfully aligns with her selfdescribed “vibrant, electric, textured and contrasting” style. When it came to color, Dynamic Expansion on the outer frame (a personal favorite) guided her selection of blue patterns that followed. lizcollins.com; pollackassociates.com
LLOYD FLANDERS
lloydflanders.com
Today’s elevated outdoor lifestyles demand furnishings that offer elegant design, and enduring quality and ease. Since 1906, Lloyd Flanders has been crafting superior furniture that takes outdoor living to new heights. “The outdoor environment can be harsh, so designing products that withstand the elements while providing beauty and comfort drives our design team daily,” says CEO and creative director, Jess Flanders. “To achieve this, we use
all-aluminum frames, the highest-quality vinyl and our unique loom material.” Patented in 1916, Lloyd Loom is the firm’s proprietary process for creating wicker furnishings. “And our special loom material comes in 20 different finishes to meet the aesthetic wants and needs of our clients,” says Warren Juliano, president of Lloyd Flanders. “We’re proud to be the only manufacturer of woven outdoor furniture made entirely in the United States.”
EXTERIOR INSIGHTS
Bryan Echols, senior vice president of sales and marketing, shares the ins and outs of outdoor excellence.
Name some unique places that have included your designs. We’ve seen our furnishings on cruise ships, high-rise condominium balconies, in outdoor seating areas at restaurants and breweries, at landmark locations like New York’s Waldorf Astoria and The Breakers in Palm Beach, in films like The Green Mile, TV series like Revenge, as well as music videos like Kenny Chesney’s Old Blue Chair
How do you include clients in the creative process? We offer Lloyd Loom Lounge Galleries with a dedicated Lloyd specialist to our retail partners to showcase our multitude of design, material and color options. Digitally, clients and salespeople can build their own look online and collaborate with us virtually to achieve a final custom design.
How are you responding to the increased demand for sustainability? We pay careful attention to the availability and sustainability of the materials we use, the energy resources required during the manufacturing process and the impact our products have on the environment.
What’s new and next? While neutrals will always be important aesthetically, we’re seeing significant growth in our brightly-colored finishes and fabrics. Our Sea Glass, Denim Blue and Woodland Green are all extremely popular right now.
Top From the Southport Modular Seating Collection, this sofa, lounge chair and square end table boast an ebony frame finish with Peacock color panel inserts. Bottom An All Seasons settee, settee swing and end table in ivory are the perfect complement to these high-back porch rockers and ottoman in a charcoal finish.“We design and create outdoor furnishings that deliver exceptional durability, style and comfort right here in the U.S.”
PARKS & REC
From sea to shining sea, get to know the latest landscapes to join the National Park Service.
Sandy Spectacle
New Mexico’s ethereal White Sands marks state’s second addition to the National Park name hails from the rolling gypsum dunes 275 square miles, earning it bragging rights world’s largest gypsum dune field. Not your beach sand, gypsum is a hydrous, soft mineral that’s used in a wide range of applications, including architecture and art. The otherworldly terrain is a popular backdrop for commercials, music videos and films. nps.gov/whsa
the to list. Its name hails from the gypsum dunes covering 275 square it as the world’s gypsum dune field. Not your typical beach sand, gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral that’s used in a wide range of architecture and art. The terrain is a for commercials,
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY SARAH SHELTONMountains Majesty
The origin of California’s Pinnacles National Park traces back some 23 million years after volcanos erupted and formed the unparalleled landscape that exists today. From caves and foot trails to woodlands and canyons, the park’s extraordinary reddish rock formations are particularly noteworthy. Located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, near the infamous San Andreas Fault, and just 40 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the climate is as diverse as the land, with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. nps.gov/pinn
Bridge the Gap
Don’t be fooled by its name: Though West Virginia’s New River Gorge was recently added to the National Park Service, the New River is one of the oldest rivers in North America. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, the park covers 70,000 acres of forestland which provides visitors plentiful opportunities for hiking, whitewater rafting and rock climbing. This postcardworthy destination is also home to the New River Gorge Bridge—the third highest in the country. nps.gov/neri
Clockwise The shinola.com Claret Dolomite / Price upon request / demurodas.com Petrova Fire Screen / $1,495 / arteriorshome.com Chair Price Tura Seeded Glass Low Voltage Sconce / Price upon request / hubbardtonforge.com Ombré Fog Clockwise from top right: The Runwell Shoulder Bag / $650 / . Gem Cabinet in Claret Dolomite / Price upon request / . Cleo Chair by Marcel Wanders Studio / Price upon request / fendicasa.com . Tura Seeded Glass Low Sconce / Price upon / Ombré Table Runner in Fog / $80 / stfrank.comSourcing the highest quality marble, quartzite, quartz, granite, and soapstone for a meticulously curated collection to ensure your search for surfaces ends with Architectural Surfaces. Visit a showroom today.
Three Generations of Design
LILLIAN AUGUST DESIGN DEITY CONFESSIONS of a
Some say that three is a magic number. For Lillian August, it certainly is. For more than three decades she has been a leading figure in the world of high-end interior and lifestyle design. With her son and co-founder, Dan Weiss, and now the addition of her granddaughter and marketing director, Eliza Weiss, by her side, August’s world-renowned brand boasts three generations of talent, skill and expertise that continues to bring traditional elegance and innovative ideas to her celebrated lines of fine indoor and outdoor home furnishings, textiles, wallcoverings, lighting, wall décor and rugs. In the following interview, August shares insights into her history, design aesthetic and unique eye for quality, detail and color, as well as the 15-year partnership she shares with Sherrill Furniture– all of which has made both Lillian August the woman and Lillian August the brand truly legendary.
Share a bit of your brand’s history and evolution. I began designing textiles in the 1970s with a line of English country house-inspired quilts and crafts. This allowed me to expand into licensed collections of fabrics, wallcoverings, and later, furniture with outstanding makers like Sherrill Furniture. With my granddaughter joining, we are reaching younger lifestyle customers with fresh designs and creative expressions like our recent outdoor fabric license with Tempo Fabrics and exciting new wallcovering designs with Wallquest.
Describe your aesthetic. Whether it is historic or fresh from the Paris runways, color, patterns and textures have always inspired me.
What are the hallmarks of your brand’s personality? Lillian August is a go-to brand for interior designers wanting to achieve unique lifestyle looks with exceptional quality and classic design.
We work in a wide variety of styles because our customers live in different parts of the country and have different wants, needs, tastes and visions. And the fact that we offer so many fabrics, finishes, colorways and customization options allows our pieces to adapt to any fresh design ideal our clients can dream up.
What is exciting you creatively right now? Our latest designs are leaning into three unique lifestyles. First is Hollywood Regency, which blends maximalist glamour with bold, bright colors and patterns. Next is New Traditional, which will expand into indoor and outdoor textile collections that combine a traditional coastal concept with a fun, youthful twist. Finally, our Vintage Roundtop mixes natural materials and relaxed finishes for a masculine, mountain house feel that represents Dan’s aesthetic point of view.
What constitutes good design? Timelessness, great taste and an original mix of colors, materials and creature comforts.
“I am so proud to be celebrating 30 years and 3 generations of hard work and success with our family, friends, colleagues and fans of great design.”
LILLIAN AUGUST
Outdoor Invitational
TAKE A SEAT ON ONE OF THESE FABULOUS ALFRESCO FINDS AND SAVOR A MOMENT IN THE SUN.
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY KATHRYN GIVEN AND SARAH SHELTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FRANCES
EN MASSE
Los Angeles-based Bend Goods takes cues from modern architecture and midcentury design to craft their wide range of wire furniture. The sleek powdercoated Rachel Chair, shown in Peacock Blue, White and Yellow, features grated construction that allows air to easily filter and water to drain from the seat, making it an ultra-practical outdoor option. On the floor, Chilewich’s Boucle Woven Floor Mat in Tangerine and Bamboo Woven Floor Mat in Spring Green are fitting en plein air accompaniments. bendgoods.com; chilewich.com
FLEXIBLE FORM
Silicone rubber is Philadelphia-based designer Nick Missel’s material of choice. For his Cube series—exclusive to Frampton Co. in New York City—Missel devised perfectly imperfect textured perches that begin as a mold made from discarded cardboard and layered with silicon until the ideal shape and size are achieved. The gel-like surface of each one-of-a-kind piece comfortably cradles the sitter, allowing them to ever so slightly sink into its surface. shop.framptonco.com
LANGUID LOUNGER
Meet the Sloth Chair, the latest debut from Maximilian Eicke’s studio Max ID NY. Portable, foldable, stackable and handwoven of a synthetic fiber, the dramatic curves of the chaise mimic the shape of waves and sand dunes. Available in six colors, this uniquely cool take on the classic sun chair remains lightweight for toting to the beach yet stylish enough to be a permanent poolside fixture. maxidnystore.com
JARDIN DELIGHT
French flair is synonymous with Fermob, the chic outdoor furniture and accessory company whose work can be found scattered across Paris’ parks and green spaces. Fermob tapped Frédéric Sofia to rethink legendary designs in their Luxembourg collection (shown), which are inspired by the iconic garden of the same name and its original furniture from 1923. The low-back, aluminum Compact Bench (in foreground) is Sofia’s latest interpretation. The 57" Bench in Ice Mint, 2/3-Seater Bench in Frosted Lemon and 2-Seater Garden Bench in Opaline Green—their newest hue—round out the colorful offerings. fermob.com; chilewich.com
STACK ‘EM UP
Quincy Ellis is the color guru behind Facture’s molded resin furniture and objects. Working out of a large Brooklyn warehouse, he brings designs to life that push the boundaries of color to realize striking combinations and gradation shifts that appear simple to the eye but require complex construction. Featuring smooth, matte finishes with gradual hue variations, the Meld Stool, Scale Pyramid and Meld Side Table (from top), can function as compact outdoor perches or bold tabletop surfaces. Custom shapes and colors are available. tulestefactory.com; chilewich.com
FORTINA for
Fortina is an exceptional architectural system that deceives the senses by mimicking the appearance of wood slats and louvers using lightweight aluminum with hyper-realistic nonPVC surfaces.
This system was the ideal choice for this luxury residential home as it not only provides the same organic feel and warmth of real wood, but also offers several advantages such as lower cost, reduced environmental impact, ease of installation, fire rated, and consistent color and finish. The Fortina Louvers offers the perfect solution for emulating the look of wood without any of the limitations.
ICON REIMAGINED
On the cusp of their 20th
2023 KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN COMPETITION
BEST OVERALL BATH
FIRST PLACE | PRIMARY BATH
Mary Maney, CKBD
Crystal Kitchen + Bath
crystalkitchen.com | crystalkitchenbath
Photography Rob Grosse of Spacecrafting
The Serene Luxury primary bath by designer Mary Maney, CKBD, of Crystal Kitchen + Bath in Crystal, Minnesota, won Best Overall Bath due to an elegant design that overcame myriad structural challenges. Marble is incorporated throughout the bath to add a feeling of luxury, while a rug pattern with a mosaic inlay centered in front of the freestanding tub creates interest. The resulting space, with its minimalistic style and fluid lines, combines a mix of tradition and modernism for a truly compelling bath.
There are many different rooms and moments that make up a home. But it is an undeniable truth that the kitchen and bath are at the center of it all. They bring the function every household must have, but they’ve also become the hub of the home in another way: they often serve as a design foundation, setting the tone for everything else. Each year, the National Kitchen and Bath Association celebrates the very best of these all-important spaces in its Kitchen & Bath Design Competition. Keep reading to explore the iconic concepts that are taking their place in NKBA history in 2023. nkba.org/designcompetition
BEST OVERALL KITCHEN FIRST PLACE | SMALL KITCHEN
Sarah Robertson, AKBD Studio Dearborn studiodearborn.com | studiodearborn
The Creek Lane Kitchen by Sarah Robertson, AKBD, founder and principal of Studio Dearborn in Mamaroneck, New York, was designed for privacy, serenity and a connection to nature. It was also a kitchen that had to effectively accommodate the homeowners’ five cats, hence the “must-have” floor drain for the pets’ watering station. The beautiful mix of materials and integrated details combined with the practical storage and functionality of this kitchen made it a clear winner.
FIRST PLACE
Crystal Kitchen + Bath Crystal, Minnesota crystalkitchen.com | crystalkitchenbath
Photography Rob Grosse of Spacecrafting
PRIMARY BATH
FIRST PLACE
D’Amore Interiors Denver, Colorado damoreinteriors.com | damoreinteriors
Photography Tim Gormley of TG Image
SECOND PLACE
Kendall Ansell Interiors Coquitlam, British Columbia kendallansell.com | ka_interiors
Photography Janis Nicolay Photography
Kendall Ansell Principal Co-designer: Katelyn Woods, Senior Interior Designer
SECONDARY BATH
THIRD PLACE
EOLO A&I Design Miami, Florida eolodesigns.com | eolodesign
Photography Eugenio Willman of Emotion Works
Sandra Diaz-Velasco Principal Architect
SECOND PLACE
Henrietta Heisler Interiors Inc. Lancaster, Pennsylvania henriettaheislerinteriors.com
henriettaheislerinteriors
Photography Justin Tearney Photography
THIRD PLACE DeMane Design Gig Harbor, Washington demanedesign.com
Photography Tammy Dwight Architectural Photography
Mary Maney CKBD, Designer Gina D’Amore Bauerle Owner Nichol Hollinger CKBD, Senior Interior DesignerFIRST PLACE
Lori Carroll & Associates
Tucson, Arizona loricarroll.com | lori_carroll
Photography Jon Mancuso
Lori Carroll
Interior Designer
Co-designer: Kat Saucedo, Designer
POWDER ROOM
FIRST PLACE
Welton Design Group Surrey, British Columbia
welton_design_group
Photography Tracey Ayton Photography
SECOND
PLACE
Jaque Bethke Design
Scottsdale, Arizona jaque.design | jaquebethke
Photography Edward Zak Photography
Jaque Bethke Interior Designer and Architect
SPECIALTY KITCHEN
THIRD
PLACE
Jaque Bethke Design
Scottsdale, Arizona
jaque.design | jaquebethke
Photography Phil Johnson of Provisuals Media
Jaque Bethke Interior Designer and Architect
SECOND
PLACE
Doug Walter Architects Denver, Colorado | dougwalterarchitects.com dougwalterarchitects
Photography Justin Tearney Photography
THIRD
PLACE
Studio Stratton
San Diego, California studiostratton.com | Studio Stratton Inc.
Photography Martin Mann Photography
Lance Stratton
Residential Designer
Co-designers: Kate LeCount and Tom King
FIRST PLACE
Bluebell Kitchens Wayne, Pennsylvania | bluebellkitchens.com bluebell_kitchens
Photography Christian Garibaldi
LARGE KITCHEN
FIRST PLACE
Studio Dearborn Westchester, New York studiodearborn.com | studiodearborn
Photography Adam Kane Macchia, Macchia Photography
SECOND PLACE
Marla Nazzicone Designs Toronto, Ontario mndesign.ca | marlanazzicone
Photography Mike Chajecki
THIRD PLACE
Bluebell Kitchens Wayne, Pennsylvania | bluebellkitchens.com bluebell_kitchens
Rebecca McAlpin
SMALL KITCHEN
SECOND PLACE
Estee Design Interiors
Toronto, Ontario esteedesign.com | esteedesigns
Photography Mike Chajecki and Victoria Malanowski, Mike Chajecki Photography
THIRD PLACE
Nar Design Group Sacramento, California nardesigngroup.com | nardesign
Photography Fred Donham, PhotographerLink
Photography Lori Kurnitsky Designer Marla Nazzicone Integrative Designer Lori Kurnitsky Designer Sarah Robertson AKBD, Founder and Principal Svetlana Tryaskina Co-FounderNKBA’s 2024 Kitchen & Bath Design Competition opens for submissions on April 1, 2023. All entries are welcome, including non-member submissions. Cash prizes of $100,000 will be given out to award winners, with Best Overall Kitchen and Best Overall Bath each taking home $20,000. For more information and to enter, please go to nkba.org/designcompetition.
Chosen by a panel of NKBA-Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designers, these distinguished projects and their creators represent the best and brightest in the industry.”
- BILL DARCY, CEO
FINELINES DESIGN STUDIO
972.809.7004 | finelinesdesignstudio.com | finelinesdesignstudio
In recent years, more homeowners than ever are being thoughtful about their outdoor spaces. “But,” says Melda Cipli-Clark, “that isn’t just referring to fire pits and grill stations anymore. Transitional living design is changing to better adapt pools integrated with alternative social gathering areas, like space for games, putting greens, playgrounds, container/vegetable gardening, and more, to serve the family as a whole.” As the owner and lead designer at FineLines Design Studio, she would know. Together with her team, Cipli-Clark carries out the firm’s central goal of designing ambience. “The atmosphere or mood of a space can be used to create luxury,” she says. “We also believe in the power of cohesion. We built our business with the motto ‘Define by Design,’ which implies our approach: all components must come together, blending with the surrounding landscape, architecture and interiors.”
GUIDE TO GOOD VIBES
As Cipli-Clark puts it, “The right furnishings and colors set the tone, but the right ambience elevates the experience.” Here are her tips for creating it:
• If you have a pool, a few resort-style lounge chairs can really enhance the essence of the area.
• Incorporate a variety of lighting options to showcase architectural features and lush plantings. A cascade of vintage-style lightbulbs strung overhead dresses things up nicely.
• With a little technological investment, you can go for the big time with an outdoor movie theater.
• Add a water feature—this is an age-old outdoor design element but it is a classic nothing is so relaxing as the flow and sound of water.
“We provide innovative and sustainable solutions that are responsive to our clients’ wants, needs and budget.”
Above Known as the sun room, this sitting area creates a comfortable place for balmy summer evenings. Top left The cedar-beamed sun room and eating area are illuminated by string lights for an aesthetically-pleasing backdrop to the lake-facing terrace. Top right Through its expansive glass walls and doors, this space seamlessly integrates the indoor and outdoor environments.
Photography Above & Top left by Amber Tice; Top right by Melda Cipli-Clark
LIVING
Elevated entertaining in west Texas and a round-up of next-level pool houses have Luxe yearning for sunny days ahead.
Home on the Ranch
THE MARFA, TEXAS, RETREAT OF HOSPITALITY MAVEN LIZ LAMBERT SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF PLACE.
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY KATHRYN GIVEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BUFF STRICKLAND
STYLING BY LAUREN SANDERS
“I strongly believe that a home should feel of a place,” Liz Lambert explains of her Marfa, Texas, abode, which is a true reflection of the surrounding area’s distinct culture. For the Austin-based hotelier, who made her mark designing some of the country’s top hospitality destinations, far west Texas inspires everything from materiality and building techniques, to the items she uses for decorating and entertaining.
Lambert’s residence is situated on her family’s sprawling cattle ranch located between
the Chinati and Davis Mountains. When she returned home to Texas after a stint in New York City, Lambert set out to find a home near where she grew up. Fortunately, she didn’t have to search far after realizing an existing bunk house structure on the property could be transformed with a few tweaks. Soon, a screened-in porch and section of the kitchen were built using traditional adobe masonry and outfitted with regionally sourced furniture. “A lot of friends helped me put this house
together,” Lambert explains. “Most of what you see in here is local and really speaks to where we are.”
Whether guests prefer lounging by the water tank or escaping the Texas heat with a dip in the alfresco bathtub, the ranch celebrates life outdoors and the natural beauty found in this corner of the country. When it comes to the interiors, there is an honest purity to the space that allows for an easy, laid-back lifestyle in which friends
come and go with ease. Most meals are served family style by Lambert’s brother, acclaimed chef Lou Lambert, who uses the Wolf Range for pinto beans as much as he does the campfire for grilling dinner.
For the table, Lambert gathers pared down native flora and fauna along with objects collected from the land. Place settings feature beautiful terra-cotta plates and bowls made in neighboring Mexico. “I think simplicity is beautiful,” Lambert notes.“I gravitate towards places where things fall away; the simpler a place is, the more you feel at home.”
One motif the aesthete does collect in abundance, though, is stripes. The classic print was the starting point for her new textile collection, Perennials by Far West, made in collaboration with the performance fabric and rug company. “I’ve had a history with stripes,” Lambert explains. “From using them in projects to collecting hand-woven Peruvian
textiles and Nepalese saddle blankets. So we began by examining each of these patterns.” And what evolved was a colorful, bohemian-inspired line comprising five fabric and three rug designs that work just as well indoors as they do outside.
Lambert, a partner at MML Hospitality, and her team at Lambert McGuire Design, put their heads together with Ann Sutherland at Perennials—bonding over Texas and tequila— to dream up patterns fitting in any number of applications while still evoking the place for which they were inspired: far west Texas. “T he idea was to start with stripes and put together a collection where each pattern could live on its own while also complementing one another,” she says. The line is already right at home on the ranch: Lambert’s used it for upholstering vibrant throw pillows, dog beds and even a camper van. At home indeed. perennialsfabrics.com; farwestcollective.com
Hunter Douglas offers a wide variety of window fashions in an array of fabrics, textures and colors. Contact us today. We’re the Hunter Douglas experts, guiding you in the selections that’ll make your home even more beautiful––whatever your style.
Ask us about:
• Special savings on select Hunter Douglas operating systems
• Free measuring and installation
• The Hunter Douglas Lifetime Limited Warranty
Ask us about special savings on select Hunter Douglas operating systems.
Read Design Plano 4021 Preston RdSte 622 Plano, TX
M-F: 9:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sat: 9:30 am - 3:00 pm
Sun: By Appointment Only (972) 608-4999
www.readdesignhome.com
With Hunter Douglas window fashions, the possibilities are endless.Alustra® Pirouette® window shadings
Sweet Escape
TODAY’S HAUTE POOL HOUSES ARE BEING DESIGNED AS DESTINATIONS UNTO THEMSELVES.
DAILY SANCTUARY
Elly Poston Cooper’s clients would have loved a vacation house, but there simply wasn’t time for one. The solution? Transform their South Carolina property into a getaway. “They wanted to create the magic of taking a holiday in their own backyard,” elaborates Poston Cooper, who joined forces with McAlpine on the design of an enchanting pool house boasting a chef’s kitchen, bunk room and lofted lounge. “We wanted it to feel like a destination,” she adds, pointing to kicky flourishes like the rattan drums, shuffleboard table and Peter Dunham Fig Leaf fabric on the lounge chairs and pillows. “It plays off the grounds and feels great for summer, but fresh and funky the rest of the year,” the designer notes. Meanwhile, beanbag chairs in Heather Chadduck’s Little Bamboo print can easily move to the pool deck or lawn, where the thoughtful addition of a white stone wall caters to movie screenings. While the outbuilding has hosted fundraisers, birthday parties, and even a wedding, the everyday delights are what assure Poston Cooper of a mission accomplished. “On Sunday nights, they’ll order pizza to the pool house and have family dinner,” she says. “It’s where they go to unplug.” ellyposton.com
RUSTIC RAUCOUS
“It truly is a catchall,” shares Julie Massucco Kleiner of the souped-up pool house she designed for a sports-loving family of entertainers. Kleiner’s clients sought to create a party HQ on their new San Juan Island, Washington, property, and an existing storage barn at the edge of the forest was just the answer. In collaboration with Studio AM Architecture & Interiors and Wygal Builders, Kleiner revamped the structure from head-to-toe, refinishing the exterior with a dramatic charcoal stain. Inside, the team implemented a world-class entertaining program tailored to large gatherings that includes a full kitchen and bar (replete with beer keg and wine systems), “the world’s largest sectional,” per Kleiner, and rolling pool and ping-pong tables wi th hard-top covers that can easily be pushed together to create a makeshift 60-person dinner table. Carrying the space’s blue-and-white scheme through to the exterior living areas, Kleiner selected an Ann Sacks tile with “a retro, Slim Aarons feel,” to rim the pool, complemented by striped chaises and scalloped umbrellas. From its flexible, fun-first amenities to the preppy palette that nods to the family’s east coast roots, the finished result is “very atypical,” Kleiner admits. Just as intended. massuccowarner.com
GANGS ALL HERE
It’s not often that clients buy a house specifically because its acreage is perfect for erecting the pool house of their dreams. But that’s exactly why a young family purchased their Scarsdale, New York, abode, tasking Alisberg Parker Architects and Lucy Harris Studio with rendering an entertainer’s paradise on its outskirts. “It was our job to design something that belongs with the landscape and aligns with the architecture of the main house,” says principal Ed Parker, who echoed the existing structure’s palette and stonework while spinning things in a decidedly modern, laid-back direction. “It really feels like a retreat—almost like having a weekend home in the backyard,” reflects director of architecture, Shaun Gotterbarn.
“They wanted a place to relax, k ick back with friends and feel like they’re getting away from it all,” adds designer Lucy Harris who, aided by team members Kelley Roach, Jaclyn Doherty and Stephanie Saltzman, channeled the hospitable, hard-living chic of a boutique hotel for the interiors. Custom furnishings in sinuous shapes, natural material details and a fresh palette of blues and neutrals energized with red accents lend an off-duty vibe that’s “still elegant, but less buttoned up,” Harris notes.
While boasting plentiful amenities (including guest quarters and a semisubterranean basketball court), the beating heart is the pool-level lounge with its showstopping wet bar backed in book-matched marble. “It’s a little bit show business and a little bit sculpture,” muses director of interior architectural design, Will Jameson. “We got to play with some fun ideas, like the wooden slats on the front that shimmer as you move like a Bridget Riley painting.” The swank space merges seamlessly to the outdoor living areas, aided by bifold glass doors and garage-style windows. “You can have 30 people over at the drop of a hat with all the different seating areas,” notes Parker—and the clients often do. The husband hosts a basketball league, the wife runs a tennis group, and the kids’ entourage lives in the pool come summer. Concludes Harris, “It really is a playhouse for everyone.” alisbergparker.com; lucyharrisstudio.com
INDUSTRY INSIDERS
YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE LEADERS IN HOME + DESIGN
When creativity and collaboration combine with a mastery of profession, innovation follows. In Industry Insiders, the experts behind the evolution of the luxury home answer questions, offer inspiration and showcase advancements.
Skilled home builders and remodelers do not simply put materials together to plan. No, the luminaries in this field are those who obsess over details, devote themselves to craftsmanship and revere the work of the architects who give them their blueprints. Enter, Bob Tabesh, the director of Avandon. Tabesh takes pride in the passionate approach his firm takes to building the work of others. “We build in any style, but we love projects that are considered classic modern, with symmetry and clean lines,” he shares. “I shy away from endeavors that don’t have the potential to become iconic. I would rather spend more
time on a project that costs more man hours with less profit if the result brings people awe.” It comes as little surprise, given this fervent perspective, to learn that while he has a team of junior and senior builders working alongside him, Tabesh is not a checked-out delegator. “I supervise every part of the project personally,” he shares. “You might find me on the top roof ridge or ankle-deep in the mud of the sump pit. I am hands-on.” Indeed, on each of Avandon’s projects in its home base of Highland Park, University Park and Preston Hollow, homeowners sing the praises of Tabesh and team’s work ethic and excellent results.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
How can clients work with trade professionals to ensure a painless design process? I encourage them to select the builder before the architect. The architect’s scope of work is to design, but often they need the builder’s input on how to execute those designs in the real world and the field.
What is next for your firm?
We are going to be working on the largest single-family home in Highland Park, which is considered a classic modern with three levels and four flights of free-flowing carved marble stairs with a post tension cable running through the stone. It will be the first design of its kind in the U.S. Also, the exterior limestone is being built using a dry-stack method that will give it the illusion of the blocks being made of a single slab, which is a process I invented specifically for this project.
Up to this point, what has been your greatest success?
Our most notable projects, such as Bardot Place. It was a private redevelopment that paved the way for the revitalization of Knox Street. Well-known and occupying 10 percent of the Knox frontage, its renewal encouraged nationally-recognized companies, such as Duxiana, Away and Herman Miller, to set up shop there.
Top This luminous living room blends comfort and elegance in seamless style. Opposite Bob Tabesh poses in one of the many immaculately-polished homes he and the Avandon team have brought to life. Photography James Edward“To be an effective builder, you must be creative, have good taste, un derstand current trends and be worldly.”
KBM DESIGNS + MY FAVORITE ROOM BY KBM DESIGNS
Kathy McCabe has always been a creative entrepreneur. She opened her first small business over 25 years ago selling dried florals from her home. As demand grew, so did requests for help in overall home design, and Kathy soon established a professional home design company, KBM Designs. An adjoining home furnishings store—My Favorite Room by KBM Designs—quickly followed. “Running a business while raising a young family taught me early on the challenges and skills necessary to build a successful company,” Kathy says. Relocating to McKinney in 2004, the shop has grown to nearly 10,000 square feet and houses talented designers and a dedicated retail team. In the store, Kathy showcases her own authentic and distinct style—a blending of modern home furnishings and accessories, fine European antiques and hand-crafted objects, and organic items harvested from nature. “I’m always exploring ways to blend old with new to develop unique spaces,” she explains. “I believe it brings
soul and life into every room.” Kathy applies the same mindset to home design projects. In addition to mixing past and present, she gravitates towards serene and calming color palettes like those found in nature. She adds, “My intent is to create in the home that same sense of rest and rejuvenation that comes from spending time outdoors.”
ASK THE EXPERT
How do you balance owning a design company and a home furnishings store?
The two complement each other. We love having on-site products to show clients prior to purchase. And shoppers often become clients or refer us to others after visiting the store. Regularly purchasing and merchandising for the store also challenges us to stay current with the latest trends in product and design.
What is one of the most important things you’ve learned after 25-plus years in the design industry?
Listening is essential—to what is said and what isn’t. Helping clients identify what they want goes well beyond a picture found on a computer or Instagram. We pride ourselves on taking the time to truly understand what challenges we’re being asked to help solve. It makes what we do rewarding and it’s why our followers are so loyal.
“At the end of the project, we want clients to be left with a refined, comfortable home that inspires wellness and connection—and is uniquely beautiful.”
Serenity Now
Soft whites and plush textures transform a new Houston abode into a heavenly retreat.
WRITTEN BY MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX PHOTOGRAPHY BY KERRY KIRKeter Tunney’s artwork Lonely No More greets guests in the entry of this Houston residence. “And that is exactly how my client wants you to feel the minute you walk through the door: happy, hopeful and completely at home,” says designer Ashley Goforth. It is fair to say that the interior designer can express her client’s sentiment with absolute confidence, having collaborated with her on the design of five houses over the past 18 years. Each one of their projects has been distinct, and this one proved no different. “Having a home that is welcoming, warm and approachable was important,” Goforth explains. “We wanted to create a family-friendly, uplifting environment while also maintaining a luxurious and edited feel.”
Except for a few special pieces of art, Mies van der Rohe daybed and grand 19th-century Louis XVI-style mirror, Goforth curated an entirely new collection of furniture and accessories to reflect the owner’s vision. And she conjured a soothing color palette comprising shades of milky whites and faint neutrals. While the designer is known in local circles as the “Queen of Color,” her foray into neutrals this time around was spot on thanks to her expert use of texture. “It was about creating an ethereal experience,” Goforth notes. “My client loves the idea of airy spaces that make you feel as if you’re floating through clouds as you move from room to room. At the same time, she wanted interiors that feel cozy and cuddle her like a blanket.” Nodding to the owner’s flair for high fashion, Goforth brought these dreams to life with help from couture fabrics in the form of silk draperies, wool rugs and both mohair- and boucléupholstered furnishings. Dressmaker details such as tufting, French pleats and bullion fringe add more depth amidst the monochrome layers.
Working from the outside in, architect Kelly Cusimano established a framework that perfectly reflects what the client had envisioned. Turning to classic materials like brick, timber and slate, the architect designed the home in an English style with a contemporary L-shape configuration to
take full advantage of its corner lot. Alongside his project architect, Luis Salcedo, as well as builder DJ Palmore, he set the structure back from the tree-lined street for ultimate privacy. This had the added advantage of providing unparalleled views of the property—and plantings by landscape designer Fadi Hlayhel—from the wraparound glass galleries and expansive banks of windows flooding spaces with natural light. “The play on wall versus glass juxtaposes traditional, planned spaces with the unexpected, giving the house soul,” Cusimano says. “The furniture and decor selections take it one step further by enhancing the understated interior architecture so it feels richer and more inviting without overwhelming it.”
Flooring throughout the home comprising quartersawn white oak with a natural waxed finish, along with polished book-matched marble slabs in the welcoming entry, lays the groundwork for spaces that are light but still convey substance. Goforth thoughtfully devised furniture plans that reiterate this beautiful balance by integrating simple yet shapely tables, chairs and case pieces. Examples include a set of one-of-a-kind barrel-back dining room chairs upholstered in a tonal cut-velvet with clipped-corner arms and rounded tripod-style legs. These pair with another masterful piece: a rough-edge Costa Rican Parota wood-slab table the designer had fabricated locally. Meanwhile, she also sourced pieces like the study’s solid reclaimed elm desk with chunky arched legs and a commanding 1940s Scandinavian oak credenza situated in the family room. A smattering of additional antique and vintage selections including a marble coffee table and nubby vintage chairs in the living room instill a sense of permanence, suggesting a collectedover-time aesthetic.
Goforth firmly believes in the transcendent power of antiques like these. “No matter how modern the house, one single piece—a Danish desk chair, Biedermeier table, Directoire commode—is all you really need in order to bring in character and history,” the designer says. “Something from the past should be present in every room if you want to make the home feel lived in, loved and grounded.”
“We wanted to create a familyfriendly, uplifting environment while also maintaining a luxurious and edited feel.”
– ASHLEY GOFORTHThe Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed from Design Within Reach sits opposite a custom sofa wearing Pindler Atlas mohair in the family room. A 1940s Scandinavian credenza from M.Naeve and RH coffee table complete the arrangement.
DATA DRIVEN
One Austin artist’s colorful, mesmerizing works draw inspiration from an unexpected place.
WRITTEN BY LAURA FENTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE MLAKARAprototype for a glassart installation dangles near a window in Laurie Frick’s Austin studio. The artist used it to plan out spacing for the 3,000 colored-glass discs suspended as part of her recent installation at SITE Gallery Houston. Each piece represented data gathered about musical genres streamed online. The theme for this show was “synaptic,” and Frick says the concept came from wondering: “What would it look like to step inside your brain while listening to music?”
This ability to translate complex numerical data into awe-inspiring art is the hallmark of Frick’s work. A former engineer, she left the tech sector to pursue fine art. While studying painting, Frick became convinced she could use the many data points of our lives to create a new type of portrait. “I began measuring my time, but I then learned you can measure your sleep,” recalls the artist, who purchased an EEG monitor to track her slumber. “The patterns were beautiful and compelling.” And so, Frick took the information she collected and translated it into her first data-based art piece.
Now represented by Blue Print Gallery, Frick has worked in a variety of media. They almost always have a handmade quality to contrast the cold, hard metrics that inspire her work: collage, watercolor, leather, garment-dyed felt and, most recently, kiln-fired, fused glass. Her process of translating data varies, sometimes using numbers in a straightforward fashion like a tree diagram. Other times, her approach is more creative. For a piece entitled Felt Personality, she sorted answers from a dating site questionnaire into categories based on a personality assessment, color-coding the results in felt. “A section of the final grid falls apart into colorful chaos, representing the potential for a breakup,” she describes.
In her studio, it’s easy to see how the artist became excited to work with glass. Vibrant sheets of it cover her work surfaces. “You can fire pieces of glass together and they mix almost like paint,” she explains. “Plus, it never fades. The color is embedded in the chemistry.” Frick mastered cutting glass sheets after many hours exploring the medium during the pandemic lockdown. She has since ventured into more elaborate mosaics, which she plots out as digital drawings first.
When pressed about her penchant for pursuing technically demanding mediums, Frick says it’s all about the challenge.
POINT OF VIEW
With nods to California and Italy, an Austin residence is refreshed for newlyweds.
his house could be in the Hollywood Hills,” says designer Chad Dorsey of a project he recently completed in Austin.
“You walk into the entry and the view goes right through the living room and out to the pool. It’s very dramatic.” It’s so striking, in fact, that the owners selected it as the backdrop for their nuptials—a fitting choice as this renovation, which went from minor to major after a storm sent Texas into a freeze, expresses the couple’s shared vision. “We thought we’d paint the exterior, nothing too extreme, but the storm damage provided an opportunity to create what we really wanted,” recalls the husband. Chimes the wife: “And it showed us how well we make decisions together.”
With builder Teresa Duffin and her project manager, Kenny Torres, also on board, the couple enlisted Dorsey to update the interiors. “My clients wanted it to be livable, and they liked my ‘relaxed luxury’ style,” he recalls. Working with his senior designer, Georgia Bass, Dorsey began to reimagine the home in a more contemporary way while honoring the existing Mediterraneaninspired styling. To that end, one of the first tasks was replacing the living room’s series of French doors with a retractable design to enhance the vistas. Throughout, the team continued the transformation by embracing “timeless materials like natural stone and plaster walls to add texture and warmth without a lot of color,” Dorsey notes. Since the clients frequently entertain, a key to furnishing the interiors was finding pieces that easily transition from place to place. “That way, if they need to rearrange a chair during a party, it will still look great,” explains Dorsey, who sourced items both online and on buying trips. Beginning in the living room—which serves as a pass-through to the kitchen and family room—he brought in an assortment of upholstered seats to suit the light and airy color palette. “The view out onto the verdant hills has a calming effect, and we wanted that to be reflected in the furnishings and to set the tone for the rest of the home,” the designer explains. Grounding the soothing space are
darker elements like wood accents, black-painted doors flanking the fireplace and even an adjacent cocktail bar with midnight-blue cabinetry.
The dining room—notably one of Dorsey’s favorite spots in the house—retains a similarly easy spirit. “It’s comfortable for just the two of them on a Tuesday morning, but on a Saturday night it feels like your favorite restaurant,” the designer observes. Here, seating comprises not only chairs but also a custom chocolatevelvet-and-walnut banquette surrounding an oak dining table. Dorsey layered these against a backdrop of hand-painted metallic paper on one wall and a work by local collage artist Lance Letscher on the other. His collected approach “is authentic to us,” muses the wife, who shared projects by Los Angeles luminaries Jake Arnold and Kelly Wearstler, as well as memories of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, during meetings. “That’s the energy we wanted—not to replicate it exactly, but to have Chad put his spin on it.” Adds the designer: “The combination of materials—wood, metal, textiles, plaster, paint—creates a rhythm and a language develops.”
While there’s certainly a mix that ties everything together, each space retains a unique character. For example, the family room, dubbed the “record room,” serves as a laid-back, conversational area with vintage pieces in keeping with a turntable. The kitchen and husband’s study both nod to the couple’s openness for color with moody, smoky greens on the walls and cabinetry, respectively. And the primary bedroom invites relaxation with an intimate seating area and warmer tones imparted by a wood-paneled alcove for the bed, an idea repeated around the couple’s bathroom tub with espresso-stained oak paneling. “I love our bedroom suite,” says the wife. “Every morning the shades go up and there’s that view—the first thing I see—and the bathroom seems like our very own spa.”
It’s this unexpected nature of things that makes the couple’s first house as newlyweds feel like a true home. “Spaces don’t have to be new and perfect,” Dorsey explains. “It’s really about the subtleties of the design and creating different experiences.”
It Had to Be You
For a couple building their family home in Dallas, all signs pointed to one design team.
Architecture: Ryan Street and Eran Montoya, Ryan Street Architects
Interior Design: Jennifer Sissom, Ryan Street Architects
Home Builder: Jon David Smith, J.D. Smith Custom Homes Landscape Architecture: Bill Bauer, The Garden Design Studio
WRITTEN BY MONIQUE MCINTOSH PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE SOEFER STYLING BY JESSICA HOLTAMometimes it’s difficult to discern the reason one gravitates to a particular abode—that intangible quality that goes beyond surface beauty, planting roots into one’s imagination. A Dallas couple experienced that indescribable connection firsthand with several homes they’d come across and admired while out and about. Though each residence differed in style, their shared X-factor soon came into focus. Every one of them was composed by residential designer Ryan Street. “So we knew that when the time came to design ours, we wanted him to do it,” says the husband with a laugh.
Upon closer inspection of these houses, the couple realized they loved Street’s use of contemporary details that still feel warm. “He has a wonderful way of bringing the outdoors in, with large windows and natural elements,” observes the wife. While Street indeed incorporates all of the above into his projects, he also believes thoughtful personalization is key. “Families come to us with a mix of things they love, and we find that common thread,” he says. This process recently became more nuanced with his firm’s new interior design division led by designer Jennifer Sissom. For these clients with four kids in tow, they focused on constructing “a refined yet comfortable family home,” recalls Sissom. With builder Jon David Smith and landscape architect Bill Bauer also on board, the team got to work bringing their ideas to life.
Street, working alongside architect Eran Montoya, translated this elegant ease into what he describes as “a French Provincial house, but our stylized version of it.” With its stucco walls, flat-tile roof, exposed rafter tails and central tower crowned with a bay window, the exterior façade feels “extroverted,” notes Street, “and imbued with decorative elements drawn from that style.” These distilled traditional details continue inside, with the thick walls evoking old masonry as well as the splayed arches and ceiling beams.
The family’s unique rhythms unfold in the home’s layout. An open-floor plan best suited the ebb and flow of life with children, but the owners also treasure intimacy. Street balanced both by unbuttoning enclosed spaces with a procession of archways, preserving distinct rooms with graceful transitions in between. Stepping
into the defined foyer, “you enter the house in a ceremonial way, with the stairwell as a deliberate piece of sculpture,” he explains. Additional areas beckon through broad openings. These provide rooms with more than two sides of light, so there’s always a visual connection to outside.
Underscoring this open yet personable atmosphere, “we continued that vision all the way through to the accessories,” describes Sissom. Creating custom features like the game room’s banquette was key to corralling family and friends. Clad in a buttery saddle leather that will grow more beautiful with use, it’s the perfect spot to lounge after pingpong matches. The designer also found slabs of twilight-hued marble for the jewel-box bar, which became the dining room’s festive focal point with cocktails flowing between a pass-through window.
Honoring the architecture’s unvarnished materiality, Sissom used “natural, earthy elements and colors, as it was important everything feel beautiful but humble,” she describes. Woods are warm and patinated, from the long teak dining table to the living room’s twin coffee tables made from reclaimed oak. Their tactility helps new furniture blend with the couple’s existing vintage pieces. To this mix, Sissom also added other special finds, including a set of Henning Kjærnulf dining chairs and the powder room’s 16th-century marble sink, originally sourced from a Belgian castle. The lounge-worthy sectionals, sofas and armchairs are oversize and textural, covered in velvet, leather and casual slipcovers. And for lighting, Sissom favored delicate chandeliers, eschewing brass and crystal in favor of plaster and iron.
Away from the daily flurry of activity in the main living spaces, the couple finds stillness in their bedroom suite, where Street infused subtle romance with towering, peaked ceilings, large windows overlooking the oak tree canopy and a side terrace outfitted with a fireplace. Here, Sissom sought to “create this little oasis that makes you feel like you’ve stepped out of Dallas,” she says. Ensconced in twin oversize wicker chairs, amidst potted topiaries, both owners enjoy lounging “where we can overlook the kids playing in the backyard,” adds the wife.
It’s quiet moments like these that remind the couple how far they have come, beginning with the early days of falling in love with seemingly random houses, to now having a Ryan Street home of their own.
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Given the unique design elements that come into play when creating a lake home, having a team that understands the ins and outs of lake life is key. Enter, Sharif & Munir Custom Homes. The firm has been building in the Dallas area’s lake communities since 1978. “For those wanting a high-end custom lakeside retreat, we’re the builder that delivers,” says Mickey Munir, CEO, who leads the team along with president Michael Munir. As for what advice they offer to those seeking just that, Michael says, “You need a great contractor that knows how to build remotely. Although Long Cove is only an hour and change from Dallas, for example, you probably won’t be able to check in on progress as often as you would like. That is why trust is of the utmost importance. And that’s what you can expect from every member of our team.”
ALL THINGS LAKE LIFE
Michael shares his thoughts on favorites and inspirations.
• Indoor-outdoor must-haves: Outdoor showers and outdoor built-in cooking areas that rival the experience at your primary residence.
• Favorite eatery by the water: Athens Boathouse, but there aren’t as many restaurants around the lake, so prep for a great kitchen is essential.
• Instagram accounts to inspire: @bernbaummagadiniarchitects, @longcovetx and @shmarchitects.
AN UNPARALLED RETREAT
Asked to share a project that exemplifies their lake-centric work, Mickey says, “We completed a very nice residence on Lake Texoma that has all of the quality of our homes in Dallas, but was finished out with the warmth and feel of a lake home. It included a private cinema and large, stacked outdoor verandas to take in the 180-degree views of the lake.”
Top The view of Cedar Creek Lake from the porch of South Shore 72 at Long Cove is spectacular. Far left This seven-bedroom home is built for family, friends and fun on the lake. Left An open-format kitchen, great room and dining area boast lake views from all directions.KJ Custom Screens & Outdoor Living exists to provide you the same comfort outside that you feel inside your home. Our motorized screens drop down at the touch of a button, providing protection from bugs and/or sun. With many opacities to choose from, our screens can also create privacy and climate control, therefore designing a four-season outdoor living space. 972.670.3670