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Houzz Tour: A Family-friendly New-build Home Full of Colour
A family’s favourite colours and bold artworks bring warmth and wit to a modern home
Art, colour and lots of room for family time dictated the design of this large house in Houston, Texas. The architect had just completed the preliminary plans for this family of five’s new home when interior designer Lynn Holender joined the team.
Lynn learned from the homeowners that they loved colour, architectural motifs such as arches, entertaining friends, and the work of artist Donald Robertson. She also consulted with the family’s young daughters during the design phase. In addition to choosing finish and furnishing options, Lynn designed built-in furniture and other cabinetry to accommodate the family’s storage needs, treasured objects and entertaining preferences.
Lynn learned from the homeowners that they loved colour, architectural motifs such as arches, entertaining friends, and the work of artist Donald Robertson. She also consulted with the family’s young daughters during the design phase. In addition to choosing finish and furnishing options, Lynn designed built-in furniture and other cabinetry to accommodate the family’s storage needs, treasured objects and entertaining preferences.
The painting set the tone for the room, which has a blue sisal wallcovering, a bespoke blue velvet sofa, swivel chairs upholstered in pale pink tartan, and chartreuse suede-fringed ottomans. A burr wood cocktail table adds warmth.
The homeowners also have an affinity for arches, like the one seen here on the large window. Lynn added lots of arches throughout the house.
Wallcovering, Thibaut.
The homeowners also have an affinity for arches, like the one seen here on the large window. Lynn added lots of arches throughout the house.
Wallcovering, Thibaut.
The piano came from the husband’s grandparents’ home in Argentina. Lynn added the built-in units for storing items and displaying favourite things.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Carpenter, Joiner or Cabinet-maker?
More: What Happens When You Hire a Carpenter, Joiner or Cabinet-maker?
The formal dining room is decorated in green. Lynn used the same grasscloth wallcovering as in the living room, but in a different shade. “This is a large home and, without wallcoverings, there would have been a lot of big white walls,” she says. “Wallcoverings envelop the room, bring in warmth and texture, and make it colourful and vibrant.”
The curtains are motorised, so the clients can open and close them using their phones when they’re away. Lynn designed a cornice above the window to hide the mechanical components.
The curtains are motorised, so the clients can open and close them using their phones when they’re away. Lynn designed a cornice above the window to hide the mechanical components.
This bar is located off the dining room. Lynn designed the white oak cabinetry. “I used white oak on the dining room’s window trim and included the eyebrow shape at the top of the bar to connect it to the dining room window,” she says. The centre drawers are refrigerated. There’s also an ice-maker and a bin pullout concealed within the bar’s cabinetry.
The bar has a handmade Moroccan tile splashback. Lynn used antiqued mirror above it. The worktops are travertine.
There’s a wine room off the bar. Lynn continued the brick she used on the floors up the walls for an old-world feel.
The kitchen-diner-living room is in the centre of the house, with the other colourful rooms located around it. So Lynn gave it a more neutral palette, but she brought in colour through the green island base and the blue butler’s pantry.
The focal point in the room is a range cooker alcove backed in striking Calacatta marble. Lynn hid the extractor fan behind a plastered wall, using it as an opportunity to add another arch.
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The focal point in the room is a range cooker alcove backed in striking Calacatta marble. Lynn hid the extractor fan behind a plastered wall, using it as an opportunity to add another arch.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
“The original plans had the sink in the island, but I told my clients they should move it, so they could have a clear island,” Lynn says. “It’s better for gatherings and for doing homework.” She also extended the worktop off one end so she could wrap seating around two sides of the island.
“For such a large house, this kitchen is not that big,” she says. “We had to choose between having a freestanding freezer or a built-in coffee-maker in here. My clients knew they would need the coffee machine more in the kitchen than the freezer.” The standalone integrated fridge is located near the entrance to the pantry while the freezer is in the butler’s pantry.
“For such a large house, this kitchen is not that big,” she says. “We had to choose between having a freestanding freezer or a built-in coffee-maker in here. My clients knew they would need the coffee machine more in the kitchen than the freezer.” The standalone integrated fridge is located near the entrance to the pantry while the freezer is in the butler’s pantry.
This photo shows the island worktop’s ogee edge. Lynn added another arch above the sink. The door on the back right corner is the fridge. The designer used separate fridge and freezer units for more freedom within the layout.
“There’s green in the splashback that matches the island and blue that matches the cabinetry in the pantry,” Lynn says.
The butler’s pantry holds small appliances. In addition to the freezer, it has a steam oven.
The butler’s pantry holds small appliances. In addition to the freezer, it has a steam oven.
These are the family’s dogs, Carlos and Louisa, relaxing in the kitchen-diner’s seating area. Lynn used performance fabrics on the sofas to stand up to the dogs and spills.
Another Robertson painting is the star of the room. “My clients always like to put this painting in the family room,” she says.
Another Robertson painting is the star of the room. “My clients always like to put this painting in the family room,” she says.
Rather than designing bookshelves and cabinets, Lynn custom-designed two white oak doors with arched motifs. The cupboards are fitted with shelves to store games, toys, books and more.
She also determined the size, placement and stain colour for the ceiling beams. There’s a TV over the fireplace, but it’s covered with a painting in this photo.
She also determined the size, placement and stain colour for the ceiling beams. There’s a TV over the fireplace, but it’s covered with a painting in this photo.
“My client told me, ‘This is the kids’ playroom, and I want something fabulous,’” Lynn says. The room is located off the kitchen. She designed lots of cabinetry and shelves for toys, crafts, display space and creative play. The two cupboards are deep and have removable shelves inside.
The brass cabinet hardware is oversized and in a wavy shape to add a playful touch to the room.
The brass cabinet hardware is oversized and in a wavy shape to add a playful touch to the room.
In the boot room, Lynn gave each child their own locker with shoe cubbyholes underneath. The drawers are charging drawers.
The boot room leads to the utility room, where beautiful textured tiles provide subtle variation in green tones up the walls.
For the cloakroom, the homeowners wanted something special. They contacted artist Robertson and had him custom-design this “Clutch City” pattern for them. Clutch City is a moniker given to the Houston Rockets basketball team after it won the NBA championship in 1994.
They told Robertson the iconic Houston landmarks they wanted to include, and the most important one was the Cyclone, a roller-coaster at Astroworld, where the couple met. There’s also an astronaut, an oil derrick, the Astrodome and Williams Tower, formerly known as Transco Tower.
They told Robertson the iconic Houston landmarks they wanted to include, and the most important one was the Cyclone, a roller-coaster at Astroworld, where the couple met. There’s also an astronaut, an oil derrick, the Astrodome and Williams Tower, formerly known as Transco Tower.
This is the main en suite. “The original plans didn’t include any of these arches or alcoves,” Lynn says. “It simply had vanity units placed up against two walls.
She added the alcoves for a cosier feel and recessed a cabinet into the wall. “My client wanted glass doors, so I told her I’d do it if she promised to roll up the towels,” she says with a laugh.
Deep mitred edges on the Calacatta gold marble countertops give them a strong presence.
She added the alcoves for a cosier feel and recessed a cabinet into the wall. “My client wanted glass doors, so I told her I’d do it if she promised to roll up the towels,” she says with a laugh.
Deep mitred edges on the Calacatta gold marble countertops give them a strong presence.
Lynn repeated the marble on the bath surround. She used gold fixtures to play off the golden tones in the marble. She also added the arched niche for art.
The flooring is brushed limestone tiles. The bathroom also has a steam shower.
The flooring is brushed limestone tiles. The bathroom also has a steam shower.
A walk across a covered patio leads to this space, which the homeowners and Lynn dubbed “The Sports Bar”. She used green on the cabinetry, the splashback is a reeded marble mosaic, and the cabinet fronts are reeded as well. The worktop is Verde Tino green marble.
Like the bar off the dining room, this one has refrigerated drawers in the centre flanked by an ice-maker and pullout bin. The drawers on the ends are configured to hold glassware.
Like the bar off the dining room, this one has refrigerated drawers in the centre flanked by an ice-maker and pullout bin. The drawers on the ends are configured to hold glassware.
“He wanted to have a place to play poker with his friends once a week,” Lynn says of the husband. “But we didn’t want the space to be dominated by a table so they could use it for parties.”
To keep the space flexible, Lynn found a table that can serve as both a desk and a poker table. On poker nights, the husband pulls it out into the centre of the room and opens up leaves to accommodate the players. Poker night chairs are stored in a cupboard.
To keep the space flexible, Lynn found a table that can serve as both a desk and a poker table. On poker nights, the husband pulls it out into the centre of the room and opens up leaves to accommodate the players. Poker night chairs are stored in a cupboard.
In the wife’s office, Lynn drenched the walls and built-in cabinets with bold blue paint, complemented by brass accents on the hardware, grilles and lighting. The neon sign is bespoke and is Spanish for “So Much So Much So Much.”
The swivel armchairs came with the couple from their former home. “We loved the coral with the blue,” Lynn says. They’re a nice place for the kids to sit and visit with their mum when she’s working. There’s also a desk on the other side of the room where they can sit and colour.
The swivel armchairs came with the couple from their former home. “We loved the coral with the blue,” Lynn says. They’re a nice place for the kids to sit and visit with their mum when she’s working. There’s also a desk on the other side of the room where they can sit and colour.
“It was really cute – my client brought her daughters to my studio to talk about their rooms. They told me their favourite colours, and this little girl loved flamingos,” Lynn says.
The flamingo painting over the bed is by Robertson. The flamingo on the bedside table is a lamp.
The flamingo painting over the bed is by Robertson. The flamingo on the bedside table is a lamp.
Blue cabinetry offers plenty of display space for books, a rainbow and more flamingos, among other things. Cupboards and drawers under the bench provide extra storage.
Lynn also used a scalloped motif as a cornice. The Roman blinds with pompom edges and the curtains are fixed, but there are blackout blinds tucked up top, which are motorised.
Lynn also used a scalloped motif as a cornice. The Roman blinds with pompom edges and the curtains are fixed, but there are blackout blinds tucked up top, which are motorised.
The stripes in the wallpaper have a line of dots down the centre. This picks up on the pompom trim on the curtains.
Lynn repeated the scallop detail on the bottom of the bespoke vanity unit. There’s also motion-sensor lighting beneath it for when the daughter has to get up in the night. The flooring is composed of blue and white penny tiles.
The cabinetry seen in the mirror’s reflection includes a laundry basket in the bottom portion. The designer also designated a drawer for ribbons and bows.
Tell us…
What do you like about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The cabinetry seen in the mirror’s reflection includes a laundry basket in the bottom portion. The designer also designated a drawer for ribbons and bows.
Tell us…
What do you like about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A family of five with two dogs
Location Houston, Texas, USA
Size Six bedrooms and eight bathrooms
Designer Lynn Holender of Lynn Holender Designs
Architects Sullivan, Henry, Oggero & Associates
Builder Unika Homes
Photos by Julie Soefer Photography
To understand the homeowners’ style and Lynn’s approach, it’s best to start in the living room. “They both love the work of artist Donald Robertson. This painting that they already owned needed a place of importance,” she says. The wife’s favourite colour is blue and the husband’s is green. Lynn gave each of them spaces that highlighted these hues.
“My client didn’t like the idea of a formal living room; she preferred the idea of a parlour,” Lynn says. She liked that the word has its origins in the French word parler, which means “to speak”.
“This room encourages people to converse, make music and make connections without screens,” Lynn says.
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