Houzz Tour: Warm Contemporary Style for a Texas Family
A designer creates harmony between existing rustic architecture and the clean contemporary look her clients love
This family was so committed to having a completely new style in its new home that it donated all its furnishings and lived on air mattresses for six months while this large decorating job was completed. The house was new construction originally built for another family and had traditional rustic architecture. This family tasked designer Ginger Curtis with giving the home a warm contemporary style in a way that was harmonious with the style of the house. Through statement lighting, warm wood and lots of thoughtful custom touches, she made it uniquely theirs.
The entry is open to the dining room. Curtis used brass in the lighting and other touches for a cohesive look throughout the house. While the architectural details like the beams and Texas limestone walls are rustic, the large pendant lights bring in the more polished and contemporary look her clients were seeking.
Pendants: Restoration Hardware
Pendants: Restoration Hardware
“The barrel chairs have flared legs and are very Danish,” Curtis says. “And there is a slight shimmer to the rug, which is elegant and a little glam.”
Sideboard: Restoration Hardware
Sideboard: Restoration Hardware
Showstopping light fixtures are used throughout the house. “My clients really wanted great statement light fixtures,” Curtis says. “In the family room, we had to go big to match the scale of the large room.” The first pick she made there was a trio of woven black metal fixtures that bring the high ceiling down while drawing the eye up.
She also went Texas-sized with a roomy custom sectional, large block of a coffee table, substantial media wall and an area rug, all of which work well with the scale of the room and make it cozy.
She also went Texas-sized with a roomy custom sectional, large block of a coffee table, substantial media wall and an area rug, all of which work well with the scale of the room and make it cozy.
A home bar was already here; Curtis added the stools and light fixtures to tie it into the space.
To the left is a two-sided fireplace; the other side faces the dining room. Curtis replaced a standard mantel with a large live-edge one that works well with the wood beams in the room.
The new custom media wall crafted of white oak and walnut is a big part of this room’s transformation. “Using two species gave us two different patterns of wood grain going in two different directions,” Curtis says. She also designed it so the poufs — used as footrests and extra seating — could tuck underneath the floating cabinet.
Pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
To the left is a two-sided fireplace; the other side faces the dining room. Curtis replaced a standard mantel with a large live-edge one that works well with the wood beams in the room.
The new custom media wall crafted of white oak and walnut is a big part of this room’s transformation. “Using two species gave us two different patterns of wood grain going in two different directions,” Curtis says. She also designed it so the poufs — used as footrests and extra seating — could tuck underneath the floating cabinet.
Pendant lights: Restoration Hardware
The family room is open to the kitchen. The space was already in great shape so Curtis simply changed the counter stools, light fixtures and accessories.
She also reworked the eat-in area with a new pedestal table, modern chairs and a sculptural contemporary brass and glass chandelier.
The family loves to have family and friends over for casual meals outside. Curtis designed the live-edge table as well as the bench.
Pendants: Restoration Hardware
Pendants: Restoration Hardware
The desk in the office faces the fireplace. “In the office, we used black on one wall to make that fireplace pop,” Curtis says. “It makes the more rustic elements work with the contemporary style my clients love.” Two midcentury modern-inspired armchairs create a place to visit and chat so the whole family can enjoy the room together. A chunky patterned rug and substantial wood and glass coffee table tie the sitting area together.
Curtis designed this custom shelving unit for the office. “This is my favorite thing in the house,” she says. “The shelving is unfussy simple plywood boxes that float over the metal bars and past them a bit, which creates dimension and depth.”
For the master bedroom, the idea was Scandinavian rustic. Curtis designed the custom bed with built-in nightstands. The wood is alder.
She also gave a blah fireplace surround a unique refacing. “It’s a concrete treatment that looks like a limestone wash,” she says. “This was an economical way to do it and we are thrilled with the result.” Another fabulous light fixture draws the eye up.
She also gave a blah fireplace surround a unique refacing. “It’s a concrete treatment that looks like a limestone wash,” she says. “This was an economical way to do it and we are thrilled with the result.” Another fabulous light fixture draws the eye up.
“Their daughter is 16 and loves the whimsical bohemian artsy look,” Curtis says. “I wanted to give her a space that felt creative.” She designed the platform bed, which has lights underneath. The headboard is made of stacked beams, and an intricate macrame wall hanging fills the space over the bed.
The daughter also has her own art studio upstairs, where Curtis continued the boho look. “I wanted this to be a place where she could make a mess,” she says. So she crafted a plywood stage for the desk, which has hidden drawers underneath. The rest of the space is a lounge where the girl can hang out with friends; it includes a comfortable daybed and funky hanging chair.
Hanging chair and side table: Anthropologie
Hanging chair and side table: Anthropologie
For the couple’s 10-year-old son, the big reveal of his bedroom was a surprise. “I wanted to design something that could grow up with him,” Curtis says. She created custom bunk beds, which have a trundle bed underneath, an extra-wide ladder and even a built-in punching bag. The chair folds out into another bed, making room for a slumber party of four.
The son also has a lounge, but the whole family uses it. “Family time is very important, and Mom and Dad play with the kids a lot. He and his father love to play video games together,” Curtis says.
“The challenge here was to make a kid space really cool and not too kiddie,” she says. The graphic touches are playful and keep the room stylish. These include balanced pops of color like the dashes of red, the text on the pillows and the Pacman art. The snack bar is custom, and Curtis made sure to provide good lighting so it can also serve as a homework spot.
“The challenge here was to make a kid space really cool and not too kiddie,” she says. The graphic touches are playful and keep the room stylish. These include balanced pops of color like the dashes of red, the text on the pillows and the Pacman art. The snack bar is custom, and Curtis made sure to provide good lighting so it can also serve as a homework spot.
Here’s a look at the back of the house, where you can see how the interior relates to the architecture.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and two of their four kids (the other two have left the nest)
Location: Flower Mound, Texas
Size: Five bedrooms, five bathrooms
Designer: Ginger Curtis of Urbanology Designs
The family’s fresh start helped other families start over. “They have big hearts,” Curtis says of her clients. “They shipped all of their existing furniture to Louisiana after a big storm down there for families in need.”
The vibe of the house is easy to get right off the bat: lots of beautiful wood, a variety of textures and warm contemporary style. Curtis used wood pieces to tie into the home’s existing rough-hewn beams but kept things contemporary otherwise. “My client wanted the house to be welcoming but also to feel polished,” she says.
Wall paint (throughout the house): Edgecomb Gray, Sherwin-Williams; console: Anthropologie