A Glamorous yet Kid-Friendly Dallas Home

One of my favorite things about Instagram is discovering kindred spirits with similar design aesthetics.  I recently “met” Lindsay, a fellow Texan who lives in Dallas with her husband and four children (three boys and a little princess) when her daughter’s Lilly Pulitzer themed bathroom was featured by The Beaufort Bonnet Company.  Lindsay has no formal design training, but her grandmother was a decorator, s0 Lindsay was exposed to fine antiques and fabric stores from an early age.  This sense of style was passed along to her mother, and now to Lindsay as well. Eager to see more, Lindsay has graciously agreed to take us on a tour of her elegant home while sharing her tips on how she also made it kid-friendly…

Q:  How would you describe your style?

A:  I would describe my style as formal French and traditional.

Q:  Please tell me about your home (what year was it built, etc.) and your design process.

A:  Our house was built in 2000. We bought it in 2013. When our third child was born in 2012, we were living in a small home, and busting at the seams. Originally, we were going to build a new house. We found and bought a pretty wooded lot with an old house, which we tore down. We spent a year drawing up architectural plans to build a formal French house. A few days before we broke ground, the neighbor, also new to the street, complained to us that there was a cabinet maker one block away making loud constant noise. It was highly likely the noise would be heard inside once the house was built. We abandoned ship, and we were disappointed.. I believe things always happen for a reason. We began to search for alternatives, whether it be another lot or another home. I found a house nearby for us to look at. I knew the second I stepped foot in this house, it was the one. Amazingly enough, the layout and style were very similar to our plans. We spent 4 months renovating before we moved in. The house had a lot of outdated dark wood, we painted it all a creamy white. We moved in February 2014, and have not stopped renovating since. My 2 year old daughter knows the painters by name. We are almost finished, hooray! None of the furniture from our old house would work well in the new. Basically, I was starting from scratch. I worked slowly, and took my time with each decision. For example, if we needed a light fixture, I would painstakingly scour the internet finding the perfect one. Since I took my time, I feel like I made less mistakes and really allowed myself to cultivate my style. I started with basic things such as a khaki linen sofa, and layered along the way. There was a long time we only had a few sofas, tables and chairs, and beds. This has definitely been a process. Our most recent projects have been the kids’ bathrooms. I gave each bathroom it’s own personality that tied into the room. I had fun picking out all of the details, especially the wallpapers. In my big boys’ bathroom I did a blue background Thibaut grasscloth, with herringbone wood tile floor. Their room has navy wallpaper with maps printed on it. In my 5 year old’s bathroom I had the cabinets lacquered the same blue as the wallpaper from his bedroom. In my 2 year old girl’s bathroom, I went crazy with pink Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa wallpaper and fabric.

Q:  When did you become interested in interior design, and where do you find inspiration?

A:  My grandmother was a decorator. She loved beautiful antiques, fabrics, and rugs. I grew up visiting my grandparents in their gorgeous home filled with unbelievable collections. My parent’s house is very similar in style. I remember being dragged to antique malls and fabric stores from a young age, it was just part of life. It’s funny though, as a child my mom insisted on dressing me in traditional Southern smocked dresses, I hated it! Everyone else got to wear cool funky clothing. I would say I am never going to make my kids wear that type of clothing. As a teenager, I would also say I am never going to decorate my house like theirs, I wanted a modern home. Well, here I am now dressing my children traditionally, and decorating my home just like my grandparents and parents. I find inspiration in many places. I am inspired by the palaces of Europe. I get inspiration from books, magazines, Houzz, and Pinterest. I can get lost for hours on end perusing Pinterest.

Q:  Who are your favorite interior designers (past and present)?

A:  My favorite designer is Bunny Williams, I think she is a genius. It amazes me how things she did 10 years ago, are on trend now. She has a way of putting magnificent rooms together layer by layer. For formal French I like Betty Lou Phillips, and Charles Faudree.

Q:  Do you have any professional interior design training or experience?

A:  I do not have any professional interior design training, and the only experience I have is with my own home.

Q:  What are the most important considerations when designing a home filled with young children?

A:  First off, we are very laid back. We love to entertain family and friends, which means our house is always filled with kids. I know that it is a possibility with kids running around that things will get broken or stained. It happens. With that said, I picked stain resistant fabrics like Perennials. I did all of the sofas in slipcovers that can be washed. Also, Oriental rugs especially Heriz (my favorite) hide everything. We have a no ball throwing in the house rule, you can imagine with three sons how hard that one is. We tell our kids when they have their friends over, it is their job to make sure their friends respect our house. Their favorite in house game is hide and seek, we have some amazing hiding spots.

Q:  Are there any treasures you enjoy collecting? Do you like hunting for vintage and antique pieces, or do you prefer new?

A:  I frequent two nearby Antique malls. I collect Rose Medallion for my formal living room, Imari and Mason’s ironstone for the library, and Blue and White pottery for the kitchen, breakfast room, and den. I also collect Staffordshire and Majolica. Some of the furniture in my house is new reproductions of antiques. For tables, I chose many from Theodore Alexander, and Decorative Crafts. For mirrors and sconces I had luck with Friedman Brothers My rugs are a mix of new and antique. I find rugs lend a great deal of personality to each room.

Q:  Do you have any additional projects in store for your home?

A:  I do! A few months ago we bought a ranch about 40 minutes away. I have had the best time decorating it. The house is Mediterranean on the outside and Modern on the inside. Although this wouldn’t be my go to style, I am having fun playing off of the clean lines. I’ve incorporated traditional fabrics and wallpapers, think all things F Schumacher and some Brunschwig & Fils. I am using a lot of Bungalow 5 furniture. I am adding equestrian accents to give it a ranchy feel, and of course Chinoiserie everywhere (because that’s ranchy right?!)

Q:  What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

A:  In my free time I enjoy playing competitive tennis, I play on a team with a bunch of friends. I love shopping, I have a passion (obsession) for dressing myself and my family. I enjoy cooking, after all I am a professional pastry chef. I went to culinary school for 3 years. I read voraciously, I love a good fiction book. Lastly, I enjoy traveling, specifically to Europe or the beach.

Q:  Anything else you would like to add?

A:  Although it is nice having a beautiful home filled with beautiful things, the most important thing inside it is the family, and I never want to lose sight of that.

Thank you Lindsay, for inviting us into your gorgeous home! You are such an inspiration!! For an additional glimpse into Lindsay’s beautiful world, please follow her on Instagram.

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