Category: Interior Design

New York Pied-a-Terre: Michael Dawkins

Today’s inspiring interior design comes from the sleek and contemporary interiors of a luxurious pied-a-terre located in downtown, New York. The owner of this two-bedroom exceptionally finished apartment needed a place to stay while in the city. To handle the matter for him, he turned to his trusted interior designer with whom he has worked for years, the New York and Miami-based Michael Dawkins. With more than 20 years of design experience, Michael is a recognized master at bringing glamorous interiors to life for his discerning clients.

The interior designer selected, designed, and completely customized this apartment to serve as an elegant pied-a-terre. The owner purchased the unfinished two-bedroom apartment in the notable “Walker Tower” in Manhattan’s chic Chelsea neighborhood. Michael then took over and ultimately created one of the most attractive units completed at that time within the building. Using rich and moody colors and layers of luxurious finishes throughout, the designer created a very sophisticated design that is dramatic and sexy. The owner completely trusted Michael, who presented his plans to him once and he approved them. The next time the owner saw the apartment was when he walked into it completed. The entire project took a year to finish because the building was still under its conversion construction when the apartment was purchased.

Walker Tower is a luxury conversion of a 1929 Art Deco building designed by the architect Ralph Thomas Walker, who designed many of America’s great depression era skyscrapers. The building was transformed into luxury condominium residences that incorporate the building’s classic design details and include all of the conveniences of modern, upscale residential living. The tower was built before neighborhood height limits were enacted and therefore rises high above its surroundings and features stunning 360 degree Manhattan views. The highly coveted units quickly sold with some setting record highs for downtown prices. It is quite spectacular! The building is now home to many business and showbiz figures and others in search of the best.

PIED-A-TERRE DESIGN INSPIRATION

The pied-a-terre living room includes floor-to-ceiling velvet draperies that span the entire back wall which Michael used to emphasize the room’s height, correct the spacing, and frame and enhance the North facing windows. A nineteen-foot-long, espresso-colored, linen sectional sofa designed by Verellen anchors the room. Centering the room is what appears to be a collection of contemporary tables artfully grouped together, though it is a single piece.

A diptych commissioned for the apartment by the Miami-based artist John LaHuis hangs above the sofa. Each panel is 9′ tall x 4′ wide. The artist painted the panels as one piece and then cut them in half for framing. Some of the items here, such as the Spin Side Table, the hand-blown glass piece, and the Vertical rod on a stand are from the Michael Dawkins Home Collection.

The desk is a bespoke design with a steel base and bluestone slate top. It serves a number of purposes. Note that from this perch the owner has a view of the Empire State Building. The chair, a distressed leather copy of a 1939 original by Frits Henningsen, is from Jean de Merry.

The entry hall features custom French herringbone beveled oak flooring. The home also includes a Crestron Home automation system that controls everything throughout with just a touch of a button.

A collection of framed art and sculpture assembles in the entry.

Custom millwork features throughout the residence, along with custom eight-foot-tall stained oak doors. I love this look. Very structured and classy!

The space shown here is a sitting room off the entry hall. Dawkins furnished it with his “Modern chair with Mongolian fur” as well as his tufted bench, stone urns, and serving tray, all from his home collection.

The very fabulous kitchen includes custom cabinetry with marble countertops and center island. It has stainless Sub-Zero, Viking, and Miele appliances. The three mirrors along the wall reflect the cube design of the three light fixtures. This is a seriously chic kitchen and so very much my style!

Dawkins created a dramatic powder room.

Using luxury fabrics and textures, the designer turned the master bedroom into a dream. The shades on the windows lower with just the touch of a button.

The bathrooms feature custom marble details, Nanz cabinetry hardware, Toto toilets, Waterworks fixtures, steam showers, and heated towel racks.

The pied-a-terre comes with a comprehensive amenities package: 24-hour doorman, concierge, fitness center with sauna, a common roof deck with dining area, and more.

The classic features combine with contemporary styling and rich details to create modern luxury. The interior design is both solid and sensual, classic and very now. A perfect home away from home!

That concludes today’s design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see another luxury residence with dramatic and sensual tones be sure to see my post:

Sexy Bachelor Pad: Luxury Design

Michael Dawkins Dramatic Walker Tower Pied-a-Terre

Be sure to check out Michael’s website for more info on his work and to see his fabulous collection of Home Goods.

Interior Design by Michael Dawkins

Photography by Craig Denis

Wall Street Journal–

Thanks for reading along with me, my friend!

Be sure to let me hear from you in the comments!!

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015
Montecito Italian Palazzo: SFA Design

Today’s design inspiration comes from a classical-inspired Italian Palazzo that sits high atop a hill in affluent Montecito, California with stunning views over Santa Barbara and beyond to the Pacific Ocean. The home’s owners, who are lovers of Italian art and culture, wanted to build a home that would be truly emblematic of that love. They wanted to create a Venetian-style Palazzo and were happy to go and research the real thing for design inspiration personally. The couple traveled extensively throughout the Veneto region, visiting every Palladian villa they could get into while collecting hundreds of photos and design ideas to perfect their vision.

To translate their historically inspired ideas into a home for today, they turned to Santa Barbara architect Peter Becker. With the sea and mountain views in mind, the architect designed the residence with large windows and doors accented with metal for a contemporary note that balances the classical design elements. Why sacrifice one for the other when you can have both? The interiors display a great dedication to the finer points of historical accuracy. Classical scale and proportions combine with a Palladian sense of symmetry and rhythm creating perfect harmony. Ornate architectural details lavish the home with exquisite detail.

CLASSICAL ITALIAN PALAZZO DESIGN

The interiors of the 5,800 square-foot home were completed by the interior design firm Smith/Firestone and Associates (SFA Design), a globally successful boutique firm with offices on both coasts. At the owner’s request, the designers made no compromises on authenticity or quality. SFA took pride in selecting the very best finishes and furnishings for the luxurious interiors. Countless bespoke designed details painstakingly layer through the home fully articulating the couple’s vision for their Italian palazzo. Art is a focus throughout the estate. Custom Murano glass chandeliers shine beneath hand-painted grotesque frescoes on the ceilings. Antique tapestries and 19th-century paintings adorn the walls while Florentine statues accent the home’s architectural features. In the end, the entire estate is a collaborative work of art.

“Our boutique firm practices a philosophy of collaborative design with principal attention to craft spaces that are not only tailored to our clients’ styles, but to their personalities and lifestyles.” SFA DESIGN

The great thing about this estate is that even with all the incredible architectural detail, the grand scale chandeliers, and the period antiques throughout, it never feels overly formal or unlivable. I love details and ornamentation when handled with discipline in this classical way. The home doesn’t look period even though it is “historically accurate.” The owners desired their version of an Italian palazzo. The designers helped them to achieve their vision in a balanced and thoroughly contemporary way. The home’s design perfectly reflects the refined lifestyle lived by the owners.

Custom, hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers from the oldest Murano factory in Italy hang here in the main entrance hall. All the lighting in the home is quite spectacular as you will see. The inlaid patterns of the marble floors echo the rhythms created with the walls and ceilings. Classical design recognizes a formal system governing the interrelations of the parts and the whole.

The custom millwork used here and throughout the home is remarkable. Ceilings are not treated as blank voids. Instead, they are adorned with as much detail as the room beneath them. In the dining room, a hand-carved walnut table and chairs upholstered in hand-woven damask gather beneath a glittering chandelier. A painting by Frank Duveneck hangs over the fireplace.

The kitchen is where the couple spends most of their time. Beautiful walnut cabinetry surrounds much of the room. Bianca quartzite forms the countertops. The wood floors are also medium walnut. The glass front cabinets allow for the display of their white Richard Ginori china and crystal from Venice. Most of the hand-painted pots and dishes came from the Italian coastal cities they visited while researching for the house. The elaborate ceiling ornamentation continues in this room as well. The family of bronze lighting fixtures is one of my personal favorites in the home.

The couple refers to their wine room as a “jewel box,” and it is indeed ornate. Expertly laid marble and limestone cover the floor while brick makes up the vaulted ceilings. The door originally came from the elevator of the Hotel George V in Paris. The wine stores in custom wood shelves. Antique bronze chandeliers provide the lighting. Everywhere one looks the details are in keeping with the notable quality found in the rest of the home.

Here in the polished wood-paneled library, hand-painted grotesque frescoes adorn the pitched ceiling. The principal designer commissioned the work by Darren Franks of Darren Franks & Associates. The designs, painted off-site on muslin, mimic the style of those found in the older Raphael grotesques. Are they not interesting? They certainly make for good conversation as the couple tells about their adventures. These designs inspire me to take another look at my ceilings. The grand bronze chandeliers suspended beneath the frescoes perfectly complete this room. The designers tempered the formality of the space with plump traditional sofas making the room welcoming and comfortable.

The master bedroom overlooks the home’s grotto and has the most spectacular views in the house. From their bed, the couple can gaze out through their glass windows and doors and see the coast stretching far north and south. Custom draperies made with specially imported Parisian Damask frame those views.

The master bathroom features painted ceiling designs based on photos taken of grotesque frescoes. A stylized mosaic design decorates the floor. Gold-plated faucets adorn the marble countertops and tub surround. Antique Italian gilt-wood framed mirrors and the Murano glass chandelier complete the room on just the right note.

The master closet features walnut custom built-ins and antique chandeliers.

The monumental marble fireplace surround here in the family room, as well as the six others throughout the home, were hand carved in Italy according to the principal designer’s sketches created with input from the owners who personally visited the marble caves in Carrara and the carvers in Pietrasanta.

This Italian Palazzo is an exquisite masterpiece combining the best of both traditional design principles and modern-day luxury and technology. The home serves as a testament to the fundamental values of incredible vision and meticulous execution.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friends.

If you would like to see more Classical inspired homes be sure to see my post:

Classical Inspired Surrey Mansion

Fifth Avenue Classical Design

ITALIAN PALAZZO DESIGN INSPIRATION

SFA Design is a leader in the international design world, lending its tastes to the most premier resorts, hotels, and private residences. Directed by industry leaders Sue Firestone and Kara Smith, SFA Design demonstrates fundamental values of incredible vision and meticulous execution to create sophisticated interiors. Strategically located on both coasts, with offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and New York, SFA Design is able to provide clients personalized service from project conception to completion.

Architecture: Peter Becker Architect

Principal Interior Design: SFA Design

Photography: Meghan Bob

This home was featured in Robb Report.

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you have enjoyed this Montecito Italian Palazzo by SFA, and you have found it informative and inspiring. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015
Ritz Carlton Luxury Penthouse: SoJo Design

Our inspiring interior design for today comes from the 21st-floor luxury penthouse in The Tower Residences at The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Texas. The full-floor unit resides at the top of an exclusive, award-winning Regency-style residential tower providing a stunning 360-degree view of the city from its central positioning in the heart of Uptown. The tower directly adjoins The Ritz-Carlton Hotel with its signature restaurants and a full-service spa. Residents enjoy full access to the five-star services provided by the hotel. Security, privacy, and all the comforts and convenience of an urban luxury lifestyle come with this home.

This luxury penthouse features over 8,000 square feet of exemplary architectural configuration created when the owner bought and combined two original units. To complete this project, he enlisted the Miami-based designer Sofia Joelsson and her boutique interior design firm Sojo Design, for whom luxury Penthouse design has become a niche.

Sofia specializes in crafting bespoke spaces suited for a luxury clientele that expects more from life. Her signature aesthetic and distinct creative vision has led the designer to earn a reputation as one of the industry’s very best at luxury home interior design.

LUXURY PENTHOUSE DESIGN

The completed luxury penthouse now includes four bedrooms with en-suite baths, plus two powder rooms. There are two elevators, a vestibule hallway, and a private entrance, so there are no public halls. Having the entire floor, there are no privacy issues.

The home also features three large private outdoor terraces and entertaining spaces, totaling over 5,000 square feet.

The Sojo team spared no expense creating the clean and crisp contemporary design, completing it with luxurious finishes. The architectural details reflect the classical elegance of the Tower’s Regency design. The neutral color palette, natural materials, and contemporary furnishings create a tailored, sophisticated design. The results are sleek and gallery chic; the perfect backdrop for the owner’s museum-quality collection of art. Sojo created a smart and super functional home.

The sophisticated open kitchen flaunts rich dark woods, stainless steel designer appliances, and sleek finishes, as well as an eat-in breakfast bar with custom bar stools of bespoke design. The owner may not ultimately have to use these beautiful accommodations though with room service and access to fine dining just a call away. Having lived in Dallas for years myself, I can say for sure that there are so many places to go and people to see that staying home to dine is only one of many great options. The home includes access to a huge service elevator which brings up your room service, and whatever else your heart may desire to order up.

The high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and abundance of natural light shown here continue throughout the home.

Beyond the kitchen, next to the large glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine storage room is the home’s main bar which includes all of the standard features of a high-end home bar. This penthouse happens to have two, as well as an additional bar area that services the terrace. The residence gives itself entirely to entertaining with style on a grand scale, as it has done many times since its completion.

Elegant interior architectural details and a world-class art collection create a perfect backdrop for living with style.

This Dallas luxury penthouse, with its exceptional views, exquisite interior design, and abundance of outdoor space, along with all of the Ritz-Carlton amenities, perfectly exemplifies the comfort and convenience of today’s finest urban lifestyle.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see some other fabulous penthouses from around the world be sure to see my post:

Alexander McQueen Penthouse: Style Homage

Toronto Penthouse Design

Knightsbridge Contemporary Penthouse

LUXURY PENTHOUSE LIVING IN DALLAS

Sojo Design is a full-service Interior Design firm that specializes in high-end residential and commercial buildouts and renovation. Their portfolio includes everything from high-rise condos to spectacular single-family homes and even private jets.

Sofia is well known for her meticulous design approach that perfectly fits into the lifestyles of her clients, understanding and translating it by creating living spaces that not only look magnificent but become extensions of the people that live in them. Her goal is to capture the essence of their dream home and deliver a complete environment that intersects luxury with comfort, indulgence with wellness, and technology with simplicity.

In addition to completing residential buildouts at Sofia Joelsson Design, she customizes furniture and sells a curated selection of beautiful pieces for the home.

Interior Design: Sofia Joelsson-SoJo Design

Photography provided by SoJo Design

Landscape architecture: Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed this Ritz Carlton luxury penthouse in Dallas, Texas. Let me know what you think in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Have a wonderful day!

July 20, 2015
Brazilian Fashion Stylist Apartment: Diego Revollo

Interior Designer Diego Revollo creates a Fashion Stylist Apartment with sophisticated, edgy, and art-filled interiors in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our design inspiration today comes from the renovation and design of an apartment located in the affluent neighborhood of Jardins in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Diego Revollo completed this very chic residence for a worldly fashion stylist returning home. Jardins is one of the most charming and sophisticated neighborhoods in the city and one of the noblest in the region. The residential building is a slightly older one but built well with spacious rooms, high ceilings, and a great layout. The client is a jet-setting single guy originally from Brazil. His career has had him living around the world in the fashion capital cities of New York, Milan, and London. It was now time for a place back home.

To create the sort of personal and stylish residence he had in mind, the client called on the super talented Sao Paulo-based Diego Revollo who is also his personal friend of many years. Revollo is one of the hottest and most prominent young residential architecture and interior design stars on the scene in Brazil. He is well known for his effortless combining of classic with contemporary design for interiors that are both timeless and livable. The plan for this home was to preserve the traditional qualities of the structure while creating a fresh contemporary design that is cosmopolitan, chic, and sexy. The style would be as witty and glamorous as it was comfortable. Clearly, the designer achieved his mission.

The client works with fashion editors and with the most famous models in the world whom he frequently hosts and entertains at the apartment when in town. With this in mind, Revollo decided to fill the main walls with some of his friend’s editorial work. In addition, Diego brought together an eclectic mix of new Italian furnishings, along with pieces selected for their character and the value they added to the mix. The genius lies in the mix after all. He added various works of contemporary art and photography, along with objects from different styles that together complement each other. The results are extremely modern and impactful within the traditional structure of the apartment. The style of the Fashion Stylist Apartment clearly reflects his friend’s personality and way of life.

SEXY FASHION STYLIST APARTMENT

In the main living area, the artwork with the bee is a canvas painting by Fernando Ribeiro, chosen for its color and sense of humor. Generously scaled, inviting sofas make the space very comfortable and create a wonderful place for casual lounging with guests. The irony and contrast are purposeful. Artbooks and personal effects make the space more intimate.

SOPHISTICATED, EDGY, ART-FILLED INTERIORS

The home’s basic structure was kept clean and simple to allow the art and furnishings to shine. The large photograph is of fashion model Eva Herzigova. An ultra-modern, structural black table pairs with Lucite armchairs, while a vintage crystal chandelier shimmers above. Around the room, various works of art are displayed with select vintage pieces to great effect. The painting above the sideboard is a woodcut by artist Eliza Bracher.

Back in the living room, a large fashion editorial photo with model Eva Herzigova by Matheus Mazzafera hangs alongside a canvas painting by Christina Canale.

COSMOPOLITAN * CHIC * SEXY

Throughout the apartment, on the entire outer facing wall, the designer installed mounds of luxurious floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall velvet drapes. They look great closed or pulled to the side. The drapes serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. The effect is posh and glamorous. The rugs used throughout are wool and silk and sourced from Nepal. When combined with the luxe fabrics used on most of the furnishings, the apartment is taken to a higher level of comfort and sophistication. The soft texture is necessary to balance and elevate the angles and simplicity of the structure. It’s a constant play on contrast, irony, and balance that keeps you engaged and interested.

In the office, a large photo of model Raquel Zimmermann by Matheus Mazzafera takes center stage behind the sleek black and glass Italian furnishings. A large wall mirror and reflective surfaces contrast against the matte black walls. Smart geometric square shelves cover the entire wall opposite the softly draped window wall for another play on contrast for balance.

A marquetry chest from India completes the office. The Murano glass lamp, wall art, and various other pieces create a perfectly curated vignette.

The bedroom is for fun! The Fernando Ribeiro art above the bed consists of hundreds of teddy bears of different colors, but the same size, combined to depict the Mona Lisa. The custom-upholstered headboard and black glossy side tables double as art alongside all of the other pieces that complete the room.

YOUNG * SPIRITED * DARING

On top, there is a photo collage by artist Lucio Carvalho created with objects and fragments of dolls. The photo is of model Izabel Goulart. The effect is young, spirited, and daring. Another detail worth noting is the rather rough and unfinished edges that remain. Is it an artistic metaphor? Like fashion and life, an unfinished work in progress?

The Entry perfectly prepares for what is to come in the rest of the fashion stylist apartment. The large photo of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen by the Brazilian photographer Gui Paganoni is positioned next to the simple black elevator door. The emotional drama is immediate. This is Brazil! It is where fashion meets passion! Here is Diego Revollo completely capturing the lifestyle and personality of the client.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

For another project completed by Diego Revollo be sure to see:

Sao Paulo Artist’s Apartment Reinvention

DIEGO REVOLLO’S FASHION STYLIST APARTMENT

Diego Revollo is one of Brazil’s most prominent interior architects/designers with offices based in Sao Paulo. The award-winning designer works mainly in Brazil but also has numerous projects internationally. He is well known for his effortless combining of classic with contemporary design for interiors that are both timeless and livable.

Interior Architecture and Design: Diego Revollo

Photography provided by Diego Revollo Arquitetura

Special thanks to Luciana Belangier!

Thank you so much for reading along with me today. I hope you enjoyed today’s edgy, art-filled Brazilian Fashion Stylist Apartment. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. Let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

July 20, 2015
French Chateau in Texas: Kara Childress

Our interior design inspiration for today comes from a beautifully restored and modernized 1930’s Louis XV-style, French chateau located in Houston’s exclusive River Oaks neighborhood. This grand 30,000 square foot limestone mansion once again shines in all its original glory and more. The elegant interiors are the work of interior designer Kara Childress whose timeless style marries old-world European with modern conveniences for a contemporary luxury lifestyle.

The French Chateau was originally designed by noted architect John F. Staub for J. Robert Neal of the Maxwell House Coffee fortune, a serious Francophile. The mansion later served as home to Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and his wife, Tammy Jo Dewhurst. By the time the new owners obtained the property, it had been long vacant and fallen into a state of neglect and disrepair. The residence was relatively unaltered by the previous owners and therefore was now in need of everything. The home was a product of its time and not quite in line with the needs for contemporary luxury living.

The new owners would eventually decide they wanted a full restoration, with some carefully considered adjustments and enhancements. To get things started, they enlisted local interior designer Kara Childress to oversee the home’s interiors. Childress recommended bringing in local architecture firm Newberry Campa Architects, who joined the project mid-renovation. The necessary updates ultimately led to the grander vision that continued to unfold over the next decade. Staying true to the spirit of Staub’s initial design was a top priority for this restoration.

FRENCH CHATEAU DESIGN INSPIRATION

The owner’s commitment to authenticity was passionate, with the results being breathtaking. So much so, the restored luxury home has been featured on the cover of Architectural Digest. Childress shopped for furnishings with the couple in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris. The feeling created within the rooms is elegant and opulent, yet they remain comfortably livable and very contemporary in their functioning, which is a trademark of the designer.

The former ballroom now serves as the family’s double-volume formal living room. Kara preserved the room’s original Louis XV-style boiserie and the grand chandeliers. She embraced the traditional design, mixing both period antiques and contemporary pieces seamlessly. The large carpet is an antique Aubusson which was the perfect find for this room. Clarence House velvet covers the bespoke designed club chairs which group with a mirrored cocktail table by Elloise Abbott. A fun leopard print covers a pair of Louis XVI chairs in the second grouping to keep things from getting too serious. The glamorous formal living room also includes a pair of Empire fauteuils, a 19th-century writing desk, and a pair of 19th-century giltwood candelabra along with many other antique treasures!

The traditional styling continues here in the music room with soft, delicate colors. Fortuny pillows accent a pair of sofas upholstered in a cotton-silk from Lee Jofa with ornate braid trim which group together with four French shield back chairs before the fireplace. The decorative details featured throughout provide a visual feast, along with loads of design inspiration. Note the silk draperies with the double-layered tassel fringe trim framing the French doors beyond the piano leading out to the terrace. The crystal-dripping chandeliers and the glorious antique mirrors used in this room and through the entire French Chateau are breathtaking. Kara Childress has the best sources for exceptional French antiques.

I love this formal dining room! The chandelier is original to the house. The room is very European without being at all stiff. Look at the marble floors and detailing on the walls, and the gorgeous draperies with trimmings and tiebacks. Nancy Corzine velvet covers the Georgian chairs surrounding the table. The gilded mirror over the marble-topped buffet is everything. The home allows for entertaining with grand style while remaining completely comfortable and warm. Note in every room simple elements combine with the excellent pieces to balance the grandeur.

The comfortable family room and a magnificent conservatory were added with such care and sensitivity that Staub himself certainly applauded. Also added were all of the modern amenities necessary for a contemporary French Chateau with luxurious interiors. The newly added family room maintains the home’s refined charm yet with a much more relaxed mood for informal family gatherings. It’s a generous and multi-purpose space that is very comfortable and inviting.

The newly added conservatory features an Italian Empire-style chandelier and a 19th-century Italian marble pedestal table. Every room in the French chateau correctly observes scale and proportion, and this one is no exception. The interior design is quiet to give the view over to the outdoors.

In the Library, 16th century Italian painted canvas panels cover the ceilings from which a bronze-and-tole chandelier once owned by Napoleon III suspends. Rubelli velvet covers the sofa. The draperies framing the French doors are in Fortuny cotton with custom tassel fringe trim. An 18th-century Italian mirror centers the space behind the sofa, while a pair of French Bergeres dating from around 1780 flank it on either side.

In the Master bedroom, the bespoke designed headboard incorporates a fragment of a 19th-century Venetian boiserie. Old World Weavers velvet from Stark covers the antique giltwood settee cushion. The painting above the bed is a 19th-century French painting of Putti.

In the Master Bedroom sitting area, the draperies are silk while an embroidered fabric covers the ottoman. The antiqued finish on the paneled walls is just perfection.

An antique stone chapel imported from France by Chateau Domingue adds a special finishing touch.

The music room terrace looks out across a narrow lawn to an 18th-century French stone fountain by Chateau Domingue. The grounds and gardens of the French chateau are expertly designed and maintained.

With this project, as with all her projects, Kara worked closely with all the new architects, builders, and vendors involved for perfect harmony. This ability to collaborate and coordinate well is one of the many reasons that Kara Childress, Inc. is a master in high-end residential interior design. Once a homeowner works with Kara, they continue with Kara for all future projects. Her expertise and professionalism are as well-known as her superior taste.

The grounds once again shine in their former glory and more. Never realized elements from the original plans now are. These include a motor court with cobblestones imported from France, along with multiple other enhancements.

That concludes our design inspiration for today.

To see another Grand French-inspired estate, be sure to see my post:

18th-Century French Design: Atlanta

Beverly Park Chateau

KARA CHILDRESS REDESIGNS A FRENCH CHATEAU

Kara Childress, Inc., established in 1984 and led by Principal Designer Kara Childress, is an internationally recognized, Houston-based interior design firm. Kara and her team exude ardent and timeless style, marrying Old World European with fresh compositions of modern and livable design for her clients across the high-end residential and commercial/hospitality spectrum. Kara and her team work closely with top architects, builders, and vendors across the country in all aspects and phases of her design creations.

Interior design by Kara Childress, Inc.

Architecture by Newberry Campa Architects

Landscape design by Susan Turner Associates

Photography by Terry Vine Photography

This home was also featured in Architectural Digest!

I look forward to reading all of your thoughts in the comments!!

Have a great day, my friend!

July 20, 2015