Unexpected Color for a Sophisticated Dream Home
A few years ago, Susie and Bob Knapp were contemplating how they were living in their current home. They had lived in the house they had built since 2005 but its large yard and pool weren’t getting used. Susie knew she needed to do some updating but didn’t know how to do it. “I didn’t know how to give that house love anymore,” she said.
Enter a realtor friend who told her about Loveland Estates, 18 lots just east of Westside High School, not far from their existing home. The Knapps embarked on building a 4,000 square-foot “dream home” with the help of architect Robert Torson and builder Bloomfield Homes.
JH Interior Design’s Mary Ritzdorf was brought in on the project, and the chemistry between her and Susie was immediate. “Mary and I just sang together,” Susie said. “I was never afraid to ask what she thought of something, and she was always honest. It was like she was going to live in the place!”
The two spent 18 months collaborating on the design of the new home. They even traveled to the Dallas furniture market for some pieces. They were also in continual communication about design elements and details, such as the ombre effect on the dining room chairs. “I had seen that look before and told Mary,” Susie said. “She found those fabrics and they were perfect.”
The final design is a celebration of color and pattern that combines the traditional with the modern. Mary said they used a fresh and colorful palette and carefully mixed in the family’s heirloom pieces. “By combining unexpected colors, patterns, and different periods, people experience this house feeling joyful and inspired,” she said.
Mary said the most significant challenge was to push the design boundary without making the overall space feel clownish. “We achieved this by knowing when to stop and where to give the eye relief,” she said. “A great example of this is the main living area. We decided to keep the walls and window treatments tone on tone to allow for the wallcoverings, furniture and fabrics to take center stage.”
Susie said sometimes she’ll go into different spaces in the house and just smile. “Mary just nailed it,” she said. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize I actually live here.”
See even more photos of this home on our portfolio.
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