WINNER
Vivid in Black and White
Maven
A complete restoration was on the docket for this Thomas Place residence. Built in 1959, its owners had relocated from Aledo and were looking to infuse their style throughout the interior. “It's stunning. The bones on this house are unreal,” Maven owner Kellye Hunt Raughton, who designed the entryway, says. “It needed to be clean and elegant.” The homeowner's deep appreciation for art led them to discover the featured painting by a Granbury-based artist, which depicts a water scene of boats in a harbor. Fabulously inspired, Kellye pulled hues from the piece into the room via the custom pillows that sit on an antique settee from Europe. While the aesthetic is clean and simple, the home is nothing short of a statement. The entry seamlessly connects with a nearby room that touts two purple sofas and colorful curtains. “It's crazy over the top, but it pulls from the same color palette that the entry does,” explains Kellye. The real standout in the entry space, however, was the pre-existing limestone flooring. “If I could convince everyone to do a checkered floor in their home, I would do it,” Kellye says, adding that the honed finish brought warmth to the space. “Even if you're not in the house and you're driving by in the street, you can still see it, and you're captivated by it.”
FINALIST
Bold and Easy Does It
Paxton Place Design
For the very same home that featured pink wallpaper on the dining room ceiling (featured in our “Best Dining Room” category), Stacie Paxton of Paxton Place Design continued her “less is more” approach. This chic and simple entryway starts with stained concrete floors by Dan Thomas Homes, which ran throughout the entire first level — an easy choice for the family who had children, dogs and a pool. Obtaining just the right hue, however, can be an extremely tricky process, and both Stacie and her clients compared numerous test colors until selecting the one that best suited their desired look. Next was a sisal rug topped with an antique piece from her client that was a beloved family heirloom. It's traditional style lives beautifully beneath a modern pop of high-gloss white via the client's heavy, once-gold mirror that Stacie repainted. She kept the walls crisp with Benjamin Moore Simply White, an ideal backdrop for the transitional home. “This was a small entry that needed a large punch. I like mixing color with texture, smooth with distressed and blending the different styles,” says the designer, who thrives off the challenge of balancing it all just right. “Sometimes, more is not always better!”
FINALIST
Simply Inviting
KL Milam Interior Design
For every grand, spacious home, there should be an equally marvelous entryway, and that's just what Kim Milam created for her client's Preston Hollow residence. “Even though the home is large, this foyer was somewhat unassuming and deserved to be as gorgeous as the other spaces,” says the KL Milam Interior Design owner. “Painting the doors almost black beautifully frames the simplicity of the view waiting inside.” Dark wood floors ground the space, adding a rich dimension of texture and depth, much like the doors. A simple setting doesn't skimp on impact as a breathtaking Minton Corley mirror delivers the “wow” factor. The illustrious French gilt beauty is a treasured piece from the well-loved, Dallas-based interior design firm established by David Corley and Joe Minton. (The duo branched off on their own in 1993, and the firm then transitioned into what is currently known as Corley Design Associates.) A pair of sconces adds both a modern element and structural interest, while softly illuminating the space with warm light. And Kim worked her design magic with the pair of vintage benches that reside beneath the mirror. “The benches went from ugly duckling to swan with an Italian cut velvet in moss green,” she says. Mission accomplished!