After surviving water damage, homeowners Jeff and Shanna decided to do a major renovation. Their home, although beautiful, was a typical “spec” house, traditional in style with white case moldings and granite in the kitchen. Still wanting a warm home that feels inviting and casual, they teamed up with designer Kara Childress and builder Steve Goodchild to accomplish their dream home!!!

It was so much fun being a part of this team and watching the transformation.

Imagine tan painted walls, white trim, casements going into the openings, narrow plank redish hardwoods, and a white painted wood balustrade staircase with a stained top.  With her open floor plan, Shanna wanted the spaces to flow. Although much of the trim was taken down, the baseboards, crown, and wood under the new wrought iron staircase remain. We plastered the walls and ceilings, giving them depth and softness.   The trim was painted in the same color as the plaster while the floors became neutral with new limestone. I love the maps at the top of the stairs. This great collection that Jeff had acquired became the focal point when an entry lantern and iron staircase were added.

Wrought iron staircases add wonderful character to a home.  When painted black, they have the feel of sprayed patio furniture.  A series of subtle milk wash glazes were applied to give it an age-old flavor.

“Jeff and Shanna have exquisite taste and style,” says designer Kara Childress. “It was a treat to work together because they instantly understood that by bringing in these antique elements, their home would have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi!'”  They did use a lot of existing furniture…many upholstered pieces were restyled and updated to have a timeless look. The antique French Herbieries from Joyce Horn Antiques are framed in one panel.  I love the way this looks rather than having separate frames!!!  The deer painting is from Area. The reclaimed floors from Custom Floors Unlimited and the antique beams from The Woodshop of Texas gave character and age to the rooms.

The existing rug in the living room set the tone.  Dramatic art and accessories were added, and much was edited from her previous decor. The antique French panels from Karla Katz in New Orleans gave weight to the room. The two demi-lunes and mirrors are from Area.  The subtle palettes all marry and create a calm, comfortable, but elegant room.

What a great, comfortable space for the family to hang out in and entertain!!! The lantern is from Chateau Domingue, the limestone fireplace is from Materials Marketing, and the kitchen table was designed by Kara Childress and built by Custom Floors Unlimited. The chairs and upholstery in the room were existing and recovered and restyled by Kara.  The plaster in this house just envelops you!!!!

The kitchen is wonderful and is certainly the hub of the home.  The counters — “Bars de St. Giles” from Chateau Dominque — are old stone from the 17th Century!!!!  They have definitely stood the test of time and are very durable and easy to clean and keep.  I love the look of these counters and always wondered about the cost.  They are about double the cost of granite, partly because of material costs but mainly because of the labor costs to install and custom fit the antique pieces together.  It gives the space an extremely custom look and an instant character of Provence!!!  The backsplash, also from Chateau Dominque, is made of 19th Century colored cement tiles.  The barstools were added to create an inviting space to pull up to when Chef Shanna is cooking and entertaining.

Although the cabinets were existing, they were painted and glazed to give them character and the look of furniture. I love the French hardware on the cabinets!!  I hope you enjoyed this home!!  Kara Childress and team did a wonderful job with the transformation, and I felt lucky to be a part of it!!!!

This house and many others will be featured in the upcoming book by Segreto Finishes to be released in August. If you want to receive book release news and updates, then go to homepage and click on the “Book Release” section to sign up!