Hi Friends! We are thrilled to be a part of this month’s Luxe magazine! One of the most rewarding parts of our industry is viewing the beautiful final results of the intensive collaboration of so many talents. Marie Flanigan and her team; builder Marcel Barone of The Southhampton Group; and architect Kirby Mears of Murphy Mears Architects were amazing to work with. Be sure to visit each of their websites for an extra design treat!

Margaret Zainey Roux did a beautiful job writing up the article for Luxe Magazine, so I decided to share it here. Our piece of the puzzle was plaster, plaster, plaster — even the light fixture was plaster, which I want to emulate for my own home! Notice as well there are no baseboards or casements, the plaster melds right into the natural woods and stone floors. And the carved plaster florals over the spa blue plaster walls in the master bath — beautifully calming! Leslie Simmons, or the cuter Leslie as I refer to her as, spearheaded the design from team Segreto and did such an amazing job! I hope you enjoy your walkthough of this lovely home!

Natural materials are to a home what fresh ingredients are to a meal: the essential elements for flavor and depth. So when a restaurateur couple embarked on the design of their new Houston abode, they enlisted architect Kirby Mears and interior designer Marie Flanigan to help concoct a recipe for the project that would mix rich interiors with raw, wholesome layers. “The homeowners know what it means to be both a guest and a host, and they wanted to create a warm environment and ‘an experience’ that their visitors would be able to enjoy,” says Mears.

Under one roof, old-world European elegance and modern American luxury merge to create an atmosphere as welcoming as a countryside inn and as chic as a boutique hotel. Spanish, Italian and Moroccan influences prevail in the entry and kitchen with wrought-iron fixtures and plank doors and cabinets outfitted in artisanal cast bronze hardware. But what truly speaks the language of the home is the authenticity of the reclaimed tilework. In the entry, a “rug” assembled from 19^th-century terracotta tiles features a traditional floral medallion motif, while antique Zellige tiles from Chateau Domingue comprise the backsplash in the kitchen. Each individual tile is a little bit off from the next—a chip here, some fading there. And according to Flanigan, these perfect imperfections help transform them from simply materials into relics. Contributing to this continental mix are a pair of antique-inspired verdigris globe pendants from England, handwoven Turkish textiles and a myriad of provincial ceramic vessels.

Nestled into the family room, a breakfast banquette area features an Eglo Gaetano pendant custom finished in plaster by Segreto Finishes above Queen chairs by Roche Bobois and a custom table.

Small lattice globe pendants by Jamb and a vintage Zellige tile backsplash from Chateau Domingue add character to the kitchen. Segreto Finishes custom mixed the island cabinetry’s gray-green hue and plastered the vent hood above the Lacanche range. The commissioned painting is by Michael Dines.

In lieu of stuffy interior furnishings, the homeowners desired a relaxed warmth that was family friendly and intimate. To compensate for the lack of superfluous décor, Flanigan relied on scale in order to anchor the voluminous rooms, which feature expansive banks of steel-framed windows and French doors and ceilings towering up to 20 feet in some areas. Oversized carpets, lighting and original abstract art maximize visual impact while defying any hint of minimalism. Overstuffed, upholstered seating remains streamlined with straight backs, squared arms and tailored skirts for a current look, while linen, leather, velvet and other feel-good fabrics infuse a sense of coziness. “The layers of materials, colors and textures help make this home unique along with the multiple cultures that are represented,” explains Flanigan, who turned to her worldly clients when rounding out the project’s refined flavor profile. “Together, these elements illustrate a compelling story of beauty, diversity and a life well-lived.” 

Walls by Segreto Finishes wrap the family room in this home by Murphy Mears Architects. Here, an extra-long Lee sofa pairs with a Gregorius Pineo lounge chair in linen from Arabel Fabrics. A built-in seat fabricated by builder Marcel Barone tucks into a niche next to the bookcase. The Bulles lamp is from Formations. A rug from Armadillo adds texture.→

Butler’s pantry cabinetry custom finished by Segreto Finishes using Sherwin-Williams’ Mindful Gray mixes with hardware and a Kallista faucet from Elegant Additions and a counter of concrete stone and white sand with a marble finish. The custom flooring is from Alkusari Stone.

The formal living room’s vaulted ceilings are grounded by a Danby marble mantel from Materials Marketing below an Ebanista Lirio mirror. Custom ottomans in Rose Tarlow Melrose House linen face a coffee table designed with a slab of reclaimed Bourgogne limestone from Chateau Domingue. Interior designer Marie Flanigan layered a rug from Madison Lily Rugs over a jute one from Akara.

Delicate detailing by Segreto Finishes on the dining room walls highlights a Keiko Gonzalez abstract from Dimmit Contemporary Art hung in a niche above a white oak sideboard complementing the built-in cabinetry. Quintus chairs upholstered in velvet from Arabel Fabrics line a 12-foot dining table, also made of white oak.

A dramatic bar with a custom mural by John Opella of Minium Decorative Arts and Design features green sandstone counters from Pomogranit-ADR atop reeded white oak cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore Nightfall. The Waterworks faucet and Linkasink sink are from Elegant Additions.

The main bathroom walls were plastered and painted a soft blue and adorned with a hand-painted floral mural by Segreto Finishes, forming a relaxing backdrop for the MTI Baths Elise freestanding tub with Kallista hardware from Elegant Additions. The Dolomite Corina flooring is from Ann Sacks.

Sherwin-Williams’ Greek Villa coats walls in a guest bedroom furnished with a chandelier from Circa Lighting, Parsons slipcovered bed from RH, Bungalow Classic side table and Currey & Company lamp. A lumbar pillow in Pierre Frey’s Beaufort pattern adds a pop of color.

A custom table pairs with chairs from the RH Mesa teak collection in the open-air pavilion. Wall-mount lighting by French Market Lanterns imparts a contemporary feel. Landscape designer Herbert Pickworth added the Boston Ivy in the background.

Thank you to all the wonderful people I get to collaborate with each and every day and for them trusting Segreto with their projects. We are so grateful for all the opportunities and to be featured in this piece with Luxe Magazine alongside our friends. Congratulations to all  Marie Flanigan Interiors, The Southampton Group, Murphy Mears Architects, Photographer Julie Soefer, and landscaper Herbert Pickworth Garden Designer for a spectacular home and feature!

Be on the watch in your emails for a Holiday lookbook full of design inspiration as a thank you gift for all the support you have given us year around! It was super fun to do and if you like them then we can start sending them out more often. Till next time, XO Leslie

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