When a house undergoes multiple renovations, it can initially be a bit intimidating. Case in point: Laura Umansky’s latest project. The home was built in the 1930s and over the years, previous owners had made changes. “It was a bit of a Frankenstein house at purchase,” the designer laughs. “The husband even explored the idea of taking it down and building from scratch.” (Fortunately, this didn’t happen.) “The wife really appreciated the character of the historic home — as did we — and everyone was happy with this decision in the end.”

The homeowners are a young family with two daughters. “The wife hails proudly from Ireland and is an oil and gas exec, while the husband is the president of operations for an international energy company in Houston,” Laura shares. “They are very family-oriented, love to give back to their favorite charities, and are very active. This is a family that loves to run 5ks together, especially for a great cause! This is the 3^rd time we’ve worked with this client, so we know their aesthetic pretty well.”

For this property, ‘starting fresh’ meant bringing in Newberry Architecture (a trusted partner of Laura U Interior Design) to give the house a complete overhaul that would authentically represent its historic roots. “We took the home’s interior to the studs,” Laura recalls. “The home is about 4,000 sq. ft. with a large lofted addition that is perfect for the girls to play in. We added a bit of square footage with a new powder room and new gallery hall on the first floor. This gallery acts as a mudroom, has a gorgeous view into the garden, and connects the main, historic, home to the larger addition at the rear of the property.”

Laura and her team chose all of the fixtures, finishes, and furnishings throughout the interior – including plumbing fixtures, tile, countertops, paint colors, and lighting. All construction materials were selected to suit an active family (and pup) — think quartz countertops for durability as well as a washable paint finish for the walls and trim. “We strived to keep the historic nature at the forefront when making selections, so the new interior doors matched the style of the originals,” Laura explains. “The door hardware has a blackened brass finish (instant patina!); the girls’ bath has an octagon and dot mosaic tile floor. Overall the home nods to the original design and has our Classically Current touch.”

The project took nearly 2 years, and the end result is warm and inviting, yet still feels quite collected — again a nod to the home’s historic roots. Of course, the family is quite pleased. “The husband in particular was beaming with pride as we did our formal reveal,” Laura smiles. “He was extremely involved with the construction alongside the builder, Blue River Custom Homes, and had a hand in the entire renovation. Something of which to be proud!”