“A rug, a bench, and art is really all this space needed as built-in storage was already in place (not pictured). We often help our clients find art they love, but what’s most important to us is helping them select the right size art, and then directing them to artists and galleries we know. We suggested they find a black and white photograph in a specific size, to balance what was going on in the nearby colorful living room. We directed them to photographer Cathlin McCullough and they both responded to this piece immediately.”

“This room was where finding the right scale pieces was critical. The soaring ceilings and massive fireplace really set the stage. We played up the symmetry created by the centered fireplace, by adding a pair of flanking credenzas, but sourced vintage pieces to contrast with all the newness of the space.”

Custom, upholstered octagon tray-ottoman available through Reiss Studio.

“Built-ins flanking the fireplace might have been a direction, but we eschewed that as it just felt like more ‘new perfection’. We deliberately chose massive, vintage, patinaed sideboards and scaled them vertically with equally massive art, giving the same impact built-ins might have, but with greater personality and character.”

Art by Alyson Fox via Artsy.

“They had one existing RH leather sofa, so we decided to take advantage of that piece from their old house, salvaged it, and added a second one to match. Then, we set our goal to find a pair of chairs that would be just as comfortable as sitting on the leather sofas—so that no matter where you’re watching the game, a movie, or hanging out, you’ve got the most comfortable spot. We found that in a pair of Moss Studio chairs which might possibly be the most comfortable chairs we’ve sourced to date. We’ve actually had more requests for that chair since doing this house, but in truth, you have to have a Texas-sized room for chairs like those. They also had a great vintage Heriz, but it was entirely too small for the space. Again, rather than tossing it, we added to it (a trick we sometimes use when a client has a great albeit too-small rug) by layering a larger sisal underneath to anchor the whole space. That way, all the furniture could sit and define the living area, while the Heriz sat in the center as the focal point for color and pattern. This rug was really the inspiration for the color palette—strong, saturated, gem-like hues of sapphire, topaz, ruby, and emerald.”

“The dining room is a pass-through room from the living room and kitchen. It’s also a critical walking zone to the rest of the house. However, here too the scale wasn’t right with their small bungalow-sized dining table and a diminutive light fixture selected at the build stage. We resourced the light fixture for something more prominent and adequately scaled. Next, we went about designing a dining table, a common custom piece of our design projects. We find dining tables are relatively easy to design because the components are so simple—a top and a solid base—and yes, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Because the space had room for only a table and a lamp, I wanted something that could really hold its own in both size and personality. I conceived a powder-coated, bent steel base which, to my surprise and absolute delight, the client understood immediately and trusted us to create. It sounds self-serving as a designer to say what set this client and project apart was the trust in us to design for them, but the absolute reality is that it’s at the heart of what made this project outcome so unique. They didn’t doubt whether they would like it down the road or if it was the right thing to do (we still don’t really understand what this means, even though we hear it fairly often from people). Our talented friends at Mockingbird Made in Buda, Texas helped us engineer this concept and fabricated the steel base (with a 45″ x 120″ oak top), created, and installed it to perfection the day before Thanksgiving!”

Dining light fixture by Visual Comfort. Table available through Liz MacPhail Interiors and Mockingbird Made.

“Surprise, surprise! The bedroom had an issue with scale as well because of another large, stone fireplace and soaring walls. We offered them a canopy bed frame to help distract the eye and fill up the space visually. Vintage, Japanese Tansus—sourced on 1st dibs—were customized with metal bases to transform them into bedside tables and balance, once again, all the new.”

“We partitioned off a side of the fireplace, transforming it into a reading area complete with art, storage, and a comfortable chair of course. We created custom neutral, wool, and sisal rugs to guide the room and layered on a vintage rug beneath the bed to add, once again, that color, pattern, and patina for continuity with the rest of the house.”

“When we first toured the house, not long after they’d moved in, this space hosted a small desk right in the center and was a holding spot for boxes of books still packaged from the move and with no place to go. At the start of designing this space, the world of the pandemic wasn’t even a notion, but interestingly enough we were inspired to make it a family flex-space from the beginning.”

“It was a cozy nook off the main living and dining space, and yet it felt too big and within-the-mix to relegate it to just an occasional office. So, we conceived storage to display books and family mementos, building in a seating area and an extendable round table to provide flexible function and allow the space to double as an office or game-night area.”

“Because it had existing pocket doors, it really felt like its own space right off the main living area, we decided to inject some much-needed color—including the ceiling—creating the feel of a cozy den.”

“Here, we selected sofa and chair fabrics first and then pulled in the transportive paint color Sherwin Williams Hunt Club. By the time we installed, the pandemic was in its most unknown stage, around early April, and this room quickly became her work-from-home, company headquarters. We strategically arranged the furniture to also serve as a sitting room, mom’s hang-zone, or nap spot, with yet another incredibly comfortable sofa.”

Art from Wally Workman Gallery.

“This was just a massive, blank transition space that needed something to warm it up. We went big with a wallpaper from Abnormals Anonymous Wavelength in Golden Delicious. As a couple, this client was very good at listening to each other and acknowledging what was important to each of them, but on top of that, they were great at trusting our recommendations. We encourage all of our clients not to overthink too much, especially with wallpaper, and just go with their initial reaction. She was a pro, and upon seeing this one said, ‘Let’s do it.’ She’s never looked back and has said it makes her happy every time she walks upstairs.”