A new boutique hotel has opened in up Houston’s historic Montrose neighborhood, and it’s a design-lover’s dream thanks to the exquisite vision of antiques dealer and vintage curator, Lily Barfield. 

The Marlene is a nine-room inn set in a restored early-1900s neoclassic mansion, and is a visual exploration of color, pattern, and unique discoveries. Lily used a “furniture-first” approach, sourcing for the perfect antiques to inform the palette, layout, and overall vibe of each room.

It also boasts Bar Madonna, a cocktail lounge that earned its name from a ten-foot-tall 19th-century Madonna painting Lily found on a trip to France. Open to guests and locals alike, it’s Houston’s newest destination. Lily tells us more.

Tell us about the location. What makes Montrose a special part of Houston?
Montrose is the heartbeat of Houston in a lot of ways. It’s eclectic and soulful, full of historic homes and creative energy. Not to mention, many of Houston’s best restaurants are in this area. You can walk to galleries, great restaurants, coffee shops, and antique stores. It’s an ideal area for visitors coming to Houston and wanting to experience something outside of the Galleria or Downtown. Montrose is such a gem, and it has been fun helping our guests book dinners and activities all within a mile of The Marlene.

What sparked the idea for The Marlene? Was it always a dream?
Definitely a dream, but one I didn’t expect to chase so soon. I’d tell people that my dream was to one day open a bed and breakfast filled with antiques, something cozy and soulful, layered and lived in. I imagined it would be in New Orleans, closer to where I’m from, and we were actually looking at properties there when we came across this neoclassical mansion in Montrose. It was nearby our house and had so much character…the columns, the two-story porch, the crepe myrtles out front. Once I toured it, I couldn’t get it out of my head. There’s something really special about this property that everyone seems to feel when they’re here, almost as if you’ve stepped back in time. Once I experienced that firsthand, I couldn’t let the idea go and knew we had to find a way to make my ‘one day dream’ a quick reality.

You designed the space with a “furniture first” approach. What does that mean in practice?
I didn’t begin with a color palette or furniture plan, instead, I started with the antiques. We went over to France to source for the Inn, and I selected pieces I loved with no real design scheme in mind. I knew that all of these classic pieces would work together, but it was like a puzzle to figure out exactly how. And with the help of my childhood friend and designer, Helene Dellocono, we designed each room around one of these anchoring antiques. Each piece brought its own sense of personality, and the rooms started to take shape around them. The idea was to let the pieces lead, and design around them. What I love about this approach is that it created a space that feels totally unique. Each antique is one-of-a-kind, so the design that stems from each piece is also really singular. No two rooms at The Marlene are alike. So, you might have to come back a few times and experience a different room for each visit!

Are there any pieces you were most excited about, or that shifted the design substantially?
We designed an entire room around one pair of sconces. There’s a room in the main house (Sophie) that is a bit smaller than the rest, and I knew we had to do something really special with this space, so it felt just as luxurious and special as the other larger rooms. So, I headed over to our warehouse full of antiques to start digging for a special piece to spark inspiration. That’s when I discovered a pair of vintage opaline glass sconces I had picked up at a French flea market and the ideas started flowing. We ended up painting the room a rich golden yellow hue with blue molding to match the sconces. I then painted a vintage canopy bed the same opaline blue color. From there we selected fabrics and furniture items that flowed with the yellow and blue color palette. It’s now my favorite bedroom in the house, and it all started with a tiny pair of sconces!

There’s also the bread shelves in the garden room, brought over from an old French bakery, where they still serve their original purpose: holding breakfast pastries each morning. And of course, the ten-foot Madonna painting, which we found in a decommissioned 18th-century church in France. That really became the soul of the resident bar, Bar Madonna.

There were a few moments that felt like signs we were on the right track—like when a massive antique armoire slid into place with maybe a quarter inch to spare, or when we brought over a pair of 100-year-old slipper chairs and they didn’t need a single update because they matched the new curtain fabric exactly.

What do you want guests to feel when they stay at The Marlene?
Like they’ve stepped into someone’s home—a home filled with stories and things that have been loved. I hope it feels relaxed but special, where every detail has intention behind it. I want it to be beautiful, of course, but also deeply personal. I want people to know how much we care about the space but even more so, we care about our guests. I want them to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Tell us about the bar. Is it open to the public?
Yes, Bar Madonna is open to everyone, hotel guests and locals alike. We focus on Parisian and New Orleans classics with a twist.

Any special events or upcoming announcements for the property?
We’ve gotten so many requests for events and are in the process of putting together a program that makes sense for the space. Nothing official yet, but it’s something we’re actively working on.

The Marlene |  109 Stratford St, Houston, TX 77006