La maison: Out of the Box
When Leah Halverson began planning her dream home, she envisioned a beautiful space, but wanted to avoid making it “feel like a museum.” In fact, with two young boys and two dogs, she and her husband needed exactly the opposite.
Enter Holly Mathis, a Texas-based designer who has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping and Country Living. Mathis worked with the Halversons on a previous project after the homeowner connected with the designer through her blog. She says when it came to tackling a new construction, she knew she wanted Mathis on her team from day one.
“There’s no way I would do it without her,” says Halverson. “Holly was able to make our home beautiful and warm and inviting. She listened to our realistic needs.”
The Halverson family chose Jack Arnold’s Rochelle floor plan to serve as the foundation of their Youngsville home’s design, which Mathis describes as new traditional.
“They wanted it to be timeless and reflect the things they like, which are books, cooking [and] entertaining,” says Mathis. “It has an architectural feel because we really made detailed, non-conventional decisions.”
Custom details, such as antique, brass push-button lights, built-in bookcases and Schumacher fabric, give the home exactly the classic elegance Halverson craved. The chef-worthy kitchen has a Wolf range and built-in Subzero refrigeration alongside Serena & Lily outdoor counter stools that can be easily wiped clean.
For Halverson, collaborating remotely allowed her not only the opportunity to work with an out-of-state designer, but also the luxury to make selections on her own time. She describes the design process as being done primarily through email and digital design boards, but still specific to the couple’s needs and tastes. Mathis says she served as a consultant throughout the process, while Halverson managed the project day-to-day. Because of this, the house feels rooted in South Louisiana, featuring locally sourced art, ceramics and textiles.
Halverson says Mathis’s expertise and vision helped them to design a home that would grow with their family. For example, their boys’ current room downstairs, will eventually become a study when they are old enough to live upstairs.
“Holly considered the whole house when picking fabrics, furniture and accessories to ensure our home had a cohesive look,” says Halverson. “This approach has allowed us to move items from one room to another if we want to change things up and still maintain the original design aesthetic.”
The home’s interior walls and trim are covered in a crisp Eider White by Sherwin-Williams, giving free rein to color play. (See: Majolica plates adorning the entryway.) In the kitchen, bold cabinets pop against cool marble counters and subway tile. Brushed brass hardware from Lew’s Hardware and brass pendants from Visual Comfort & Co. add warmth. “The kitchen is truly the heart of the house in this home,” says Mathis, who designed the space to accommodate the homeowners’ passion for cooking and entertaining.
With a young family and pets, the homeowners chose to eschew bespoke furniture and instead invest in high-impact accessories, such as lighting, tile and
window treatments. Custom pillows in
fabric from Schumacher, Quadrille and
Lisa Fine add high-end flair to the space.
In the master bedroom, Audubon prints
and oyster plates are a nod to traditional South Louisiana style, while a beaded chandelier adds of-the-moment whimsy.
With a young family and pets, the homeowners chose to eschew bespoke furniture and instead invest in high-impact accessories, such as lighting, tile and
window treatments. Custom pillows in
fabric from Schumacher, Quadrille and
Lisa Fine add high-end flair to the space.
In the master bedroom, Audubon prints
and oyster plates are a nod to traditional South Louisiana style, while a beaded chandelier adds of-the-moment whimsy.
With a young family and pets, the homeowners chose to eschew bespoke furniture and instead invest in high-impact accessories, such as lighting, tile and
window treatments. Custom pillows in
fabric from Schumacher, Quadrille and
Lisa Fine add high-end flair to the space.
In the master bedroom, Audubon prints
and oyster plates are a nod to traditional South Louisiana style, while a beaded chandelier adds of-the-moment whimsy.
With a young family and pets, the homeowners chose to eschew bespoke furniture and instead invest in high-impact accessories, such as lighting, tile and
window treatments. Custom pillows in
fabric from Schumacher, Quadrille and
Lisa Fine add high-end flair to the space.
In the master bedroom, Audubon prints
and oyster plates are a nod to traditional South Louisiana style, while a beaded chandelier adds of-the-moment whimsy.
The home’s interior walls and trim are covered in a crisp Eider White by Sherwin-Williams, giving free rein to color play. (See: Majolica plates adorning the entryway.) In the kitchen, bold cabinets pop against cool marble counters and subway tile. Brushed brass hardware from Lew’s Hardware and brass pendants from Visual Comfort & Co. add warmth. “The kitchen is truly the heart of the house in this home,” says Mathis, who designed the space to accommodate the homeowners’ passion for cooking and entertaining.
About the designer
Based in Central Texas, designer Holly Mathis shares her passion for casual cottage style and love of fabric as a decorator, stylist and blogger. She accepts inquiries for a limited number of e-consults through her website. hollymathisinteriors.com
About the builder
Brian Guidry Custom Homes has specialized in custom builds and remodels in the Lafayette area for more than 25 years. brianguidryhomes.com
