Katy Lifestyles and Homes magazine Mar 2010: Sculpting A Home

key transitional pieces that could be incorporated into the new home and went from there. ”

It’s a plan that works. Antiques, art and contemporary furnishings come together on a sweep of limestone floors. Birch wood accents in a soft caramel add depth and contrast without becoming overbearing. Smooth marble surfaces, clean-lined furniture and a myriad of neutral textures make for an uncluttered house with a warm feel.

“So many contemporary houses feel cold and I wanted to avoid that,” says the homeowner. “And I really wanted to use rich materials like marble and limestone and different kinds of woods. All these things are so beautiful in themselves and lend such a grace to your home. ”

The kitchen is especially exquisite in a NEFF Kitchen system of apple wood cabinetry. Top-notch stainless steel appliances include a Kohler three-sink setup, Dacor range, Sub Zero refrigerator and a microwave, oven and warming drawer by Thermador. Oggetti pendants hover above sleek countertops in a neutral marble.

A blend of elegant Donghia furnishings make up the family room, a luxurious space with coffered ceilings.

Specific design elements were important to this couple. “I’m a clipper,” she says. “I went through magazines like Veranda and Architectural Digest and gave books to our builder of what the rooms should look like. They kept referring to it throughout the building process and it helped us to all be on the same page. ”

And everywhere in this house, art. “Art is key to the look of the house,” she says.

They’re devout patrons of the The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, a juried fine art show featuring national and regional artists that is held every April. This year ’s fifth annual event is April 10-11. “We’ve gone since the very first year it started,” she says. “The scope of the artists, the representation, it’s unbelievable. We started buying more and more art pieces from the festival. The caliber of art is fantastic! ”

“Hear no evil; speak no evil” hollow bronze monkeys add a fun element to the mix. • A splendid antique vase shares space with two contemporary blown glass heads by artist Andrew Noga on a dining room buffet. The couple commissioned the pieces after meeting the artist at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. • “Home is where the art is” has never been truer than at this couple’s house. In the forefront, a “Dancing Mandolin” pear in bronze by artist James La Casse, another artist they met and commissioned. The blue art glass torso in back was commissioned from artist Alexis Silk. • A large, unobstructed window makes for a light and bright dining room that shows off the best of both worlds, contemporary and antique. Here, a circa 1830s chandelier hovers above a Henredon table that can seat up to 14 if needed. The table and custom chairs complement the darker wood buffet and contrast nicely with limestone floors.