Christmas in Rockport

Take a Tour . . .

The beautiful beach house in Rockport, Texas we have worked on for months was mostly finished in time for a Thanksgiving gathering.  However, we and our client wanted it to sparkle for Christmas.

Home for Christmas

First, let us take a quick look around at this charming home on the Texas coast.  Walk into the entry and look up.  Our decorative painters Karl Sr. and Karl Jr. (the Karls) spent several weeks at the job site painting the entry, repurposing light fixtures, and creating mural homage to the coastal plains in the exterior stairwell of the guesthouse.  (We will visit that later)

Barrel Ceiling in Entry

The living Room, dining room and kitchen are part of one “great room”.  A partial wall with bookcases on one side separates a piano alcove from the living/dining area.

Piano Alcove

One end of the room includes a huge wall of bookcases, cabinets, fireplace with the other end being the kitchen area. The dining area is nestled in between the two.

Living Room

Stay alert; there are many whimsical features in this home. Do you remember all those selections we made in an earlier blog? The fabrics, tiles, rugs, paint selections are all here. Try to find them.

Kitchen Hood

The master bedroom is fresh and comfortable. A wall of windows and glass doors casts a bright and cheery light into the room.  Serenity is easy; just close the sheer wall-to-wall drapes.

Master Bedroom

Moving on to the guesthouse, we enter the “Sand Suite”.  (OK, now we are naming the rooms) Notice the juxtaposition of the cool against the creamy yellow walls.  It pops!

Sand Suite

On to the “Sea Suite” which is located on the second floor. Now as we go up the stairs we get to admire the mural in the stairwell.  Karl and Karl did a great job.  Notice how they incorporated the wall sconces into the palm trees.  They are a clever duo.

Mural on Landing

There will be no singing “the blues” in this room. (OK, the fish on the wall maybe) The pillow shams and accent pillows in all these bedrooms are a textural experience.  The starfish pillows are beaded. The shams embroidered.

Sea Suite

The “Palm Suite” is next door. It is fun. It is bright.  Both of these guest rooms open to a balcony, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.

Palm Room

Getting back to Christmas, let us take a look at what a few touches of sparkle can do. . .

Using the original color palette, we added ornaments and greenery to a large clam-serving piece our client already had on the dining table.

Center Piece on Dining Table

The tree was trimmed in similar colors.  Check out the shell encrusted chandelier over the dining table. That is a story in itself.

Christmas Tree in Great Room

If you want to see something beautiful, look at this hurricane with a palm motif on the mantel.  There is another one on the other side.

Mantel Hurricane

We added some holiday finery at the base and voila!

We kept it simple and let the house speak for itself.

A special thanks to Karl Gibbons Sr. and Karl Gibbons Jr. for their murals, to Alex Shultz, our installer, who traveled to Rockport and hung draperies, art, and mirrors tirelessly, and to our many sources for fabrics (Fabricut, Robert Allen), furnishings (Sherrill, CTH, Hooker, Emerson Et Cie, Old Biscayne) and bedding, rugs, accessories (Company C, Curry and Co. Uttermost, The Anatole Collection) and those who represent these companies  (Michael Burcin, Cheryl Bramell, Susan Whitworth, Diana Churak).

Thank you, Karen, for the project, the fun, and the hospitality.  Let’s do it again!

Good Job! Way to Go! Now That’s What I’m Talking About! – and the winner is . . .

We always beam at the recognition of a “job well done”.  We have partnered in some award winning projects in the last few years.  Indulge us for a moment and look at some of the jobs that have earned us an accolade or two. 

Costa Bella – It Begins . . .

We have had the privilege of working with Sterling Custom Homes on several projects.  First, was a Parade of Homes at Costa Bella on Lake Travis.  We worked all night moving furniture, hanging artwork and tweaking everything just in time to walk out the door just as the judges were coming in.  We won an award for the “Best Kitchen” that year.

 

 

 

Flintrock Falls 2004 – It Continues . . .

Flintrock Falls Master Bath - Photo by Robert H. McGee

Next, was our first parade house in Flintrock Falls located in Lakeway.  Again, we were part of the Sterling Custom Homes team and won “Best Interior Design”.  Later this Sterling Custom Homes house won the “Best Showcase Home or Parade of Homes” Max Award.  That was in 2004.

Flintrock Falls Dining Room - Photo by G. Russ

 

 

Camel Back Family Room

 

Flintrock Falls and Camel Back 2006…

2006 was a test of our stamina and resources.  Sterling decided to enter a house in two parades, one again at Flintrock Falls and another in Westlake.  We finished one home just in time to set up another.  Both houses reflected the character of its owners.

Working with homeowners is a special treat.  Creating an environment for the clients seemed to add a comfortable feeling to both homes.  Consequently, both homes won the “People’s Choice Award”.  The Flintrock Falls Parade House also won “Best Interior Furnishings”.

Rough Hollow Parade of Homes 2008 . . .

Our latest collaboration with Sterling Custom Homes was in 2008. This was the  Rough Hollow Parade of Homes also located in Lakeway.  This home won an impressive array of awards including “Best Interior Furnishings”, Texas Star Award for “Best Interior Design”, a Max Award for “Best Interior Merchandising”, and again the “People’s Choice Award”. 

Rough Hollow Living Room - Photo by G. Russ

 

Rough Hollow Dining and Wet Bar - Photo by G. Russ

People’s Choice Award…

Of all the awards that these projects have received we are always delighted to win the “People’s Choice Award”.  This award is, as the title implies, earned by a popular vote of all those who visit the parade.  Winning this award has always been an honor. 

We have developed a little habit of muttering to each other while the visitors roam in and out of the rooms.  Our mutters have become our mantra.  Listen closely and you will hear us say:

“Go ahead visit all the others, but you will want to live in ours”.

With a Little Help from Our Friends . . .

We could not do these projects without a little help from our friends.  We owe a special thanks to Bill McGannon of McGannon and Associates in Dallas for his generosity and to Dennis Teague, also of McGannon’s, who has been our right hand man and our intermediary.  Dennis has always been so enthusiastic about each of our projects (not just parade homes, either). 

Thanks for your help!

J. Mayfield Design Goes Coastal . . .

The first visit to our client’s house on the Texas coast was in mid-winter.  It seemed that the palette of the landscape was shades of watercolor gray and pale sienna’s. Our presentation was the opposite of our experience – bright and colorful.

New Construction - Porch Side

Paint, Fabric, Flooring Selections for Great Room

Our client said “You haven’t seen the sunset from the back porch, yet”.  Unfortunately we couldn’t stay and left before sunset.

The second trip to check on electrical placement, plumbing, and finalizing some interior and exterior selections was a different experience entirely.   It was spring and suddenly our finishes and selections mirrored what was around us.  The colors of the coast and the elements of the coastal plains would move from the outside/in. 

Kitchen Back Splash - Herons

This retreat, this place for family gatherings, this home will be a reflection of our client’s love of this area with all its nuances. 

 

This time we stayed for the sunset.

 

 

 

Special thanks to our One Coast Rep, Cheryl Brammell, who introduced us to Company C – designs for colorful Living.

 

 

 

 

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“Clients become friends and friends, at times, can be clients.  Their stories are a springboard for creative and individualized design.”  

Consider: Remodeling

Bar Area Before

Bar Area After

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    We helped recreate one family’s concept into a charming home for another. Our clients had a deadline. They were hosting a wedding for a close friend at their new home. There was no postponing a wedding. The pressure was not only on us but the builder, cleaning crew and the homeowner.  Consider the “before” picture of the bar area then the “after”. Lots of work; significant change. 

 

     

(Karl Gibbons, senior and Karl Gibbons, Jr are extraordinary artists, who are often part of our team, and created many of the finishes in this home.)

 Just when you think it can’t be done, it can.

This project was finished just about an hour before the rehersal for the wedding was to start. Working with the exceptional cleaning team was terrific.  As we approached each area, they were the first in, then us, and then they were the last out. 

 

  

  The Study was the backdrop for our client’s collections, awards, memorabilia and treasured photos which leads to a new consideration …“what do you do with all the stuff?”.   

 

Special thanks to our One Coast Rep, Susan Whitworth, who helped us meet our deadline.

 

Design in Progress