Project: Bold Pattern and Color Make This Home a Maximalist Dream
Principal Designer: Christina Simon / Ashby Collective
Design Assistant: Annie Bacon
Architect: Clayton Korte
Builder: Burnish & Plumb
Landscape architect: Word + Carr
Location: Austin, Texas
Photo Credits: Clay Grier
This Austin home has just undergone a complete transformation – each room turned into an artful space with loads of character. Ashby Collective reimagined the 5,800 square foot home — giving it the maximalist wow factor the homeowners wanted.
“The clients wanted luxurious and maximal design elements — an abundance of color was a must. They wanted spaces to show off their collections of not just fantastic art but also vintage finds and historical artifacts. They love pattern and requested that every room be magical and ready for entertaining and hosting lots of guests, says Christina Simon, Principal, Ashby Collective.
“We took this directive and elevated each space to be unexpected. We transformed the home’s traditional millwork and moldings to be more contemporary by adding saturated, punchy colors in high gloss sheens. Anywhere we could add pattern, color and texture we did it! Most of the furniture was custom designed in dramatic color combos and metallic fabrics.”
The primary theme of color and pattern was followed closely by the secondary theme in the design plan — metallics. Bronze and copper as well as unusual specialty hardware and lighting is a common thread throughout. The copper built-in banquet seating in the game room visually connects to the copper wrapped bar and contrasts with the striking geometric brass light fixture by Roll & Hill.
One of the main spaces for entertaining, the music room, entailed a myriad of must haves from the couple. They were certain they wanted black and white checkered flooring and a dynamic and colorful wallpaper. The wallpaper (House of Hackney) was one of the first selections for the room. The team used a dark and stormy paint color on the ceiling (Tulsa Twilight Benjamin Moore) to tie in with the wallpaper and marble checkered flooring. “We up lit the ceiling with bronze sconces and painted it in high gloss so that it would reflect some light back down. The lilac chandelier was an added pop of color that brightens the space and gives off a sparkle at night but is also cheerful in the daylight. We knew there would be a plentitude of light coming in during the day after we added an entire wall of steel doors and windows,” says Christina.
The music room’s checkered tile floor extends out through a wall of steel and glass to the outdoor patio with stunning views of the mountain-side and the skyline of the city of Austin in the distance. The design team used Galapagos Turquoise (Benjamin Moore) on the chair rail and mantel. The study wall features the homeowner’s collection of books and found objects. The team choose a rich teal hue for the built-ins.
Bistra is Eastern European and loved the idea of building in old world references — so the design team considered the steel accents to act less in a modern way but more of a nod to a worldly solarium. Pattern and texture are carried through in the kitchen’s stone hood vent. This was an especially strong statement and really came into play after the clients fell in love with the Silver Wave Marble slab. “We wanted to make the marble a strong visual in the space, in order to really allow the incredible ‘wave’ in the stone be the focus we had to show as much of it as possible — so that you can relate to the movement of it,” notes Christina.
The bespoke dining set is topped with dramatic lighting– Pair of Pearl Necklaces Pendant by Ludovic Clément d’Armont. The primary suite gets a rosy treatment, the homeowner’s Karl Haendel artwork takes center stage.
Featured art in photo:
Music room: Amie Dicke
Hallway: Rob Wynne, an 800+ piece glass art installation.
Kitchen: Marilyn Minter
Study/Lounge: Walton Ford
Stairwell: Lorraine Tady
Primary Bedroom: Karl Haendel (Drawing of Lion with Wristwatch)
