10 lessons to learn from this luxury Texas home
This Highland Park, Dallas, TX, home was a fixer-upper, involving an extensive remodeling project that transformed the property for a family of seven. The reworked house design and renovation was comprehensive, and interior walls were moved to create a more functional and welcoming space in a home that now feels warm and inviting rather than imposing.
Taking charge of interior design in the newly renovated space were Suzanne Hall and Jessica Bennett of Alice Lane Interior Design. The owners had lived on the West Coast before moving to Texas and wanted to bring some of that laid-back, coastal vibe to their new Southern home.
This desire to blend West Coast aesthetics with Texas style created a unique design opportunity for designers Suzanne and Jessica. Their choices strike exactly the right balance of beautiful, artistic details with practical and relaxed finishes for this fun loving family, and there’s one element that makes a lasting impression in almost every room.
Marble and stone are used in truly imaginative and inspiring ways. The designers put these natural materials in the spotlight and have evolved their room schemes around the stone. We asked the design duo for their expert tips on decorating with marble, and how to successfully incorporate stone and marble in every room of the home, as we take the tour.
1. Choose durable quartzite for kitchen surfaces
(Image credit: Michelle White)
‘We chose our materials very intentionally throughout the house, starting with the kitchen,’ says Suzanne. ‘Since we had selected a striking green (Sherwin Williams’ Cast Iron) for the cabinetry, we needed to find a stone that would harmonize with both the bold color choice and flow naturally through the rest of the home.’
The kitchen countertops for the island and preparation areas are in white Macaubas quartzite, which makes for a low-maintenance countertop, as Suzanne explains. ‘From a practical standpoint, quartzite is an excellent performer – harder than granite, incredibly dense, and resistant to spills and daily wear,’ she says. ‘This durability was crucial for the kitchen, which truly serves as the heart of this home.’
2. Mix in other natural materials and finishes alongside stone
(Image credit: Michelle White)
One way to ensure that your chosen stone really sparkles is to bring contrast to the scheme. Stick to natural materials and colors as these work best alongside the stone. Here, it’s a contemporary take on a wooden butcher’s block by Palmer Industries in a rich walnut finish that creates a light and shade moment with the island.
‘White macaubas quartzite turned out to be the perfect choice aesthetically as well as practically,’ adds Suzanne. ‘Its neutrality works beautifully with both the deeper, inkier tones and the more neutral elements in the space.’
3. Consider open shelves in stone for a seamless look
(Image credit: Michelle White)
If you’re opting for open shelves, make a real style statement by matching them to the countertops and backsplash. Open shelves in the same Macaubas quartzite give an elevated look, with glints of gold hardware adding to the luxe finish.
‘What makes quartzite particularly interesting in this space is its sketchy, more contemporary patterning, as opposed to the fluid lines you typically see in marble,’ explains Jessica Bennett. ‘This suited our young, fun-loving clients who wanted to avoid anything that felt too traditional or stuffy. The quartzite brings a fresh, modern energy while still being incredibly practical.’
Creative director, Jessica Bennett, pictured left, and president of design, Suzanne Hall, right, are award-winning and published interior designers at Alice Lane Interior Design. With a focus on luxurious, everyday elegance they create unique and beautiful designs, completely personalized. The pair were delighted to be asked to remodel and redesign the interiors for this family home in Dallas, Texas.
4. Integrate an eat-in kitchen with the stone theme
(Image credit: Michelle White)
The formal dining room was eliminated as part of the renovation and to take its place this exquisite dining nook was added to the expanded kitchen. It’s a much more practical set-up for a family that loves to cook and entertain.
The round table is topped with quartzite to match the surfaces in the rest of the kitchen, with a coco bead chandelier and Italian blue leather chairs, all from Palacek, providing dressy touches to ensure even simple family meals feel like an occasion.
5. Make a strong statement with a marble desk
(Image credit: Michelle White)
This elegant home office is no ordinary workspace, it needed to serve so many purposes – work, relaxation, and a bit of an escape. The homeowner calls it her ‘command center’ for the house and wanted it to have an opulent look.
‘The space called for something more distinctive, especially to complement the statement-making spherical desk base,’ says Suzanne. ‘With its white and pink cabinetry combination, we needed a marble that could hold its own without overwhelming the space.
‘Choosing stone is really similar to visiting an art gallery,’ adds Suzanne. ‘Often, we’ll find a spectacular piece of stone and let that guide our other design decisions in the space. When you know the stone is going to be a hero element, it becomes like selecting the perfect piece of art to build a room around. There’s truly an emotional connection that happens when you find the right slab – it’s very similar to how you respond to a powerful piece of artwork.’
6. Choose soft, natural shades for a calm living room
(Image credit: Michelle White)
You didn’t think the living room ideas would miss out on the marble, did you? This beautifully calm space features a pale beechwood coffee table, a warm white sectional and… a marble side table with a pretty scalloped design. The wall art is the striking Ripple Diptych from Natural Curiosities. Sticking to natural colors and materials creates a solid backdrop for the natural stone around the home and a calm space for relaxation.
7. Add all the opulence of marble in a powder room
(Image credit: Michelle White)
Powder room ideas center around a marble vanity shelf and a gold-veined wallcovering in a deep kelp green shade.
‘The powder room has a dark, moody aesthetic, so we specifically chose a lighter marble to prevent the space from feeling too heavy,’ says Jessica. ‘The dramatic veining in the stone gives a beautiful depth to the custom color Porter Teleo wallpaper.’
8. Find the perfect statement piece for a landing
(Image credit: Michelle White)
This curved landing and balustrade over the staircase provided the perfect spot for a beautifully designed cast stone table. The round table has an appealing ribbed detail, further adding to the textural layers in this simple space, while the use of cast stone brings another dimension to the choices elsewhere in the home.
9. Use a textured wallcovering to tie in with stone elsewhere
(Image credit: Michelle White)
Bedroom ideas combine a traditional look with some more contemporary finishes, including a lacquered ceiling and grasscloth wallpaper within a paneled wall. The wallcovering and lacquered ceiling each have a patina that nods at the appearance of natural stone, while a faux alabaster lamp base is this room’s key stone accessory.
10. Select a show-stopping marble for the bathroom
(Image credit: Michelle White)
In a home that showcases the very best in marble and stone, the bathroom ideas for the primary bathroom promised to be spectacular. They do not disappoint.
‘We designed the bathroom around the slab of marble that the homeowners picked out. It gave us our starting point and direction for the space,’ says designer Suzanne.
The dramatic veining in the marble turns the brass-framed double shower enclosure into a work of art.
Interior design: Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall at Alice Lane Interior Design
Photography: Michelle White
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