This Houston Family Home Looks Like A Life-Size Jewel Box At Christmas

A Houston home is colorfully reimagined by designer Amanda Simmons.

When Shalla Prichard and her husband began renovating their newly purchased forever place in a storybook Houston neighborhood, decorating it with pass-down-worthy pieces was a top priority. “With our two girls approaching their teens at the time, we saw this house as an opportunity to create heirlooms and memories—and a chance to take more design risks and use less kid-friendly fabrics,” she says with a laugh.

A referral from her best friend led Prichard to enlist local designer Amanda Simmons to bring all of this to life. Their vision also called for incorporating nods to the homeowner’s Persian heritage. “My husband, Christopher, is a native Texan, but I’m a first-generation American,” says Prichard. “I came to Texas by way of England, where I was born. My Persian parents were unable to return home to Iran due to the Iranian Revolution.”

Simmons delivered with fanciful patterns and rich colors, transforming the house into an oversize jewel box. The designer says this is a testament to her clients. “If you combine trust, taste, and a willingness to take risks, magic happens,” she explains.

When it came time to bring in the holiday spirit, Simmons’ primary goal was to complement the year-round decor. Saturated tones of pinks were pulled from the existing palette for ribbons, ornaments, and other details. The result? Dressed-up spaces that prove trimmings shouldn’t be limited to red and green.

Almost-Neutral Ground

With a handsome pair of emerald green armchairs and paprika-hued throw pillows on the sofa, the living room feels inherently festive. To keep it from skewing Christmassy year-round, the designer balanced the color pairing with grass cloth wallpaper on the paneling and the backs of the bookshelves and a coat of Benjamin Moore’s Morning Dew (OC-140) on the millwork.

Open Invitation

An Alexandre Vossion rock crystal chandelier lights up the grand entry, which is swathed from top to bottom in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove (OC-17) for an airy welcome. Simmons added unexpected punches by covering a pair of small ottomans in Schumacher’s Anshun fabric and lacquering the banister in Benjamin Moore’s Basking Ridge Beige (1158). The pops of pink earn extra attention thanks to a fresh cedar garland that’s accented with luxe ribbons.

Gather Around

At Prichard’s request, Simmons used de Gournay hand-painted wallpaper to create an inviting wine lounge. While she’s enjoying it in her own space now, Prichard has long-term plans for the paper. “I hope to one day make panels out of it to pass down to my daughters, nieces, and nephews,” she says. The millwork, ceiling, and trim in Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue (No. 22) provide a soft, soothing contrast to the shimmer of the gilded design.

Freshen Up

Nearly every room was completely overhauled with the exception of the kitchen. “It was in great shape and just needed a refresh,” notes Simmons. A coat of paint (Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, OC-17), unlacquered brass hardware, Charles Edwards pendant lighting, Carrara marble countertops, and a custom brass-and-zinc range hood enhanced the existing cabinetry and footprint. Square boxwood wreaths sourced from Craftex, the designer’s go-to for holiday decor in Houston, hang from the windows, offering a subtle and stylish nod to the time of year.

Something Blue

Although the tablescape isn’t set in a traditional colorway, the gold accents and dishes of ribbon candy in complementary shades make it feel appropriately seasonal and fun. Blue taper candles in varying heights are placed along the high-gloss table, which was intentionally left uncovered to reflect light from the chandelier. Kim Seybert ombré silk napkins and napkin rings, as well as fresh-cut lisianthus blooms, tie it all together.

A painting from Prichard’s collection guided the design of the dining room. “A trick of the trade is to pull a color from art or wallpaper as a starting point,” advises Simmons, who leaned into the piece’s bright orange hues to inform the fabric selections on the window treatments and the backs of the chairs. Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue (No. 30) wraps the walls and trim in warm elegance, and the showstopping chandelier (one of the only fixtures from the previous homeowners that the Prichards decided to keep) shines light on the Jan Showers table. Pattern play adds another layer of excitement to the entertaining space; custom shades on The Urban Electric Co. sconces match the drapes, which are fashioned from Travers’ St. Croix fabric.

Best Seat in the House

“I am a huge reader; it’s a passion I share with my mother and daughters. This is a favorite room because we can all gather and dive headfirst into great books,” Prichard says of the library. It helps that the space itself feel transportive. "This entire area, even the surrounding millwork, was planned around an Hermès scarf featuring Persian architecture that purchased years ago," say Simmons, who displayed it in an acrylic shadow box with a custom Ann-Morris picture light overhead. Houston-based furniture builder The Joseph Company crafted the nook's perfect-for-cozying-up chaise, which is wrapped in Clarence House's Cartagena fabric. The Murano glass chandelier pours light onto a Carlo Scarpa table that was found at a W. Gardner, Ltd., antiques store in Houston.

Wintry Hues

An Hermès wallpaper under threat of discontinuation became the inspiration for the pool bath, which was built in partnership with local Crossroads Construction. “We got our hands on it in the nick of time,” says Simmons of the near miss. Custom sconces by The Urban Electric Co. were fabricated to match the blue Jaclo faucet and towel ring, while spriggy branches and metallic ornaments deliver extra flair.

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