Inside an English-Inspired Texas Estate With a Stunning Library—And Full Basketball Court
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At first glance, Marie Flanigan's most recent project looks as though it belongs among the rolling hills on the outskirts of London. From the highly symmetrical Georgian-inspired architecture to the occasional deeply saturated tones, the 6,000-square-foot residence actually sits on a sizable plot of land quite far from England's bucolic countryside. In fact, it's all the way across the Atlantic in Texas. "The residence isn't historic, but the original architect designed it to include a lot of Georgian elements, including plenty of arches," Sydney Manning, an interior designer at Marie Flanigan, says. "We really appreciated that sense of character that classic Georgian architecture brings. Plus, it resembles Southern architecture with its undeniable formality, so we were happy to embrace and showcase Georgian details in the home whenever we could."
In addition to the main house, which has four bedrooms, three full baths, and two half baths, there's also a spacious guest house complete with a full-size basketball court. The shingle-style cottage, formerly a three-car garage, was one of several major architectural renovations that Flanigan, in conjunction with architect Jerry L. Coleman and builder Sheri Barringer of Barringer Custom Homes, took on.
The main building wasn't spared Flanigan's significant architectural updates, either. Since the property was built in the late 1980s and sought to be an extremely accurate Georgian home, there was a lot of extravagance that Flanigan wanted to pare down, making it more livable for a family of four. "We took the house down to the studs in several areas while preserving special details, like the original stair railing, paneling, trim, and hardwood flooring," Flanigan says. "There were a lot of archways with very ornate molding, along with a color palette and finishes that were reminiscent of the early 1990s. Our goal was to completely refresh the overly decorative and dated interiors and streamline the choppy layout, all while making our work feel authentic to the home."
The clients also wanted their new home to feel authentic to them as former New Yorkers living in the Lone Star State, so Flanigan combined the best style cues from both locales. "We curated a gorgeous color palette along with lots of natural materials and textures to make the home feel collected, historic, and elevated," Flanigan says. "Plus, because the home is Georgian inspired, it does have an inherent feeling of formality to it, which is something we've embraced."
Stair Landing
"The original design didn't have a staircase that went up to the third floor, which was just an attic, so we talked with the client and the architect about utilizing that space—especially because the third-floor ceiling featured an incredible skylight that allowed for tons of natural light," Manning explains. "While on-site one day, someone had the idea to make the third floor accessible by way of extending the original staircase, so we enlisted an artisan to recreate the original, very intricate balusters of the staircase below. Custom Murano glass chandelier: Legacy. Commissioned painting: Michael Dines.
Formal Living Room
This space is "mostly for special occasions, but they do host a lot," Manning says. As for the piano, it has an auto-play function that lets the family and their guests enjoy "live" music. Luckily, the couple's teenage sons are taking piano lessons. Wall paint: Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball. Piano: Steinway & Sons. Accent chair: John Saladino. Coffee table: custom. Chandelier: Jonathan Browning Studios.
Mirror: Etsy. Sofa: custom, in Arabel Fabrics velvet. Table lamp: Marie Flanigan for Visual Comfort & Co.
Family Room
"Because this room is centrally located on the first floor, where plenty of the surrounding spaces are swathed in bolder hues, we wanted it to be a bit more calming in terms of the palette," Manning says. Sofa, coffee table, and lounge chairs: custom. Table lamp: 1stDibs. Side table: Pottery Barn. Chandelier: The Urban Electric Co.
Den
Moody, swanky locales the clients loved when they lived in New York, like the Polo Bar, inspired the color palette. "The room features a lot of slightly varied shades of this red color because we didn't want to match the finishes exactly, but we wanted all of the reds to be in the same family and play together well," Manning says. The antique coffee table is actually a steamer trunk from the 1870s. Wall paint: Carriage Door by Sherwin-Williams. Sectional: A. Rudin. Chandelier: The Urban Electric Co. Coffee table and library ladder: 1stDibs.
"As a firm, we love to mix antiques with modern and found pieces because doing so pulls the visual aesthetic together and adds the layer of collectedness," Manning says. The antique coffee table is actually a steamer trunk from the 1870s. Left: Leather armchair: Ralph Lauren Home. Side tables: Four Hands. Painting: Mary H. Case. Right: Console table: 1stDibs. Sconce: Visual Comfort & Co.
Meditation Room
"The husband is really into meditating, so this is a space right off the bedroom from him to go in and sit first thing in the morning. This room really functions as the couple's retreat from the rest of the house," Manning explains. Wallcovering: Phillip Jefferies. Rug: custom, Rug Mart. Chaises: custom by Quintus. Lantern: Dennis & Leen.
Kitchen
"The wife loves to cook and and host people, so designing a beautiful kitchen was top of mind," Manning says. Brass pendants: Roman & Williams Guild. Breakfast table: custom. Chairs: Palecek. White pendant: Stephen Antonson. Countertops: Rosso Levanto marble. Cabinet hardware: Armac Martin. Cabinet paint: Natural Cream by Benjamin Moore.
Dining Room
"The wallpaper, a custom chinoiserie from de Gournay, really kick-started our design process," interior designer Maddie Farmen explains. "We decided on the rich blue color on the walls and and then designed the cool tracery detail on the ceiling, but the wallpaper started it all. We customized it with ladybugs and swallows, two symbols that have a sentimental value to the clients," she adds. Rug: Madison Lily Rugs. Dining table and chairs: custom. Antique mirror: Round Top Antiques Fair. Pendants: custom.
Primary Bedroom
"This is a true primary suite in every sense," Manning says. "All of the essential spaces are just off the bedroom, including his-and-her bathrooms, the meditation rooms, and closets," The Marie Flanigan team added the wood paneling to the walls and ceiling to create a warm, intimate space for the couple. Bed, nightstands, chaise, and rug: custom. Table lamps: Vaughn Designs from George Cameron Nash. Floor lamps: Visual Comfort & Co. Sofa: Lee Industries. Side table: Noir. Chandelier: John Pomp.
Primary Bathroom
For the wife's section of the his-and-her bath, "we wanted something very feminine and calming, similar to the meditation room," Manning says. "This is a little getaway just for her to escape to." Since the firm discovered quite a few arches throughout the home, they decided to add one here. Wallpaper: Phillip Jeffries. Wall mural: Segreto Finishes. Mirror: Mirror Home. Sconce: Dornbracht. Vanity chair: custom.
Basketball Court
The husband, who is nearly seven feet tall, played basketball in high school and college, and the couple's teenaged sons, also well over six feet, play as well. They host hangouts and play casually here after the boys' practices and games. Stadium chairs: Etsy.
Outdoor Kitchen and Dining Nook
"In Texas, the family gets to enjoy only two real seasons, so it was important to them to be able to enjoy their outdoor space year-round, which is why we installed heaters in the ceiling for chilly days and receding screens for warm, buggy ones," Manning explains. Chairs: Pottery Barn. Table: RH.
Pool Deck
After a dip in the hot tub or plunge pool, the family can relax in this seating area that extends off the back patio. "It serves as another casual and comfortable place for them to relax as a family and enjoy the outdoor space," says Manning. Sofas and chairs: Summer Classics. Side table: RH. Coffee table: Kathy Kuo Home.
Q&A
House Beautiful: Did you encounter any memorable hiccups, challenges, or surprises during the project? How did you pivot?
Marie Flanigan: The clients wanted to incorporate a third-floor game room with a skylight that was centered in the central stairway. We worked closely with the builder and architect to use the attic to create this third floor space complete with game room, kitchenette, bathroom, and bunk room.
HB: Where did the majority of the budget go?
MF: The majority of the budget went to building the new structure in the back of the house. It became a brand-new guest house and garage complete with a full-sized basketball court and windows to match. The structure also houses a living room for guests, a kitchen, a Murphy bed, a dining area, and a bathroom. Upstairs, there's a workout room and an office for the parents.
HB: How did you save money or get crafty?
MF: We wanted to perfect the color palette to complement the primary bathroom in creating the floral mural around the space. We also wanted to incorporate a beautiful texture that created warmth and interest, so we introduced a grasscloth wallpaper and had our painters come in and swath a beautiful floral mural draping down from the ceiling in the perfect tonal color palette for the space.
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