A Hill Country Home Marries Rustic & Refined

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Designer Melissa Morgan brought rich...

Designer Melissa Morgan brought rich greens and neutrals into this Medina home's living room. Atop a Stark carpet, the Cameron sofa from George Cameron Nash wears Old World Weavers velvet, Cameron club chairs feature Claremont animal- print fabric, and the coffee table is from Jacqueline Adams in Atlanta. A Jan Heaton watercolor from Hunt Gallery punctuates the space.

Near a sitting area with...

Near a sitting area with picturesque views, JM Lowe & Company General Contractors installed a custom metal circular stairway by The Iron Shop that leads to an observation deck. Nearby, a console from The Cottage Antiques pairs with a custom Cameron sofa from George Cameron Nash in Old World Weavers fabric.

Cameron armchairs in a sitting...

Cameron armchairs in a sitting area wear Brunschwig & Fils textile, and dining chairs from The Cottage Antiques surround a table from English Accent Antiques in Atlanta. The chandelier is from Edgar-Reeves in Atlanta. Overland Partners Architects specified the design of the windows, which Escobedo Group executed.

In the open kitchen with...

In the open kitchen with magnificent views, Holland MacRae barstools offer warm contrast against custom cabinetry by Madera Millwork painted Benjamin Moore Galveston Gray and the Idris by Ait Manos Ann Sacks tile backsplash. The Viking range is from Ferguson. Sourced from English Accent Antiques, a trio of antique glass cloches-turned- pendants illuminates the room.

Texas limestone walls by Dean...

Texas limestone walls by Dean Mitchell Masonry and a Stark sisal carpet impart the dining room with a warm, casual feel. Maison Jansen dining chairs from 1stdibs covered in Old World Weavers fabric pull up to an antique dining table from Jacqueline Adams while antique chandeliers from Robuck in Atlanta hang above.

A lumbar pillow in a...

A lumbar pillow in a guest bedroom wears Travers' whimsical Samango linen print from George Cameron Nash, complementing the brand's Burchell material covering the Ferrell Mittman headboard. Prelle fabric pops on the bench from English Accent Antiques.

A guest bedroom's blue-and-white theme...

A guest bedroom's blue-and-white theme continues in a nearby reading nook, which features an armchair and ottoman from Lam Bespoke and draperies in the Samango print. Art is from Hunt Gallery.

Morgan dubbed this space the...

Morgan dubbed this space the "giraffe guest bedroom," so named for her use of Pierre Frey's Ismaelia fabric on the bed skirt and a lumbar pillow. Cowtan & Tout's Nile textile, also from Culp Associates, covers a bench from English Accents Antiques. The headboard is Louis J. Solomon.

n a vignette in a...

n a vignette in a guest bedroom, the lamp and the framed antique Italian engravings are from the clients' collection. A Schumacher grass-cloth wallcovering provides a textural backdrop.

After living in a 1960s-era home for 11 years, it was time for a change. With two daughters approaching their teenage years, this Houston family was not only outgrowing their space, but the dated interiors were done.

“It was all very dark wood that was really ‘in’ when we moved in, but as things have lightened up, that house really felt foreboding,” the wife says. “We were drowning–the closets were all full–there wasn’t enough air to breathe.”

They decided to tear the place down and start over with the help of designer Julie Dodson, who “got” the refined-rustic, transitional look they were after.

“They’re not pretentious at all,” Dodson says. “They’re laid back, easy going, not high-maintenance. I wanted that house to be easy, with a casual sophistication.”

The designer spent a year scouring vintage and antique shops along with her decorator resources to fill the new house with French country-inspired furnishings and decor. She also worked with the home’s architects to customize each space to meet the family’s specific needs — from a sideboard on wheels that can be moved into place for a party, to a play room with multiple TVs and plush chaise lounges to settle in for movies and video games.

Above all, the new house is everything the old house was not: open and bright, where entertaining is a breeze, and kids and adults can freely mingle.