Some of my favorite clients have come to me via my showroom in the Dallas Design District. This homeowner—a single woman with three boys—would stop in from time to time to shop, and she often left with pieces I thought of as truly outstanding. It was clear to everyone that she had great taste, so my team was thrilled when she raised the possibility of having us decorate her new house in University Park in Dallas.

She already had some great pieces from my shop and from her own passion for collecting vintage. I really liked her taste in art, much of which she’d already acquired. When Zara Taitt went to view the house, she could see why the client was having trouble making it feel like home. It had good bones but somewhat simple architecture.

So many houses are like this, and while they do create additional challenges, they ultimately never prevent us from finding ways to make rooms that feel as layered and complex as any other. It’s always about finding the right colors, layering vintage pieces, and making every room inviting. The owner already had a great eye, and she loved vintage and collections, so we knew we were off to a good start.

Comfort and livability are always at top of mind, but they were of particular importance here, where every decision took into account the client’s three boys and golden retriever, Buck. The client wanted the house to feel like a serene respite, and we were extremely selective about using color and pattern. Much of the color in the house comes from her art collection.

To me, the most interesting room in the house is the library, which we decided to make into a fun sitting room, bar, and lounge. When Zara first saw it, the room rarely used, and the client talked with us about not knowing exactly what it should be. It was important to my team to make it into a room that she actually used and enjoyed. I adore the outcome. The pattern on the drapery is lively and fun, and it looks perfect against the raffia wallpaper. In a room with so many bookshelves, we had the idea to create a bar that wasn’t solely concentrated in one place. We used some of the shelves for bottles and bar trays, others for decanters and glasses, spreading the shimmer of vintage glass and tasteful bar accessories all around the room. The impact is both fun and refined.

The client wanted the master bedroom to become more feminine and appropriate for a single woman. We chose a soft peach tone for the walls, a stunning chandelier, and changed the king-sized bed to a queen, making more space for a seating area that almost becomes an additional living area, a place for her to unwind.

Another room that served mostly as a passthrough between the lounge and the kitchen, Zara and the design team reimagined as an office, so the client could enjoy the great light and public space of her home while she worked. It ended up being a real combination of things she already owned and things we found, and I love the way it looks painted in Benjamin Moore’s Wyeth Blue. On the wall hangs an unlikely pair of artworks—a Robert Jessup painting above an Hermes scarf the client found and had framed—a beautiful example of what I call the art of the mix.