Designer CeCe Barfield Thompson, who has worked with the couple for years, helped turn it into a family home that balances grand scale with everyday comfort.
A house that already had character
The property came with architectural details that set it apart from many other Dallas listings.
“It was full of character and spoke to both of their tastes in a way a lot of other houses in Dallas had not,” Thompson said.
Ornate tile and rolled edges on the plaster walls gave the house a distinct personality.
Another factor was the lot itself. “Many houses in Dallas are built lot line to lot line,” the designer noted. “But in this house, light just streams in and you have this sense you are perched somewhere more removed.”
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Refinements, not a full overhaul
No major structural changes were needed. Thompson focused on a series of targeted updates. “When you buy and renovate an old house, you can’t be scared to make changes and allow the things you love about the house to sing even more,” she said.
In the kitchen she swapped out light fixtures, added Portuguese tile to the backsplash, and installed a walnut counter on the island so it would read as furniture rather than a standard work surface. The living room presented a different challenge: 20-foot ceilings that risked feeling cavernous.
To ground the space, Thompson layered comfortable seating in a mix of styles, much of it upholstered in Michael S. Smith for Jasper florals or solids in a soft palette. She also hung art slightly lower than usual.
“That lets the art anchor the eye so the scale feels a bit more human,” she said. “It’s airy and grand but also really approachable and comfortable.”
The designer removed a window between two rooms to allow for a symmetrical furniture layout, creating more wall space for oversized art.
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That included a contemporary piece commissioned from Ethan Cook through Illa Gaunt Art Advisory and a 1970s cheetah painting by Reginald Baxter.
“Animal print is a neutral, as far as I’m concerned,” Thompson said.
Practical touches for a family with young children
The house was designed to be stylish but also functional. An array of baskets on shelves by the breakfast table, each with a custom brass nameplate, helps the family of four stay organized. The playroom, which looks more like Lee Radziwill’s study than a typical kids’ room, includes plenty of storage for Legos and toys.
“I think sometimes playrooms end up feeling like leftover rooms,” Thompson said. “Bradley told me she’d be spending so much time there she had to love it as much as her kids.” The result is a space that works for both children and adults — a salon primed to charm every generation, much like the rest of the house.
