When in the pursuit of modern glamour, you must not be afraid to pull out all the stops. And then, temper that boldness with a little subtlety. Today, we welcome you to Circle Drive, a modern glam interior design project we had the joy of installing this summer. The home stands at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Houston’s Bellaire community. With an architecture that is unique to the area – it’s a Mediterranean-style beauty with a sprawling exterior. Slender poplars adorn the home, inviting you inward with a European flair.
While our client was interested in decorating the home on her own, she quickly realized the time commitment was insurmountable. She had pillar pieces that were stunning in scale, but finding items and furnishings to match these pieces would take time. When we began collaborating on the design, we knew that we would incorporate these existing pieces into the design.
Our team was tasked with small cosmetic renovations, mainly in the kitchen, and bringing an overall cohesion to the home. We also acted as art advisors to her collection. Our most important role was tying all the individual, existing items together in one, easy flowing design.
The homeowner grew up in St. Croix. The island’s vibrant cultural heritage was a major influence on her style and the interior design of her home. Preferring a worldly exploration as the center of her aesthetic, she requested we include art from her travels, as well as new introductions to her growing collection. Second on her list of design priorities was a place for family and friends to stay. Entertaining family is a major part of her life. She wanted her loved ones to not only have comfortable accommodations, but rooms that were almost hotel-like.
Most of all, Circle Drive represents a feminine sophistication that is an authentic reflection of the homeowner. Through art, romantic textures, and a regal color palette, the home expresses the rich history of a life well-traveled and well-lived.
Statement Pieces, Global Influence, and Bold Pops of Color
The homeowner is glamorous and fashion forward. She loves color, especially purples, blues, and yellows. We created a color scheme of jewel tones in an array of shades, from subdued to deeply saturated. We selected pieces throughout the home that bring cohesion to the fun juxtaposition of what she loves. Throughout, you will find earthier elements paired with glamorous and luxurious touches. We eliminated harsh lines, with curves and feminine touches featuring prominently throughout the home.
The home had many great existing pieces, but the client needed guidance in making the home feel unified, cohesive and complete. Statement pieces, especially the artwork, were all sourced by our design savvy client prior to our coming on board. Our role was in tying these statement pieces together in one cohesive design.
Because entertaining is such a focal point of her lifestyle, the design of the home centers around the kitchen, which is open concept. To welcome her guests, we elevated the guest rooms to create a getaway and resort-like stay. This home makes a statement, accented by glamorous lighting that speaks more to form than function. But quite stylishly, they do both.
A Room-by-Room Exploration of Modern Glam Interior Design
Enjoy a room-by-room tour of this stunning home. All photography by Kerry Kirk.
STUDY
The desk was created by El Dorado Woodworks, based on the burl wood in the entryway. The unique structure provides stylish storage on either side, a duality of items both private and shared. We added warmth with Phillip Jeffries wallpaper and a soft drapery. The ceiling detail draws the eye upward, while the drapery, with Pierre Frey trim, adds softness. The Samuel and Sons tiebacks are reminiscent of the wood necklaces. The tiebacks are made of abaca beads, mixing natural elements with a pop of color. The John Brooks side chair is an ethnic shape that mimics an arabesque chandelier, with updated opaque legs from Modshop.
DINING ROOM
With a worldly vibe and modern glam interior design, art is a focal point and inspiration in this room. We immediately fell in love with this dynamic koi fish piece from artist Joseph Bradley and developed a design to complement it. In the dining room, we selected lovely ivory curtains. Streamlined furniture opens the space and geometric prints freshen the look. A rotund chandelier in gold lures the eye upward. Our client’s dining room looks fit for an intimate dinner party with friends on a warm summer night.
The gold from the art complements a Restoration Hardware gold leaf statement chandelier and gold accenting woven throughout. The Madison Lily rug offers a neutral backdrop, while the custom table build by El Dorado offers clean lines and a contemporary touch. Adriana Hoyos chairs with custom Zimmer + Rhode fabrics tie in a rich blue, a color that the homeowner adores. Navy shades and lighter blues exist throughout the home, especially in the art and decorative lighting. The homeowner’s existing statues pair well with new contemporary items.
LIVING ROOM
Symmetry was a big goal for this space, as well ensuring it flows seamlessly from the kitchen that opens up to it. The sofas were originally white linen and the room was quite neutral. The homeowner felt the fabrics were missing the infusion of color that she loves.
As a room with many existing pieces, reimagining, reupholstering, relocating, and refinishing were the key to our work in this space. We brought in prominent pieces and colors to tie together and enrich the homeowner’s aesthetic. The sofa was reupholstered in Jab Anstoentz fabric, while the chairs were reupholstered in Designers Guild fabric, both of which elevated the feel and added color. The exiting stone/ concrete cocktail table is elegant and worldly with the addition of brass elements. We replaced the colorful rug that was previously in the room with a subdued Rugmart rug to better ground the space. We also added John Richards drink tables, which add functionality for entertaining as well as beauty and glamour without too much visual density. Color was also pulled in with the storage bench, fabricated by House and Town with Wolf Gordon upholstery and Modshop legs.
Circa lighting serves to make the space more intimate. We like to layer lighting throughout a room to create a versatile ambiance. The Vanguard bunching tables, with aged bronze metal finish added by Iron Accents, tie in beautifully with the cocktail table.
KITCHEN
As the homeowner loves to entertain, the massive island is functional for large group gatherings. Our cosmetic renovation here included repainting the existing island, and adding new upper cabinets, backsplash and vent hood. We worked with Segretto on the fireplace; the artist came in and mirrored the design on the vent hood from the fireplace. The lighting and the backsplash tile add a new pop of modern glam interior design. We showcased the homeowner’s style with the mixture of earthy and glamorous elements and the combination of beams, wood on the chairs, glass on the cabinets and the Circa Crystal Cube Oval Flatline chandelier.
MASTER BEDROOM
The master bedroom previously had a bed and side tables that the homeowner liked, but the room was massive. UItimately, it wasn’t inviting or warm, which is how the homeowner wanted this room to feel. Our work in this room involved building around the existing pieces to make the overall space more complete and welcoming. While brown and white were the original color palette, we added pops of the homeowner’s favorite color, purple. Our team added a Kravet settee for more lounge space, and injected more color with upholstered pillows with fabric by ID Collection. We also replaced the shutters to make the room more romantic with Larsen window shades and drapery.
MASTER BATH/ CLOSET
With a continuation of finishes from the master bedroom, the master bath and closet features a mix of natural elements, like the rock ceiling, with glam elements, like crystal and glass. Custom, luxurious bedding through Tribute Goods and Hines pillows elevate the space further. The Circa sconces and Circa chandelier mirror elements of the art and modern glam interior design in the master bedroom.
LOWER GUEST BEDROOM
This bedroom is used by the homeowner’s parents and features a strong use of color, which is reflective of her family’s style and background. The existing nightstand with mother-of-pearl finish layers colors and patterns. The Anthropologie bed was reupholstered in Villa Nova fabric for a bold touch of rich color. Custom stools in Kast fabrics, by House and Town, frame the foot of the bed. The luxurious bedding and high-end wallcovering that features a pattern play with layered texture and existing horn lamps, repeating brass throughout and leaf pattern all point to worldly ethnic style in modern glam way.
UPSTAIRS GUEST BEDROOM
The room is anchored by a Bernhardt bed custom upholstered in Kast Troy Velvet fabric and reworked nail heads. High-end Plush Home bedding features fabrics that tie into the gallery wall. The gallery wall hosts artwork and textiles, with necklaces, Matisse, Picasso and Zeo Bios textiles that serve to make it very worldly. The chair adjacent to the gallery wall was previously in the master bedroom; our team moved it here, where it serves as the anchor to the space. Nobilis wallpaper acts as an elegant backdrop to tie the room together.
STAIRWAY
When the homeowner saw the lighting sourced by our team in the other key rooms, she wanted us to expand on the lighting in other parts of the home, like this stairway. Previously outfitted by very small scale lighting, we used the existing art piece in the space to inspire a bold blue chandelier that serves to connect all the spaces throughout the home.
Modern Glam Interior Design and a “Good Breeze”
Bellaire, the charming neighborhood where Circle Drive resides, translates to “good breeze” in French. To give our client’s space a breezy feel worthy of the phrase, we infused her rooms with plenty of light to balance out the rich purple notes.
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, our client’s home on Circle Drive now serves as a luxe getaway at the end of a busy work week. It’s also a comfortable space where family and friends gather for a shared meal to exchange spirited conversation.