Texas firm Rainey Richardson Interiors never discusses cookie-cutter design styles. “All those words like ‘traditional’ and ‘transitional’ are so worn out,” notes principal designer Rainey Richardson. “We scrap all that and ask our clients about what jazzes them.” So what “jazzed” a couple who just completed a new build in an emerging Houston neighborhood? Bringing people together.
“We wanted to create a beautiful, storied and functional home that invites you to sit and stay awhile,” Richardson says. “You’re not afraid to sit on anything or put your drink on a coaster. You can prop your feet up and feel okay with that.”
To craft a space that was equal parts inviting and authentic to the homeowners, the firm ditched the rustic clichés seen in many Texan homes. “They wanted this very cool Palm Springs ranch, but they also fell in love with cowboy lore,” explains Connor Burnam, lead designer, who oversaw much of the project. In fact, one of the homeowners spent about three years living on a working ranch in Colorado, which makes their penchant for the Wild West personal.
A rich palette of beiges, browns and tans evokes a laid-back desert lifestyle, while a meticulous mix of materials brings the new frontier to the forefront. In the kitchen, a metal hood and wooden cabinets work together to transform the often-utilitarian room into a space where guests can linger. Meanwhile, the adjacent breakfast nook’s curved sofa and verdant chairs provide a “jewel-box moment.”
But perhaps the highlight of the home is the leather room, which is used for leather tooling and entertaining. “The antique table here can be cranked up to where you can stand and work at it,” Richardson says. “You can crank it down where they can sit and enjoy a game night or cocktail hour.”
Both Richardson and Burnam lovingly refer to the home as “a good-time gal” — and for good reason. “It’s a place to love and be loved,” Richardson notes. “You don’t just drop in for a short time; you go and stay awhile.”
And the homeowners have not moved a single thing since they first stepped inside, so it’s safe to say they’re equally jazzed about this space.
Photography by Julie Soefer.
Styling by Jessica Holtam.
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