Look Inside a Dallas Interior Designer’s Pastel-Infused Home

The Designer Show House, a biennial event sponsored by the Village Improvement Association in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, showcases diverse interior and exterior design inspirations across its 6,000 square feet of space and nearly an acre of outdoor areas. This event serves as a platform for regional designers to present their expertise and offers visitors a wealth of ideas for their own homes. One featured space is a sunken living room, designed by Kate FitzGerald-Wilks of Timeless Design in Landenberg, Pennsylvania. This room embodies a West Indies aesthetic, characterized by bold lines, soft sandy hues, and rich textures. Key elements include vintage stick bamboo chairs painted black, adorned with Kuba cloth and Ralph Lauren zebra-stripe pillows on a slipcovered camel-backed sofa. A mid-century hutch is repurposed as a cocktail bar, complemented by sculptural metal and glass console tables flanking the fireplace. Wood mirrors with faux tortoise shell lean against textured wallpaper, while modern sculptures and art blend with antique books and global treasures. FitzGerald-Wilks also designed the dining room, aiming for a dramatic effect with a backdrop of 200 wine bottles and a striking Dolcetti chandelier crafted from shells and crystals, evoking sea glass. An 8-foot-long reclaimed wine rack sits atop a buffet. The room's color palette consists of soft creams and tans, punctuated by emerald green accents in the chandelier and wine bottles. Windows are framed with woven ikat print panels. An airy sunroom, conceived by Alfred Wolf Home (a new venture from Design Center of Rehoboth or DCOR), was designed to create a light-filled, contemporary transition between the house and garden. This involved removing existing French doors and window grills, painting the room in various shades of white and French gray-green, and incorporating textural elements of white canvas, iron, and marble. The family room, also by DCOR, maintained the warmth of its original paneling and fireplace stone, setting the foundation for a soft khaki and cream palette. The room is furnished with herringbone, tweed, and leather fabrics, offset by tortoise shell wood finishes and local tidal scene artwork. Mary Stewart of M. Stewart Interiors in Bear designed the upstairs hobby room, named "Just Us," intended as a shared family space for various pastimes like painting, photography, reading, chess, and Lego building. The room features updated cherished family heirlooms and is painted simply white to highlight paintings by Nadia Zychal. Nile Johnson of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, designed the second-floor paneled library, drawing inspiration from Rehoboth's laid-back yet cosmopolitan atmosphere. This space offers an updated interpretation of a classic library, decorated in layers of sandy tans. Cyndi and Ron Oronzio and Cathie Sheetz of Dreamweaver Interiors of Rehoboth Beach decorated a bedroom and bath, inspired by vibrantly patterned fabrics. They utilized Robert Allen fabrics as wallpaper for an accent wall, building the room's design around this print. The team selected fabrics for their depth, crisp patterns, contrasting textures, and detailed embroidery, incorporating a bright coral pink accent color and rhinestone embellishments for a feminine touch. Brenda Carder of blcINTERIORS of Rehoboth Beach designed a small guest bedroom, combining natural cotton and linen fabrics with metal and reclaimed wood. Crown moldings add formality. To compensate for limited sunlight, the room was kept light and bright, with a deep navy blue accent wall and touches of bright yellow for warmth. The second floor features art by Libby Zando of Zando Designs and Art Affects in Milton, alongside works by award-winning regional artists. Boardwalk Builders of Rehoboth transformed a hallway into a gallery space by adding wainscot paneling, creating an updated cottage aesthetic that visually broadened the hallway. Mark A. Polo of The Urban Dweller in Boonton, New Jersey, designed the master suite, aiming for comfort with soft textural colors ranging from taupe to blue. The furniture is upholstered to enhance the room's softness, featuring taupe draperies of embroidered sheer linen and silk edged in leather and freshwater pearls. Blonde floors are softened by a long-fiber rug. Outdoors, Erin Walls and Justin Bartels of Bella Terra Landscaping in Lincoln repurposed existing flagstone patios and walkways, adding new stones to create a Celtic-inspired design. The layout divides the space into a grand area for social gatherings and secluded nooks for quiet retreats. Creative Concepts Furniture of Lewes and Ocean View furnished the patios as outdoor rooms with bright coastal colors, including a sectional, loveseat, dining area for six, and lounge chairs, inviting visitors to envision themselves in the setting. #DesignerShowHouse #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #RehobothBeach #DelawareDesign #LuxuryInteriors #OutdoorLiving #DesignInspiration

Jena Salmon, a designer and frequent relocator, transitioned her family back to her native Texas from Atlanta, settling in Dallas. She quickly found and purchased a 1980s ranch-style home, making an immediate offer due to its parquet floors, French doors, brick kitchen, and abundant natural light. The renovation began during the COVID-19 shutdown, necessitating quick action to mitigate industry-wide delays. Salmon orchestrated the work of painters, landscape architects, and a pool company on closing day, and soon after, the kitchen was gutted, carpets removed, landscaping redone, and old appliances replaced. Salmon's vision for the home centered on color, departing from neutral palettes. Known for her blue and white aesthetic, she felt this particular house called for the addition of green to integrate the outdoors. The transformation focused on incorporating beloved antiques and a palette inspired by nature. In the living room, a generous 22-foot square space near the entry, Salmon divided it into two distinct, cozier areas to prevent it from feeling cold. Walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Snow White (OC-66) maximize the natural light, while pattern and color are introduced through Thibaut animal-print swivel chairs and a custom sofa upholstered in Schumacher velvet. For the kitchen, a space Salmon particularly enjoys designing due to its communal nature, she painted the cabinets in Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green (No. 34) and adorned the walls with a ditzy floral print (Jouy by Thibaut). A deep blue ILVE range was a key acquisition, complemented by other appliances sourced through scratch-and-dent options to circumvent lead times. Practical modifications included removing pendant lighting and lowering a high bar to a standard-height countertop, which opened up views to the backyard. The blue-and-green theme extends into the keeping room, featuring a custom octagonal table with a Thibaut and Soane fabric skirt and an estate-sale chandelier dressed in block print shades. In the sunny sitting room overlooking the backyard, Salmon reverted to her signature blue and white, with a sofa in a buffalo check and a tufted ottoman in Schumacher’s Beatrice Bouquet. The formal dining room, while not used daily, was designed for elegance, incorporating French antiques found at various estate sales. The walls are covered in Thibaut grass cloth, and the ceiling is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue (HC-144). Salmon encourages painting wood, as demonstrated in the study, where custom-mixed Farrow & Ball hues lightened the existing wood paneling. This process requires careful observation of how colors interact with light throughout the day. The study features antique wing chairs in Jane Shelton fabric and collected accessories. A home bar, perfect for entertaining, features cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue (No. 281) and walls wrapped in Oscar de la Renta fabric. A guest room showcases twin beds with headboards sourced from an estate sale, offering versatility for children or guests. Curtains, walls, and shams are in a brown-and-white Saybrook Check by Thibaut, complemented by Matouk scalloped linens. In the primary bedroom, an antique gold leaf screen serves as an unconventional headboard, chosen for its beauty and to be seen daily. This, combined with bedding in her preferred colors, creates a relaxed and soothing sanctuary. #HomeDesign #InteriorDecor #DallasHomes #ColorPalette #BlueAndGreen #RanchStyleHome #AntiquesInDesign #KitchenDesign #PaintTransformations

Robert Stilin, a renowned interior designer, discusses his career trajectory, design philosophy, and personal inspirations. Stilin's journey into design was unexpected, beginning with the opening of a lifestyle store in Palm Beach in 1989. This store, initially a 'prototype,' allowed clients to discover his aesthetic, eventually leading him to interior design projects. He has since become celebrated for creating spaces that are contemporary, sleek, and livable, earning accolades such as AD100 and the ELLE Decor A-List. His monograph, "Robert Stilin Interiors," was published in 2019. Stilin emphasizes the importance of discovery and paying attention in his work. He recounts a pivotal moment twenty years ago when art collector Beth Rudin DeWoody encouraged him to explore design beyond his usual preferences, reinforcing the lesson of not judging a book by its cover, especially in collecting and vintage shopping. This experience broadened his perspective and taught him the value of finding unexpected treasures. Regarding his evolving style, Stilin notes a cyclical shift. Early in his career, while drawn to contemporary modern design, he also appreciated classic and traditional styles. As his life progressed, his focus shifted more towards modern aesthetics. However, in the last five to seven years, he has found himself increasingly attracted to classicism, returning to his initial inclinations. He highlights his enduring admiration for artists like Picasso, Matisse, and Giacometti, despite their overexposure and high value. Stilin acknowledges the impact of fashion on his design tastes, describing himself as a "shopper of everything." He finds inspiration in fashion stores, vintage furniture shops, and art galleries, believing that all visual experiences inform one's aesthetic. He particularly values multi-brand clothing stores that showcase a strong curatorial point of view, likening this to an interior designer's process of finding their own voice within a space. Fashion photography also serves as a significant source of inspiration, contributing to his extensive photography collection. For art collecting, Stilin advises being actively engaged in the world by visiting museums, galleries, art fairs, and design shows. While online viewing is convenient, he stresses the importance of seeing art in person to fully appreciate it. He also discusses the role of patience in his design approach, noting that while clients often seek instant gratification, the reality of creating bespoke items, like a sofa, can take months. He advocates for a balanced perspective, prioritizing health and well-being over material possessions, especially after the pandemic. Stilin believes that a space for an aesthetic person or a collector is never truly finished; it is always evolving. He encourages clients to continue building on their interiors over time, adapting them as their tastes change. He does not believe in buying art simply to fill walls, preferring to wait until the perfect piece is found, even if it takes a significant amount of time. Ultimately, he views home as a sanctuary, a place for recharging and feeling safe and comfortable, an essential aspect of self-care in a demanding world. #InteriorDesign #RobertStilin #DesignPhilosophy #ArtCollecting #HomeDecor #AestheticEvolution #Lifestyle #CreativeProcess