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My Houzz: A Dallas Home Goes Modern and Artful
A creative couple renovates their 1950s house in Texas with sleek design, organic forms and original large-scale art
Artist, freelance writer, home tour contributor for Houzz, designer, actor, mother and author of the blog La Maison Boheme. Greenman lives in a 1970s Texas ranch house, which she has transformed into a bohemian haven and family home. She loves eclectic, boho style but also has a soft spot for Midcentury modern and Swedish design. Learn more at www.sarahgreenman.com.
Artist, freelance writer, home tour contributor for Houzz, designer, actor,... More »
First-time homeowners Matt and Mary Emma Hawthorne orchestrated a modern remodel of their Dallas house like seasoned professionals. Their secret? A crystal-clear vision and lots of research. Matt says, "We wanted a clean, intentional space ready for our art and artifacts." Mary Emma adds, "But we wanted to do it right the first time."
Both Matt and Mary Emma have a similar design aesthetic, allowing them to move forward on their remodel with a unified vision. Matt, a professional photographer, provided a calculating eye for detail, color and space. Mary Emma, an artist, brought her keen understanding of texture, layering and organic forms. Together, this young couple created a modern gem with a handcrafted feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Matt and Mary Emma Hawthorne, their 1-year-old son, Oliver, and cat Parker
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
That's interesting: Mary Emma's father is a lifelong art collector and gave the family many of the pieces displayed in the home.
Both Matt and Mary Emma have a similar design aesthetic, allowing them to move forward on their remodel with a unified vision. Matt, a professional photographer, provided a calculating eye for detail, color and space. Mary Emma, an artist, brought her keen understanding of texture, layering and organic forms. Together, this young couple created a modern gem with a handcrafted feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Matt and Mary Emma Hawthorne, their 1-year-old son, Oliver, and cat Parker
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
That's interesting: Mary Emma's father is a lifelong art collector and gave the family many of the pieces displayed in the home.
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by Sarah Greenman
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| The Hawthornes spent the first five years of their marriage in a small apartment filled with hand-me-downs, saving their pennies for a time when they could create their own dream space. Sarah Greenman: Tell me about your decorating process. Mary Emma Hawthorne: After sacrificing for so long, it was such fun to pick out furniture and fixtures. Matt Hawthorne: We see furniture as art too. When we were making initial decisions about furniture, we took a blueprint and cut out furniture shapes to scale and moved them around on the paper until we had the right configuration. Everything was planned. SG: How would you describe your personal aesthetic? MH: That's tough. It's a lot of things. Urban. Modern. Organic. Eclectic. Minimal. MEH: I seek out authenticity. Some of the "art" in our home is just real artifacts from our travels. A drum from Indonesia or a box from Ghana. We like real things. Art: "Water Well," by Mary Emma Hawthorne, dining table: Bo Concept; chairs: Design Within Reach; bookcase: Expedit, Ikea |
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| SG: How did you know this was the right home for your renovation? MH: We wanted a home that had no previous renovations. Why pay for updates that you're just going to take out? It was built in the 1950s, and we liked the floor plan. We dissected each house that we looked at and knew that this one would best suit our vision. MEH: We spent a lot of time in each home. I think what I liked the most was that the face of the house was straight across, accentuating the clean-line feel. Art (far left): Beast sculpture by Patrick Mehaffy and "Nana" by James Havard |
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| SG: Once you chose the house, how did you decide on a contractor? MH: We went with Scott Powell of New Leaf Construction because he was confident he could do what we wanted within our budget. MEH: We just sat down and chatted with contractors. Some of them had their own ideas about design that didn't jive with what we wanted. MH: We were very picky. Sofa: Gus Modern; coffee table: Anthropologie |
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SG: I know you were on a budget. What was your biggest steal?
MEH: The three globe pendants hanging in the kitchen. I used to be a display coordinator at Anthropologie and got them for $30 apiece instead of the original $200.
Bar stools: Sportsman's Guide
MEH: The three globe pendants hanging in the kitchen. I used to be a display coordinator at Anthropologie and got them for $30 apiece instead of the original $200.
Bar stools: Sportsman's Guide
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| The great room is anchored by a massive piece of abstract art by Dirk de Bruycker, which greets guests as they enter the front door. |
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Oliver just celebrated his first birthday and loves to scoot around the house. Here he is, making a getaway down the hall to his bedroom.
End table: Crate & Barrel; lamp: Bo Concept
End table: Crate & Barrel; lamp: Bo Concept
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| Oliver's room is filled with vintage toys and whimsical art, much of it created by Mary Emma. The red screen-print above the crib is by Evan Hecox. Crib: Walmart; dresser/changing table: Oeuf |
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| Wire baskets under a wooden bench provide storage space for Oliver's books and trinkets. The silver roadster from Design Within Reach was a gift. Armchair: Little Castle, Baby Bliss |
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Oliver's playthings are neatly tucked away on shelves by Ikea.
SG: How has your home's design shifted since you had Oliver?
MEH: It hasn't. When we were pregnant we were nervous. Spaghetti on white walls! But I couldn't care less now.
MH: The house stands up. When Oliver bangs a toy on the wall, I think "uh-oh," but it's fine.
SG: How has your home's design shifted since you had Oliver?
MEH: It hasn't. When we were pregnant we were nervous. Spaghetti on white walls! But I couldn't care less now.
MH: The house stands up. When Oliver bangs a toy on the wall, I think "uh-oh," but it's fine.
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| Although the hall bathroom is small, it's inviting and very well appointed. Mary Emma points to the countertop and says, "This is a battle that I won. Matt wanted a different white, but this white has little flecks in different earth tones. It goes great with the wood floors." |
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| The guest room doubles as an office. The art above the bed is one of Mary Emma's original works. |
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The office is a clean, streamlined space. The framed Polaroids above the desk were taken by Matt. See Matt Hawthorne Photography for more of his photography work.
Desk, drawers: Ikea
Desk, drawers: Ikea
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Mary Emma's desk is also from Ikea. The chair is a found object she acquired while working at Anthropologie. The art above the desk is by Cody Hudson. It was a gift from Mary Emma's father purchased at The Public Trust, a gallery in the local Deep Ellum neighborhood.
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| Atop her desk is Mary Emma's prize possession: a paintbrush that once belonged to abstract impressionist Agnes Martin. |
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| A low-lying platform bed covered in a solid gray quilt, both from Crate & Barrel, is the centerpiece of the master bedroom. Art: Waddy Armstrong (over headboard), Mary Emma Hawthorne (next to TV); lamp, side table: CB2 |
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| SG: Where are your favorite places to shop for home goods? MH: We like Design Within Reach, West Elm, Bo Concept, international markets while traveling and small, interesting boutiques. The master bath is simple, functional and monochromatic with a double sink and a large glass walk-in shower. |
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| There was no backyard landscaping when the family moved in, so they brought in 10,000 pounds of dirt, built a short retaining wall by hand and installed grass. Potted succulents, aloe and agave anchor the edges of the patio. Painted brick, dark gray trim and bright green grass create a natural frame that showcases the home's crisp, clean curb appeal. |
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| Mary Emma holds Oliver while Matt leafs through one of his art books. The great room, with a view out the bay window, is a favorite spot for the Hawthorne family. SG: What is your advice to homeowners interested in remodeling in a modern style? MH: Don't rush it and don't be trendy. MEH: We frequently see modern remodels that seem cool at first, then quickly become dated. MH: And do your research. Make sure your contractor is on the same page. His solutions have to be in line with the homeowner's vision. Houzz call: Do you have a creative, modern home? Share it with us! |
Ideabook published on July 18, 2012.
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Good mix of $$ designer stuff and inexpensive Ikea stuff, you've got to put the money in smart places to make it go a little further (IMHO).