A Preston Hollow French Transitional That Packs a Color Punch
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Out of the thousands of properties I look at every year, there are always a few I fall in love with. This Preston Hollow French transitional residence, designed by Nixon Custom Homes, is one of them.
I’ve always been attracted to anything remotely French because I spent some formative years living in Paris, so it’s ingrained in me. This home embodies all the elements I’m attracted to, from the slate roof to the groin-vaulted hallway and beamed ceilings.
The French transitional style, a blend of traditional French architecture with modern elements, is timeless and classic without being weighed down with unnecessary decorative architectural elements. This makes it perfect for the way we live today. However, what really made me fall in love with this home is the owner’s style.
Mary-Margaret Scaggs and her husband Drew were immediately drawn to the architecture of this home. They were inspired by more than the physical structure, though. Scaggs’ upbringing in a home that valued design, coupled with her admiration for Dallas’ legendary interior designers like Jan Showers and Cathy Kincaid, deeply influenced her style.
“I think I have every book they have ever published,” she said.
Most of us are afraid of color, but Scaggs is not, and that’s what I find so attractive about this home. She uses color in a way that is bold yet not overwhelming. It’s definitely inspiring.
The Foyer of This Preston Hollow French Transitional Is a Treat
“You don’t get a lot of shots to execute style in a foyer,” Scaggs said.
To make a memorable statement, she used black and white marble flooring in a classic checkerboard pattern, had the handrail altered to a brass look, and sealed the style with the bold choice of Stark’s Missoni carpet for the staircase. You will not forget this entry. Nor will you forget much about this home!
The magical color tour continues with a dining room lacquered in Farrow & Ball’s Peignoir and painted by Martin Painting Corporation. Lacquer is such a beautiful way to showcase architecture, and no one does it better than Barry Martin. Scaggs’ inspiration for the room’s color came from a painting she found at Round Top that graces the main wall of the dining room. The rock crystal and brass chandelier is from Nick Brock Antiques.
Wallcovering That Offers a Historical Homage
The most enchanting aspect of this Preston Hollow French transitional home is the family room, which features custom-colored panels by Iksel. These were created as an homage to the fresco painted for Livia, the wife of the Roman Emperor Augustus. The original fresco was discovered in an excavation of her villa at Prima Porta in 1863 and is now a main attraction on the top floor of Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. Think about how remarkable it is to have a recreation of a fresco created in the first century BCE.
We recreated it entirely based on a detailed pictorial study and our understanding of Roman painting. The result is a personal new version of Livia’s Garden. Certainly much more complete than the fragmented original.
Iskel Decorative Arts
The Mahjong room gave me the proverbial jaw-drop. Like every room, there is always one element that inspires the decor. Here, it was the Patterson and Flynn Moulins Dusty Rose abaca floor covering.
”That was the art for the room,” Scaggs said. “The entire section of the home was begun because of that rug.”
She had the paint color matched to the Thibaut Sisal wallpaper, enveloping you in warmth, and found the Moroccan light fixture on Etsy!
As much as this room is for the girlfriends, there is a library retreat for Drew and his pals. It’s such a handsome space and inspiring in that the Scaggs decided to keep the natural woodwork. I’ve grown weary of seeing libraries and home offices painted, so it’s a nice change to see wood again.
It’s hard to fathom, but the Scaggs had all this work done on their 7,251-square-foot, five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home finished in six months. It just goes to show what you can accomplish if you make decisions carefully and in advance. Scaggs’ motto is to do it thoughtfully, effectively, and once. Words to live by!
“A piece of advice my mother gave me is that you need to make your biggest priority cohesion,” Scaggs said. “This time, I thought long and hard about walking from one space to the next. I wanted them to be cohesive, and what I appreciate most is that every room speaks to the room before it. This has been such a happy home and was the greatest joy and the most fun to create.”
The Scaggs are on to their next adventure and more projects, so this is quite an opportunity for a lucky somebody to purchase a simply gorgeous home in a superb location.
