Design Envy: Houston French Country Home

The master bedroom- how romantic and relaxing!

Here is the thing about blogs- some of them you love and some are just EH. The ones that you love, you usually love because you connect with the blogger on some level. For both Allison and I, we connected with Brooke Kamins Wise of StyleWise when we asked her to be our Girl Crush of the Week. 

Since then, we have gotten even closer to Brooke. Between her inspiring me to buy glitter backed booties, to us having a business lady conf call next week, we're practically BFFS! So when I saw pics of Brooke's home on another blog, I immediately shot her an email and asked her to be a part of our Design Envy series. Please join us in a tour of Brooke and her husband Jeffery's Houston home!

The MASSIVE living room! God love Jeffery for allowing white furniture. TC would have NOTHING of it.

• When did you all move into your home? We moved into our home in November of 2011 so we are quickly approaching 1 year! 
• How did you two approach the design? I knew I wanted a style that was fresh and could stand the test of time. I love French country with a modern twist. I spent endless hours on Pinterest and design websites, especially Cote de Texas! Jeffrey’s aunt is an amazing interior designer and I know I could have enlisted her help but I really wanted this to be my project. I drew much of my inspiration from her blog and her home. 

I love the map of Paris framed out above the bar!

• Was there a vision? Did one of you take the lead? I wanted people to walk in and feel comfortable. I always love walking into a home that feels cozy and homey. I definitely took the lead on this one. Growing up with a mom, aunt and grandmother who love decorating, Jeffrey understands the importance. 
• Did you have to undertake major renovations or was the home move-in ready? The house was in relatively good shape especially for a 52 year old home. We decided we wanted to repaint the exterior and entire interior. I think a fresh coat of paint can work wonders! We also wanted new flooring. We debated doing hard woods throughout the entire house but in the end decided to do carpet in the bedrooms and hardwoods throughout the rest of the house. We also had shelves built in our living room which I think made a world of difference. We replaced all the light fixtures and hardware which makes for a quick and easy facelift. One thing Jeffrey took the lead on was the outdoor built -in television “box”. 

Um hi, I want a pool!

• Were there any major challenges you had to overcome? The one challenge we faced was walking into the kitchen two days after the new hardwoods were laid to notice that the floors were buckling! Somehow moisture got underneath the floors so those had to be completely redone. We took it with a grain of salt. We knew going into a renovation that unexpected things happen. 
• Were there any things you said ABSOLUTELY NOT about? I really hoped for a chandelier in lieu of a fan in the bedrooms…Jeffrey wasn’t into that idea, especially for the bedroom. In hindsight I am so glad we made the decision to have a fan, especially with the Texas heat.

Oh you have a guestroom Brooke? Have room for two of your favorite bloggers?

• What were the mandatories? 
• We each had a few mandatories. Jeffrey’s was that there must be a fan in all the bedrooms. Here is where we compromised…I had fantasized about whimsical, antique chandeliers hanging in all 3 bedrooms…so I got one $99 Amazon.com steal of a deal chandelier in our guest bedroom! He also wanted large, flat screen televisions in every room in the house and by the pool. 
• My only mandatory was that we have our own closets. Luckily there was a perfect cedar closet in the hallway located just steps from our bedroom :) I am still dreaming of a sprawling closet with a dressing area! One day…

Great handiwork Jeffery!

• What are your top 2 favorites things in your home? 
• Brooke: I absolutely adore Jeffrey’s grandmother’s chest that his aunt recently had redone for us. I love that it has been in his family for so many years. I have to say my favorite room is our guestroom…maybe it’s the infamous chandelier. 
• Jeffrey: My favorite parts of the house are the built-in television “box” Brooke previously referred to and I really enjoy having a pool and hot tub. Both are great for entertaining and just hanging out with friends.

Brooke's STUNNING dining room!

• Any design tips? Have patience when it comes to decorating. I have learned that it is a constant work in progress and that is the beauty of it. I also realized that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a beautiful home. I did my homework and figured out where I could save money and where it was worth splurging. This week we had French doors put in between our dining room and our empty room that we are working on turning into a home office. I am searching for just the right desk... maybe a white lacquer for a slight more modern look. We are also having curtains made for our living room which I am super excited about. I have loved doing updates over the past year and look forward to many more in the future!

The dining room deserved another photo.

What do you all think? Isn't their home stunning?!

P.S. - Don't forget to enter the GiGi New York Fuchsia All-In-One Bag Giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway