“The owners had made a lot of good decisions before hiring me,” says Anand, owner of Jaimie Anand Interiors in Austin. But the wife wanted more, including an expert designer to make it happen. “She was open to new styles and designs; very open and easy to work with.”
So was the house — a 6,800-square-foot, two-story, five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath Spanish Mediterranean beauty with an interior that features classic architectural details, from recessed ceilings to built-ins, cutout windows, alcoves, niches and rounded archways in deft juxtaposition with Anand’s transitional décor punctuated by the couple’s intriguing abstract art collection throughout the home.
The homeowners love to cook and entertain, so the heart of the home centers around the family room, breakfast area, formal dining room and the main kitchen of a trio of kitchens (one on the patio and one in the garage).
A must-have for the bright and inviting family room — off the sleek kitchen with polished granite countertop and huge pantry — was a sectional with more than two recliners (adult sons visit the couple regularly). Waiting months for a custom piece was out of the question. As luck would have it, they found the ideal sectional at Macy’s® in a soft neutral leather, with three recliners and a chaise to boot.
Two ultra-modern custom armchairs by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams sit atop an area rug by Loloi. Seeing them from the front is the best way to appreciate their innovative design (“They’re surprisingly comfortable,” says Anand). The painting next to the built-in entertainment center, entitled “Adventures in the Motherland,” is from High Fashion Home showroom in Houston.
In place of the predictable square in front of the sectional, a gorgeous multi-level table in Italian marble, glass and chrome by Catalina is a work of art itself, selected by the wife who saw it and simply said, “I want that table.” Anand admits it was quite the investment piece. Nearby, the breakfast area features custom chairs in beautiful baby blue fabric by Jonathan Louis.
The formal dining room is a jewel box of a setting, highlighted by a brilliant chandelier from Lamps Plus®, where Anand sourced the majority of the home’s light fixtures. Custom chairs are from Nathan Anthony Furniture®, atop a geometric patterned rug from Crate + Barrel.
“Introspection” is the title of the oil painting in the alcove, set against silver metallic accent wallpaper from MDC Wallcoverings in Dallas. Wall paint here and throughout the house is Sherwin-Williams® Accessible Beige. Elegant travertine tile graces most of the first floor.
Anand’s expert use of mixed metallics is evident throughout the home, starting with the bedroom. “The wallpaper is one of the first things we did before they moved in,” she says of the iridescent selection from Candace Olson Wallpaper.
The tufted king bed with custom fabric set the tone for the soothing palette which includes the soft, calming blue of the oversized custom chair from Z Gallerie in Austin. Even though the homeowners had basically given Anand free rein with the color scheme, the designer focused on a restful, serene ambiance for the gender-neutral bedroom. “There are pops of color in the rest of the house.”
A faux fur throw lends a touch of glam, along with bedside tables framed in metallic accents from Z Gallerie. “Those nightstands actually had a matching bed,” says Anand, “but it was too much. I like to mix things up.” Artwork is “Meteor Shower” graphic art print over stretched canvas. Hardwood floors warm the cozy, luxurious haven with an area shag rug from Surya Rugs.
More glam can be found in the dramatic powder bath, where black and gold wallpaper by Sherwin-Williams frames the space. The granite-topped vanity and overmount bowl sink are one piece. “Aerial View Black, White and Gold Floral” canvas prints were found on amazon.com. “I looked everywhere for the perfect art, perfect size,” says Anand.
Saving the best (almost — it’s hard to choose) for last, the formal living room really embodies the entire project — the architectural detail of built-ins and niches, the lighting, the careful placement of furnishings and cherished belongings, and the ultimate mix of comfort and luxury using a sophisticated mix of metallics. Nearby, a curving staircase leads to the second-floor bedrooms, media room and game room.
“Every piece of furniture here is custom Nathan Anthony®,” says Anand, with the exception of the mirrored coffee table from Z Gallerie and the teal blue shag rug from Surya Rugs. The chaise combines luxury and practicality with a durable silver metallic fabric. Placing it all “just so” — from the furniture to the collectibles in the built-ins — was a challenge. “If you place a few things the wrong way, it takes away from everything else,” says Anand. “I did a lot of moving around in this room.”
These days, so does the delighted homeowner, but in an entirely different way. Anand laughs as she recalls the wife’s enthusiastic reaction when the design was finished. “She’d say, ‘I love my whole house. I don’t know which room is my favorite, so from day to day I move from room to room.’” Sounds like the perfect way to enjoy a home that was once a shimmering dream and is now a shimmering reality.
Jaimie Anand Interiors
512-573-2484 | www.jaimieanand.com