When Texas natives Jordan and Anna Gooch relocated from California back to Dallas, they wanted to find a neighborhood with homes that have character. The couple developed an affinity for early-1900s architecture on the West Coast and hoped to discover a gem from that era. While planning their move, the Gooches learned their second son was on the way, so the house had to function for a growing family.
The pair found just what they were looking for in a 1914 Prairie-style house in the historic Oak Cliff neighborhood of Winnetka Heights, adjacent to the Bishop Arts District. The close-knit community is popular with families and hosts regular events, like neighborhood happy hours, to promote inclusivity. It was a perfect fit for the Gooches. “Sitting on our front porch, everyone makes an effort to wave and say hello,” the couple note.
They settled into the home with ease, but with a baby on the way, necessary renovations had to happen quickly. The homeowners called in Jen Stevens, founder of the award-winning Dallas design firm Fonde Interiors, and shared their vision for an eclectic space that was also practical and suited to kids.
“They saw some of our work [on Instagram] and knew we liked to take risks in our design,” says Stevens, who shares the owners’ penchant for historic homes. As the mother of young children, the designer likewise understood the need to create a space that could accommodate the rigors of family life without sacrificing style. The couple especially wanted to incorporate unexpected items and finishes into their home’s interior, a challenge Stevens happily embraced. “Jordan is a chef and photographer, and Anna works in the tech industry,” says Stevens, adding that husband and wife are both incredibly creative. “We got to have a lot of fun with styling.”
Before getting into the decorative details, the design team tackled some tricky layout issues. The home had four bedrooms, with only one full bath upstairs and a powder bath on the first floor. In addition, previous renovations to the kitchen were incomplete, and the house lacked adequate storage throughout.
“We had to undo some things that were done in the past” and come up with innovative ways to work around prior cosmetic upgrades, notes Stevens. In the kitchen, that meant leaving the paneling untouched while finding a place to put appliances. Stevens incorporated the refrigerator into a larger utility space, where she also added a laundry area. Custom drawers beneath the countertop and shaker pegs mounted on the walls helped solve the storage issue.
The adjacent powder room was once part of an enclosed back porch, which presented structural challenges but gave Stevens room to maneuver. She converted the space into a full bath, including a striking shower nook with striped dark green and cream subway tile from Bedrosian. Since the downstairs bathroom would be used for potty training the boys but also seen by guests, other design elements had to be both durable and creatively inspired.
“We went with a dark color and made it very moody,” says Stevens, who chose Sherwin-Williams paint in Iron Ore for the easy-to-clean paneling. Brushed gold faucets and a console sink give a nod to the home’s rich history, while the wallpaper on the upper walls and ceiling connecting the utility room and powder bath draws the eye upward.
“There’s not a lot of opportunity for art in those spaces because there are so many windows,” she says. The wallpaper adds visual interest and makes each room feel larger. The koi print was hand-painted by artist Caitlyn McGauley, who is based in San Francisco, where the couple previously lived.
Both the powder room and stackable washer and dryer are cleverly hidden behind tall doors that blend with a wall of custom cabinetry. The original door for the downstairs bath opened to the dining room and now is covered by an elegant home bar flanked by lofty cabinets.
“They have a pretty robust wine collection we needed to accommodate,” Stevens says of the Gooches, who love to entertain. She selected a handmade vintage design wall light from Gallery L7 in Los Angeles to accent the quartzite backsplash in the color Golden Lightning. The hammered sink and faucet were handmade in Morocco and stylistically fit the era during which the home was built. “We used a really pretty green grasscloth to tie everything together and give it another layer of texture,” Stevens shares.
The designer also reconfigured the floor plan upstairs, converting one of the four bedrooms into a full primary bath. “We were able to finesse the plan to get everything they wanted,” she says, including a double vanity, freestanding tub and shower. The block-print wallpaper from Farrow & Ball in the pattern Renaissance is timeless and elegant. Clever details, like the pressed brass peacock design drawer pulls and brass faucet, all handmade in Marrakech, add an element of surprise.
The antique French oak doors connecting the primary bath and bedroom are equally intriguing. They originated in Cairo, Egypt, and Stevens purchased them from Preservation Co. at Round Top specifically for the historic home.
The overhead chandelier, which does double-duty as a fan, is from Lighting New York and made by Savoy House. Fonde Interiors added dark paneling to the bedroom walls and kept the original oak floors.
“The reason [the Gooches] loved the house was because of its history, and anything we did needed to be somewhat period appropriate,” Stevens says. At the same time, the couple wanted interesting features that were fresh and different. By reimagining the layout and adding decorative elements from around the globe, Fonde Interiors struck the perfect balance between those goals, while creating a livable space for a young family.
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