Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Arts and Crafts Inspires a Midcentury Home
Antiques and modern touches combine seamlessly in a personalized remodel for a Dallas couple
From green shag carpeting to clean hardwood and curated art, this Dallas home has undergone some big changes to pay homage to its midcentury roots. Inspired by their very necessary kitchen remodel, Michael Connolly and Gae Whitener transformed their Texas home into an Arts and Crafts–inspired space. The couple describes the update as a "cyclonic event" that entirely changed the way they view their home. "Once we did the kitchen, we began to look at everything with an objective eye," says Whitener.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michael Connolly, Gae Whitener and their dogs, Banjo and Bobi
Location: Dallas
Size: Almost 2,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
That's interesting: George Bock designed and built the house for his family in 1964 using unorthodox building techniques to ensure a solid structure that would stand the test of time. "When workers go into the attic or basement they're baffled by all the lumber," says Connolly.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michael Connolly, Gae Whitener and their dogs, Banjo and Bobi
Location: Dallas
Size: Almost 2,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
That's interesting: George Bock designed and built the house for his family in 1964 using unorthodox building techniques to ensure a solid structure that would stand the test of time. "When workers go into the attic or basement they're baffled by all the lumber," says Connolly.
SG: Tell me about your design aesthetic.
MC: Modern but not spartan. We're really Arts and Crafts people. A seminal event for us was attending the modernism exhibit at the Kimball Art Museum. It was a crafts exhibit; everything from art nouveau to Eames. We saw pottery, furniture, silverware etc. And what we realized is that you can combine stuff from all different eras as long as it shares some similar attributes.
Leather recliner by Vladimir Kagan; rug: eBay; pottery: Cost Plus World Market
MC: Modern but not spartan. We're really Arts and Crafts people. A seminal event for us was attending the modernism exhibit at the Kimball Art Museum. It was a crafts exhibit; everything from art nouveau to Eames. We saw pottery, furniture, silverware etc. And what we realized is that you can combine stuff from all different eras as long as it shares some similar attributes.
Leather recliner by Vladimir Kagan; rug: eBay; pottery: Cost Plus World Market
Built-in cabinetry keeps the television and electronics out of sight when not in use. The paint color in the living room is a custom Benjamin Moore hue inspired by Tea Leaves from the Martha Stewart line.
The open shelving above the corner piano was designed to display Whitener's pottery collection. The built-in shelves are open to the breakfast nook and allow light to pass through into the living room.
The open shelving above the corner piano was designed to display Whitener's pottery collection. The built-in shelves are open to the breakfast nook and allow light to pass through into the living room.
GW: In the breakfast nook, I really love the bottom-up shades. They give you all the light plus the privacy.
Dining chairs: Cost Plus World Market; rug: eBay; plate on wall: Pine Mills Pottery
Dining chairs: Cost Plus World Market; rug: eBay; plate on wall: Pine Mills Pottery
In 2004, Connolly and Whitener took the plunge and remodeled their kitchen. Donna Guerra from DG&A Interiors designed the remodel, and Pete Gleeson was the contractor.
MC: We had no idea what to do with the kitchen. We'd take long walks, and the topic of discussion was always "What are we going to do about that kitchen?"
GW: But Donna came in, and after only a few minutes in the space she proposed that we knock out a wall and move the doors. The best light was from a window in a small laundry room, and now it's our breakfast nook.
Rug: eBay
MC: We had no idea what to do with the kitchen. We'd take long walks, and the topic of discussion was always "What are we going to do about that kitchen?"
GW: But Donna came in, and after only a few minutes in the space she proposed that we knock out a wall and move the doors. The best light was from a window in a small laundry room, and now it's our breakfast nook.
Rug: eBay
The glass backsplash was inspired by a photo Whitener saw in a magazine. Outlets were moved to a strip hidden underneath the cabinets to preserve the clean, uninterrupted surface. The countertops are soapstone, and the handcrafted cabinets are alder wood that was stained to look like maple.
GW: Alder is softer and can get banged up, but since we don't have kids it's not a problem for us. And we saved a lot of money.
MC: And you'll notice that the cabinets are a continuous piece of wood — the upper cabinets line up with the lower ones.
GW: Alder is softer and can get banged up, but since we don't have kids it's not a problem for us. And we saved a lot of money.
MC: And you'll notice that the cabinets are a continuous piece of wood — the upper cabinets line up with the lower ones.
The painting above the dining table reminds Connolly and Whitener of artwork by contemporary American realist Janet Fish. Connolly acquired the painting for just $5 and has never found out who the artist is.
Rug: eBay; dining table, chairs, sideboard: Spectra Wood; Eames chairs: Herman Miller
Rug: eBay; dining table, chairs, sideboard: Spectra Wood; Eames chairs: Herman Miller
A massive piece of collage art by Oklahoma artist Kate Rivers greets guests as they enter the dining room.
GW: It's part of Kate's nest series. As a gift to herself for finishing a marathon, she took a trip to Italy. The inside of the nest is made from paper stubs, maps, menus and images from her trip. We've been to many of the places referenced in the art and felt it was calling to us.
SG: What is your favorite spot in the house?
MC: Lounging on the club chairs on a Saturday morning with the paper. Also, a secret source of pride for me is the drop-leaf table between the Eames chairs. It's a Connecticut River Valley cherrywood table, circa 1720. No nails or screws are in this piece; it's stayed together without metal for almost 300 years now.
Around 1949, my mom and dad were furnishing their first apartment and went to an antique store in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. They bought the drop-leaf table and a number of other pieces for the then-large sum of $50. A couple days after they had moved, they got a call from the owner of the store. She offered to buy back the drop-leaf for the full $50. My mom refused, and a family heirloom was born.
GW: It's part of Kate's nest series. As a gift to herself for finishing a marathon, she took a trip to Italy. The inside of the nest is made from paper stubs, maps, menus and images from her trip. We've been to many of the places referenced in the art and felt it was calling to us.
SG: What is your favorite spot in the house?
MC: Lounging on the club chairs on a Saturday morning with the paper. Also, a secret source of pride for me is the drop-leaf table between the Eames chairs. It's a Connecticut River Valley cherrywood table, circa 1720. No nails or screws are in this piece; it's stayed together without metal for almost 300 years now.
Around 1949, my mom and dad were furnishing their first apartment and went to an antique store in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. They bought the drop-leaf table and a number of other pieces for the then-large sum of $50. A couple days after they had moved, they got a call from the owner of the store. She offered to buy back the drop-leaf for the full $50. My mom refused, and a family heirloom was born.
Connolly and Whitener were so pleased with their kitchen that they again consulted Donna Guerra for the remodel of their two bathrooms. The hall bath is now a serene space wrapped in warm wood.
SG: Tell me about the TV in your bathroom.
GW: Isn't it obvious? I wanted to be able to watch the game from the bathtub!
SG: Tell me about the TV in your bathroom.
GW: Isn't it obvious? I wanted to be able to watch the game from the bathtub!
The master bath is a sleek space that boasts a glass walk-in shower.
SG: What would you like to do next in your home?
GW: Reconfigure our bedroom. It needs an update. We bought the dresser set years ago, and while it's perfectly good stuff, it just isn't us anymore.
SG: What would you like to do next in your home?
GW: Reconfigure our bedroom. It needs an update. We bought the dresser set years ago, and while it's perfectly good stuff, it just isn't us anymore.
One of Whitener's favorite details about the bathroom is a large drawer that pulls out to reveal a hidden laundry sorter. No more dirty clothes lying on the bathroom floor!
The backyard meanders around a central tree to a stone patio at the back of the property. Four periwinkle deck chairs add color next to a hot tub and a container garden. Foliage from one of the mature live oaks that initially drew the couple to their home can be seen over the fence.
Connolly and Whitener will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in August 2012. Their home is a beautiful reflection of their collaborative partnership.
SG: What is your advice to homeowners considering a remodel?
GW: Expect the whole house to get involved even if you're only going to remodel one room.
MC: And ask to see other houses that your contractor has worked on. It will give you a very good idea of the quality you can expect in your own home.
Houzz call: Do you live in an Arts and Crafts home? Share it with us!
SG: What is your advice to homeowners considering a remodel?
GW: Expect the whole house to get involved even if you're only going to remodel one room.
MC: And ask to see other houses that your contractor has worked on. It will give you a very good idea of the quality you can expect in your own home.
Houzz call: Do you live in an Arts and Crafts home? Share it with us!
Michael Connelly: The first thing that struck us were the trees. It has four mature live oaks on the property. And the kitchen was huge.
Gae Whitener: We also liked the flow of the house.
Fire screen: Tuesday Morning; blue upholstered chair and ottoman: Hickory Furniture Mart, reupholstered at Childress