Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Eclectic Elegance Distinguishes a Dallas Home
Global finds, family hand-me-downs and creative DIYs converge with ease in this Texas ranch house for a family
With keen intuition and a honed sense of interior design, Stephen and Lindsey Edison have created a cohesive yet wildly eclectic mix of decor in their Dallas ranch house. French antiques live side by side with Japanese art, African artifacts, industrial accents, iconic midcentury furniture and even some cowhide.
Lindsey's style has its roots in a long line of spectacular homemakers, including her mother and grandmother, who both had beautiful Louisiana homes. She says, "They instilled in me the importance of having a creative and welcoming home, ready for entertaining guests."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Stephen and Lindsey Edison, son Walker and dog Luna
Size: 2,300 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
Lindsey's style has its roots in a long line of spectacular homemakers, including her mother and grandmother, who both had beautiful Louisiana homes. She says, "They instilled in me the importance of having a creative and welcoming home, ready for entertaining guests."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Stephen and Lindsey Edison, son Walker and dog Luna
Size: 2,300 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
"I am inspired by places that I've been to, and it truly comes through in my decorating style," says Lindsey. This sitting room with a gallery wall of Asian art is inspired by travels through Asia, the hallway by Morocco and the living room by travels to Africa.
Camel-back sofa: antiques store in Hudson, New York
Camel-back sofa: antiques store in Hudson, New York
Apart from sourcing things for their home on their travels, the Edisons frequent antiques stores in Hudson, New York, and the Brimfield Antique Show in Massachusetts. "My family has a home in upstate New York, so I go every summer to shop and then U-Haul it home," says Lindsey.
Paint: Manhattan Mist, Behr; armchair fabric: Sultana Lattice, Calico Corners; bar cart: West Elm
Paint: Manhattan Mist, Behr; armchair fabric: Sultana Lattice, Calico Corners; bar cart: West Elm
Over in the living room, Lindsey praises an oversize Restoration Hardware couch providing a neutral backdrop for the couple's collection of African throw pillows and artifacts. "I couldn't live without this couch," she says. "It's the most comfortable place in the house." With the extended size of the sofa, the couple nixed a coffee table, which would have presented a hazard for their toddler anyway.
Paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams
Paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams
Upon moving in, the couple painted every wall in the house, installed hardwood floors and changed the light fixtures. "It felt like home the second I started decorating," says Lindsey. "Stephen is very handy, so any creative idea I had, we would discuss it and figure out a plan."
Stephen completely revamped an existing built-in by removing the existing "gingerbread" details and giving the lower cupboards an update. He backed the shelves with black paint to highlight the books and items displayed.
Stephen, who grew up watching This Old House, is fearless when it comes to home improvement projects. He says, "If something needs to be remodeled or fixed, I just Google it and go from there. If I really mess it up, I can always hire someone to fix it."
The kitchen overlooks the living room and has a wide bar area connecting the two spaces.
Bar stools: Restoration Hardware
The kitchen overlooks the living room and has a wide bar area connecting the two spaces.
Bar stools: Restoration Hardware
The kitchen was updated by the previous owners and was the main selling point of the house. Lindsey says, "The kitchen is perfect for entertaining, which is my favorite thing to do."
Dark gray cabinetry mixes well with a white beveled subway tile backsplash and a traditional area rug.
Dark gray cabinetry mixes well with a white beveled subway tile backsplash and a traditional area rug.
The kitchen also has space for a small eat-in dining area. Floating shelves on the back wall provide space for stemware and other serving pieces. The farm table and chairs are antiques that the Edisons found while traveling through Ohio.
Stephen is most proud of this clever DIY project. The couple wanted a place for displaying family photos without creating clutter. Stephen upcycled a wood shipping pallet, mounted it to the wall and transformed it into a photo board using paper clamps.
The couple was stumped by the house's small hallway, which has eight doors. Ultimately they decided to punch up the hall with bright blue paint. Lindsey says, "We also highlighted the door motif by framing pictures of cool, colorful doors from Morocco down the hall."
Paint: Blue Blood, Sherwin-Williams
Paint: Blue Blood, Sherwin-Williams
The master bedroom lies in stark contrast with the bright hall. Soft furnishings and low light lend an atmosphere of Southern charm and elegance. "My grandmother always had red toile in her home, and so this is my little homage," says Lindsey.
All of the furnishings in the master bedroom are heirlooms from Lindsey's family home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She says, "I've reupholstered things, but I'll never get rid of them."
The master bath has a dark wood double vanity and open shelving.
As is common in Dallas ranch houses, the hall bath has an anteroom and a vanity. The Edisons brightened this formerly dark spot with new sconces and an emerald green accent wall. They are hoping to further update the area with new countertops, a sink basin and new flooring.
Walker's nursery is decorated in soft shades of green in a Peter Rabbit theme. Simple furnishings and well-made playthings keep Walker comfortable and happily occupied.
Curtains, bed skirt: Carousel Designs
Curtains, bed skirt: Carousel Designs
Lindsey, Stephen and Walker on their porch. The couple moved to Texas in 2011 while Lindsey was pregnant with their son and found Dallas to have just the right mix of Southern sophistication, food, art and people. "There is an overwhelming sense of community in our neighborhood," says Lindsey. "My home is my reminder of all the people, places and things I love."
Paint: Caviar, Sherwin-Williams; pendant light: Lamps Plus; midcentury chairs: antiques store in Hudson, New York