Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Ample French Country Style Belies a Strict Budget in Dallas
European cottages inspire a Texas home brimming with family heirlooms and flea market treasures
Kathryn Janes loves to hunt for fabulous vintage treasures for her house, and she has a very strict system that keeps her decorating habit on budget. Every year she makes a pilgrimage to the Round Top Antiques Fair in Smithville, Texas. Weeks before her trip, she lists all the things she'd like to find for the house. Then she combs her home for what she calls purge items that she can sell. Janes consigns items, hosts garage sales and sells items on Craigslist to build her budget — ranging anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 — for the upcoming trip to Round Top. She says, "Once I have my money in place, its a hard-stop budget, and I don't go over."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Matt and Kathryn Janes, daughters Emma (11) and Ainsley (8), dogs Harper and Thatcher, and Sprinkles the fish
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 2,750 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Matt and Kathryn Janes, daughters Emma (11) and Ainsley (8), dogs Harper and Thatcher, and Sprinkles the fish
Location: Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 2,750 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
"I wanted the master bedroom to feel serene, soft, light, pretty and calming," says Janes. She and her husband, Matt, love ending their day in this room and consider it their retreat. The master bed was a gift from Matt's parents.
Bedding: Tuesday Morning and family hand-me-downs
Bedding: Tuesday Morning and family hand-me-downs
"My favorite spot in the house is sitting on the couch at the foot of my bed in front of the fireplace," says Janes. "I like to put my feet up with a good book or watch Downton Abbey over and over again."
An antique French table, once part of a larger piece, sits next to French doors leading to a sheltered courtyard and patio area. "When we were house hunting, I fell in love with the house because it had a lot of French doors," says Janes.
A sheltered courtyard, similar to those Janes grew up with in Southern California, is the perfect place for outdoor grilling and dining. Climbing vines, a wall-mounted water fountain and a potbellied clay fire pit help create a relaxed vibe.
"A home is a reflection of who you are, where you've been and what you enjoy," Janes says. Traveling with her parents to Europe as a child and studying abroad in her college years cemented her love of the European cottage aesthetic. Plush furniture, French linens, cozy nooks and pastoral paintings fill the living room.
Paint: Napery, Sherwin-Williams; sofa: Weirs Furniture; pillows: Wisteria
Paint: Napery, Sherwin-Williams; sofa: Weirs Furniture; pillows: Wisteria
No matter where someone is sitting in the living room, there is always a surface for a drink or book. Instead of traditional side tables, Janes uses a variety of vintage boxes, stools and benches she found at the Round Top Antiques Fair. She says everyone should experience Round Top at least once.
An antique secretary desk, which Janes found at Lots of Furniture in Dallas, sits in the corner of the living room near a painted brick hearth. French doors bring in warm natural light and nice cross breezes in summer.
To encourage a French country feel, Janes reupholstered this antique bench with a vintage French grain sack embroidered with her initials, from the Antique Linen Store on Etsy.
Janes grew up on the California coast and decorates her home home with shells, coral and driftwood as a reminder of her hometown.
Landscapes and vintage paintings hang in the living room on a gallery wall. Many of the paintings are from City View Antiques in Dallas.
Landscapes and vintage paintings hang in the living room on a gallery wall. Many of the paintings are from City View Antiques in Dallas.
Buttery walls painted in Napery by Sherwin-Williams cast a glow on the vintage table and chairs. Blue silk drapes billow at the floor, and country-style shutters have been affixed to the walls near the kitchen's entrance.
Chairs: Round Top and Uncommon Market
Chairs: Round Top and Uncommon Market
The Janeses updated their galley kitchen with new countertops, a stone tile backsplash and ivory painted walls and cupboards. One of the latest steals is the rolling kitchen cart Janes scored for $5 at a yard sale.
The couple's next project is to convert the electric range to gas.
The couple's next project is to convert the electric range to gas.
Matt trusts Janes to make most of the design choices. She says, "My husband has only ever made one request, which I did honor — to come home from Round Top with new kitchen table chairs that would never break or get wobbly. And these won't, because they are pure metal."
Table: Lots of Furniture; chairs: Round Top
Table: Lots of Furniture; chairs: Round Top
This Welsh hutch belonged to Janes' mother and used to be in Janes' childhood home. "When we moved to Dallas, we left our extended family behind. I tempered my homesickness with family heirlooms," she says. "I paid more to have them shipped than they were worth, but I don't care."
The most important room in the house is a family room connecting the kitchen and garage. "We must have an area for everyone to land their stuff somewhere," says Janes. "The kids' backpacks, school paperwork, my purse, husband's wallet, keys and a homework station are here."
She refers to this room as central command. "I love order and having organizing systems to help keep everyone on track," she says. An industrial worktable, found on Craigslist, takes center stage. Homework, art projects, bill paying and more all happen here. There is also a computer station tucked under the stairs with built-in storage to the right.
Daughter Ainsley's bedroom is a sweet mix of paisley textiles, bright furniture and country accents. A small desk painted in a bright orange lacquer doubles as a side table. A vintage hutch on the opposite wall houses books, boxes, art and other special treasures.
Paint: Napery, Sherwin-Williams; headboard: Juliette Tufted Headboard, Target; bedding: Target
Paint: Napery, Sherwin-Williams; headboard: Juliette Tufted Headboard, Target; bedding: Target
Janes recently helped daughter Emma transition her childhood bedroom with new preteen-appropriate colors — a cheery mix of pink, orange and green. She spray painted the bookcase, updated the bedding and added some bright storage options.
Bookcase: City View Antiques
Bookcase: City View Antiques
The desk in the corner of the room was handed down from two previous generations. Emma's grandmother received it as a gift for her 13th birthday, and her mother enjoyed the desk in her childhood bedroom as well.
Paint: Sea Salt, Sherwin-Williams; desk chair: Ikea; pink storage blocks, hanging deer bust: Home Goods
Paint: Sea Salt, Sherwin-Williams; desk chair: Ikea; pink storage blocks, hanging deer bust: Home Goods
Both Ainsley and Emma agree that the upstairs family room is their favorite spot in the house. This multiuse room has four distinct areas: a guest bed, an entertainment area, a home office area and a children's library.
Bed: Restoration Hardware; sofa: Ektorp, Ikea
Bed: Restoration Hardware; sofa: Ektorp, Ikea
The hutch and children's table are both family heirlooms that Janes shipped from her childhood home. "This room is perfect now that the girls are older," she says. "The girls love to hang out up here, play games and host their friends for slumber parties."
When the family moved to Dallas from the Los Angeles area eight years ago, they were hoping to find a traditional-style home that was close to downtown. After seeing a parade of contemporary homes, they were delighted to land in Lake Highlands, which boasts large ranch-style homes.
"We painted the house exterior to update its '70s multicolored brown brick," Janes says. "Painting the brick in gray really made it feel more like our home." The Janeses also added landscaping and paved the front walkway with flagstone.
"We painted the house exterior to update its '70s multicolored brown brick," Janes says. "Painting the brick in gray really made it feel more like our home." The Janeses also added landscaping and paved the front walkway with flagstone.
Emma takes a spin on the tree swing. "I love our neighborhood, because it is such a tight community," says Janes. "Sometimes we all meet and hang out in the front yard, bring appetizers and wine, and socialize with all our neighborhood friends."
See more photos of this house | Show us your creative family home
See more photos of this house | Show us your creative family home
Paint: Sea Salt, Sherwin-Williams