my sister's house...

There are a good 15, or so, designers who have had a major influence on my design aesthetic, but none so much as my interior designer sister Patti.  Patti is the middle sister (not to be confused with my "much older sister Susan" :)  Patti is 11 years older than me and Susan is 12.  When I was 6 they were going off to college, so I basically grew up as an only child:)  After getting her teaching degree at the University of Texas at Austin Patti went to Houston to work.  She lived in the most adorable garage apartment in the Montrose area of Houston.  To this day I remember the first time I walked into that apartment (I was in middle school) and I was blown away!  It was the first time she had lived alone and the first time my family saw her incredible decorating talent. I went back to middle school and daydreamed about that apartment for months on end.  I wanted to live there!

After meeting and marrying my amazing/wonderful/hysterically-funny late brother-in-law, Bob, she moved to his hometown of Baton Rouge.  Bob was an architect and between the two of them they created a gorgeous home.  After college I would go visit Patti and Bob, and my nephews and niece, Jenny, and I would stay up every night into the wee hours in the morning sitting in and studying all her rooms like they were a textbook, trying to figure out how and what she did to make them so spectacular.  Everything went together, but nothing was matchy-matchy and that revelation alone changed my world, as it was in the early 80's when matchy-matchy was a b.a.d. common decorating theme.  Patti went on to get her second degree in Interior Design from L.S.U.  She was A.S.I.D. accredited and worked with my brother-in-law, Bob, at his architectural firm until his untimely death in December of 2004.

Last summer when we went to Louisiana to adopt Magnolia and Louise HERE  I took photos of the house she lives in now and wanted to share her gift of design with you.  Patti was the most important influence on who I am as a decorator, and I am grateful for the lessons she taught me through her gift. (I am especially grateful to both my sisters for teaching me that you marry your best friend!)


Welcome to my sister's house!
I really can't express how much I adore her new house and what she has done to it.  It is beautiful, comfortable, soothing and a cool respite in the Louisiana heat and humidity.
The 10-14 foot ceilings are a dream!





The entry.
Like Dan and me, Bob and Patti antiqued and collected together. Bob's antique walking canes/umbrellas collection.  They also collected original antique hand-colored lithographs by John Gould which Patti has hanging in the entry.

The dining room.
Antique chandelier and mirror.
Grouping of original John Gould birds.





Antique buffet filled with silver, Chinese export antiques and fishing floats (it's hereditary!)










The living room.
Love the wall color.  The plantation shutters are a dark wood stain.





Patti & Bob collected a wonderful art collection of contemporary and antique pieces.  I'm always trying to steal a painting, or two, when I visit.










The hallway leads to the master bedroom.  I adore the sconce with the artwork under it.










Again, it's hereditary... we all love birds!  Oh, and stone fruit.... and antique Chinese green oil candle holders;)





So gorgeous.
I came home from seeing her house and found a little brass topped table for the living room, and put a single antique Chinese blue and white dish on it, so you can see I'm still copying her!





Patti and Bob always loved architectural elements like we do.  You can see the iron pieces she added to the top of the doorway to the kitchen on the left.  Patti felt the entry to the formal dining room (on the right) was too large and over-scale and found the amazing antique wood doors from South America then had an iron craftsman work with her to incorporate them into the opening to give it a separation of space.





My grandmother and mother both collected antique Chinese porcelain, which influenced all of us sisters to collect it too.   Love this vignette.

Antique bookcase filled with antique Chinese porcelains.  Door leads to a hallway for the den, the guest bedroom and the guest bath.

The den is beautiful and so comfortable and cozy.

The kitchen.
Antique chandelier and English linen press filled with hotel silver and antique English Majolica.

I love how Patti displays her large art collection.  Quartz counter top and island.  Limestone floors.
Terracotta architectural fragment on the island.

Patti replaced new doors with antiques.  These gorgeous doors lead from the kitchen to the formal dining room, antique English hardware.





The master bedroom.
Again, note the use of antique doors.  Every door you can see is an antique replacement.

So warm and beautiful.

Patti also designed (and physically planted) every inch of the backyard!  It is a small space but big on charm and interest, so feels much bigger than it is.

Patti designed and had the pavilion built.

The shuttered structure is her garage.  I love this.  So much softer than a solid wall frame.

Love how she used reclaimed bricks as her border.

Sitting area.

Great arched double door that leads to the garage.

Patti designed and had the fountain built.

This is her sweet adopted dog "Fancy!"

I was soooo trying to steal this antique gate, or barter for it.  Obviously didn't pan out;)  Isn't it wonderful.

And my "patti pots" that now sit at the bottom of the steps at the front door of the farmhouse!
Thank you Patti! 
I love you.
 xxo