Interior Design
OVERBROOK LANE, RIVER OAKS - HOUSTON TX
A River Oaks home's traditional French architecture gave inspiration for its interior design. The house on Overbrook Lane in Houston features a foyer with a sweeping formal staircase. The foyer floor is tiled in two neutral shades of travertine tile, both shades bordered in gray. Walls and ceiling are white, emphasizing a large bronze chandelier with shaded candles and ornate scrolled metalwork that is suspended from the second story ceiling to hang above and augment the foyer's recessed lights.
Directly off the foyer to the right is a home office. This is a small room that is light and airy. The flooring is hardwood, ceiling and walls are white and lighting is recessed. There are large windows on two walls, allowing Houston's abundant sunshine to light the room. The walls feature frame molding, with crown molding near the ceiling. White bookcases are built into each corner of the room. There is more than enough space for a desk and two or three chairs.
A large doorway connects the office to the formal dining room, which is also accessible from the entry hall. This room is large, with space for a table long enough to seat ten to twelve people. Floor-to-ceiling windows on one wall flood the room with natural light, a key component of many interior design styles. The flooring is hardwood and ceiling and walls are white. The walls have wainscoting details below the chair rail and crown molding near the ceiling. An ornate, eight-armed taper candle chandelier is suspended from an intricately detailed ceiling medallion in the middle of the room.
Turning left from the foyer after entering the front door takes the visitor to the living room. The walls in this room are painted a cream color, and the ceiling is white with recessed lighting. This room has crown molding and hardwood floors. There are large windows on two walls. The focal point of the living room is the large black fireplace with surround and mantel the same cream color as the walls. The room is large and, with the natural light, is suitable for nearly any design style an interior designer chooses.
A doorway leads from the living room to a short hall. The hall's ceiling and walls are white and floor is hardwood. There are two small rooms off the hall, a half-bathroom and a wet bar. The bar is a long, narrow room with recessed lighting. There is a low cabinet that runs the length of the room and, across from it, a cabinet about half the length of the room that ends at the double-wide doorway. The countertops are black marble with gray veining. There are cupboards beneath the countertops and a sink on the shorter counter. Electrical outlets are placed at convenient heights and locations for plugging in blenders and other appliances.
The bathroom features a vintage style natural wood vanity with carved detailing, topped with a grayish-brown marble countertop and a drop-in metal sink in an antique bronze finish, with matching faucet and tap handles. A gilt framed mirror hangs above the vanity, with vintage-style, shaded candle sconces on either side. The walls are white. and the floor is black tile. An interior designer might consider placing wallpaper or some sort of art in the alcove where the toilet sits or possibly creating an accent wall behind the toilet.
Through the door at the end of the hall is the open floor plan kitchen and breakfast room. The flooring in these connected rooms is travertine tile in an ivory shade. Kitchen walls are white subway tiles, and the ceiling is white with white crown molding. Cabinetry is eggshell with brushed nickel hardware. Countertops are white marble with gray veining. Appliances are stainless steel. The sink is a farmhouse apron sink in stainless steel, and a stainless-steel backsplash covers the wall behind the range. A work island stands in the middle of the room. It features cabinets and drawers painted the same eggshell as the built-in cabinetry. The countertop is the same white marble with gray veining as the main countertops. A window over the sink allows natural light into the kitchen. If a future owner wants to change the kitchen design, an interior designer can make a huge difference by simply changing the paint color. The neutral color of the travertine tile floor, the white ceiling and the white marble countertops will complement many different design styles.
There are no walls separating the breakfast room from the kitchen. Travertine tile continues from the kitchen to the breakfast room. The two side walls are the same white paint as the kitchen, and all trim in the room is white. The end wall is covered with white wallpaper with a nature scene in pale gray. While the art is not Japanese, it does evoke traditional Japanese landscape art. The wallpaper surrounds a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the backyard swimming pool. French doors on another wall open to a covered patio, while a large, open doorway leads to the family room. A six-armed bronze chandelier is suspended from the middle of the ceiling. The chandelier holds six candles with brown gingham shades.
The second floor of the house contains the master suite and three secondary bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms. The bedroom of the master suite is a large room and all white: walls, ceiling, trim and carpet are white. The tray ceiling is surrounded by crown molding. A ten-arm chandelier with ten candles is suspended from the middle of the ceiling. A white marble fireplace with white surround and mantel adorns one wall. The wall overlooking the backyard swimming pool has floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors installed on its entire length. The French doors open to a brick tiled covered balcony which extends to a room above the garage.
The master suite bathroom is white with touches of gray. The flooring is white marble tile with gray veining, matching the backsplash around the whirlpool bathtub and the marble countertop on the long vanity. The vanity is located directly across from the bathtub and is painted white. A white porcelain, oval drop-in sink is on one end of the vanity. A long mirror extends above the entire length of the vanity. An interior designer might suggest placing a plant or a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity countertop. At the end of the vanity furthest from the door, a built-in storage unit of cupboards and drawers is painted white. The walk-in shower is gray and white marble with dark gray veining and has a built-in marble bench. The shower floor is white mosaic tile, and the door is clear glass. There are windows with white plantation shutters above the bathtub and next to the shower enclosure.
Immediately to the left of the doorway as you enter the bathroom, there is a door leading to the water closet. There is an outer room with a smaller version of the vanity in the other part of the bathroom. This vanity holds a round drop-in sink with chrome faucet and taps. Next to the vanity is a built-in dresser-like storage unit with a built-in cabinet over it. A rectangular mirror in a white frame hangs above the vanity. All hardware on the vanity and storage unit is brushed nickel. Across from the vanity is a door leading to the toilet. The lighting in both these small rooms is recessed.
Secondary bedroom #1 has all white ceilings and walls with white crown molding. There is a semi-flush, bowl light fixture with gold accents in the middle of the ceiling. The carpet is a unique blue and white gingham pattern. There are two windows with white plantation shutters. The ensuite bathroom has walls painted a very pale slate blue with white ceiling and crown molding. The walls of the bathtub/shower combination are white tiles. The vanity is white with a countertop of white subway tile with a white oval drop-in sink. Faucet and taps are nickel. Hardware on the vanity cabinet is white metal. A large, white-framed, rectangular mirror hangs above the vanity. Lighting is recessed except for the light on the ceiling mounted ventilation fan.
Secondary bedroom #2 has white ceiling and walls with white crown molding. There are windows on two walls with white plantation shutters. A blue tattersall plaid carpet on the floor adds depth to the room. A white ceiling fan has four lights with hexagonal glass shades. The ensuite bathroom has a bathtub/shower combination with white tile walls. The ceiling and other walls are painted white and feature white crown molding. The flooring is white ceramic tile. A white vanity has a white porcelain subway tile countertop, a white oval drop-in sink and nickel hardware. A large, rectangular, white-framed mirror hangs above the vanity.
Secondary bedroom #3 has white painted ceiling and walls with white crown molding. A white ceiling fan has four lights with clear glass, bell-shaped shades. There are mullioned windows on two walls. A blush-colored carpet covers the floor. The ensuite bathroom has white ceiling and walls with crown molding and recessed lighting. A long vanity runs the length of the room and ends at a wall of built-in cupboards and drawers. The sink and vanity hardware are nickel. The sink is a white, oval drop-in. A large, rectangular mirror hangs above the vanity. An interior designer might place a potted plant or a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity counter. This bathroom has a shower with white tile walls and small, white, diamond-shaped mosaic tile floor.
Also on the second story is a laundry room with white ceramic tile floor, white walls and cabinetry and a white ceiling. On the left side of the room as you enter is a cabinet with cupboards and a solid surface countertop with a drop-in utility sink. The countertop and the walls surrounding the sink are gray. There are white cupboards above the counter. The washing machine and clothes dryer are on the opposite wall from the utility sink. Next to the washer and dryer is another cabinet with a solid surface countertop that provides a folding surface for laundry. There are cupboards above and below the folding area. The countertop and walls around it are gray. A large window on the back wall has plantation shutters and floods the room with natural light, the goal of most interior design styles.
The staircase curves upward from the second story to a flex room at the top of the house. This room can be used as a guest room, a music room, a playroom, a game room or a craft room among other possibilities. This room has a beige textured carpet on the floor, white walls and a white sloped ceiling. Lighting is recessed and there is a white ceiling fan in the middle of the ceiling. The room is large and has a large, mullioned window and two round windows in arched alcoves on one wall.
This home, with its neutral color palette and flexible rooms offers interior designers a wide scope of styles to choose from and can be easily updated as needed.
A River Oaks home's traditional French architecture gave inspiration for its interior design. The house on Overbrook Lane in Houston features a foyer with a sweeping formal staircase. The foyer floor is tiled in two neutral shades of travertine tile, both shades bordered in gray. Walls and ceiling are white, emphasizing a large bronze chandelier with shaded candles and ornate scrolled metalwork that is suspended from the second story ceiling to hang above and augment the foyer's recessed lights.
Directly off the foyer to the right is a home office. This is a small room that is light and airy. The flooring is hardwood, ceiling and walls are white and lighting is recessed. There are large windows on two walls, allowing Houston's abundant sunshine to light the room. The walls feature frame molding, with crown molding near the ceiling. White bookcases are built into each corner of the room. There is more than enough space for a desk and two or three chairs.
A large doorway connects the office to the formal dining room, which is also accessible from the entry hall. This room is large, with space for a table long enough to seat ten to twelve people. Floor-to-ceiling windows on one wall flood the room with natural light, a key component of many interior design styles. The flooring is hardwood and ceiling and walls are white. The walls have wainscoting details below the chair rail and crown molding near the ceiling. An ornate, eight-armed taper candle chandelier is suspended from an intricately detailed ceiling medallion in the middle of the room.
Turning left from the foyer after entering the front door takes the visitor to the living room. The walls in this room are painted a cream color, and the ceiling is white with recessed lighting. This room has crown molding and hardwood floors. There are large windows on two walls. The focal point of the living room is the large black fireplace with surround and mantel the same cream color as the walls. The room is large and, with the natural light, is suitable for nearly any design style an interior designer chooses.
A doorway leads from the living room to a short hall. The hall's ceiling and walls are white and floor is hardwood. There are two small rooms off the hall, a half-bathroom and a wet bar. The bar is a long, narrow room with recessed lighting. There is a low cabinet that runs the length of the room and, across from it, a cabinet about half the length of the room that ends at the double-wide doorway. The countertops are black marble with gray veining. There are cupboards beneath the countertops and a sink on the shorter counter. Electrical outlets are placed at convenient heights and locations for plugging in blenders and other appliances.
The bathroom features a vintage style natural wood vanity with carved detailing, topped with a grayish-brown marble countertop and a drop-in metal sink in an antique bronze finish, with matching faucet and tap handles. A gilt framed mirror hangs above the vanity, with vintage-style, shaded candle sconces on either side. The walls are white. and the floor is black tile. An interior designer might consider placing wallpaper or some sort of art in the alcove where the toilet sits or possibly creating an accent wall behind the toilet.
Through the door at the end of the hall is the open floor plan kitchen and breakfast room. The flooring in these connected rooms is travertine tile in an ivory shade. Kitchen walls are white subway tiles, and the ceiling is white with white crown molding. Cabinetry is eggshell with brushed nickel hardware. Countertops are white marble with gray veining. Appliances are stainless steel. The sink is a farmhouse apron sink in stainless steel, and a stainless-steel backsplash covers the wall behind the range. A work island stands in the middle of the room. It features cabinets and drawers painted the same eggshell as the built-in cabinetry. The countertop is the same white marble with gray veining as the main countertops. A window over the sink allows natural light into the kitchen. If a future owner wants to change the kitchen design, an interior designer can make a huge difference by simply changing the paint color. The neutral color of the travertine tile floor, the white ceiling and the white marble countertops will complement many different design styles.
There are no walls separating the breakfast room from the kitchen. Travertine tile continues from the kitchen to the breakfast room. The two side walls are the same white paint as the kitchen, and all trim in the room is white. The end wall is covered with white wallpaper with a nature scene in pale gray. While the art is not Japanese, it does evoke traditional Japanese landscape art. The wallpaper surrounds a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the backyard swimming pool. French doors on another wall open to a covered patio, while a large, open doorway leads to the family room. A six-armed bronze chandelier is suspended from the middle of the ceiling. The chandelier holds six candles with brown gingham shades.
The second floor of the house contains the master suite and three secondary bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms. The bedroom of the master suite is a large room and all white: walls, ceiling, trim and carpet are white. The tray ceiling is surrounded by crown molding. A ten-arm chandelier with ten candles is suspended from the middle of the ceiling. A white marble fireplace with white surround and mantel adorns one wall. The wall overlooking the backyard swimming pool has floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors installed on its entire length. The French doors open to a brick tiled covered balcony which extends to a room above the garage.
The master suite bathroom is white with touches of gray. The flooring is white marble tile with gray veining, matching the backsplash around the whirlpool bathtub and the marble countertop on the long vanity. The vanity is located directly across from the bathtub and is painted white. A white porcelain, oval drop-in sink is on one end of the vanity. A long mirror extends above the entire length of the vanity. An interior designer might suggest placing a plant or a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity countertop. At the end of the vanity furthest from the door, a built-in storage unit of cupboards and drawers is painted white. The walk-in shower is gray and white marble with dark gray veining and has a built-in marble bench. The shower floor is white mosaic tile, and the door is clear glass. There are windows with white plantation shutters above the bathtub and next to the shower enclosure.
Immediately to the left of the doorway as you enter the bathroom, there is a door leading to the water closet. There is an outer room with a smaller version of the vanity in the other part of the bathroom. This vanity holds a round drop-in sink with chrome faucet and taps. Next to the vanity is a built-in dresser-like storage unit with a built-in cabinet over it. A rectangular mirror in a white frame hangs above the vanity. All hardware on the vanity and storage unit is brushed nickel. Across from the vanity is a door leading to the toilet. The lighting in both these small rooms is recessed.
Secondary bedroom #1 has all white ceilings and walls with white crown molding. There is a semi-flush, bowl light fixture with gold accents in the middle of the ceiling. The carpet is a unique blue and white gingham pattern. There are two windows with white plantation shutters. The ensuite bathroom has walls painted a very pale slate blue with white ceiling and crown molding. The walls of the bathtub/shower combination are white tiles. The vanity is white with a countertop of white subway tile with a white oval drop-in sink. Faucet and taps are nickel. Hardware on the vanity cabinet is white metal. A large, white-framed, rectangular mirror hangs above the vanity. Lighting is recessed except for the light on the ceiling mounted ventilation fan.
Secondary bedroom #2 has white ceiling and walls with white crown molding. There are windows on two walls with white plantation shutters. A blue tattersall plaid carpet on the floor adds depth to the room. A white ceiling fan has four lights with hexagonal glass shades. The ensuite bathroom has a bathtub/shower combination with white tile walls. The ceiling and other walls are painted white and feature white crown molding. The flooring is white ceramic tile. A white vanity has a white porcelain subway tile countertop, a white oval drop-in sink and nickel hardware. A large, rectangular, white-framed mirror hangs above the vanity.
Secondary bedroom #3 has white painted ceiling and walls with white crown molding. A white ceiling fan has four lights with clear glass, bell-shaped shades. There are mullioned windows on two walls. A blush-colored carpet covers the floor. The ensuite bathroom has white ceiling and walls with crown molding and recessed lighting. A long vanity runs the length of the room and ends at a wall of built-in cupboards and drawers. The sink and vanity hardware are nickel. The sink is a white, oval drop-in. A large, rectangular mirror hangs above the vanity. An interior designer might place a potted plant or a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity counter. This bathroom has a shower with white tile walls and small, white, diamond-shaped mosaic tile floor.
Also on the second story is a laundry room with white ceramic tile floor, white walls and cabinetry and a white ceiling. On the left side of the room as you enter is a cabinet with cupboards and a solid surface countertop with a drop-in utility sink. The countertop and the walls surrounding the sink are gray. There are white cupboards above the counter. The washing machine and clothes dryer are on the opposite wall from the utility sink. Next to the washer and dryer is another cabinet with a solid surface countertop that provides a folding surface for laundry. There are cupboards above and below the folding area. The countertop and walls around it are gray. A large window on the back wall has plantation shutters and floods the room with natural light, the goal of most interior design styles.
The staircase curves upward from the second story to a flex room at the top of the house. This room can be used as a guest room, a music room, a playroom, a game room or a craft room among other possibilities. This room has a beige textured carpet on the floor, white walls and a white sloped ceiling. Lighting is recessed and there is a white ceiling fan in the middle of the ceiling. The room is large and has a large, mullioned window and two round windows in arched alcoves on one wall.
This home, with its neutral color palette and flexible rooms offers interior designers a wide scope of styles to choose from and can be easily updated as needed.