A Modern Refresh Honors The Memories In A Dallas Family Home

"Everyone’s design language changes over the years,” interior designer Bryan Yates says, “and these clients wanted a home that reflects who they are now, and in a very thoughtful way.” The owners bought their house in Dallas in the late 1990s, and over the years there were dreams of renovations—in fact, the wife had compiled seven binders’ worth of magazine clippings—but life was busy. When their children fledged the nest, the time presented itself. They looked at several new builds but ultimately decided to stay put and refresh the abode where so many wonderful memories were made.

“The goal was to bring in more natural light and create a more contemporary feel,” Bryan explains. Partnering with architect David Copenhaver, the two reworked the home within its existing envelope. “We removed a tall gable and formal cast-stone details from the façade and replaced them with a parapet wall, four new windows and a metal awning that make the house distinctly minimalist,” recalls the architect, who collaborated with his lead designer, Mike Penrose, and builder Rob Grasso on the project. Inside, his main challenges were reimagining the entryway and devising an atrium-like stairwell. “The original staircase was domineering,” the wife shares. “The light is so cool now. Our cat loves to bask in the sunshine, and the moonlight pours through at night.”

At the couple’s request, the team—which included designer Georgina Valenzuela and Bryan’s husband and firm partner, lighting specialist Mike Yates—also rethought the flow of the rooms for improved functionality. The dining room remained on one side of the entryway, with its de Gournay panel reflecting the garden views. The formal living room became the husband’s office, giving him ample daylight and room for a lounge. This new space, painted dark gray, connects to his former office, which is now a music room that leads directly to the main living area at the back of the house. “It’s more open, and you can see through the spaces,” Copenhaver observes, noting how the dining room’s interior glass doors help the atrium’s light fill the home.

“The homeowners were especially thoughtful about materiality and low maintenance,” Bryan adds, “so we went with a Scandinavian style where less is more, and the beauty of the honey-colored millwork warms everything up.” Walking into the glazed living area and eat-in kitchen, one immediately sees the leafy backyard, also newly refreshed by the designer, who first studied landscape architecture. “Like the old staircase, I never really loved the kitchen,” the wife admits. But over the years, she had imagined her dream cook space and knew exactly how she wanted it to function and look. “I created the design based on her list of ideas,” Bryan says, pointing to the double islands, one with seating and one for baking. “This is a real cooking kitchen, but it also needed to look pristine,” he explains.

In the living area, meanwhile, he focused on a bluish-gray palette that runs across the house, opting for performance fabrics for ease and longevity. “We keep our things forever and take care of them, so we really wanted new pieces that would stand the test of time,” the wife shares. Bryan is quick to add that finding a piece that you want to keep forever is an act of sustainability, an idea that resonated with the couple, who felt strongly about repurposing objects and held a salvage sale before demolition.

Upstairs, Bryan redesigned the guest rooms and couple’s suite with his clean-lined approach but invigorated the palette with colorful moments, like the salmon chaise in the primary bedroom window. To heighten the contemporary air of the “new” home, the owners worked with art advisor Jennifer Klos to find pieces that would augment their existing collection. Now, works by artists including Otis Jones and Tom Orr hang in the public spaces, with pieces by Carrie Marill, David Morrison and Lawrence Lee adorning the bedrooms.

“It’s important to define what’s important to you, and these clients did that through so many years in this residence,” Bryan says. For the family, it represents a move forward while retaining the spirit of the life they’ve built together. “We brought our youngest child home to this house, we raised our kids here—it’s two decades of memories,” the wife reflects. “This is a beautiful new version of our home, and it’s so special that we could transform it.”