This Houston Home Transformation Proves Paint Is Practically Magic

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When interior designer Minnette Jackson and her family relocated from Nashville to Houston, the fresh start came with an opportunity to once again turn an unfamiliar setting into a home. “I had slowly made our previous home a place we loved to be and to entertain, and now I got to repeat the process in a new place,” says designer. “My goal is always to create something classic, fresh, and livable but still have an air of everyday elegance, even with kiddos running around.”

The 1935 brick home’s dreary yellow exterior didn’t stop Jackson from seeing its charm. A turret on the front of the house, a nod to Tudor-style architecture, drew her in. The house needed a handful of immediate upgrades, like new windows and a partial foundation repair, but the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom property was otherwise in great shape. “The biggest change came in painting the whole house and in refreshing the kitchen,” she says.

The kitchen layout and cabinetry were good enough to keep, but just about everything else—countertops, backsplash, hardware, lighting, and most of the paint—was changed to make the space light and bright. In the living room, Jackson honored the history of the house by adding elliptical arches to openings where the previous owner had removed the original casework. A little powder bath also got a big rework—the new blue-and-white Sandberg wallpaper is reminiscent of the neighborhood’s oak trees.

Coats of baby blue, crisp white, and soft cream paint revitalize the property inside and out. “There was a moment right after the painter started painting the exterior where I wasn’t sure about the color,” Jackson says of the shade Ballet White by Benjamin Moore. “I almost panicked but then looked closely at the bucket and realized the store had mixed the color wrong. Thank goodness he had only just begun painting, and it was an easy fix!”

Throughout the 3,200-square-foot-space, Jackson mixed antiques and contemporary furnishings and decor. “I do love objects with a story and incorporated several pieces that were in my family or my husband’s family, as well as pieces we found together while traveling,” Jackson says.

Though the renovation was largely cosmetic, Jackson says the house feels much bigger now. And most importantly, it feels like a place where everyone who enters will feel happy and welcome.

Entryway

“The front door of our home is in the turret on the front of the house, so you enter into this airy, two-story space with the original leaded glass above the door,” Jackson says. “The footprint is small, so I found a shallow piece to go along the wall, this antique Italian bench.”

As for the art, Jackson calls out the large-scale painting by artist Ashley Longshore (left) as it’s “both bold in presence but elegant in subject matter; The birds feel a bit like they are flying above you. I love the pairing and how it greets you.”

Wall art (right): Michael Allen Lowe. Bench: antique, upholstered in Lee Jofa cut velvet. Rug, chest, and lamp: antique.

Living Room

“Our living room is long and narrow and was a little tricky to layout,” Jackson admits. She ended up creating two seating areas, and she says, “I particularly love this end of the room and how cozy it is. At night, it’s a lovely place to sit with the glow of the brass floor lamps and a favorite cocktail.”

The Creative Flooring rug is an indoor-outdoor rug, which Jackson notes “has been tested many times over.”

Lamps: Galerie des Lampes. Wall art: Will Berry. Wall paint: custom, by Pittsburgh Paints. Curtains: Joseph Noble, with Schumacher trim. Chairs: vintage, in strie velvet with Samuel & Sons trim. Sofa: vintage. Table: antique.

Kitchen

“It was a bit dark, with a strange mix of colors,” Jackson says of the original kitchen. Ceramic lighting, cream paint, and warm nickel finishes now make it feel inviting.

Pendants: Devol Kitchens. Bar stool slipcovers: Pindler. Faucet: Rohl. Counters: Arabescato marble, Bespoke Countertops. Cabinetry paint: custom

When Jackson and her family moved into this house, the designer had no clue how much they’d actually use their “small but mighty” breakfast nook in the corner of the kitchen. “We start every morning with a kid breakfast and end most days with casual dinners here,” she says, noting that the glossy modern table and woven chairs are easy to clean. “Bonus is that this little nook looks out on our front courtyard, and it’s a nice place to sit with your coffee as you gather your thoughts.”

Table: AllModern. Chairs: Sika Designs. Wall paint: custom. Wall art: vintage

Dining Room

“The dining room opens right out onto our back patio, so I felt the room called for an organic element to temper the more formal pieces,” Jackson says. “I used a neutral paper weave to add an earthy element, while the silk DeGournay panels and vintage stools give a luxe factor. I do love to entertain, and we eat here often!”

Wallpaper: Cowtan & Tout. Table: Phillips Scott. Chandelier: Niermann Weeks for Visual Comfort. Chair fabric: Fabricut. Wall art: vintage DeGournay hand-painted silk panels via Jessica Lev Antiques. Mirror, lamps, and rug: antique.

Powder Room

“It’s tiny with just enough room for the toilet and pedestal sink, so I wanted it to become a jewel box,” Jackson says. “The Sandberg wallpaper was perfect, especially given our neighborhood’s hallmark oak trees. A contemporary wall light gives a soft glow that’s ultra-flattering for guests.”

Ceiling and trim paint: Van Courtland Blue, Benjamin Moore. Sconce: Visual Comfort. Fixtures: Newport Brass. Mirror: antique.

Primary Bedroom

“Our bedroom has windows on three sides, so it feels a bit like you are perched up in your own private little treehouse,” Jackson says. “I wanted to keep the feeling serene and went with a palette of watery blues and greens.”

Wall paint: Sea Salt, Sherwin-Williams. Light fixture: West Elm. Bedding: Matouk. Accent pillow fabric: Cowtan & Tout. Bench: Bliss Studio, in Schumacher fabric. Headboard: custom, in Kerry Joyce fabric. Rug: Oushak, purchased in Istanbul. Nightstand and mirror: antique.

Nursery

A vintage Hermès scarf, framed above the crib, inspired this whole room. “With graduated blues and a menagerie of charming hot air balloons floating through the design, I let those colors guide me,” she says.

Even though he’s still very young, her son is not likely to outgrow the Phillip Jeffries wallcovering, blue linen curtains with Samuel & Sons trim, and ottoman in blue Schumacher performance linen. “It is very sweet for a little baby boy but can easily grow with him as the furniture changes,” Jackson says.

Crib: Jenny Lind. Crib sheet: Biscuit Home. Chair: Jessica Charles. Ottoman trim: Travers.

Guest Bedroom

“This room has a vaulted ceiling and gets the best light” Jackson says. “I knew I wanted to use a mix of earthy elements and also incorporate this blue-and-white pattern we had in our former home.”

For the drapery, Jackson reused curtains from her parents’ house. “I had a workroom cut it down and add trim,” the designer says. “Most of the cost was in the labor—I saved big on the materials.”

Another DIY are the bracket shelves above the bed, which Jackson collected and painted herself. “I was having a hard time finding what I saw in my head, so I just collected several vintage ones in weird colors and painted them to match,” she says. “I love finding little objects and rehabbing them.”

Wall paint: Pointing, Farrow & Ball. Bedding: Matouk. Nightstand: Ballard Designs. Table lamp: Regina Andrews, with Fermoie lampshade. Figurines: Fitz & Floyd. Headboard, chair, and ottoman: custom. Mirror: vintage John Widdicomb.

Backyard

“Our back area is compact, so I like to think of it as more of a little garden terrace,” Jackson says of the space, where evening dinners and occasional breakfasts are held when the weather is nice. “The antique Chicago brick is laid in a herringbone pattern and suits the house beautifully.”

Jackson also invested in landscaping for the property thanks to Gregory/Henry Landscapes. “Neighbors actually stop me and say how nice it looks now,” the designer adds.

Awning: Awnings Houston. Tablecloth: Cotton Print Club via Etsy. Exterior paint: Ballet White, Benjamin Moore (at 75 percent strength). Chairs: vintage.

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