Text by Charlotte Safavi
One of the highest compliments an interior designer can receive is a repeat client. Such was the case for Ashley Goforth when a Houston family called on her a second time to furnish their brand-new home. “My clients moved to a larger house in a more kid-friendly area,” says Goforth. “It’s a home that better accommodates their growing family of three young children.”
The house was a builder spec home, so Goforth’s first task was to create a more custom look. “We repainted everything, mostly in a fresh greige palette,” she explains. “We switched out the hardware and light fixtures, and we ripped out all the darker granite kitchen counters and replaced them with white marble.” In addition, the designer wallpapered the dining room in grasscloth, replaced an ornate carved fireplace with a simple understated one, and created a paneled library with built-ins.
Once the custom touches were complete, Goforth set about furnishing the interiors, using her signature feng shui approach to create harmonious rooms. In the navy-blue-clad library, she lightened the moody darkness of the walls and woodwork by installing a large hexagonal glass-and-brass chandelier and wool carpet in a lighter hue. A Lucite-base armchair brings a sense of airiness to the space as it appears to float in the room.
“I also like a mix of masculine and feminine elements in a home,” says Goforth. “While I personally lean toward contemporary upholstered furniture with tailored lines and neutral hues, I like to throw in something unexpected for visual balance, such as the feminine plum-colored velvet armchair in the drawing room.”
