The Houston home of interior designer Mary Patton is a rare still point amid a time-lapse rush of spring green and autumn gold, and the unstoppable superseding of en vogue architectural styles. Built in 1957, the single-storey residence moors the neighbourhood of Old Braeswood to its mid-century salad days—when Patton purchased the home it was still in its original state, “which was pretty epic”, she says.
“The house had been for sale for a long time—the owner had passed away, and it was very important to her son that the home was not torn down and the lot was not subdivided,” details Patton, whose self-titled design firm is based in Houston, Texas. When she and her husband Ben moved in with their dogs, Rosie, Bunny and Ladybug, Patton’s intention was always to renovate—this isn’t her first personal project. But this time, she says, she would do it differently. “The house is a mid-century modern jewel with original blush terrazzo flooring, which was the starting point for a tonne of inspiration,” she says. “It was important to me to keep the original footprint of the house.”
A small but faithful evocation of America’s MCM Golden Age, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home was designed by Paul László, who, according to Patton, “is considered one of the most notable furniture designers, interior designers and architects of the 20th century”. László’s client list, which includes White House alumnus and the crème de la crème of Hollywood, confirms the Hungarian-born architect’s influence. Ronald Reagan, Billy Wilder, Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and the Vanderbilts have all lived in his homes.
By today’s luxuriant standards, the home itself is conservatively sized and has very little storage, “but it’s made me embrace minimalism”, Patton asserts with optimism. She retained the beautifully unrestored exterior brickwork and façade, and was able to save, and repair when necessary, all of the doors and existing windows. “The only structural wall I moved was the one that separated the kitchen from the living area. I removed that wall and raised the ceiling in the kitchen to the same height as the living room.”
In the kitchen, which “got a facelift”, Patton played with harmony and rhythm by elevating the flushed pink of the floors to eye-level with broad, sumptuous brushstrokes of Statuario Rosa marble across the walls and counters. “Blush is my very favourite colour. The terrazzo floors read blush and when I found that marble I had to use it, it’s so incredibly powerful,” delights Patton, who “bought every slab they had”. Her self-confessed love of cooking and entertaining quickly explains the “top-of-the line KitchenAid appliances” and four ovens, which she says “really is a dream”, and she doesn’t hesitate when asked if this is her favourite space.
In the kitchen, which “got a facelift”, Patton played with harmony and rhythm by elevating the flushed pink of the floors to eye-level with broad, sumptuous brushstrokes of Statuario Rosa marble across the walls and counters. “Blush is my very favourite colour. The terrazzo floors read blush and when I found that marble I had to use it, it’s so incredibly powerful,” delights Patton, who “bought every slab they had”. Her self-confessed love of cooking and entertaining quickly explains the “top-of-the line KitchenAid appliances” and four ovens, which she says “really is a dream”, and she doesn’t hesitate when asked if this is her favourite space.
As gentle as her approach was, a few of Patton’s bathroom redesigns would have surprised the home’s first inhabitants. The powder room is outfitted in Gucci wallpaper (as is the entry), and accessorised with Dutton Brown light fixtures and a vintage Venetian glass mirror. “In all of my projects I treat the powder room like a jewel box, so this is a jewel box within a jewel box. You can be as bold as you want!” she says with joyful liberation. “I love that Gucci wallpaper, but it is a look—I had been wanting to use it for a while and this was the perfect opportunity.”
Patton bestows beauty with shades of blush, gives into the animalistic urge for tiger-print wallpaper, and then dips her brush into a paintbox of greens, replicating the colour of the lawn outside and washing an entire bedroom in soft sage. A chartreuse Roche Bobois sofa in the living room reminds how intoxicating the colour can be—it is her new favourite piece “and a true crowd pleaser”—though she believes it’s antiques, art and the items passed down from family that give a home soul.
Purchases made to fill the gaps are introduced to old belongings and custom furnishings including a Murano chandelier that Patton designed using glass sourced from Italy and hung in the dining area. It would seem she believes in the simple pleasure of looking at art to lift the spirits—her collection includes a watercolour by Evelyn Boren and a painting by Hunt Slonem that impart fresh wonderment and brighten their surroundings. “A curated mix of everything creates something that transcends the concept of a nicely decorated house,” she says. “It’s almost like a living thing—full of love—everything is intentional.”
Although the interior designer acknowledges the previous family’s efforts to maintain the home, the exterior trims needed painting, the roof needed replacing and the yard was overrun. She engaged landscape architect George Johnston to “completely revamp” the outdoor and pool area, and called in SRS Construction to assist with the building. “My firm does remodels and construction, but I brought in my friend Scott Schindler’s business to help me. I have a little trouble making decisions when it’s my own project, so I needed to outsource.”
The process, she says, reminded of the value in reaching out to an expert “when you are emotionally and financially invested in something”, and she readily admits to asking her designer friends for advice when playing around with ideas. Still, Patton has achieved something that requires extraordinary intuition—an appreciation for the architect that came before her, and respect for her own style.
