Decorating a home can mean many things: changing your style, updating an art collection or trying new colors and patterns. Whatever you do, Houston interior designer Janus Lazaris urges you to think about form and function — and sustainability.
Lazaris, of Janus Design Group, was a speaker at a recent Access Design event co-hosted by the Houston Design District and the Houston Chronicle. Her talk was on “From Traditional to Transitional: Mixing Styles to Create a Unique Home.”
While Houston’s architectural and design style has primarily been traditional, shifts toward contemporary and modern styles — or a hybrid referred to as “transitional” — are underway.
Here’s her take on how to achieve it.
Traditional v. Transitional
Design style is sometimes hard to define, but you know it when you see it. For example, go to just about any home on the annual River Oaks Garden Club Azalea Trail and it’s going to be traditional. You can expect plush furniture, wallpaper, lighting and art, but it can also be updated to a more contemporary style of traditional.
One of Lazaris’ clients favored traditional style, which included antiques, a herringbone pattern in wood flooring, handcrafted Gracie wallpaper and hand-painted, gilded ceilings.
If you're done with furniture and your friends and family don't want it, consider consigning or donating it to local nonprofits. Options include:
Houston Furniture Bank: 8220 Mosley and 295 Sawdust; 713-842-9771; houstonfurniturebank.org
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: 6161 S. Loop East; 713-643-1100; houstonhabitatrestore.com
Magpies and Peacocks: (Donate textiles) 908 Live Oak; 832-299-5609; magpiesandpeacocks.org
Blue Bird Circle: 615 W. Alabama; 713-528-0470; thebluebirdcircle.com
The Guild Shop: 2009 Dunlavy; 281-801-8055; theguildshop.org
The color palette, finishes and detailing on furniture and accessories all matter. Less ornamentation means you’re heading into transitional style. Think of it as a fresher, cleaner take on traditional.
Layers
When designers talk about layers, they’re often referring to the different elements in a room: rugs, furniture, accessories, lighting and art. Lazaris also points out that you can layer textures and styles to make a room more interesting.
When rooms are more contemporary or modern and minimalist, they can feel cold or stark. Layer in some rugs or add fabrics with more texture — such as silk, wool or velvet — or use things with cane or rattan panels, even seagrass window shades. Those layers of visual interest keep your room from feeling too “one note.”
Mix it up
Perhaps your living and dining room are more traditional. That doesn’t mean every room in the house has to reflect that style. You can be more contemporary in a home office, nostalgic in a guest bedroom, or whimsical in a craft room.
One of Lazaris’ clients had very traditional main living areas — and saved the fun stuff for a craft room where they like to be creative. For her, Lazaris designed a mural of giant, multicolored florals that swirled around the room.
The same goes for art. Switch it up by putting a simple modern frame on a traditional landscape or an embellished gilded frame on an abstract painting, Lazaris said.
Whatever you do, though, make sure you have some original art in your home. If you’re going to spend $500 on a piece of production art, use that money to have a local artist paint something just for you, she said.
Address shortcomings
Lazaris noted that many past and new clients want to freshen up their homes during the pandemic. They’re home more and can see their home’s shortcomings. Or maybe they just realize they need their homes to help with new things: they need a home office, a place to home school, a functional gym and, maybe, a cocktail bar where they can relax at the end of the day.
One client needed a home office and used a table that her grandfather brought when he immigrated to the United States. “I can’t think of a nicer way to spend your day than working from this table,” Lazaris said.
Keep what you love
Think of your house as a trip to the beach, Lazaris said. Do you wear the swimsuit that makes you feel cute or the one that makes you feel fat? The answer is easy.
Keep the things that you love and the things that make you feel good. The things that don’t make you feel good? Get rid of them and don’t look back.
So if you want to keep your grandmother’s table or a piece of art you bought on your travels but you don’t know how to make it work, ask a professional for help.
Be mindful of the environment
For all of the new pieces Lazaris helps her clients buy, some furniture gets thrown away. Instead of sending things to a landfill, consider donating them to charity or sending them to a consignment store.
“Some of your furniture will be with you for a very long time. If it has good structure, you can reupholster it or use it in a different room,” Lazaris said. “I’m big on sustainability. If your kids don’t want your china cabinet, you can upcycle it. Paint it with high-gloss paint and put new hardware on it.”
diane.cowen@chron.com
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Mix it up: Updated traditional style means a fresh, clean look - Houston Chronicle
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