Tour a model home, and you may feel you have stepped inside a showroom—full of beautiful pieces but lacking character. The pieces may be pretty, but the overall effect is a little soulless and probably not suited to real life.
That was the impression that interior designer Easton Logan, a staff designer with John-William Interiors, didn’t want to achieve with the single-story, four-bedroom Dominion Home in San Antonio.
Instead, he infused the home with style, personality and pizzazz—so that every potential buyer could happily imagine how each room would perfectly fit their own lives and routines.
“My job was to select the furnishings, drapery, soft coverings and décor that would appeal to a broad array of prospective buyers,” says Logan. “I had to present each room and place furniture in a way that each person could see its potential— and see how the space would fit their own individual lifestyle.”
With high ceilings and an open floor plan, the contemporary urban home is perched on a cliff, surrounded by trees. Rooms open out to an atrium with a water feature. Though modern, with exposed metal rafters, the home also has wood, cut stone and brick elements. “That brings in a rustic, warm vibe,” Logan says. “It’s a sophisticated Texas house, with traces of transitional.”
Roberto Kenigstein of Image Homes built the home, which was designed by Braswell Architecture. Interior designer Casey Roy of San Antonio selected the finishes.
“These people who came before me gave me a beautiful canvas to start with,” says Logan, whose own background DSD includes 12 years in fine art and antiquities.
Mostly plucking pieces from John-William Interiors’ own stock inventory (with two warehouses and two stores, the company has plenty of resources from which to choose), Logan relied on a predominantly neutral palette, while using shape, texture and placement for interest and character.
A crescent-shaped, 8-foot, armless Marge Carson sofa creates a curved silhouette, with an arching floor light swooping overhead. “That sofa was one of the first things we brought in,” Logan says. “The architect had drawn in a traditional armed sofa, but I wanted the area to be open. I love to use things that are not the same old, same old—and place them in a way that you would not usually see.”
He completed the look with Marge Carson swivel chairs— creating a comfortable, inviting space that is also interesting and beautiful.
Logan turned the family room into a combined TV room and study. He stacked books atop a library table and chose a black glass-top cocktail table to complement the TV hanging on the wall. It’s the perfect place for gathering as a family, reading a good book or tackling a homework assignment.
An impressive leather rocking chair by Ecuadorian furniture maker Adriana Hoyos adds comfort and coziness—and a bit of eye-catching whimsy. “Her furniture absolutely fits this room and the house,” Logan notes.
He pulled the sectional sofa away from the window, thus imparting an airy feel. “It’s not just what [furniture] you put in a space,” Logan explains. “The space around it is also important.”
The dining area features a modern, casual Hickory Chair dining set and narrow console. “People today want to use their dining rooms,” Logan notes. “They don’t want a staged dining room.”
The furnishings’ clean lines and neutral tones provide the perfect backdrop for a custom, oversized, abstract mixed-media collage by local San Antonio artist Faryl Greller (designsby faryl.com), which adds fun bursts of bold color.
The casita, with separate entrance, full bath and half kitchen, could be used as a guesthouse, mother-in-law suite or home office.
To showcase its versatility without crowding the space, Logan says: “I set it up as a living room, with a bright white sofa, colorful pillows, a boldly patterned rug and very citrine drapery panels against the rich gray walls. A table and two chairs could be used as a card table or breakfast table. I wanted to suggest different uses, while making it seem open and spacious.”
Logan’s design philosophy echoes his fine arts background,which is apparent in every room he designs. “Every square foot matters; every aspect needs to be thought out; the view from every angle should be beautiful. Every pattern, every fabric and every piece tells a story,” he says. “There is a poetic quality in placing things ‘just so.’”