A Texan cottage with a distinctly English sensibility
‘It probably sounds silly to Brits, but in Austin this is a very old house,’ says interior designer Annie Downing of her 1930s home in Texas. A charming brick cottage rendered in tones of sage and pale blue, the house is unquestionably more attractive than much of the UK's thirties’ housing stock, even if Brits would not consider it very old. As Annie notes, ‘Our family is very unusual around here because we’ve never lived in a new house.’
‘Around 15 or 16 years ago,’ says Annie, ‘long before we bought it, I was invited over to the house for a school information evening. I fell in love with it straight away and knew it would be my house one day. It is not a grand home, but it is very quirky, with two staircases and lots of windows.’
At the time, Annie and her family were renting a few blocks away and she found herself driving past the house over and over again after that evening. Eventually, Annie heard that the owners were thinking of selling and she put in an offer straight away.
When they moved in, the house had a more traditional layout, with separate formal sitting and dining rooms, but the kitchen had little to no storage and the house did not function in the way Annie's family required.
‘I don't always love the open format, but as a big family it makes sense to all be together, cooking and relaxing in one place,’ she says. To open things up, Annie decided to incorporate the enclosed porch into the main house, creating a new dining room and allowing for a a large family area that flows from the kitchen. In doing this, she was also able to free up some space for a much needed pantry and a laundry room. ‘We lived through the renovation and didn't have a kitchen for about six months, which was difficult, but we had this amazing contractor with an engineering background. She was perfect for the job. Very organised and detail oriented.’
Ever since that school information evening, Annie had been plotting and planning how she would redecorate if she ever found herself owning the house. ‘I had already thought about every colour I would implement before we moved in!’ Annie admits. ‘The house was very stripped back and decoratively quite plain. It didn't feel layered at all and I really enjoy wallpapers and ceramics and colour, so I knew it would have to change a lot to make it feel like my own.’
Once the renovation had finished and she was finally able to start decorating, Annie was deliberate and thoughtful, waiting to find the perfect item or fabric instead of rushing to get things done. ‘I really don't like to buy things for the sake of buying them. I'd rather not have a sofa or a chair than one I dislike. It's not great for my family members!’ Annie jests. ‘On the flip side, I will always buy things if I like them and find the space.’
‘I think that I really like things that aren't perfect, that are a little whimsical and quirky. I got a lot of the window treatments for this house in India and I always pick up art and ceramics in flea markets. I'm really not a perfectionist. You'd think in this line of work I would want that, but I don't feel that way,’ Annie says. ‘It's the sense of things having a point of view that I so enjoy.’
Annie and her family have lived in the house for nine years now, and she has made her colourful mark on every inch of it. There will always be room for a few more special flea market finds, but in Annie's words ‘I think it's a bit of a cobbler's children have no shoes situation. My house comes last!’
Annie Downing Interiors | anniedowning.com
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Lindsay Brown2/22A small nook makes for a perfect study. Hay's ‘Rey’ chair takes centrestage.
Lindsay Brown3/22The kitchen is painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Lamp Room Grey’. Annie's large ceramic collection is displayed above the windows.
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Lindsay Brown5/22The stools are West Elm, reupholstered in a custom fabric of Annie's choosing. The lighting is all Urban Electric.
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Lindsay Brown7/22The foyer provides a bright and cheerful entrance for guests.
Lindsay Brown8/22In the sitting room, a Soho Home sofa sits opposite two Lee Industries armchairs. The curtains are Kravet with Lee Jofa trims.
Lindsay Brown9/22The rug has been in the family for a long time.
Lindsay Brown10/22The yellow dining room was created by incorporating the enclosed porch into the house properly. The walls are Farrow & Ball's ‘India Yellow’, the chairs are Chelsea Textiles and the table is from O&G.
Lindsay Brown11/22The decorative lighting is by Paul Ferrante. It is the ‘Marina Chandelier’.
Lindsay Brown12/22In the hallway, a large cabinet in Farrow & Ball's ‘Brassica’ provides attractive storage.
Lindsay Brown13/22The snug has been rendered in rich and inviting tones. The joinery is painted in Benjamin Moore's ‘Sweet Rosy Brown’, which tones perfectly with the Parker & Jules window treatments. The armchair is vintage, recovered in Beata Heuman's ‘Marblelised Velvet’.
Lindsay Brown14/22The sconces are from MG&Co. and the sofa is Lee Jofa.
Lindsay Brown15/22In the primary bedroom, pinks and blues make for a warm palette. Much of the furniture is vintage, sourced on online marketplaces and at flea markets.
Lindsay Brown16/22The bed is from Century Furniture, the pillowcases are from Beata Heuman, the bedspread was sourced in India. The little acrylic table is from Marburger Farm.
Lindsay Brown17/22Upstairs, the hallways is papered in Annie's own paper. The print is ‘Broken Vines’ in patisserie. The painting is vintage.
Lindsay Brown18/22This bedroom is a triumph of pattern and print. The lamp is from Visual Comfort, the window treatment is Supply Showroom and the rug was sourced from Morocco.
Lindsay Brown19/22The wallpaper in the loo is Annie Downing's own. It is the ‘Micro Lotus’ in apricot. The sink is from Kast and the sconces are from Urban Electric. The café curtain is Zak and Fox.
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Lindsay Brown21/22The outdoor table is from Kingsley Bates.
Lindsay Brown22/22Annie Downing.
